Customer Reviews

TOPO! National Geographic USGS Topographic Maps (Alaska)

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

 

 

I returned this software after discovering that routes must be hand drawn on a map which makes it impossible to stay on roads, and precludes long routes due to the need to zoom out beyond the view that would include most roads. Thus creating a long road cycling route with elevation profile and total climb turned out to be impossible.

UPDATE 1/1/08: I just got a Mac after always previously using Windows. Great news--when I installed this 4.0 software, not only did it work fine, but it also corrected the two most serious objections I previously had with it. I now have no problems importing waypoints from my Garmin GPSmap 60CSx, and the software is now compatible with all the states I own from the previous Version 3 software. I don't know whether this is unique to Mac or whether it now works just as well with Windows, but when I did the installation, it automatically went to the National Geographic web site and downloaded a software update. I still give it 4 stars because of some of the other non-standard user interface choices, but these are easy enough to get used to. I didn't change the rest of the review, so keep this update in mind as you read it.

National Geographic topo maps are great if your understand their strengths and limitations (I have the Nevada version but they all work the same). First, don't expect to import the actual maps into a GPS receiver. These maps are raster-scanned directly from USGS 7.5' topos; GPS receivers use vector-graphic maps that are only available from your receiver's manufacturer (and they are much less detailed than NG maps). But you should never expect your GPS receiver's display to completely replace a paper map anyway. It's too small to show much detail, and if your receiver fails, you'd be out of luck. NOTE: Magellan has just introduced the Triton series, which is the first product designed to import maps from Topo!. This is a great advancement, but I haven't yet evaluated it to see how well it works.

Since these are based on USGS maps, they have the same high quality including tons of detail, but since many USGS maps are more than 10 years old, you won't necessarily get up-to-date information. Since topographic features don't ordinarily change as frequently as man-made features, you're usually OK, but keep this in mind.

These maps allow you do a lot of other things with your GPS. You can create waypoints on the computer, either by placing a marker on the map or by entering in the latitudes and longitudes of your points, then transferring them to the GPS. This is much easier than manually entering the info through your GPS user interface. You can also download tracks from your GPS receiver onto the map to see where you've been. And you can draw intended journeys directly on the map screen, then measure the distance and elevation profile of the route. The elevation profile is a bit noisy, but you get a pretty good idea of how much elevation change you'll experience on a hike. The tool you use to draw the route on the screen could benefit from an improved user interface, but with a little practice you can get pretty good at it. If you make a mistake, hold down the right mouse button to erase the error. One thing I like is that you can print out a custom paper map, and if you print using your inkjet on NG's waterproof paper, you can get a custom color map that really is waterproof. This latest edition is designed to work with USB receivers like the Garmin GPSMap 60-series. This is a tremendous advantage compared to the previous edition. BUT please note that it isn't completely compatible with the new GPSMap60CSx. It doesn't import waypoint names properly, they end up being simple numbers starting at 001. For some reason this isn't a problem with the older GPSMap60Cs.

The main objection I have is that it isn't easily compatible with the previous edition. In my case, I had the prior edition for California, and expected the California CDs to work with the new software. But for some reason they don't. So I have to leave the old edition installed for the California maps and the new one for Nevada maps. Fortunately I can use the USB capability of the Nevada software to download the California waypoints and tracks from my 60CSx. I then have to save the .tpo file, launch the old edition software and pull up the California map, then import the .tpo file. Very inconvenient, but at least there is a way to make it work. I guess they would prefer I buy a new edition of the California maps.

The only other thing to note is that they still haven't completely adopted Windows user interface conventions. For example, there are no scroll bars on the side and bottom of the map to allow you to move the map on your screen. You have to move your cursor to the edge of the map, watch for the cursor to change to an arrow, and hold down the mouse button. The direction of scroll depends on exactly where on the screen your cursor is. Another observation is that there is no EDIT menu, so I can't easily cut and paste data into other applications. But these are relatively small concerns that you can quickly adapt to. All in all this is a very valuable tool that I highly recommend.

