Using MapSource® TOPO U.S. 2008

[+carterbng]

Has anyone used these maps with a Garmin 350 Nuvi? Does it enhance the geocaching experience or is it a waste or time and money?

[+Chuy!]

I put Topo on my Nuvi; and even though I rarely use them 'cause I have my Topo-equipped-Etrex on the dash next to the Nuvi, I don't see it as a waste of time. They're there as backup as I have used the Nuvi to cache on the two rare occasions I have forgotten the Etrex at home or work.

[+MacFlash]

I put Topo on my Nuvi; and even though I rarely use them 'cause I have my Topo-equipped-Etrex on the dash next to the Nuvi, I don't see it as a waste of time. They're there as backup as I have used the Nuvi to cache on the two rare occasions I have forgotten the Etrex at home or work.

 

So how do they really help you in terms of geocaching? I have Topo 2008 on my Etrex Legend. I cannot trust the relationship between roads and contour lines on the map. I have seen them off by more than 1000 ft. Perhaps if you are hiking somewhere in terrain where there is a lot of altitude gain it might be useful. Here in eastern Mass the topo maps don't help much. Not many trails and roads you can't trust.

Edited May 12, 2008 by MacFlash

[+Chuy!]

The roads in Topo are off in my area as well. The contour lines tend to be accurate. And there are some roads in Topo that do not appear in street maps. As I mentioned Topo in Nuvi is strictly as a backup if I have to use the Nuvi to cache. I once dried up my batteries, and had no replacements; the Nuvi was called into action then.

[+SimbaJamey]

Same here with the topos being off by 500'+

I have a Vista HCx and a 60CSx and they both show the same error.

Annoying when I'm driving on a road and the GPS shows me driving in a line 500' off to the side of the road (yes, if I zoom in below about 200' it doesn't even show the road (and we're talking major interstate highways here) that I'm on!). In neighborhoods it doesn't even put me on the right street with that big an error.

And before the, "You should be using the 'road' maps" comments begin...this problem is WAY more annoying when I'm hiking or caching. I ended up having to cross a small creek in the woods several times the other day hunting a couple of caches because the maps were off and showed the cache on one side of the creek when it was hundreds of feet on the other side! And then of course there was the issue of navigating myself out of the woods once I got in there...got dark on me (more than once) and the map was saying I was back on neighborhood streets when I was still buried in the thicket.

And yes, when on the road i have both settings set to follow (lock on) the road but it seems to make no difference, nor does the offroad setting when I'm in the woods.

And why aren't any of the 'rails to trails' trails on there?

I've yet to REALLY take it out in the mountains...I'll be interested to see if the fire-roads are in there and whether or not it knows I'm on them.