I have a Garmin Edge Touring (without bluetooth) that I usually use with my laptop but am going touring and need something lighter to take. I use it to plan routes and transfer to the Garmin as well as upload my rides to Strava and need a tablet to do the same thing. The advice from Garmin Support is that I should go try plugging it into some tablets in a computer shop and see if it works (if it shows up) as it will work on some tablets but not on others. Does anyone have any advice on which tablets they have had success with? Pref a 7 inch tablet to be light and also as inexpensive as possible! I have read about OTG cables being required for these, though not perhaps for larger tablets that have USB ports? Any advice welcomed very much.

You won't be able to use a iPad.

A Windows tablet will work just like a PC.

The Android device will have to support OTG (OTG cables are cheap). Not all of them do. I was able to get a Nexus 7 2013 to work by rooting it. I also had to use the MTP (file transfer) option (tablets might default to the PTP (photo transfer) option).

Tablets (other than the iPad) use some form of USB port. An OTG cable is just a "crossed" USB cable.

Many route planners require internet access. If you are travelling, you might not have any or enough internet access.

Planning routes with ridewithgps (rwgps) is tedious on android (it uses a "mobile" mode that makes it kind of hard to create and edit routes).

Windows tablets work just like a normal PC but being smaller makes them harder to use. You probably want to use a mouse with it. Some route planners (like Basecamp) use the keyboard for a few things (which sometimes makes not having a separate keyboard an issue). There is software that lets you use a phone for a keyboard. Windows is not great for a small screen (Windows is not a great tablet OS).

You can run Garmin Basecamp on a Windows tablet, which would let you create routes without internet access. Basecamp takes some getting used to (it's not as easy to create routes on as rwgps) Basecamp can use OSM maps either on a microSD card or in a software-emulated microSD card. The Touring (like all newer Garmins) come with OSM maps. You can copy those to use in Basecamp (if you have the room). Basecamp can even use the maps on a Garmin unit plugged into the computer (that method is a bit slow). Before going all-out on a Windows tablet, try using Basecamp on a computer you already have.

A Windows computer really needs to have a "hard disk" of at least 64 GB (with some work, you might be able to get away with 32 GB). One issue with Windows tablets is that Windows updates can be very slow (related to the EMM memory used for the "hard disk").

Thank you very much for your reply. I usually plan routes in google maps and then transfer to my Garmin - could I do this with an Android tablet? Also, is it possible to plug a mouse into an Android tablet? (excuse my ignorance!) just wondering if that could make it easier to plot routes?
Many thanks again

Your route planner has to be able to produce a gpx or tcx file. If it produces a kml file, there are websites or programs (probably, none for Android) that can convert them.

The websites download files on Android just like they do on Windows (the foes just show up in a different place). You use a file manager app to copy the files.

You might find rwgps easier for plotting routes. RWGPS also lets you change the map being used. (But, maybe, Google maps is easier to create routes on in mobile mode.)

It seems you can generally use a Bluetooth mouse (I haven't tried it). Yes, it should make easier.

I use the "stickmount" app to connect the Garmin to the Nexus (this makes the Garmin "disks" show up as folders on the Android device. But I had to root it (not all devices are rootable).

If you have an Android phone, you can use that to try things out. If you have one of the newer larger phones, you might not need the tablet.

Thank you. I use a website that converts google maps urls to gpx files, called gpsvisualizer.

hoping I might still be able to use that. I hadn't thought bluetooth mouse, I was thinking a wired mouse could connect to a tablet with the OTG cable?

Unfortunately I only have an iPhone, but I can maybe try it out on a friend's Android, thanks for the idea.

Thanks again! It's really useful to get some advice. I'm going to try what Garmin suggested and go to a computer shop and see if I can try it there, or get any advice (taking my OTG cable)

That's the one I was thinking about.

Rwgps avoids that extra step.

The issue of being able to use it on Android is being able to choose (upload) a file on the Android device and then downloading a file. The rest of the stuff is just browser stuff (which works the same in every browser).

The uploading/downloading works (I tried it on my Nexus tablet).

I know that people use bluetooth mice and keyboards. Maybe, wired stuff works too but it doesn't seem many people go that route.

I just tried my BT mouse with my Nexus tablet. It was easy to get it to work (it's a bit jittery/laggy, but it works). BT lets you use the mouse when the tablet/phone is being charged or connected to the Garmin.