GPS for topographic maps?

[Niklas]

When driving "adventure bikes" I reckon someone here has experience with this subject.

I am looking for a GPS able to read topographical maps in a useful scale.
1:2000
1:5000
1:25000

I am aware of the Garmin Oregon series but I have read somewhere that scale is 1:100.000.

Is that just a matter of finding the right maps?
Are all GPS able to read topographic maps, so that it's just a matter of finding the right map material?

Niklas

 

[Greg Masters]

Garmin offer multi-layered 'rastor' maps of parts of the UK down to 1:25k

This vendor also offers suitable maps of other locations:

http://www.mapscart.com/tailored.php

Currently, the only Garmin products that will support rastor maps are the Oregon series, the Colorado series and the Dakota series. Perhaps also the Nuvi 550.

Greg

 

[Berin]

Anyone looked at the Oregon 450 with the GB Discoverer 1:50000 UK mapping. All the UK on OS 1:50000 plus routable Navteq maps, 20 hours battery on 2xAA so ideal for trail bikes.

Here

Or the 450t which includes European maps for £50 more...

 

[Racey]

Anyone looked at the Oregon 450 with the GB Discoverer 1:50000 UK mapping. All the UK on OS 1:50000 plus routable Navteq maps, 20 hours battery on 2xAA so ideal for trail bikes.

Here

Or the 450t which includes European maps for £50 more...

Have a look at the pic above !!

 

[Berin]

Have a look at the pic above !!

Yes, I know. The bit I was referring to was the gb discoverer map bundle

 

[Racey]

Yes, I know. The bit I was referring to was the gb discoverer map bundle

The 450t comes with the GB bundle - so Greg must be a good bloke to PM...

Hold still while I spoon feed you...

 

[beepster]

An alternative might be www.viewranger.com I have it on my nokia and it's absolutely superb, now also available for Iphone and Android.

 

[Berin]

Nope! 450t just means European maps. There's a bundle that includes all of UK gb discoverer on either the 450 or 450t. The non bundled models include either UK or Europe base maps only

 

[Racey]

Nope! 450t just means European maps. There's a bundle that includes all of UK gb discoverer on either the 450 or 450t. The non bundled models include either UK or Europe base maps only

The clue is in the fact that i know Greg got his with the GB maps...

Good grief this is hard work...

Just PM him and stop this...

 

[Berin]

The clue is in the fact that i know Greg got his with the GB maps...

Well, I don't see how i could know that by looking at a picture of an Oregon with Competa maps on it!

But I will pm him, now we've finally teased out the vital clue that only prior knowledge could have provided

 

[Racey]

Well, I don't see how i could know that by looking at a picture of an Oregon with Competa maps on it!

But I will pm him, now we've finally teased out the vital clue that only prior knowledge could have provided

You try and help some to help themselves and it becomes a real chore...


your question asked about UK or international maps and Greg showed a pic of of a 450 with a map of Spain on it... Piece the clues together...

 

[Greg Masters]

Now then boys ...

I bought the Garmin Oregon 450. When I bought it (24th April) it was bundled with 1:50k OS landranger mapping for ALL of GB. I bought it from Blacks but they don't seem to list it anymore.

The Spain map I bought from the guy in the link I posted above. He can do other maps too including OS maps.

Greg

Edit - the bundle is available here - maybe other places too

 

[Berin]

thanks Greg, the bundle only seems to be sold through outdoor shops - I saw it in George Fisher in the Lakes.

Do you have to do any mode-switching to switch between routable road maps and the OS maps?

 

[Greg Masters]

Do you have to do any mode-switching to switch between routable road maps and the OS maps?

No - that's the clever thing about these OS rastor maps.

The Garmin topos are multilayered. What you see is the OS map but the unit is actually reading a City Navigator type map which is routable (on road at least).

The Spain example I posted above isn't routable because there is no underlying routable map (although there is a world basemap). When we're in Spain, I'll be using it with tracklogs previously recorded (which show as the red line in the picture).

Greg

 

[Berin]

Cool. Looks nice a nice addition to my shiny new 400EXC which comes on Saturday.

I've been looking at GPS for trail riding for ages and the only solution seemed to be the 60Csx, which was a bit compromised. These new Oregons with the mixed vector/rater maps seem to fit the bill nicely.

 

[Niklas]

I ended up buying Oregon 450t.

I also purchased Euro NT and Denmark topo 1:25.000

I am now starting to learn how to use it and how to transfer POIs to the unit.

I will maybe get some topo maps over other parts of europe when travelling time comes along.

Thanks everybody for your helpful posts.

Niklas

 

[JASONBC]

try these guys good to deal with

http://www.outdoorgb.com/c/handheld_gps_os_quality_mapping/