I'm sorry for being dense, but what is a tubular charger? I'm thinking it is a term for a cigarette lighter I'm not familiar with. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_lighter_receptacle

Thanks!

Not true. Most decent smartphones now are using gorella glass, kevlar coverings, etc, much sturdier than the plastic of my Garmin. The "free" and low end smartphones maybe fragile but thats just like any other product, you can't lump them all with the bottem end.

roberttheiii...you are correct...I didn't read what I was typing...the Goal Zero 7w panel comes with a 12v female tubular (cigarette) recepticle in addition to a 12v pin and USB slot to provide power out...my car is an 03 and has only 2 cigarette recepticle in the dash... I have a splitter to run both the Garmin and CB and was thinking about that rather than the male cigarette plugs on the charger and Garmin...

I have adapters with female tubular 12v to battery clamp to run my ventilation fans (with adapter cord to 12v pin), but that is another topic

Looking forward to that. Hopefully it will come with a battery that has a bit more juice that the iPhone 4S -- not impressed with battery life.

And blackberry, and nokia, etc. Everyone seems to assume all phones are as fragile as the iphone just because of its fad popularity.

Yes some of them are getting tougher. And at least one brand (I forget which) has an alegedly waterproof model. However, the general run of smartphones, the models that most people carry, IMHO are not as stout as a dedicated GPS.

Don't misunderstand me. I often carry my iphone (in a waterproof cover) when I go hiking. It serves as a back up to my Garmin, and I'm occaisionally surprised at where I can get cell service out in the woods. Note that I also carry a plain old fashioned compass and a map (in a plastic bag), which works even if the Garmin dies.

By analogy, I have a Leatherman, and it can be really handy in a pinch when I need pliers or a screwdriver. However, if I'm planning to do some serious mechanical work, I generally prefer to get my toolbox. By the same token, if I really need to worry about navigation, I prefer to use a tool optimized for navigation.

As far as GPS, what's on my Android smartphone blows away my standalone "Garmin V" (yes, it's old) and also my Magellan model-something-or-other from the same era as the Garmin V.

I don't own a recent standalone GPS, I'm sure they've improved a lot since I last bought one. I do get great battery life, resolution and features with my iPhone using iTopoMaps. Just make sure to download the quads you need before you go out of cellular data or wifi range. I don't use it for primary navigation, but it does make an excellent backup.

a friend that works as a contractor for SOCOM in technology and weapons development, recently got a Casio G'zOne Commando (Verizon/Android)... looks like it is "GI proof" ... might check it out if you are looking for an upgrade

My experience with technology is that "GI proof" means it's only "Firefighter resistant."