Works like is is supposed to
shoes review Garmin MapSource U S A Topographical Windows
I wasn't sure what I was getting when I purchased this TOPO Package, but am very pleased. It is a great addition to the tools that GeoCachers use with plenty of detail. I was also surprised that many of the better known trails (especially in state and national parks) are marked on the maps. However, it's easy to get spoiled by that and I find myself wishing more of the trails were marked.
I still feel that this software will exceed most people's expectations. My state of Virginia takes up about 36MB of storage on my GPS, so to store a whole lot you'll need a GPS with a lot of room. I loaded mine with just the areas I frequent the most, and any planned GeoCaching areas as the need arises.
Also, if you know you're traveling to an area, you can print the topo map and put it in a zip lock bag for a map to go.
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I use this software in a GPS Map 76CS when riding an ATV. It shows many existing ATV and snowmobile trails, sometimes with the trail name. It also shows most logging roads, with names where applicable. Streams, lakes, and ponds are also listed. It's very accurate, and makes it easy to see where you are in relation to known landmarks. It's just what I was looking for!
Basically, what you would expect in a 1:24K topo set. The thing to be aware of is that these are topo maps, not trail maps, although they do seem to have a lot of the major trails on them. I'm using them to plan a trip to four national parks this fall.
One notable feature of this set is that it can be installed 100% onto the computer hard drive without jumping through any hoops. So, once you have installed the maps, you can put the CDs away for safekeeping.
I wasn't sure what I was getting when I purchased this TOPO Package, but am very pleased. It is a great addition to the tools that GeoCachers use with plenty of detail. I was also surprised that many of the better known trails (especially in state and national parks) are marked on the maps. However, it's easy to get spoiled by that and I find myself wishing more of the trails were marked.
I still feel that this software will exceed most people's expectations. My state of Virginia takes up about 36MB of storage on my GPS, so to store a whole lot you'll need a GPS with a lot of room. I loaded mine with just the areas I frequent the most, and any planned GeoCaching areas as the need arises.
Also, if you know you're traveling to an area, you can print the topo map and put it in a zip lock bag for a map to go.
In a prior review, I stated that the Mapsource topographical software looked good on the computer screen, but that I had not yet tested it in the field. Now I have. I gave it its first tryout on a long, difficult mountain bike ride in a remote part of Henry Willard Coe State Park near Gilroy, Calif. It worked as well on the GPS as it did on my PC, and again I have no hesitation in recommending it.Perfect accuracy is no more possible with this product than it is with United States Geological Survey topographical maps or other navigation aids, so those with unrealistic expectations of perfection will be disappointed.I agree with a prior review that it would be helpful to include a feature displaying the elevation profile of a given route.
If you are looking for a product that provides reasonable topography for camping, hiking, or just plain trail blazing, this is it! It is not intended to be used as a street map/guide although, it has most major roads. Amazon's price was great and I really enjoy the product. My one nit is the installation instructions should indicate to install all cd's on your hard drive then actually perform the installation. By doing this eliminates the need to insert a CD everytime you want to pull up a chart.
I love this product. First copy this disk to your hard disk, and then install from there. Then you don't have to used the CD each time you load the MapSource application. Also be sure to download the latest version of MapSource from Garmin after you install the CD version.
Many people have complained about the inaccuracies and lack of detail that Garmin's Topo software provides, However, I am completely satisfied with this product.
It has more than adequate detail for my hiking and mountain biking needs, and provides a ton of additional roadways over the basemap. Those of you who just intend on getting by with your basemap don't know what you're missing!
If you intend on doing a lot of out of state travel you would be wise to also invest in Garmin's City Navigator software which places more emphasis on maps of major metro areas.
The software is a joy to use, requiring little effort to copy maps onto a compatible GPS. Also, Mapsource Topo does not require an unlock like other Garmin products, just install and go!
I went to the Ponderosa and Sawtooth Mountains with my new Mapsource. All of the major trails and many of the smaller ones I hiked were mapped. The screen was easy to read at both close-up and enlarged formats.
I would recommend this product to anyone who enjoys the mountains and forests.