Which MapSource CD should I buy?

[+Gaddiel]

Pardon the newbie question here, but we've recently purchased an eTrex Legend and I'm wondering which MapSource CD will give me the maximum detail for my area (Arkansas). We intend to primarily use the unit for geocaching, with the occasional in-state road trip. Is there one version that's better for roads and hiking trails? I'm thinking Metroguide, but I don't really care about detailed maps outside of Arkansas...

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[+RGS]

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Is there one version that's better for roads and hiking trails? I'm thinking Metroguide, but I don't really care about detailed maps outside of Arkansas...

 

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I've got a Legend and Metroguide and love it. It covers the whole US down to street level. I live in St. louis and have gone caching twice down by Mountain Home area and Harrison/Ponca. The maps are great for even the back roads. You also have the option of buying the topo maps but I have trouble using those on the small screen. I also have a laptop that I use while driving in an unknown area which make navigation much easier while using the GPS through the serial port.

 

Rich

[yeahright]

Here is a discussion comparing MetroGuide, Roads & Rec, and MapSource Topo.

 

Check Here

 

Faster, Better, Cheaper

Pick any two.

[+Renegade Knight]

I've used both City Select (You would use Metro Guide if I recall correctly, they function similarly)and Topo.

 

Without a doubt I use TOPO on the GPS far more than the other software even though my GPS does routing.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[+Prime Suspect]

Unless there's been a release I'm not aware of, Roads & Rec hasn't been updated in several years.

 

[+ego]

quote:

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Originally posted by Prime Suspect:

Unless there's been a release I'm not aware of, Roads & Rec hasn't been updated in several years.

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Just got a Legend and happily d/l'd R&R at work, then drove home watching my progress on the map. (Cool!)

 

But, when I went to turn into my neighborhood... it wasn't there! (Luckily, I knew where I lived.) How often do these maps get updated?

 

Don't ask me. I'm not from around here...

[+Renegade Knight]

quote:

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Originally posted by ego:

quote:

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Originally posted by Prime Suspect:

Unless there's been a release I'm not aware of, Roads & Rec hasn't been updated in several years.

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Just got a Legend and happily d/l'd R&R at work, then drove home watching my progress on the map. (Cool!)

 

But, when I went to turn into my neighborhood... it wasn't there! (Luckily, I knew where I lived.) How often do these maps get updated?

 

Don't ask me. I'm not from around here...

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That's the trade off.

 

Topo maps do not tend to show the newer streets in a city. Newer being within the last 10 years.

 

City based software is normally about 3-5 years out of date. Depending. But doesn't show trails and topo features.

 

I can always find a city road. Trails are harder, that's why the preference.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[+collinsorienteer]

I've used both the TOPO and the Metroguide Mapsource products, and I've found that they are about equally out of date; neither one has good trail information. The points of interest are also out-of-date and inaccurate. (To be fair, keeping all of this up-to-date and complete would cost a lot of money, and would probably lead to service contracts rather than a product license.)

 

Metroguide lets you generate automatic routes from place to place along roads, but then takes you straight to the final destination from the nearest road, which is not always the optimal route.

 

I've found that the topographic features that come with the TOPO Mapsource product aren't very detailed, but they're better than nothing, considering they're the only thing I've found to upload contour information into the receiver unit itself.

 

In _no_ case should you get City Select or City Navigator which, while they might work with a Legend, are designed for other units.

 

What I use to get a much better sense of how I'm really going to get to a cache is National Geographic TOPO! (notice the exclamation point). They sell these state-by-state, and have a couple special editions for national parks and other special areas. You can get the Arkansas version for $85-100 (the cheapest I've found is freshtracksmaps.com). These include all the 1:24 000 USGS maps scanned in. You can't generate automatic turn-by-turn routes, but you upload routes and waypoints, and download routes, waypoints and tracks. It will also generate elevation profiles of routes and tracks. So, it's a lot of fun to see where you went, in addition to where you're going.