Electric Caddy | Gyroscope or no Gyroscope - GPS or no GPS

[lordemsworth]

Hello all,

 

For those with Electric Caddies, have you tried / demoed carts with and without gyroscopes.  I'm torn between the MGI Zip Navigator AT and Motocaddy M7 Remote.

The Zip has a Gyroscope that keeps it on a straightline but the M7 doesn't.

The M7 seems to have better build quality.

The wider front wheels on the AT give it a more stable base.

They are both about the same price.

 

I'm personally not a fan of GPS on the cart - I have my phone, or rangefinder, and I really detest the move to subscriptions.

I know the Stewart is there is well - not worried about Follow.  I want my cart in front of me at all times!  I know there are non-follow models, but they don't have same nimbleness due to wheels that are uni-directional.

 

Wondering if people have looked at one or the other, or anything else. 

Edited May 18 by lordemsworth

[596]

Not apples to apples but

 

I have the Stewart Vertx with the two stationary front wheels.  A friend has the CartTek with the single front wheel.  Says he'll soon purchase a Stewart Q Follow after using my Stewart X9 Follow.  Yes, I have 2.

 

The Stewart Vertx has the straight line function.  No GPS.  Turns on a dime.  It'll actually turn circles without going anywhere. 360 degrees in place. Even with the stationary front wheels.  They are slightly curved edges that allow them to turn sideways with ease. The 2 front wheels makes it very stable.  It also has downhill and uphill auto speed.  It will not speed up downhill and will not lose speed uphill. Didn't think it was that big a deal before hand but it really is super nice.  Downhill auto braking regenerates the battery.

 

Really can't go wrong with any remote cart you buy.

[dwboston]

I have the M7 Remote.  I had an Alphard/Clicgear combo the previous 2 seasons.  The M7 is great overall - made well, sturdy, folds/unfolds easily, and I like that it can be used in remote or manual mode.  A gyroscope function would be nice - it's probably the only glaring omission from the M7.  I didn't opt for the GPS model because of the subscription fees, and I already have a GPS and laser.  I was a little concerned the M7 wouldn't be as stable as the Alphard/Clicgear with the front swivel kit, but it's been fine and the rear stability wheel works well.  I really enjoy just walking with it as a powered push cart at times, especially if there's a rain shower - I just put the umbrella in the holder and walk under it.  M7 Remote is a great electric push cart. 

[bcc69]

I have a MGI Ai Navigator GPS, which has the gyroscope.  My previous cart was a CaddyTrek which does not have a gyroscope.  Is there a noticeable difference?  Yes, but I wouldn't say it's a big deal.  The GPS app on the MGI comes standard with the purchase and there is no additional subscription.

[lordemsworth]

On 5/16/2024 at 10:41 AM, bcc69 said:

I have a MGI Ai Navigator GPS, which has the gyroscope.  My previous cart was a CaddyTrek which does not have a gyroscope.  Is there a noticeable difference?  Yes, but I wouldn't say it's a big deal.  The GPS app on the MGI comes standard with the purchase and there is no additional subscription.

Would you have still bought the MGI if it didn’t have the gyroscope?

[chisag]

... I started using remote carts in the early 90's after 2 back surgeries and went through quite a few remote carts including Sun Mountain, Powacaddy, Mottocaddy and Bag Boy. Several companies before them that all went out of business. For me the MGI with gyroscope was a game changer. They wander and needed constant attention, even on flat fairways. Slopes were even worse. I would often use them like a slice or hook and just send them out one way knowing they would bend back. The MGi tracks straight and true and needs no babysitting. I pay no attention to my MGi other than making sure the terrain has no holes, ditches, sprinkler heads in it's line. I sold my M7 and then upgraded my Quad to the ZIP because at age 71 it was lighter, smaller, was easier to get in and out of my car and had a better battery. 

[bcc69]

13 hours ago, lordemsworth said:

Would you have still bought the MGI if it didn’t have the gyroscope?

