Garmin MapSource U.S.A. Topographical Map CD-ROM (Windows)

by Garmin

Product Details

Product Manual [1.64mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 1 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004Z0C8
• Item model number: 010-10215-02
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Garmin's United States TOPO MapSource CD-ROM is similar to U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000-scale topographic paper maps. It includes trip and waypoint management functions that allow you to transfer waypoints, routes, and tracks between your PC and nearly all Garmin GPS units (excluding the GPS 100 family and panel-mount aviation units). With MapSource, you can view highways, roads, hiking trails, snowmobile trails, backwoods trails, elevation contours, point and summit elevations, some bathymetric contours, geographic names, churches, and schools. Shoreline detail is included for lakes, reservoirs, small bodies of water, waterways, rivers, and streams. Icons represent boat ramps, dams, marinas, campgrounds, public facilities, mile markers, first aid stations, picnic sites, swimming areas, ski areas, wrecks, fuel locations, and dangerous and restricted areas.

In addition, nautical navigational aids for the 50 states are provided, including radio beacons, RACONs, and fog signals; river, harbor, and other lights; and day beacons and lighted and unlighted buoys. Shipwrecks, submerged rocks, obstructions, and other hazards to nautical navigation are also displayed.

Note on compatibility: The trip and waypoint management functions of this product work with nearly all Garmin GPS units, excluding the GPS 100 family and panel-mount aviation units. Specifically, the map-download features of this product work with the eTrex Legend, eTrex Vista, eMap, GPS V, StreetPilot, StreetPilot ColorMap, StreetPilot III, and GPSMAP 76, 162, 168, 176, and 295. Some units may require a Garmin data card to upload map data.

Product Description

Weve mapped every hill and valley. Download data from the MapSource TOPO U.S. 2008 DVD directly to your compatible Garmin GPS. Now you can enjoy topographic mapping detail no matter where your adventures take you. TOPO U.S. 2008 features digital topographic maps for the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. It is available in two different formats making it easy and convenient to load data to your compatible Garmin device: MapSource DVD and preprogrammed micro SD data cards.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I agree... the detail is lacking, April 11, 2001

By 

Dr. Lawrence C. Walters (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garmin MapSource U.S.A. Topographical Map CD-ROM (Windows) (Electronics)

I bought this product for hikes and to guide me in navigating rivers. Only very major roads are named so I can't use this very easily to calculate my route there. Most roads are there but they just vanish at some points and reappear in others. Using a real topo map it is immediately obvious that these same roads do not dissapear and in fact continue 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 bought this product and am going to look into the roads and recreation to see if it does a better job. FYI I bought this to use with my Etrex Legend which I think is just great.

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for basic mapping, August 8, 2004

By 

Amazon Buyer (New York, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin MapSource U.S.A. Topographical Map CD-ROM (Windows) (Electronics)

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 decided 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 every 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 should ALWAYS carry paper maps in addition to electronic gizmos like this). Also, as other reviewers have pointed out, you can 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 about (I also used it recently in the boundary waters area of MN). That having been said, I don't think it's necessarily the best for roads-- also as other reviewers have pointed out. It is best suited for topographic features. There are other products which are more suited for roads and highways.

3. I didn't have any problems 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 also very easy and straightforward.

4. Can't beat the price!! You get all 50 states-- not like other products that are state by state. You buy it once and then you are done.

So overall, know what you are getting into and you will not be disappointed. DONT expect any bells and whistles like fancy 3d flybys, etc. DO expect a cheap, basic, reliable-- and in my experience-- accurate map which will get you MORE than adequately oriented with your surroundings.

246 of 265 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Definitely lacks detail, September 4, 2001

By 

Myra A. Mason (Trout Creek, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin MapSource U.S.A. Topographical Map CD-ROM (Windows) (Electronics)

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 able to view accurate and complete topographic maps, plot my tracks and markers on these maps, and orient locations 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 many dirt roads, small lakes, and many 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 obtained MapTech's Terrain Navigator software, and it works much better for me. The details are almost as complete as USGS topo maps. Township, range and section lines are included, as are complete contour lines and even some 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 small part of our state.

So if you want maps for the whole U.S. and don't necessarily need details, get Mapsource. If you want USGS-quality maps with excellent detail, look at others, including MapTech.