Most helpful client reviews
65 of 65 people found the following review helpful.
I agree... the detail is lacking
By Dr. Lawrence C. Walters
I purchased this product for hikes and to guide me in navigating rivers. Only very major roads are named so I can't use this very without apparent effort to calculate my route there. Most roads are there but they just vanish at galore points and reappear in others. Using a real topo map it is without delay apparent that these same roads do not dissapear and in fact proceed on their course uninteruppted like a road should. The elevations and detail are very course. No trails are shown. I am not very happy I purchased this product and am going to look into the roads and recreation to see if it does a better job. FYI I purchased this to use with my Etrex Legend which I think is just great.
57 of 57 persons found the following review helpful.
Great for basic mapping
By Amazon Buyer
After reading all the negative reviews, I was very reluctant to take the plunge with this product. However, as the date of my Vermont hiking trip approached, I decisive to go for it.
I was very plesantly surprised. Here's what I found:
1. This product provides good BASIC topo maps for garmin GPS (I personally use an etrex legend). If you are looking for 1:24,000 level of precision with each obscure trail, fire road, etc. you WON'T find it here. However, I found the maps to be more than adequate for orienting myself and cross-referencing with USGS paper maps if necessary. (As others have repeated ad nauseam, you will have to ALWAYS carry paper maps in addition to electronic gizmos like this). Also, as other reviewers have pointed out, you may get good USGS-derived paper maps from Maptech.
2. My experience was that the accuracy was good, once I enabled the WAAS on my unit. I didn't encounter any of the missing lakes, etc. which others have spoken with regards to (I likewise used it lately in the boundary waters area of MN). That having been said, I don't think it's inevitably the best for roads-- likewise as other reviewers have pointed out. It is best suitable for topographic features. There are other productions which are more suitable for roads and highways.
3. I didn't have any troubles with installation-- went very smoothly. The software is somewhat rudimentary, but that also makes it very simple to use. I was up and running in no time. Downloads were likewise very easy and straightforward.
4. Can't beat the price!! You get all 50 states-- not like other merchandise that are state by state. You buy it once and then you are done.
So overall, recognise what you are getting into and you will not be disappointed. DONT suppose any bells and whistles like imagination 3d flybys, etc. DO suppose a cheap, basic, reliable-- and in my experience-- precise map which will get you MORE than adequately oriented with your surroundings.
245 of 264 people found the following review helpful.
Definitely lacks detail
By Myra A. Mason
I got this software for use with my Garmin eTrex Summit, and found it to be less than adequate for my work. As a botanist in the northwoods, I cover a lot of territory each season. I need to be competent to view exact and finish topographic maps, plot my tracks and markers on these maps, and orient emplacements by legal description -- Township, Range, and Section line -- so that I know, for instance, when I'm crossing property lines, say from public to private land.
Mapsource's topo maps have few contour lines and omit a lot of dirt roads, little lakes, and a heap of other details. Most importantly, Township, range and section lines are omitted. In it's favor, Mapsource is easy to use. And the price is good: The entire U.S. for $100.
I later received MapTech's Terrain Navigator software, and it works much better for me. The details are almost as finish as USGS topo maps. Township, range and division lines are included, as are finish contour lines and even galore abandoned, bermed roads (on public land). MapTech is not, however, as intuitive as Mapsource. And MapTech costs much more in relation to the area covered: I paid for one little portion of our state.
So if you want maps for the whole U.S. and don't inevitably need details, get Mapsource. If you want USGS-quality maps with splendid detail, look at others, including MapTech.
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