Yes

[lordemsworth]

36 minutes ago, chisag said:

... I started using remote carts in the early 90's after 2 back surgeries and went through quite a few remote carts including Sun Mountain, Powacaddy, Mottocaddy and Bag Boy. Several companies before them that all went out of business. For me the MGI with gyroscope was a game changer. They wander and needed constant attention, even on flat fairways. Slopes were even worse. I would often use them like a slice or hook and just send them out one way knowing they would bend back. The MGi tracks straight and true and needs no babysitting. I pay no attention to my MGi other than making sure the terrain has no holes, ditches, sprinkler heads in its line. I sold my M7 and then upgraded my Quad to the ZIP because at age 71 it was lighter, smaller, was easier to get in and out of my car and had a better battery. 

Thank you for this.  I’ve got to believe the gyroscope would be more useful than a gps - that feature truly befuddles me.

 

[lordemsworth]

On 5/15/2024 at 6:40 PM, 596 said:

Not apples to apples but

 

I have the Stewart Vertx with the two stationary front wheels.  A friend has the CartTek with the single front wheel.  Says he'll soon purchase a Stewart Q Follow after using my Stewart X9 Follow.  Yes, I have 2.

 

The Stewart Vertx has the straight line function.  No GPS.  Turns on a dime.  It'll actually turn circles without going anywhere. 360 degrees in place. Even with the stationary front wheels.  They are slightly curved edges that allow them to turn sideways with ease. The 2 front wheels makes it very stable.  It also has downhill and uphill auto speed.  It will not speed up downhill and will not lose speed uphill. Didn't think it was that big a deal before hand but it really is super nice.  Downhill auto braking regenerates the battery.

 

Really can't go wrong with any remote cart you buy.

Quick question here - do you have any issue with straight line tracking?  I don’t see a gyro mentioned anywhere for the Stewart.  Wondering if it matters.

[596]

2 minutes ago, lordemsworth said:

Quick question here - do you have any issue with straight line tracking?  I don’t see a gyro mentioned anywhere for the Stewart.  Wondering if it matters.

Stewart Vertx has hardware/software that reviews and reads data from the wheels 1000 times per second. It makes adjustments to the power of each wheel to keep the cart running straight.  It's a very nice feature. Something I never really thought about when using my X9 but definitely notice when using the Vertx.  They don't call the technology they use a "gyroscope" but it does the same thing.

 

The Q and X models do not do this.  Those 2 will follow the slope of the land.  

 

Hope this helps.

[lordemsworth]

Very cool.  Thank you.  The way you explained it makes a ton of sense.  I think the Stewart marketing could use some help.

🙂

[596]

2 minutes ago, lordemsworth said:

Very cool.  Thank you.  The way you explained it makes a ton of sense.  I think the Stewart marketing could use some help.

🙂

I can't at all argue with their marketing. I think it's 110% .  I won a brand new Vertx Carbon Remote cart in their Fall Giveaway!!  😁  It's why I have 2 Stewart carts.  Their Service has been great.  I've used Stewart carts for probably 6 years now.  I love 'em.  I've also had a few guys buy one after seeing and talking about mine.

[bluedot]

I’ve been using a Zip Navigator for two years now, and the gyroscope was the deciding factor between it and the M7, based on user reviews and friends with and without gyroscopes electric carts.  

 

It is a bit of a mystery to me why the M7 doesn’t have this, since it’s one of the industry-standard higher end electric carts.  The only guess I can make is that adding a gyroscope would have taken it to a price point that Motocaddy believed would hurt sales too much.

 

In short, I think a gyroscope is a big deal.  A GPS, well, not so much.  With GPS golf watches and phone apps, etc, I’m not sure why I’d want to pay any more $ for another GPS, especially when I would need something else anyway for rounds when I’m away, or riding or carrying.

[klbcec]

Have the M7.  Love it.  That said, I wish it had a gyroscope.  Is kind of annoying that I can't point, shoot and forget about it, instead having to make corrections every 25 yards.

 

The M7 is three years old and going strong.  If it dies, I'm getting a gyroscope model.

[lordemsworth]

Looking the MGI Zip Navigator and M7 Remote, I think the fit and finish a little nicer on the Motocaddy (M7), but I don’t think it makes sense to not buy with the gyroscope.

 

Thanks, everyone.  Will try and do some demoing and revert back.