City Select Or Topo Maps, 60cs

[128JetSnake]

I just received my first ever GPS, Garmin 60CS. So far I like it a lot but I noticed it doesn't even show the roads that go in and out of the town I live in. That's expected from a base map.

 

I always thought about getting the city select, but the more I check into it, I wonder if I would be better off with the Topo. I don't plan on using autorouting all that much. I hope to use my GPS while snowmobiling in northern Minnesota were the Topo shows a lot of rivers and even ditch grades that would be useful for me. The Topo even shows most roads. So what do you think, would I be happy with the Topo or am I missing something??? I'm excited about my new GPS.

[Neo_Geo]

The Topo even shows most roads. So what do you think, would I be happy with the Topo or am I missing something???

Understand that Topo maps do not get updated very often. Many "newer" roads (built in the last 10 years or so) will not appear on topo maps. Also, only major roads are labeled on topo maps and are identified by their respective route numbers. Other roads are simply labeled as "Road".

 

Given this information, if you are still leaning toward topo maps, then go for it.

[+HummerH1]

The answer to your question is BOTH! The 60cs is a great GPSr for auto navigation and will get you close to your destination. I use my 60cs over my car nav system to get me close to the geocache. I then switch it over to "Geocache Mode" and turn off the auto select map and show the topo instead. Remember the 60cs can be loaded with both the city selct map and the mapsource topo map at the same time. It is very easy on the unit to select between the two.

 

Hummer H1

[+Olar]

Based on your particular circumstances, and you obviously have checked out both on Garmin's map-viewer, I would say go for the topo. That is of course you can only get one of the two at the present time. I'm not sure about the U.S. topos but here in Canada ours will autoroute as well as the CS. Also if your usage will be mostly rural then there probably will not be many new roads to worry about. Its the urban areas that sprawl so fast and mapmakers cannot keep up.

 

Cheers, Olar

[128JetSnake]

Very good info so far.

 

When you add map software, does it replace the base map or does it add another separate page for the new map? And I don't suppose you could over lay the Topo map OVER the city select so you could view both on the same page?

[+SteveDex]

When you add map software, does it replace the base map or does it add another separate page for the new map? And I don't suppose you could over lay the Topo map OVER the city select so you could view both on the same page?

Yes it overlays on the handheld unit. When in MapSource, you choose what maps sections to load to your GPSr. The procedure to do load sections from both map programs involves copying and pasting one set of sections (TOPO) into the desired list from your other map program (City Select) and transfer this whole list to your GPSr. Different Garmin map programs are chosen throuh MapSource in a dropdown selector window.

 

While using the GPSr loaded with TOPO and CS, both maps are shown - overlayed into each other. You can toggle one or the other (TOPO or City Select) off, leaving only the desired map type on your screen.

 

If you have a choice of only one, get the City Select by all means. You will have an updated, detailed map of roads and addresses and it will still do everything TOPO does as far as getting you to a location. However, TOPO shows elevation and City Select does not.

 

I've got both.

[stevesisti]

When you add map software, does it replace the base map or does it add another separate page for the new map? And I don't suppose you could over lay the Topo map OVER the city select so you could view both on the same page?

Yes it overlays on the handheld unit. When in MapSource, you choose what maps sections to load to your GPSr. The procedure to do load sections from both map programs involves copying and pasting one set of sections (TOPO) into the desired list from your other map program (City Select) and transfer this whole list to your GPSr. Different Garmin map programs are chosen throuh MapSource in a dropdown selector window.

 

While using the GPSr loaded with TOPO and CS, both maps are shown - overlayed into each other. You can toggle one or the other (TOPO or City Select) off, leaving only the desired map type on your screen.

 

If you have a choice of only one, get the City Select by all means. You will have an updated, detailed map of roads and addresses and it will still do everything TOPO does as far as getting you to a location. However, TOPO shows elevation and City Select does not.

 

I've got both.

That's strange...I though I've always heard that you can only view one mapsource product or the other...not both at one time. "Overlaid" means you can see thru one map and "into" another. In other words, you can see all the street detail of the City Select map, while at the same time seeing the topo contours overlaid on them.

 

You can load both topo and city select for the same area , but it was my understanding you could only see one or the other, depending on which map had "priority", or you decided to turn one or the other on or off in "map set-up".

[+Quoddy]

Both CitiSelect and Topo can be loaded, but only one at a time can be selected. I also keep the Tide points in the selection process, too. Particulary good if you live in any kind of tidal influenced area.

