XT2: Section 1 - Key Terms
1.04 - Waypoints & POIs
Waypoints
Waypoint Definition edited from Garmin's website. Full text here
Waypoints are locations that are stored in your Garmin device. They are locations that you may want to return to or they may be significant points or features you found during your activity.
Waypoints can be manually entered by taking coordinates from a map or other reference. Also, waypoints may be entered by marking a point at the current position of the device, or on the map of the device.
All of the above will be slightly confusing to users of non-Garmin route planning utilities - such as MyRouteApp. Often the term 'Waypoint' is used to mean any route point in non-Garmin planners. The term 'Point of Interest' (POI) is used for saved locations.
Waypoints are locations that are stored in your Garmin device. They are locations that you may want to return to or they may be significant points or features you found during your activity.
Waypoints can be manually entered by taking coordinates from a map or other reference. Also, waypoints may be entered by marking a point at the current position of the device, or on the map of the device.
- Waypoints are not the same as route points, via points or shaping points.
- Waypoints are individual saved locations that you may wish to access.
- You can use a Waypoint to place that location in a route - but what you place is either a Via Point or a Shaping Point. So there are then two items plotted at the same coordinates. The via/shaping point and the original Waypoint.
All of the above will be slightly confusing to users of non-Garmin route planning utilities - such as MyRouteApp. Often the term 'Waypoint' is used to mean any route point in non-Garmin planners. The term 'Point of Interest' (POI) is used for saved locations.
Comment
The Zumo XT2 has introduced a new behaviour with route points, partly it seems as a result of the use of the Tread App to transfer and synch routes.
Route points are not fixed where you place them. Tread or the XT2 will modify them - seemingly by looking up the coordinates in a database and substituting a location for which it has detailed information. This point will probably be on the same road, but that has proved not to be the case in some tests. The name that you might have given to a Via Point may be altered to the name of the nearby location obtained from the database.
The good news is that the XTs will not alter the name of Waypoints. They are fixed in the location and with the name that you give them.
However, when using a Waypoint and adding that location to your route eg as a Via Point, the Waypoint and the Via Point have been tied together on the XT1 and the Zumo 590 and 595. The name didn't change, the position never changed.
With the XT2 that is no longer the case. The XT2 or the Tread app is likely to change the position of the Via point, leaving the Waypoint where it was - but no longer on the route. The route passes through the new position of the Via Point instead. If the Via Point has been moved to a location before a roundabout or a junction, the route may then be calculated along a different road - and the route no longer passes through it. You may infer from that that your route has moved onto a different road. Yes, you may be correct.
Clear evidence that a Waypoint is not a route point - but I can think of a few situations where that behaviour would have left me not knowing where to go.
Route points are not fixed where you place them. Tread or the XT2 will modify them - seemingly by looking up the coordinates in a database and substituting a location for which it has detailed information. This point will probably be on the same road, but that has proved not to be the case in some tests. The name that you might have given to a Via Point may be altered to the name of the nearby location obtained from the database.
The good news is that the XTs will not alter the name of Waypoints. They are fixed in the location and with the name that you give them.
However, when using a Waypoint and adding that location to your route eg as a Via Point, the Waypoint and the Via Point have been tied together on the XT1 and the Zumo 590 and 595. The name didn't change, the position never changed.
With the XT2 that is no longer the case. The XT2 or the Tread app is likely to change the position of the Via point, leaving the Waypoint where it was - but no longer on the route. The route passes through the new position of the Via Point instead. If the Via Point has been moved to a location before a roundabout or a junction, the route may then be calculated along a different road - and the route no longer passes through it. You may infer from that that your route has moved onto a different road. Yes, you may be correct.
Clear evidence that a Waypoint is not a route point - but I can think of a few situations where that behaviour would have left me not knowing where to go.
Points of Interest (POIs)
POI is often used to refer to a geographical location that is of particular interest. They are stored in a database and can be accessed when needed. They may have a name, address, location onfo (eg lat/long, postcade, what3words etc) and other useful information about the location.
On the XT2 a number of POI databases are available:
POIs can be obtained from a number of different databases on the XT2. The screen shot (right) shows the full list available from: Main Screen -> Where To ?
On the XT2 a number of POI databases are available:
- TripAdvisor - POIs can be searched, filtered and sorted to help find the neareast and best.
- MIchelin Green Guide - can be searched, filtered and sorted. Includes pictures and descriptions.
- Campsites - produces lists of nearby locations and includes those from TripAdvisor.
- Trendy Places - includes results from selected categories from Michelin and Trip Advisor
- Your own saved Waypoints
- Your Own Custom POIs
POIs can be obtained from a number of different databases on the XT2. The screen shot (right) shows the full list available from: Main Screen -> Where To ?
Comment
'Hidden Button' - highlighted in green. Allows you to specify where to search:
- Search near a Route - My Active Route / A Time Ahead / My Destination / Upcoming Exits
- Search Near a Place - Where I am Now / A Different Town / Post Code / Recent Destination / Waypoint
1.04 - Waypoints & POIs
The information on these pages has been acquired from personal experience of using and testing the behaviour of Basecamp and my Zumos XT and XT2. I have no links with Garmin except that I raise issues about my Zumos' behaviours from time to time. These pages are presented for interest only rather than instructions. The contents of these pages must not be shared, copied, transmitted, redistributed or re-published in any form without my permission. (C) JHeath 2025.