Garmin launch Topo Great Britain for Garmin GPS receivers

[scotch_whisky]

If you already have City Navigator Europe V7 or V8 do not even consider
buying this product.

It includes height (contour) data and very little else. It has perhaps 5% of
footpaths which greatly reduces its worth.

Bear in mind also that the entire UK mainland occupies about 160MB with City
Navigator Europe V8. With Topo GB the same area occupies 1600MB.
YES 10 TIMES THE SIZE!!!!!!!!!

If you don't have one of the City Navigator products and you don't travel
outside the UK and have one of the latest GPSs with memory cards it might be
worthwhile otherwise save your money.

I just wasted £150. I can't even sell it on eBay as it is locked to my GPS.

[scotch_whisky]

And just to add insult to injury can can't print the maps either!

[Reggie98]

I have the Topo GB version 2. Some of the advantages over the City Navigator Europe are:

1. Roads are more detailed (more points, therefore less angular).

2. Rivers appear in 2D in Topo GB, whereas they are only lines on the city navigator.

3. Contours are every 5m on Topo GB. NB. this is better than the 1:50,000 OS maps (10m spacing). The free contours of UK has very angular contours at 10m spacing.

4. There is detail for streams and woods on Topo GB which is entirely missing from City Navigator.

5. Tracks (eg. bridleways, tractor width paths) are marked in green, paths in grey (non-existant on City Navigator).

6. Sometimes extra tracks are marked compared with OS 1:50,000 map.

My recommendations would be to get the GB Topo if you wish to go walking or cycling in the countryside. However, if you plan to stay in the cities, are likely to go to Europe often, or your GPS device has limited memory, stick to the City Navigator Europe.

If you wish to make your own decision more informed, click here for a GoogleEarth file with overlays of images from City Navigator, OS 1:50,000, GB Topo v2, and Contours (free).

[MikeB]

[scotch_whisky]

Hi,

I have now been using Topo GB for about a month now. There is no doubt that it is slightly better than City Navigator when walking/hiking if your GPS has sufficient horsepower to handle it and can accept have many (the majority here in Kent) of the footpaths are missing.

I agree entirely with Reggie98s conclusions. If a had to make a decision again I maybe would have bought Topo GB instead of City Navigator V8. Certainly not both.

[Soulah]

Well, I wish I had seen this before going out and spending £400 on a Etrex Vista CX and Topo GB.

I was told this was "the" unit for hiking and biking. I brought it to stick on my mountain bike. Took it out around Shipley Country Park, Channock Country Park and now Carsington water.

Absolutely no trails or rights of way at all!! How is this a "hiking companion" when it doesnt even include trails and walk ways??

I feel so let down, such a lot of money. I feel miss sold. I saw the unit on the "on the trails" section of the garmin website, the details for Topo GB say Tracks and Paths included..

I can't believe it. Gutted.

[wad68]

I must express my dissappointment with the Garmin Topo Great Britain V2 maps. Not only with a tiny Reduced Map Window For Detail when viewing and planning routes on computer ,also the print capability has been disabled, not to mention the map content; contour lines blurr and smear at certain zoom levels, pathways start and stop in the middle of nowhere, bridges, paths, rivers and roads missing, or incorrectly shown.

I also experienced installation problems, having to contact Garmin several times to unlock the license.

To be used allong with OS paper maps, not as I hoped, to replace them.

[eyeQue]

The Discoverer maps are for some units way ahead of the TOPO.
They never seemed to 'catch on'!

I bought them [TOPO] and consider them a waste of money.
They are out of date and of very limited use.
_________________
Garmin Oregon 300 + Garmin iQue 3600
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