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Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternatives

Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternatives


Postby Mancunian » Wed Apr 23, 2014 10:32 am

Hi,

I'm going on a 5 day trip to the Highlands in two weeks time and I am wondering what map I could use on my Garmin Oregon device.
In the last years I had used an Opensource tool to get Ordnance Survey maps onto my garmin but it turned out that the download of maps was not allowed by the OS and the tool had to withdraw support for OS maps. So this year I have to look for something else (mainly because I am not willing to pay a fortune for OS maps which I'd use only once a year).
A possible solution for me could be Openstreetmaps for Garmin devices from here http://www.freizeitkarte-osm.de/de/index.html and I was wondering whether the coverage of the Highlands is good enough to rely on openstreetmaps? (Of course I will carry a paper map as well).
A quick comparison of Openstreetmap and OS highlights the lack of detail (see screenshots of Scafell Pike region):

Image

So what is your opinion on Openstreetmap, especially the coverage of tracks, bothies, streams, land features etc of the more remote parts of the Highlands such as the Fisherfield wilderness?

Are there any free alternatives to Openstreetmap with more detail?

Cheers,
Mancunian
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby gaffr » Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:19 pm

Hello,
I have never used any of these 'mickey mouse' maps...always the OS 1:50,000 maps. :lol: But as you say that you are carrying a paper version of the real maps I guess you would be o.k....after all coming from the mainland of Europe you probably won't want to spend money for OS maps on your device?
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby stevesey » Wed Apr 23, 2014 7:18 pm

If find OpenCycleMap slightly better then OpenStreetMap for the countryside.
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby ceaser » Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:10 pm

http://www.talkytoaster.co.uk/ had good reviews about this site ....from a Garmin employee I spoke to !
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby gordonmidd » Thu Apr 24, 2014 6:39 pm

gaffr wrote:Hello,
I have never used any of these 'mickey mouse' maps...always the OS 1:50,000 maps. :lol: But as you say that you are carrying a paper version of the real maps I guess you would be o.k....after all coming from the mainland of Europe you probably won't want to spend money for OS maps on your device?



Try EBAY, I got the OS full UK map second hand for £35.

Didn't fancy the true price around £200 for new.
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby Mancunian » Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:13 pm

ceaser wrote:http://www.talkytoaster.co.uk/ had good reviews about this site ....from a Garmin employee I spoke to !


Had the Talkytoaster maps tried once. They are basically openstreetmap maps compiled for Garmin devices. Pretty similar to http://www.freizeitkarte-osm.de/en/more-countries.html what I use so far. They have a different look and feel but the information on the maps is the same.
I agree with the Garmin employee, the maps are pretty good w.r.t. towns, roads, paths etc. Especially in large towns the coverage is even better than google maps. But when it comes to terrain features such as rocks, crevisses, fords, even streams and smaller lakes Openstreetmap appears to be pretty useless.

gordonmidd wrote:Try EBAY, I got the OS full UK map second hand for £35.

Didn't fancy the true price around £200 for new.


I'm afraid its too late for this years trip to find a cheap deal on ebay. But a good idea for next year. I'd assume sd cards with maps are cheaper in the winter.
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby Mancunian » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:24 am

Its been mentioned before a few times, but there is a neat little website where you can compare online maps side by side (such as Google satellite vs OS, OS vs OpenStreetmap, etc.)

http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

Very helpful...
Here is a screenshot...
Image
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Re: Maps for Garmin devices - Opensteetmap or OS or alternat

Postby doggy » Wed Dec 10, 2014 12:58 am

I spoke to a guy a few weeks ago on the hills and he had some maps on his phone, they looked like OS but i never even thought to ask him, they looked good though. I would like the OS maps for my phone but they're £2 per tile, the paper maps are only £6ish.
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