Most helpful client reviews
55 of 57 humans found the following review helpful.
Good, Not Great
By 21st Century Hermit
Pros:
Route-able Roads and Trails
24K Topo Detail
Cons:
Dark Colors and Poor Contrast
Missing Trails
Trails aren't named
No BLM or State Lands
My remarks are fixed to Colorado and I'm comparing the Garmin maps to another 24K topo set by Above the Timber. On a recent 3-day backpack I employed the Above the Timber maps 95% of the time, Garmin 5%, readability was the key. The good news, both map sets reside inside my Garmin GPS and switching is a breeze.
In my sentiment a 24K Topo is a back country map applied for foot, horse or other slow travel. This map set combines the magnificent route-able Navteq highways and likewise route-able trails, that's slick. However due to an overly dark set of color choices, it's very difficult to see the trails to make an intellectual trip and/or route selection. Having the routing engine choose your route based on time or distance misses the humane dynamic of most scenic. Not seen a routing engine that knows my scenic values . . . it'll take place someday.
The Garmin maps do not show BLM or state lands, a very huge deal in Colorado. Also the trails lack either names and/or numbers, kind of like having a highway map w/o names or numbers, huh? Names and/or numbers give you priceless clues as to where you're going, which you verify with occasional sign posts.
To grasp my colors and contrast comment, you'll have to view the attached Nuvi screenshots. They're fuzzy, the Amazon import did that and I'm not sure why.
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful.
Garmin MapSource TOPO! US 24k Southwest Topographic DVD
By AZ STARGAZR
I not long back purchased a Garmin 60CSx GPS unit,and living in the Southwest thought it necessary that I have 24k topographic maps for the areas that I travel. It's mutual psychological result of sensing learning and reasoning that the base maps that come with each manufacturer's GPS units fundamentally are useless. I thought that getting the Garmin maps at 24k solution would solve a heap of of those issues. I ordered the Garmin MapSource TOPO! US 24k Southwest Topographic, DVD version, available here on Amazon.com at Garmin MapSource TOPO! US 24k Southwest Topographic Coverage of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico (DVD).
I was more or less disappointed that even at high zoom levels there's a lack of detail that I thought ought to be present. Considering the high price that you have to compensate for the maps I would think that Garmin would exploration and add further and added map detail themselves. On the plus side, it was easy to use the Garmin MapSource software to choose and load the maps or areas that I desired.
I would hope that someday soon Garmin would make available maps at a reasonable price.
22 of 23 humans found the following review helpful.
Great Match For GPS HCX Series
By Towhee
I purchased this for my Garmin Vista HCX and the two make an unbeatable combo. I may be on a trail, in the mountains and request a route home. The route will state something like this:
Go north to forest trail 122 (4 miles).
Turn right on forest trail 122.
Go to farm road CO123 (12 miles).
Turn right on I25 (43 miles)
... Arrive at home (123 miles 6.5 hours)
The miles listed are the trail miles and not straight line distance. When I have passed a national forest sign that says Jones Park 1.7 miles and checked the distance on my GPS it matches exactly.
The find feature is good as well. Want to recognise if there are any hot springs in your hiking area? Do a find on "Hot Spring" and the nearest one will be listed and you may plot a route to it as shown above.
Overall, a very good product that I highly recommend.
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