Garmin BASE MAP/TOPO MAP question.

[+Bad_Jason]

Ok, so I just purchased the Garmin Venture HC for geocaching. Do I need to purchase Garmin Topo 2008 for basic geocaching or will the base map do? I plan on going on urban and nature hunts. I do already have a Garmin 660 loaded with City Navigator 2008 and I plan to use that for turn by turn directions while driving to the hunt site. Once I arrive I'll use the Venture HC.

 

According to the product description the Venture HC's base map offers "24 MB internal memory; detailed basemap with lakes, highways, railroads, and more."

 

I understand that Topo 2008 is probably more accurate, but seeing that it doesn't offer an AUTO ROUTE feature, is even worth bothering with? Do you find it helpful on hunts?

 

Also, the internal memory offers only 24mbs of memory. Is this enough to load Topo 2008?

 

Thanks.

[+Grinch & Gremlin]

Ok, so I just purchased the Garmin Venture HC for geocaching. Do I need to purchase Garmin Topo 2008 for basic geocaching or will the base map do? I plan on going on urban and nature hunts. I do already have a Garmin 660 loaded with City Navigator 2008 and I plan to use that for turn by turn directions while driving to the hunt site. Once I arrive I'll use the Venture HC.

 

According to the product description the Venture HC's base map offers "24 MB internal memory; detailed basemap with lakes, highways, railroads, and more."

 

I understand that Topo 2008 is probably more accurate, but seeing that it doesn't offer an AUTO ROUTE feature, is even worth bothering with? Do you find it helpful on hunts?

 

Also, the internal memory offers only 24mbs of memory. Is this enough to load Topo 2008?

 

Thanks.

 

The basemaps do not give you much detail to work it, but whether they will do, I think, depends on the types of caches you'll do. If you're planning to stick to urban or near-the-road caches, then you can use the Nuvi to get you close and then the Venture can just be an arrow pointing a bearing and distance.

 

However, if you do the kinds of caches that I like -- long hikes in national forests -- then the Topo 2008 maps are extremely useful. Whether or not they show the trail you're hiking, they give you other features that help you navigate in the woods and I consider it essential for our hiking and caching.

 

24 MB of memory is sufficient if you tend to cache in the same general area most of the time. I still use a Vista C with 24 MB and it can hold a decent area around me. I only have to reload new maps if I take it on a trip. I also use a 60CSx and yes, it's nice to be able to load half the country in at once, but it's not like the 24 MB Vista was ever a problem. It's just an issue of planning and convenience.

[+Bad_Jason]

Thanks G&G!

 

That helps alot. Amazon has the Topo 2008 disc for 60 bucks. I think I'll go ahead and pick it up.