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What is the best AT topo mapping software (value for the money)?
Two I'm considering are Delorme Topo USA and National Geographic (various states and parks). Anybody know them to offer a comparison?
GoldenBear
12-30-2007, 18:02
I've got both the Delorme Topo (East Coast) and the National Geographic National Parks. The former (Version 5.0) has been problematic for me over the years because: (1) when you choose "Plan a Route," it always assumes you want to drive a car. Thus, you choose one trailhead as a Start point and another trailhead as an End point, then you click "Select Route," and then the software shows you how to DRIVE betwen the two. You must then change it to "Hike." Even when you do specify a hike route, it is not always easy to get to keep with the AT; sometimes it assumes you want to hike on a road.
(2) some parts of the AT are mis-labelled on the map. It shows the AT going along a dirt road when, in fact, it does not.
(3) the marking it creates for your "Route" is so wide that it blocks other information near the route. There is no way to reduce the width of its marking for your route.
(4) you must create a route before it will produce an elevation profile. Thus, if you want to get the latter, you must go through all the problems I note above.
(5) it does not give mileage between waypoints; you have to use a guidebook and manually fill those in yourself.
(6) it gives no info on the location of waypoints of interest to backpackers, like shelters, water sources, or campsites. Again, you have to use a guide book to fill those in by yourself.
What I inevitably end up doing is print out a map that happens to contain where I am hiking, mark the AT with a thin, blue highlighter pen, and hope its designation is reasonably accurate. Then I write in the waypoints and mileage that I am interested in. If later versions of the software correct the problems I note above; all the better.
The Nat Geographic National Park software does not permit you to zoom in as far as Delorme does, and it does no calculate routes for you (not that I use that feature on Delorme anyway). It does show some water sources and camp sites. It permits you to mark a route (hand-drawn with the mouse), and use a thin width on the marking. Any route you manually create can then be used to create an elevation profile -- something you can't do with Delorme.
OregonHiker
12-30-2007, 19:27
[quote=scope;485614]What is the best AT topo mapping software (value for the money)?
quote]
barebones but free
usaphotomaps at
http://jdmcox.com/
http://www.topoware.com/terrainnavigator/apptrail.htm
I've got both the Delorme Topo (East Coast) and the National Geographic National Parks. The former (Version 5.0) has been problematic for me over the years because: (1) when you choose "Plan a Route," it always assumes you want to drive a car. Thus, you choose one trailhead as a Start point and another trailhead as an End point, then you click "Select Route," and then the software shows you how to DRIVE betwen the two. You must then change it to "Hike." Even when you do specify a hike route, it is not always easy to get to keep with the AT; sometimes it assumes you want to hike on a road.
(2) some parts of the AT are mis-labelled on the map. It shows the AT going along a dirt road when, in fact, it does not.
(3) the marking it creates for your "Route" is so wide that it blocks other information near the route. There is no way to reduce the width of its marking for your route.
(4) you must create a route before it will produce an elevation profile. Thus, if you want to get the latter, you must go through all the problems I note above.
(5) it does not give mileage between waypoints; you have to use a guidebook and manually fill those in yourself.
(6) it gives no info on the location of waypoints of interest to backpackers, like shelters, water sources, or campsites. Again, you have to use a guide book to fill those in by yourself.
What I inevitably end up doing is print out a map that happens to contain where I am hiking, mark the AT with a thin, blue highlighter pen, and hope its designation is reasonably accurate. Then I write in the waypoints and mileage that I am interested in. If later versions of the software correct the problems I note above; all the better.
The Nat Geographic National Park software does not permit you to zoom in as far as Delorme does, and it does no calculate routes for you (not that I use that feature on Delorme anyway). It does show some water sources and camp sites. It permits you to mark a route (hand-drawn with the mouse), and use a thin width on the marking. Any route you manually create can then be used to create an elevation profile -- something you can't do with Delorme.
