Garmin GPS question

[Hillwalker]

I have owned and loved my Garmin MAP60csx for a number of years, using it as a hike logging device here at home, and overseas. On my 315 mile backpack from Glasgow to Cape Wrath Scotland in 09 I used a "Western Scotland" SDC chip with great results on a route which had virtually no formal trails for many miles. This summer I will be backpacking the 500 or so miles across the Spanish Pyrenees on the GR11. When I found the SDC pertinent to this trip in Garmin's online catalog it states that the compatibility is for the MAP62. Here is my question which I have had no luck querying Garmin product support. With the chip work in my 60csx?

TOPO España v5 PRO Part Number: 010-D1358-00

 

[DougPaul]

I don't know about this particular product, but there are some differences in the data files used by the two GPSes. However, it is also possible to format the data in a way that is useable by both.

I suggest that you contact Garmin tech support.

Doug

 

[Scubahhh]

I have a Montana 600 and am too stoopid to use it. I've tried to get help from Garmin several times and found their service not very good. You might try the users' forum: https://forums.garmin.com/activity.php

I've given up on Garmin- both my Montana 600 and Forerunner 305 just sit on the shelf collecting dust and I'd love to sell both of them. Delorme, on the other hand, is awesome ( and they're from beeyooteeful Maine!). If Garmin doesn't work out for you, you might want to give Delorme a try!

 

[DougPaul]

I've tried to get help from Garmin several times and found their service not very good. You might try the users' forum: https://forums.garmin.com/activity.php

Garmin's technical support used to be pretty good. I haven't seen any other reports about the current quality of their service. (However, I haven't been looking for such reports.)

Doug

 

[mcdxcvii]

The chance is extremely high that the file will indeed work on the MAP60.

The map image format has hardly changed. Note in the list of compatible devices: it contains just about every single mapping device available, except the ones that are no longer supported such as the MAP60 & Edge 705. But that does not mean the image file will not work.

Are you sure though you want to spend $170 on these maps? Have you considered downloading OSM maps for free? They include significant amount of details of roads, trails, & services. You can view the maps online at http://www.openstreetmap.org.

When you like what you see, you can download an image file & copy it onto your unit. Voilà.

 

[DougPaul]

The chance is extremely high that the file will indeed work on the MAP60.

The map image format has hardly changed. Note in the list of compatible devices: it contains just about every single mapping device available, except the ones that are no longer supported such as the MAP60 & Edge 705. But that does not mean the image file will not work.

I know that map files that work for the 60CSx will work for the 62s. I don't know that all map files for the 62s will work for the 60CSx.

There is a difference in organization: the 60CSx can only access one map file (Garmin/gmapsupp.img on the microSD card) and multiple map products (eg a road map and a topo map) must be combined into this single file. (The 60CSx can enable and disable each map product individually.) In the 62s, each map product is placed in a separate .img file. (The 62s enables and disables the contents of each file as a group.)

I haven't looked at any of Garmin's maps on a microSD card--I suspect that, since the cards only contain one mapping product, it is in Garmin/gmapsupp.img and would likely be compatible with both GPSes. (These maps are locked to the microSD card.)

Are you sure though you want to spend $170 on these maps? Have you considered downloading OSM maps for free? They include significant amount of details of roads, trails, & services. You can view the maps online at http://www.openstreetmap.org.

When you like what you see, you can download an image file & copy it onto your unit. Voilà.

I haven't looked at the OSM maps, but free topos for various places are available from http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/. I have compared the free US topos with the Garmin US topos and the Garmin topos are generally of better quality. (Garmin also makes 24K topos, the free topos are generally 100K scale.)

I recommend that you take a look at the free maps and compare them to the Garmin maps. (There used to be and hopefully still is a map viewer with each map product on the Garmin website.) If the free map is good enough, then by all means, use it. If not, then you should consider the Garmin map.

Doug