Garmin Camper 780 Advanced camper sat nav review

Garmin Camper 780 Advanced main info

The Garmin Camper 780 Advanced Camper Sat Nav comes with a 6.95 Inch Touch Display, Traffic and Voice-Activated Navigation and is the latest version of caravan and motorhome sat nav solution to hit the market from Garmin.

Because it is specifically designed for caravan / motorhome use, the device includes the option to input your vehicle weight and dimensions to allow it to plot routes that avoid problematic obstacles such as low bridges, steep hills, narrow lanes and unsuitable terrain.

The sat nav will also pinpoint points of interest for your route that you may be interested in visiting.  This also includes a list of campsites near your location that are suitable for caravans or motorhomes. It will also highlight useful restaurants, shops and rest stops along the route so you can easily take a break from driving when you need to.

Notable features

The Garmin Camper 780 Advanced Camper Sat Nav comes with a 6.95-inch multi-touch screen, which makes it easy to read the information at a glance without squinting or causing eye strain. The comprehensive campsite lists featured on the device come from ACSI, and even include details for free stop-over places from the Trailer’s PARK database. The campsite search is handy because it will highlight campsites along your route that offer equipment that motorhomes and caravan towers need, such as electric hook-up points or wi-fi access.

Because you can enter the weight and measurements of your vehicle, the routes planned for you consider this information and will actively look for routes that will help you avoid roads with low weight limits, narrow roads, and more. The device will also issue warnings about roads with potential hazards such as overhanging trees, sharp bends or curves in the road and steep hills.

The display screen will show you your current speed as well as the current speed limit of the road you are traveling along. As you progress along your route, the sat nav will recalculate your estimated time of arrival according to your speed.

Lane guidance and junction view

The Camper 780 offers you very effective Lane Guidance just like previous models. The display will show you the correct lane to choose for your route using contrasted bright arrows and voice instructions.

You will also be able to see photorealistic junction views so you can get an idea of what an up and coming junction looks like in real life. The lane guidance solution will help you to navigate difficult or confusing junctions and roundabouts where you may struggle to understand which lane to take.

The  “Garmin Real Directions” and “Garmin Real Voice” technologies used in the  Camper 780 was designed to guide you in a way that is easier to understand. The technology uses recognisable landmarks such as buildings, traffic lights and road signs to help guide you more visibly.

The Real Voice feature allows the voice instructions to feel more calm, reassuring, natural and pleasant and is like listening to a real person rather than a robotic voice.

Free Traffic information and Lifetime Map updates

The Garmin Camper 780 Advanced Camper Sat Nav comes with the ability to update your maps for free for the lifetime of your device and does not require any subscription of any kind. This is one of the most important features that you should look for in a caravan sat nav device because it is likely that you will be using your sat nav model for many years to come and static maps can quickly become outdated.

If you are still considering whether to update your caravan sat nav or continue with a much older model, updating an older sat nav can be expensive on models which do not come with lifetime free updates.

Having free map updates means you will know you are always up-to-date with the latest maps, points of interests and information on campsites that are new or still operating and suitable for your needs. This caravan sat nav has built-in Wi-Fi which makes it easy to connect to the internet at home to download map updates directly from the unit itself.

Activating voice command

The Garmin Camper 780 Advanced Camper Sat Nav comes with a voice command feature to give you safe hands-free operation of your device. You simply say the words “Voice command” and the unit displays a list of voice-activated controls to choose from.

It is easy for you to set a comfortable voice command volume and plan your itineraries. You can connect the sat nav to your smartphone via Bluetooth to help you keep your hands on the steering wheel and display your notifications from your phone directly on the Sat Nav screen.

This means you can read SMS messages and other notifications without picking up your phone or taking your hands off the wheel while driving.

Summary information

This is a great all-in-one solution for adventurous caravan and motorhome drivers. However, while the caravan and motorhome sat nav is compatible with a reversing camera, one is not included with the unit and needs to be purchased separately.

Garmin has updated the product from its previous model by making it faster and making it even easier and pleasant to use. However, this model no longer comes with a built-in traffic receiver included, which is now an optional extra. But as you can get traffic information through Bluetooth, many users won’t be too concerned about that.

Included accessories:  Power cable (12-24V), suction cup mount, USB cable.