Which MapSet is best ?

[DougPaul]

I see what I can answer;
Motabobo (post 1)
* Only Garmin Mapsource maps can be loaded into Garmin GPSes.
* Road maps: Metroguide (routes on computer, only V4 on GPS)
City Select/City Navigator (routes on computer and GPS)
* Trail/bush maps: Topo USA and Topo 24K
- Topo USA is 100K scale
* Mapsource does maps, transfers waypoints, routes, and tracks from/to GPS
* Mapsource maps are DLGs

NG TOPO!, Navtech Terrain Navigator:
look at maps, print maps, (DRG images of paper maps)
transfer waypoints, routes, and tracks from/to GPS
(Delorme same, but reports suggest that the map quality is poor.)

DLG=Digital Line Graphic (line representations of the data)
DRG=Digital Raster Graphic (images)

NOTE: all US topos use US government topo data which may be old.

Rick (post 3):
Mapsource DLG topos are just a different representation of the same data. While the DRG maps are nicer to look at, the DLG maps are IMO also perfectly usable topo maps. The DLG maps are required so the computer/GPS can display them at a variety of scales. (DRGs do not scale well.)

Neil (post 4):
Mapsource maps are essentially as accurate as the USGS topos they are base on. There appear to have been some problems in translation in some areas.

Motabobo (post 5):
I have US TOPO 24K East and like it. More detail for selected areas.

Rick (post 7):
* Only Metroguide V4 routes on the GPS. No longer available.
* Other versions of Metroguide route only on the computer.
* City Select and City Navigator route on the GPS and computer.
* There are errors on ALL road maps. One occasionally gets crazy routes.

Motabobo (post 10):
* Yes many of the USGS topos are generally old. Various regions get updated now and then. Topography doesn't change much or very often.
* The basemap is permanently installed in the hardware. Loaded maps "cover" the basemap.
* You can load maps from multiple Garmin mapping products simultaneously. (It must be done in a single loading operation. Each time you load a set a maps, it clears the old ones.)

Rick (post 14):
* yes you can load maps from multiple Mapsource products simultaneously.

Imarchant (post 16):
Correct.

JOD (post 19):
Navteq supplies road maps to Garmin. Don't know off hand where Garmin gets their points of interest.

Motabobo (post 20):
* 24K (24K scale) is more accurate than topo USA (100K scale), but limited regions
* Info on the maps is at www.garmin.com including viewers.

Apologies to anyone if I have attibuted issues incorrectly.


Comments from me:
I have:
* Garmin Mapsource Topo USA
* Garmin Mapsource Topo 24K East
* Garmin Mapsource Metroguide V4 (no longer available)
* National Geographic TOPO! Northeast

* I use them all at one time or another, on my computer and/or in my GPS. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
* I navigate manually from paper or electronic maps and use the GPS to help me execute my plan. I rarely use autorouting for actual navigation--my preferences frequently disagree with it--but it can be a very helpful planning tool. (It can also be amusing to use when driving a known route.)
* A GPS is a complex device and batteries die. Always carry a paper map and compass (and be able to use them) in the woods. When driving, I always have paper road maps.

(Sorry for the delay--I was out Tele skiing today rather than sitting by my computer... )

Doug

 

[Rick]

Awesome Job DougPaul!!

OK- I do have aquestion now that Garmin Mapsource Topo24K has been brought up. Would I see a noticeable difference in the data that is uploaded to my GPS. I have Topo US 100K now. Is there any visible benefit to upgrading to 24K?
Thanks
Rick

 

[DougPaul]

OK- I do have aquestion now that Garmin Mapsource Topo24K has been brought up. Would I see a noticeable difference in the data that is uploaded to my GPS. I have Topo US 100K now. Is there any visible benefit to upgrading to 24K?

It isn't an upgrade. It is a separate product.

Topo 24K (based on 24K topos) has more detail than Topo US (based on 100K topos)

I currently have the following loaded in my GPS:
* Metroguide V4: eastern MA
* Topo USA: MA and NH
* Topo 24K East: White Mtns and MA AT

Doug

 

[pks4000]

I've had the Garmin 76CS GPS for 3 months and have used it 5 times on the trail.
A couple of caveats on Map Source:
1. As other posts have said the graphics are sophmoric/bland and at times mystifying. EG: The towns they chose to use on the maps are obscure, hardly populated locations so you have to hunt a bit to find say Easton (Home of the Mt Kinsman Trail and Bode Miller.) The towns around Easton to my knowlledge dont exist in day to day conversational references ...Im from Franconia and never heard of them: Deerfield (huh) Jericho (say what) and Wildwood (ditto). Bungay Corner? Now thats a different story.
OR did you know that the area around the Gorge Brook Trail access road is called Breezy Point? Damn!
2. The program works slowly ... to change your location from say Franconia to Rangely takes a minute to "zoom out", pinpoint and zoom in.
3. As I think Kevin said, each time you add a geographic area and your new plotted waypoints, the maps and waypoints you downloaded previously are deleted.
Save your routes on your computer so if you download a Maine
Map segment and waypoints and thus automatically delete all your Vermont maps and waypoints in your GPS, you can download them again when you head back to VT.
Fortunately the downloading is simple and fast.
I hope this helps a bit with the Map Source product.
The Topo map set is rich in detail and color. I used it for years so is still my favorite for imagining (the mind's eye) routes and trips.
My 3 main reasons for owning a GPS are so I can find the trail entrance on descent when above T line in clam chowda, same on my boat in fog, and
I love information when I plan a trip.
Map Source does fine on the first two but Topo wins the graphic info contest.

 

[DougPaul]

A couple of caveats on Map Source:
1. As other posts have said the graphics are sophmoric/bland and at times mystifying. EG: The towns they chose to use on the maps are obscure, hardly populated locations so you have to hunt a bit to find say Easton (Home of the Mt Kinsman Trail and Bode Miller.) The towns around Easton to my knowlledge dont exist in day to day conversational references ...Im from Franconia and never heard of them: Deerfield (huh) Jericho (say what) and Wildwood (ditto). Bungay Corner? Now thats a different story.
OR did you know that the area around the Gorge Brook Trail access road is called Breezy Point? Damn!

The DLG maps used by Mapsource are designed to be displayed over a wide range of scales. The display software has to dynamically decide which items to display (too much detail becomes too cluttered to read, too little detail leaves you wanting). Similarly, the software has to choose which items to label and which ones leave unlabeled, and what to do if a label might cover something else of interest. These are hard to do well. The net effect is that an item or label may appear at one scale and disappear at another, which can be confusing to a user.

In contrast, the DRGs used by National Geograpic TOPO! etc are hand crafted at a single scale and can only be displayed over a very limited range of scales. Thus they look better than the DLGs.

Also don't forget that many of the topos (USGS and anything based upon them) are fairly old and may not show many of the recent changes in the man made features.

BTW, Breezy Point is where one parks when sking/hiking the Carriage Rd up Mt Moosalauke. (The route from Ravine Lodge, joins the Carriage Rd at mid height.) There was once a grand hotel located here.

Doug

 

[pks4000]

Good info on the software differences. Merci.