[+SteveDex]

When you add map software, does it replace the base map or does it add another separate page for the new map? And I don't suppose you could over lay the Topo map OVER the city select so you could view both on the same page?

Yes it overlays on the handheld unit. When in MapSource, you choose what maps sections to load to your GPSr. The procedure to do load sections from both map programs involves copying and pasting one set of sections (TOPO) into the desired list from your other map program (City Select) and transfer this whole list to your GPSr. Different Garmin map programs are chosen throuh MapSource in a dropdown selector window.

 

While using the GPSr loaded with TOPO and CS, both maps are shown - overlayed into each other. You can toggle one or the other (TOPO or City Select) off, leaving only the desired map type on your screen.

That's strange...I though I've always heard that you can only view one mapsource product or the other...not both at one time. "Overlaid" means you can see thru one map and "into" another. In other words, you can see all the street detail of the City Select map, while at the same time seeing the topo contours overlaid on them.

 

You can load both topo and city select for the same area , but it was my understanding you could only see one or the other, depending on which map had "priority", or you decided to turn one or the other on or off in "map set-up".

Sorry... 128JetSnake is correct. I had assumed that because of the menu choices ("Hide/Show TOPO", "Hide/Show CS", "Hide/Show Basemap") that those sections were simply toggled out instead of replaced like they really are.

 

Correction noted.

[+briansnat]

I don't plan on using autorouting all that much

 

I didn't until I got it. Now I really rely on it. That being said, for what you want it for, you might want to start with Topo. You can fit a lot of area in the 60CS using Topo. You can always get City Select later. I use both on my 60CS and just flick between the one I need. I probably use Topo about 80 percent of the time however.

[+webscouter.]

If you have both Topo and City Select loaded with the unit autoroute from the City Select maps when the Topo is selected to be displayed?

[+Quoddy]

No. If Topo is the selected mapset, auto-routing will not work. It must be in the CitiSelect mode.

[+Sputnik 57]

If you have both Topo and City Select loaded [will] the unit autoroute from the City Select maps when the Topo is selected to be displayed?

Sadly, no. If you hide City Select, the unit will autoroute on the basemap.

[Neo_Geo]

If you first start out on City Select, and use those maps to autoroute you somewhere, you can then switch to Topo maps and the unit will continue routing you with that route.

 

It would be interesting to know if the unit would automatically recalculate the route while in Topo if you stray from the original route...

[+Renegade Knight]

If you have both topo and city select maps seletcted to show, City Select will be the one you see and topo will be hidden. To see topo you have to "Turn off" city select.

 

However it's handy as heck to have both maps on your GPS.

[geoplasma]

I'll have to agree with most of the posts here. I have a 60cs and keep both maps loaded for the areas i visit. City Select is great except when it comes to a park... where you end up seeing a green polygon defining the park boundries. Topo comes in really handy at that point.

 

I thing the ONLY thing i dont like about it is the limited memory...

[128JetSnake]

When you load a map to the GPS, I will use city select for an example, you don't load the whole thing, right? Just part of the city select? What I'm thinking is that I will use Minnesota 98% of the time. Can I load the Minnesota section of city select and the Minnesota section of Topo on the 60CS? I'm thinking memory wise.

[+Cryptid]

The answer to your question is BOTH! The 60cs is a great GPSr for auto navigation and will get you close to your destination. I use my 60cs over my car nav system to get me close to the geocache. I then switch it over to "Geocache Mode" and turn off the auto select map and show the topo instead. Remember the 60cs can be loaded with both the city selct map and the mapsource topo map at the same time. It is very easy on the unit to select between the two.

 

Hummer H1

How do you load both? When I load a new set of Maps, it erases the old ones.

[+Cryptid]

Never mind, I've got it figured out. Thanks anyway

[Neo_Geo]

How do you load both? When I load a new set of Maps, it erases the old ones.

Let's say the last MapSource product used was City Select. By default, City Select will be the selected map product when MapSource is opened again the next time. So, you would open MapSource and select all of your desired City Select maps. Then you would go to the product selector and select Topo East (or Topo West, or whatever). After selecting the new product, start selecting desired map segments there. When you have finished changing products and selecting map segments from those products, THEN you send the data to the GPSr.

 

Be sure to select "Send route calculation data" when appropriate and make sure that the "Maps" check box is checked.