Maps on GPS

[Polishrambler23]

Hi everyone!

 

I decided to just post a new topic (I already posted this once on another thread). I figured that I would receive more responses this way. Anyway, I have received tons of great information about which hand-held GPS units are of better quality, etc. and I have been able to narrow my search. I found some posts that mentioned maps, but it was vague. Are maps included on the units (looking at Garmin) or all of them period? Are they generalized road maps or specific areas? I also read something about buying maps? I am just unsure of what the maps means. If someone could please enlighten me, I would greatly appreciate it! I just didn't want to be disappointed when something is extra or not included.

[+Phipps Family]

The Garmin handhelds usually come with a "base" map that shows interstates and large routes, but very little else. They are not useful for navigating roads. You need to buy maps if you want to use those units for navigating.

 

Some of the new Colorados come with Topo maps preinstalled, but again the Topos are good for trails, not usually not very good for roads.

[+StarBrand]

The Garmin units usually come with just a basic base map. Major roads are shown and place names but that is about it. You have to buy addtional maps for more detail. However - the addtional maps are not needed for Geocaching. It can make it easier but are not necessary.

[Polishrambler23]

Thanks for your reply about the actual roads, but I guess I should be a little more specific. This is actually tougher to explain than I originally thought. I'm not worried about navigating the actual roads for driving. I meant maps for when I would be walking around to find a cache. Hopefully that helps

[+StarBrand]

Thanks for your reply about the actual roads, but I guess I should be a little more specific. This is actually tougher to explain than I originally thought. I'm not worried about navigating the actual roads for driving. I meant maps for when I would be walking around to find a cache. Hopefully that helps

There are terrain (Topo) maps as well - again they are nice but not really necessary to find any caches.

[+Thrak]

Geocachers who do a lot of hiking often like the TOPO maps that show the contours of the land, streams, etc. Most cachers don't need maps at all. Some use the street maps to navigate to the cache area and for routing on trips, etc. (I do) but, when it comes to actually finding the cache, you don't need maps.

[+whitneymvp]

I agree totally with Thrak, but want to add. Any handheld GPS will help you find a cache just fine. I have found that if you're in the woods with trees and bushes all around, and every direction you look looks exactly the same, it is very reassuring to see yourself on a map and KNOW there is a road X miles in a certain direction ... or KNOW that the wetland you see should be on a certain side of you ... or that you should plan on taking a small detour to get around an obstacle up ahead. A basic TOPO map will give you this. It shows most all major and minor roads. It is not best suited for car navigation but its great for being in the woods. Without a map that is more detalied than the base map you can only see waypoints and your track or backtrack. If I were in an area where I always had good physical clues where I was, then a built in map wouldn't be as comforting. So far, where I've hunted, hasn't been far off roads, but they have all been in the woods.

[+Chuy!]

Garmin offers maps for the road, trail and water. See here to get started.

 

Trail maps includes various configuration of Topo. The the US coverage is not very detailed, only 1:100,000 scale. Kinda pathetic but to cover the US, it has to be broad or you have to start buying regions, which I don't mind. Only on certain national forests and some state parks do they offer 1:24,000 coverage.

 

The road maps (MetroGuide, City Navigator, etc..) are actually pretty good. These are detailed maps of city streets. City Navigator is an auto-routing map that, with a auto-routing capable GPS, provides turn-by-turn routing. A desirable feature when caching in urban settings. Also great when vacationing to find gas stations, hotels, dining places, shopping malls, and other attractions. The downside is they come out with an upgraded version almost every year.

[+Freth]

I recently purchased a Garmin 60CSx (which comes with only base maps). I went out and did some geocaching with it for a couple days and found caches fine, but the screen was blank for the most part except for the cache waypoints. As was said in a previous post, it's nice to have some point of reference on your GPS to base your location off. Yes, you can live without it, but the difference is night and day as far as being able to orientate yourself via the GPS.

 

I chose to get the City Navigator 2008 NT for mine. (NOTE: Don't buy the "update" version, it requires you have a copy previously installed.) The reason I chose city instead of topo is because this area has a lot of city caches and caches in urban areas. I wanted the street detail. Topo would've been nice, but impractical in this part of the country because the landscape is pretty much flat. I placed the whole City Navigator map (1gb in size) on a 2gb SD card, leaving room for routes and other goodies. The upload took an hour and a half to do.

 

I took it outside to test it out and I could see the streets around me where before it was just blank space. Subsequent days of caching have proven to me that the investment was worth it. I can see a lot more detail. Streets, parks, rivers, etc. and it also opens up a whole new level of points of interest (restaurants, stores, etc.) and various other tidbits.

 

The only downside is the cost of the maps. If you can get past the chunk of dough you'll have to spend you'll find caching that much more enjoyable because you can see where you are in relation to everything around you, where base maps give little or no orientation and can be confusing and dull for caching.

 

On another note... I was seriously considering the Delorme PN-20 because it comes with maps built in. The only thing that kept me from buying one was the slow map redraw (as per reviews I found). I don't know if it would affect caching that much, but I decided it better to get the geocacher's choice and get maps separately. I'm completely happy with the 60CSx.

Edited April 1, 2008 by Freth

[+Ragged Robin]

well, i have started for the first time and bought a garmin Colorado 300. Its got a basic map and I would like a more detailed map.

TOPO Great Britain v2 I have been told is ok, but i dont know if i should spend £134-00 on it and only find that is not what it says on the box. Any help please on this issue ( I live in the UK )

 

kind regards

 

Ragged.

[+The Sneaky Snakes]

Hello,

while I agree you do NOT need maps in order to go caching, in my opinion it is a lot more fun. I had the same question as you when I started so I thought I'd come up with a little demo of what you get and don't get with different map options.

 

You see here on the top row the same location, in the city, with 3 different map sets. As you can see, the basemap is very minimal and the actual shape of the road is lost. The MetroGuide map is routable and has more street-level data than the TOPO map, which shows contour lines and trails but is NOT routable.

 

The second row shows the same map sets, but in a canyon 5 miles up the road. I use the TOPO maps when I'm geocaching and the MetroGuide maps when I'm driving. Note that these images are not from Garmin's most recent releases of Metroguide or TOPO, so they newest versions may have better/different data.

 

I know that a few people have made custom topo maps generated from USGS data - My area (Utah) has been done, search the forums to see if your area has been mapped. I like these custom maps better than Garmin's, and they're free. (A big THANK YOU to the person(s) who have taken the time to generate those custom maps for us!)

 

Edited April 4, 2008 by The Sneaky Snakes

[Larry3310]

Hi

 

Since the topic is maps, I have a question what Topo software is best to use for Garmin Venture HC. My son’s Boy Scout troop just bought two Ventures. National Geographic Topo have been recommended but now someone else told me that with the GPS units we own you cannot used all the features with National Geographic's program. We are not looking for the whole country but just smaller areas with better detail.

 

Thank You,

Larry

[Motorcycle_Mama]

The National Geographic maps can't be loaded to a Garmin GPS unit. Only Garmin maps (or custom maps written to the Garmin specification) can be loaded to Garmin GPS units.