Replacement for Navigator program ?

[Alex2123]

Now that the Trailer Life navigator by trailer life was discontinued and the program from undertow is gone, what would people here suggest as a replacement for an RV trip planning software? I've tried the Good Sams on-line stuff and it's junk. I also use GPS for routing and stuff, but I am looking for something that I can use to plan my trip, select and add campgrounds to my trip, etc.

Any suggestions?

[Macaco]

Alex, unfortunately, I don't think there is such a thing There are some mapping products, though they are being discontinued as well (MS Streets and Trips) and a couple of web-based solutions, but they all fall short of what the Navigator series products used to be able to do. I don't know that there is a product where you can plan your trip, select your RV parks based on your own criteria, revise it, re-select, revise it it once again, etc. Too bad TL and Undertow decided to pull the plug and leave such a big void. I just hope that someone else picks up on it and develop such a product, they'll make a killing!!

[Budd]

I think the lack of additional posts on this topic disprove the notion that they would make a killing.

However, you are right, there really is not anything that I have been able to find that will do it all in the planning phase. Just about everything is designed for campers, not rvers or full time RVers. As the Boomers take to the roads to change their lifestyles, planning is essential when one is downsized and on a fixed income. As the necessity for making reservations months in advance grows with this explosion of rvs on the roads, the obvious need for a complete planning tool becomes undeniable.

Another huge consideration is that RVPnG does not require an internet connection to do most of the work. Bigger RVs take a much more precise approach to analyzing potential RV parks in advance just to see if a 60+ foot rig will fit in pull through sites. The usual term used in the past, "Big Rig Friendly" is as meaningless today as "broadband speed" when it comes to finding suitable candidates.

It was nice that RVPnG would automatically integrate current information via internet but even stale information is better than none to work through the planning process.

RVPnG is faster and cleaner than the TL2012 version and I just wish I could at least, use the TL2012 database directly in RVPNG2013 for those places that are in both.

I am 65+ feet overall when hooked up. The lack of any site size info in the 2013 version is a real problem. Yeah, I would like the ratings, too, but if I don't have ratings I still need the site sizes before I can even start perusing other sources, like GoodSams, RVParkReviews, AllStays, etc. Even using the TL2012 version I can still work out routes and alternates and then start vetting them manually with current info. Problem is that some of the 2012 problems can really get in the way so I have to create a skeleton trip, save it, open it in RVPNG2013 then massage it as I refine the choices. Its a pain but it does work... kindof.

[Live2RV]

I wish they hadn't discontinued this product. Perfect? No. But much better than anything out there for planning and RV trip.

[Ruby22]

I can't say I blame them for abandoning the product. I read a lot of messages here of the type "hey, I paid my $$ and I expect it to do this and that and the other..." I guess now that these people don;t have to spend their $30, they must be happy Like many have said, it was not perfect, but it was the only program of its kind and *I* thought it provided value for my dollar. Sad to see it abandoned, but we should blame the constant whiners for at least part of its demise. It may not be politically correct, but that's what I think.