Great info because this is exactly what I was going to do - buy the Delorme Topo USA East for the AT and other local areas, and the NG Nat'l Parks to cover RMNP and Yosemite, my only expected destinations out west.
I think I've seen GPS info on some AT data info, could these be input in either program to help create an accurate topo and profile route map?
Is either program really that much better than Google Earth?
GoldenBear
12-31-2007, 22:51
> GPS info on some AT data info,
> could these be input in either program to help create
> an accurate topo and profile route map?
Sorry, I don't use GPS (believe it or not) -- so I really have no idea.
> better than Google Earth?
I may be wrong, but doesn't Google Earth{R} lack topographic capabilities?
ofthearth
01-01-2008, 08:27
What is the best AT topo mapping software (value for the money)?
Two I'm considering are Delorme Topo USA and National Geographic (various states and parks). Anybody know them to offer a comparison?
Try searching on Mr Parkay or Pinhoti maps. A lot of info and discussion on maps etc
ofthearth
http://www.topoware.com/terrainnavigator/apptrail.htm
Looks perfect. Is anybody else out there using this to vouch for its value?
Looks perfect. Is anybody else out there using this to vouch for its value?
Can anybody tell me pros and cons of this software?
trippclark
01-02-2008, 18:09
Can anybody tell me pros and cons of this software?
Yep, I use it and like it. It is well worth the $50 price IMO. That said, the drawbacks are:
1) It is becoming quite dated. As I recall, it is 1999 or maybe 1998 data, so there have been numerous changes since then. Still, it is probably well over 90% accurate. The trail changes every year, but even after 10 years it is still mostly the same.
2) For me, the printed maps from it are useless for hiking. Certainly not a replacement for the maps you buy from ATC.
Note that the entire text of the guidebooks (albeit almost 10 year old guidebooks) is included in this set. I find this especially helpful. When preparing for a section hike, I copy and paste this info for my section into Word, update it with my own notes and info that I find elsewhere, and print this to carry along.
[quote=scope;485614]What is the best AT topo mapping software (value for the money)?quote]
A lot depends on how you intend to use the software and in what device.
Are you looking for something that works with a (your) GPS unit, phone, Palm Pilot or computer? Are you going to take some kind of electronic device with you on the trail, or just use it at home and print what you need for each trip?
I use to have Delorme (till someone decided to break a window on my van and take the laptop computer) and liked it. Now I would go for a GPS with the software built in or easily installed to it, this way I could have it with me when hiking.
i've got the nat geo trails east version that I bought in 04. I used my GPS on one hike and realized that I spent plenty of time looking down at the GPs saying "woow, It's so cool that it knows exactly where I am", and very little time looking AROUND and saying, "wow, it's so cool that I am where I am." If I was planning a bushwhack trip it would be cool to check my waypoints and route, since making the topo maps and downloading the stuff to the GPS was simple. However, for AT it is unneccessary. To answer your questions though, the NG software was very easy to use.
I've been playing with www.expertgps.com and like it. It's $60 a year for unlimited use.
Thanks
Thomas
Wise Old Owl
01-31-2008, 22:51
IF you have the new mapping GPS like a Garmin HCX watch out the trail is already loaded, I went through a lot of trouble to put the last version of Map Source into the unit and it was allready there.
SlowLightTrek
01-31-2008, 23:01
Can anybody tell me pros and cons of this software?
Why would you buy that when you can get the entire east coast Delorme Topo 7 for the same money?
Why would you buy that when you can get the entire east coast Delorme Topo 7 for the same money?
A good point if in fact it does the same thing, mapwise, which I assume it does. The AT software has guidebook info which I could see being useful in itenerary planning, and makes it the better value if you can get by without buying $100s worth of AT maps. And I have no interest in spending $$ on GPS.
I'm pretty resolved to not buy anything yet as I think it would be more of a toy instead of useful tool. I'm not doing extensive hiking of the AT this year anyway as I have a big trip planned for RMNP later this year.