Testing Escort’s newest 360c Radar Detector in the Midwest
Radar detectors have been around for decades, and Escort has been at the leading edge of producing some of the best radar detectors on the market. We are testing the Escort Max 360c MKII with the M2 Radar-Mounted Smart Dash Cam. While we are not here to encourage you to speed on public highways and backcountry roads, we know that sometimes we just want to get to our destination without constantly staring at the speedometer. The cost of tickets and the increase in insurance rates attached to a ticket can be more expensive than a quality radar detector. Having a little warning can help to keep you honest and prevent you from getting an unwanted ticket. I found over the last 60 days of testing that when I use the Escort Max, I am way more conscious of how I am driving.
We have been testing this radar detector across Nebraska over the last 2-3 months on day trips in preparation for a roadtrip through the southwest. Testing the Escort Max 360c MKII together with the M2 Radar-Mounted Smart Dash Cam allowed us to see how these two work in tandem. Setting up and connecting these two units together works seamlessly. I like that it is all runs off of one power source and attaches to windshield as one unit. When we stopped and left the vehicle unattended for a period of time, I would take the unit off the windshield which then meant I would have to put it back on when we returned to the car. This is not necessary, but I prefer to keep electronics out of site when my vehicle is parked.
Radar detectors pick up K and Ka-band frequencies as well as X-bands (New Jersey & Ohio) that police use to gauge speed. As well, some police use a laser beam that can be picked up by detectors. In most occasions by the time your detector goes off, the police already have your speed. If you are speeding, police may be able to give you a ticket regardless of whether your slow down or have heard the alert. The MKII offers a 50 percent improved alert range over the MKI. This means you can pick up police radar from well beyond visual range, thus allowing you to prepare in advance. It’s noticeable how much time to focus and pay closer attention once you are alerted.
I have to be honest that over the past decade I have not owned a radar detector. In the two decades prior to that I lived in locations where radar detectors are illegal. Past detectors would give accurate readings but also a lot of false alerts. Today, technology has improved over the last 30 years. The Escort Max 360c MKII uses new filtering software that helps to let you know when an alert is real. It is also one of the quietest radar detectors around due to the new DSP chip. Please keep in mind that there are restrictions you should know about. In some states, radar detectors are illegal. In all 50 states radar detectors are illegal if your are driving a commercial truck or semi truck. As well, they are illegal to use on United States military bases.
What I Like about the Escort Max 360c MKII
First and foremost this is a quiet radar detector. On a recent 100 mile round trip from Lincoln, NE to Omaha, NE and back again, the unit went off twice. On the first occasion it was about 3/4 of a mile before we saw the police officer and on the second occasion it was after we had passed a police officer giving someone else a ticket in the lanes. That person was going in the opposite direction. It did beep twice inside of Omaha as we were close to a mall but was quick with a single beep. With practice, you can kind of tell when it feels like a false alarm. On each of these occasions I was able to glance down at the speedometer and clearly see that I was under the speed limit in both locations. I have the current top speed set at 70mph so when I go over that on the highway (we have a 75mph speed limit on our highways) it tells me that I am traveling over the limit with a voice prompt.
The ease of the unit and the Drive Smart App is a real bonus. The app works to create community-based alerts for speed traps, police-spotted locations camera traps. We found Waze to be a little more accurate only because of the sheer number of people using that particular app. I do like how simple the app is to use. The unit didn’t take a lot of time to figure out. Taking the unit out of the box, setting it up, attaching it to the windshield and figuring out the app took all of 20 minutes. I do wish it had a back facing camera so I could have that view as a part of our record but that is only a modest desire.
Knowing that this unit connects via wifi for easy firmware updates allows me to feel comfortable knowing that Escort is dedicated to making sure that as a customer I am taken care of. As well, Escort has a trade-in program, a Limited Ticket Guarantee, a price match promise and free shipping. This is worth ordering directly from the team at Escortradar.com but can also be ordered from Amazon.
The Escort Max 360c MKII Radar Detector has the following features:
Dual Antennas for directional awareness
AutoLearn technology to filter out false alerts
Escort Live app for real-time alerts and updates
Built-in WiFi for easy firmware updates
Multi-color OLED display for visual alerts
Voice alerts with customizable voice commands
GPS-powered features such as speed limit data and red light camera alerts
Shop the Brand New MAX 360 MKII Radar Detector at EscortRadar.com!
The Verdict
The Escort 360C MKII Laser Radar Detector is an extremely well built, well thought out and very advanced radar detector. It is an expensive unit and paired with with the M2 Radar-Mounted Smart Dash Cam it gets a little more expensive. Paired with the dash cam and the Drive Smart App this entire system works extremely incredibly well as an entire system to protect you with exceptional range, shared alerts and the tools necessary to protect you from radar detection. If you can afford this unit, get it and if you cannot, you might consider one of the lesser priced Escort units because with the Trade In Program, you can upgrade when you desire to increase your coverage.
We spend hundreds of hours a year in the car traveling to conventions, hunts in several states, meeting with clients and going on vacations. Knowing the Escort will keep us honest is worth the investment to us.
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