Xt to XT2

For help and advice on the Garmin Zumo XT2.
Scarecrow
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Xt to XT2

Post by Scarecrow »

Hi All
I have a upcoming trip to Austria with two mates soon
One has a XT the other a XT2.
I have planned several trips on MRA and can send them to my XT via the Drive app no problem
I know I can bluetooth them to the other XT but
My question is is there I way I can get them to the XT2.
Hope this makes sense
Del
Mzokk
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by Mzokk »

Email? XT2 Owner can then open the route in tread??
turbo19
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Andorra

Re: Xt to XT2

Post by turbo19 »

Scarecrow wrote: Sat May 31, 2025 4:41 am Hi All
I have a upcoming trip to Austria with two mates soon
One has a XT the other a XT2.
I have planned several trips on MRA and can send them to my XT via the Drive app no problem
I know I can bluetooth them to the other XT but
My question is is there I way I can get them to the XT2.
Hope this makes sense
Del
I think that you can also send them via Bluetooth from the XT to the XT2, as other Garmin devices 😉
smfollen
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by smfollen »

gpx files can be written to an sd card and imported. Both the XT and the XT2 support this.
The sd card also gives you a safe backup of your planned routes in case of any issues with the internally stored copy.

If you are using a Windows pc, @FrankB has shared his Trip Manager software with us. It will write files from pc directly to either model of zumo. It can write to internal storage as well as an sd card installed in the zumo and offers several other features. Se this post https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/viewto ... 080#p24080
Regain
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by Regain »

@Scarecrow, like others say, you can try email or WhatsApp the gpx. But why not get your riding companions to sign up for MRA, then you can 'friend' them all and presto. No need for a paid subscription unless they want to do some planning when paid.........pays for itself.
jfheath
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by jfheath »

XT1 and XT2 both have serious issues with gpx files when navigating. Part way through the route, they may change their behaviour and seem to want to take you in directions which make no sense.

This behaviour can be prevented by making the XT1 and XT2 believe that the route has been created and saved on the Zumo itself, rather than imported from a gpx file. 'Saved' routes never have the same problems.

Example

If I allow my XT2 to synch with Tread, then usually the route is changed. It seems to calculate a new route between Via points, and then moves the shaping points onto its new route.

If you don't allow synchronisation, then this does not happen.

Another safeguard is to select your route and use the spanner tool, top left, to make a copy. Give it a name to recognise it as the copy, and use that re-saved route instead of the original.

The XT2 then behaves much more predictably !


A similar trick can be carried out on the XT1, but the XT1 does not have a "copy" option.
Instead you have to load the route and select Go!
Then without ending the route go back to load another route.
Select the currently active route and then the option to save it.
Load and run the saved route. This method adds an additional point at the start - where you were when you made the copy - so when you load this and select Go! choose closest entry point, or choose the original start point just under closest entry point.
Have owned Zumo 550, 660 == Now have Zumo XT2, XT, 595, 590, Headache
Use Basecamp (mainly), MyRouteApp (sometimes), Competent with Tread for XT2, Can use Explore for XT - but it offers nothing that I want !

Links: Zumo 590s . Zumo XT & BC . Zumo Navigation Booklet . Zumo XT2
Scarecrow
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by Scarecrow »

Thanks for the info Gents
I intended to plan the routes on MRA then send them to each device via Drive app
I've done a few routes to my XT this way lately without any issues.

Del
jfheath
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by jfheath »

Scarecrow wrote: Sun Jun 01, 2025 5:38 am Thanks for the info Gents
I intended to plan the routes on MRA then send them to each device via Drive app
I've done a few routes to my XT this way lately without any issues.

Del
You cannot send routes to the XT2 using the Drive app.

You can send a route to the Xt2 using the Tread app instead, but in order to do that, the XT2 needs to allow synchronisation. In many tests that I have carried out to find out when and why my XT2 route has been altered, it has been the regular synchronisation with the Tread / Explore database that has been responsible for changing my routes.

So I have the tread app installed and linked (phone to XT2), but I do not allow it to store data or synchronise. Unfortunately, that means that I can no longer send gpx files from my phone to the XT2.

So I am stuck with using USB cable to transfer routes, or sharing the route by SD card.

What seems to happen with the Xt2 is that if the route recalculates (which it will do when riding, cdepending on circumstances), the XT2 seems to plot routes between the via points, ignoring the position of shaping points. It then moves my shaping points onto the route that it has plotted.

If you are determined to have Tread syncing so that you can use Drive with the XT1 and Tread with the XT2, then I recommend that you use only Via points in your route for the XT2, not shaping points. But be aware that if you have more than 31 via points, then the XT1 will split the route into two or more routes.
I don't know if the XT2 does that. I haven't tested it.


An excellent safeguard is to display the track as well as the route. Then if the route starts doing something stupid, you can see which roads you intended to ride. The track will not change.
Have owned Zumo 550, 660 == Now have Zumo XT2, XT, 595, 590, Headache
Use Basecamp (mainly), MyRouteApp (sometimes), Competent with Tread for XT2, Can use Explore for XT - but it offers nothing that I want !

Links: Zumo 590s . Zumo XT & BC . Zumo Navigation Booklet . Zumo XT2
Scarecrow
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by Scarecrow »

OK Thanks @jfheath
This XT stuff gets no easier does it?
Sometimes think it may be easier going back to paper maps
with a junction list attached :lol:
Oop North John
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Re: Xt to XT2

Post by Oop North John »

I think that most of the routing stupidity has its root cause in the "faster" routing option being compromised by its desire to chose a faster road over the fastest time.
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