advice for tablet or laptop for planning (rerouting) while on tour

[staehpj1]

All that I need for “get me outa here” is a map, common sense and observation.  Worst case is you backtrack and find a way around.

I tend to agree, but am spoiled by the ease of using cell phones these days.  It wasn't all that many years ago that paper was all we had in any case and it still will get us by, but these days we have cell phones and all their mapping capabilities to bail us out.  That said, the notion that we need to resort to a laptop in to reroute so we can have our gps yammering in our ear at every turn seems a little over the top to me.  Different strokes though.

[rmball28]

I have used a refurbished Dell Venue which is a lot cheaper than a Surface and has given me good service.

[Kasatka]

Every phone has an incorporated GPS tracker, so everything you have to do is have a good internet connection and open the MAPS app. If you have problems with the internet while traveling, you can use a mobile internet router. I'm personally using one right now, and it works perfectly. But before purchasing any router, remember to connect it to a safe internet connection. Otherwise, you will have to use the RAID RECOVERY services because of an unsecured internet connection that will get all your data stolen.

[froze]

I agree with those that can't figure out why you need a laptop or a tablet to go touring with, and discussed other options for you, so I won't regurgitate those ideas. 

The only reason I would think a person might need one is if they're doing a daily blog to later sell to make money.  If you are doing a blog then probably an Apple MacBook Air 13.3 screen size laptop with around 18 hours of battery run time would be among the best options out there, and they're not horribly expensive either at the lowest optioned one, and at 13.3 screen size means it will pack using less space; and most writers use Apples.

With such low battery use, you would probably not use more than an hour or two of the battery per day blogging, so you can easily charge it up with a solar charger as long as it's a 3 panel charger, smaller single and dual panel chargers will take too long to charge, and 4 panel chargers are too heavy.

Another option is to take a smart phone (along with a solar charger), then any blogging you may want to do can be simply spoken into the phone and phone will type it out for you.  That phone will help you do all the other stuff you mentioned wanting to do, including taking photos of your trip. 

[canalligators]

You have to consider the user.  Some folks just don't "get" maps and directions, and they need the turn-by-turn directions.  For them, a dedicated GPS is probably the way to go.  Or GPS function on a cell phone or tablet.  I'm good with directions, but I can't dance, dress myself or remember to get milk on the way home.