I like the maps, in order to get all the states work in Windows 7 I had to uninstall the other states; or rather delete what I had copied from disk 1 for each state. Then in Topo! Version 4 go under View -> Topo! Product Setup select "I don't have a serial number" and click on "Activate New Product." It will ask you to insert Disk 2 or higher of the other state and then will ask for the Topo! 4 installer disk again. Repeat until all your states are installed. I just copied the data files into the folder the default installation for Version 4 had selected, so I didn't have to wait around for the program to re-install all the data. But it updated all the old maps, so that is nice.

This topo map software was a severe disappointment. . Opening files slow even on a newer iMac running OS 10.5. It takes over 3 minutes to open a file with a saved route and zoom in to the most detailed level. Scrolling across a map is painfully slow.

The software crashes frequently when trying to use features such as marking a route or calculating an elevation profile along a route.

In addition, the road information is very inaccurate. The red line road overlay shows non-existent roads, roads that have been closed for decades, and private driveways. Apparently this product was not integrated with the data from the Trails Illustrated maps which are also published by National Geographic.

Great to have the topo maps at my finger tips, and I can customize and print exactly what I want. Don't have to buy the maps anymore. Why is it that I always had to buy three or for of the printed maps to get the area I wanted? Not anymore. These are great maps and easy to use...once set up. But, it is not intuitive on how to set up the maps. Took me several hours to figure out the process of how to download and set up the software. Recommended for the final product, but beware the issues are tough in getting there.

I love the TOPOs. Along with a GPS unit, I am able to map my mtb rides annotate, and find again. Also, you have the ability to overlay other people's .gpx files, so you can really create a great map before starting out. Still helps to do other research, but these are a great starting point. Couple this with the water resistant paper

This is a fair program at best. Not user friendly, but maps are better than garmins. I would not buy it again.

Seriously. I was battling with it for a while and even had a pretty bad review written out on how bad the software is. THen the router went laggy so I didn't send it. Router is back on track and I made my way to the Nat-Geo site to look for updates as there was no way within the software. Made a world of difference. The software functions like it should.

But it still wont connect to my etrex HCx. Which is lame. But you can export GPX files with routes and waypoints and load them on through Garmin Basecamp so it isn't a complete loss.

The maps are great, the compatibility sucks (seriously only a few Magellan modes? misleading...) and usability is ok. The installation is a bit archaic. Seriously, 5 CD-Rom's? How long have DVD's been out? Could fit the whole thing on one DVD. Drag and drop form 5 discs? But this is a one-time annoyance.

Overall the most valuable part is the maps and it gives them to you reasonably well. I knew the lack of map compatibility with Garmin before hand and after the update the software actually works reasonably well. I think 4 stars is fair.

To start I want to explain that I use this software for printing backpacking maps. After doing some research I had narrowed my selection to TOPO 4.0 and Maptech Terrain Navigator because of the graphic detail, but decided to stick with TOPO since I already had an older version of the Utah maps. I own the 3.43 version of the Utah maps and recently purchased the 4.2 version of Wyoming, and until National Geographic released a 4.50 patch, I had some difficulty running this program in Windows Vista. Those issues seem to be resolved with this patch. To start, I installed the Wyoming 4.2 version of TOPO, then downloaded and ran the 4.50 patch from the National Geographic website, after which I installed the Wyoming map disks to my hard drive. Detailed instructions for installing older versions of TOPO are on the National geographic website, and I had no trouble installing my older Utah maps by following these instructions. I have a Garmin Legend HCx gps with maps, and although TOPO maps are NOT compatible with this gps you CAN transfer routes and waypoints. I've found that there a number of FREE Garmin compatible maps available for download that are outstanding for a handheld gps, and once you overlay route and waypoint data from TOPO these applications can work nicely together.

I like the other reviewers had a problem figuring out how to load the software so I kept mashing buttons until I got it to work. After playing with it for about an hour I got it to work and understand to use it. The maps are very good and just what I wanted however my biggest complaint which I didn't find out until I played around with the maps is that you can't upload the maps to your GPS.When you read the literature in determining to buy the maps it says it is compatible with my GPS ... well kind of. You can't upload the maps only the tacks. The reason I bought it was to upload the maps. Very disappointing.