Customer Reviews

Topo USA 3.0

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a very nice product, functionally speaking. In addition to Topo USA, I have tried both TOPO! and MapTech which are also excellent products. But beware! Delorme tries to contrast this product with the others based on price. In their own comparisons you will see dollar figures for the price of the map data covering the entire US for each product and, based on this figure, it is an obvious choice to pick Topo USA. What they don't tell you is that they are doing an apples to oranges comparison. The "Full USA" maps that come with Topo USA are essentially Delorme Atlas type maps. Fine for road navigation, but almost useless for hiking, backpacking, or any serious off road naviation. Delorme offers the USGS 7.5 minute series maps that most of us use in the "wilds" as add-ons to Topo USA in their "3-D TopoQuads" products, but at huge prices for each state on par with the other two products. DON'T BE MISLEAD BY PRICE. Topo USA, TOPO!, and Maptech will all cost about the same to get the same product. It comes down to software features you like best. Unfortunately, it is not an easy choice as they all do some things better than the others ...

I will probably stick with Topo USA as I like the interface and the 3D view (MapTech does this also). It also looks like Delorme has more of the US covered with the USGS 7.5 series than the other companies, but it will hit your wallet big to get the upgraded maps!

The new 3.0 version of Delorme's Topo USA is definitely a step above the 2.0 favorite. As webmaster of HikeArizona.COM I've used the 2.0 version a thousand times over. I could never under why anybody would use the National Geographic brand TOPO! which is a pain to navigate with limited tools. Delorme didn't need to improve Topo USA but they did!

3.0 boast a new shaded relief look to the maps. This means the average view has a 3D look making it easier to understand the terrain. Delorme didn't stop there! They cranked up the power on the 3D rendering maps too. Now the horizon extends when you rotate. This feature is awesome. Beware though; it's a power hog! Running on a loaded P4 it gives Intel reason to progress. Actually, a good 3D video card is more important. It runs faster on my 850 with a screamin' video card. Luckily you can turn these features off and only use when needed. Still useable on slower laptops with the features turned off.

Landmark mistakes I noticed on the 2.0 version have been corrected. Compatibility with Windows 2000 is now reality. Elevation quirks have been cleared up. It's tough thinking how they will improve on this version in the future. Maybe a 3D walk through of the profiles. Give it a whirl Delorme! Speaking of profiles. It's now possible to profile roads, rivers and trails. You can even combine them; just press the shift key while combining. A new reversing feature is nice too. Plotting trails is still a breeze. Start/stop features have been incorporated from Delorme's Street Atlas USA software. Big improvements have been made to printing the maps too!

This is the kind of software where a computer is really used. The value is incredible. I must say, Delorme did a big favor for hikers! Thanks - joe bartels Webmaster HikeArizona.COM

Can't get it to print maps. Keeps crashing my computer. Can't get any help from Delorme. Put on hold for 30 to 40 ninutes. Maps have little detail.

Delorme ought to be ashamed. Crude, slow, and buggy, this is one mapping package you shouldn't waste money on. I'm an avid cyclist and hiker and I don't know what the guy below was talking about when he said it was good for making bike routes- these maps are way too clunky and blunt for that, never mind hike routing! The reviewer who referred to a five-year-old's stick drawing was on the mark. The 3-D function would be neat if it actually worked but the software is soooo slow and crash prone you won't do 3-D more than a couple of times before you're sick of it. (Btw, I use a 1.3MHz P4.) Try the Topo!GPS series by Wildflower (now published by National Geographic) if you are a serious hike/bike enthusiast and want to plan routes. It's hands down the better software.

The milage calculations don't work and the landmarks(trails) are in the wrong location. Representive said they don't plan to do anything about it maybe until they have made all they can off this defective version.

Very good, flexible, and detailed topographic mapping. Stops short of the full detail of USGS maps, that I understand is available in DeLorme's more complete and more expensive topographic maps. Can download the multiple (6) CDs to your hard drive, thankfully, so you don't have to carry the CDs with you all the time....

Produces very deatailed maps great for campming and hiking. Seems to have less detail in general than USGS quads (doesn't map buildings for example). Print quality is very good and you can print multi-page maps. Downloading data to Garmin GPS unit is confusing but it works.

As an avid road and mountain bike cyclist, I can really appreciate this product. It allows me to easily put together maps and elevation profiles for bike rides I'm planning. It also allows me to answer the all-important question of "how much climbing is there?". Based on routes that I've already measured, the software is very accurate in terms of both the distances, and the amount of overall climbing involved.

There are a few quirks in the software, and it takes some time to learn it. Navigation is a bit tedious at times (especially when zooming in or out), but this is common with most online maps. The Help file could be better, although I admit I've not taken the time to go through the tutorials. Printing support could be better, especially with the 3-D maps which don't seem to print all that I see on screen. It would also be nice to have some additional "export" features, so that I could incorporate maps, directions, profiles, etc. into route sheets (fortunately, I have "SnagIt" which allows for easy screen captures).

But, these minor quibbles aside, I really enjoy working with this this software. In fact, I've been spending too much time lately "playing" with it!

One limitation to note if you have one of the GARMIN GPS receivers with memory for maps (like the eTrex Vista): this product cannot download maps to the eTrex. It can download way points and the like, but not the map information. The map products from GARMIN itself, e.g., the MapSource product line, do allow you to download the map, and quite easily, too.

these maps can be compared to a 5 year olds stick drawings. Totally useless as a topo map