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| Garmin MapSource Topo U.S. 2008 | 
 enlarge | Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $115.95
Buy New: $72.09
You Save: $43.86 (38%)
New (78) Used (2) from $58.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  119 reviews
Platform: Not Machine Specific
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Fragile: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 95.6
Dimensions (in): 0.9 x 8.5 x 12.5
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: 010-11001-00
Model: 010-11001-00
UPC: 753759073855
EAN: 0753759073855
ASIN: B000RAASFK
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Load to GPS, use a different program April 7, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Let me break down the 3 rating:
Product scores a 5 in the ability to load TOPO maps onto my Garmin GPS.
Product scores a 1 in the mapping software features, usability, and trip planning ability.
If you want maps on your Garmin GPS this is your only option, and that part works great. If you want decent mapping software to plan trips, analyze terrain, store multiple trips, etc... I would recommend Delorme's Topo software.
 Excellent Map for my Garmin Colorado 300 March 28, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Well worth the price.
The maps look great with shading and in 3-D on my new Garmin Colorado GPS.
Nice detail. Many useful features. Well worth every penny.
I highly recommend it to hikers, bikers, and walkers.
 Lacks sufficient detail for hiking/backpacking March 24, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
In theory, you can use this product to download waypoints, an entire route, or even a topographic map to your Garmin mapping GPS. However, the maps are so lacking in detail that they are nearly useless for hiking or backpacking. For one thing, vertical contours are 150 feet each, compared with 40 feet for typical topographic maps. Contour lines, roads, and trails all look pretty similar to one another, and are really hard to view.
The interface is really easy to use -- it took almost no time to figure out how to import and export maps and waypoints. However, the program has a very definite Windows 95 look with really simple graphics and colors.
It's amazing that Garmin has created a line of terrific mapping GPS units, but then left out the maps. The bottom line is that there are currently no good options for getting detailed topo maps onto your garmin mapping GPS.
Wildly inaccurate street data March 21, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
As noted by other reviewers, the street data is often wildly inaccurate. In my neighborhood on the outskirts of Denver many (but not all) of the streets are off by several hundred feet. A nearby subdivision has been completely eliminated... but elsewhere Garmin has invented brand-new highways across the open prairie.
I asked Garmin customer support about this and I got a very convoluted reply. As far as I can tell what they're saying is "we goofed". Here's the full explanation (or lack thereof):
"The street data in Topo US 2008 is at a scale of roughly 1:25,000 whereas the rest of the Topo application is at a scale of 1:100,000. Therefore the roads will be off by a few hundred yards. The road info was added after the application had already been produced and is to be used as a reference only."
Funny that they say the road data is to be used "as a reference only". It seems like it shouldn't be used as any sort of reference at all.
In fairness to Garmin, the contour lines are pretty accurate.
 Works great, a few minor quibbles March 17, 2008
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
This is a wonderful addition to my Garmin Venture HC, and really completes the package, since the basemap is not all that useful.
The software took a while to install, and I do have some minor quibbles about the installation. Users are "strongly" recommended to install MapSource into C:\Garmin (come on, people, the Program Files folder has been around since Windows 95). My translation is that if you decide to change the default folder, some things may not work correctly. Also, there was no option to leave the map data on the DVD instead of loading the *entire* 3.5GB database onto your hard disk. But if you've got the available space, it's more convenient to have it all there.
As has been noted before, there are some minor inaccuracies with the map data (from what I've noticed, mostly related to roads showing a hundred feet next to where I'm driving), and for being a 2008 map, it doesn't show the latest freeway construction in my area. But then again, I didn't get this map to show me how to get around town; nonetheless, street data is remarkably detailed for a topo map. Mountains, canals and other features were accurately displayed as I drove past them, including elevation data.
MapSource's archaic and sometimes oddly behaving user interface notwithstanding, it is quite intuitive when it comes to downloading maps. Without reading the manual, it took me all of a minute to figure out how to select map regions and send them to my GPS. Downloading roughly 20MB also didn't take as long as I'd feared, perhaps another minute or two. The area I can fit in my Venture's limited memory also exceeded my expectations: I live in Arizona, which is quite large, and yet I was able to easily download a large swath that includes Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Show Low.
All in all, a good product and in my opinion an essential add-on to any Garmin mapping GPS. Subtracted 1 star for less-than-stellar user interface and installation procedure.
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