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Garmin GPS maps

Garmin GPS maps


Postby DavidShepherd » Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:45 pm

Hello everyone,
I recently had to buy a new GPS after stupidly losing my previous one somewhere on the path down from Ciste Dubh last year ( pushing my luck but if anyone found a slightly battered looking orange GPS device let me know :) )

I've picked up a Garmin etrex 22x, as I had previously used a Garmin etrex 20. The problem is my previous one came with pre-loaded OS maps, so it had all the contour lines and details etc associated with a good paper os map. But this new model just has the Garmin topo maps on it, and they're not as good. Currently I have been downloading imported gpx routes to the osmaps app on my phone as a navigation aid alongside a physical map, but even if you download the map to your mobile first, its kinda unreliable and sometimes doesn't load the image fully first unless you let it before you lose your signal.

Been looking today and it's pretty darned expensive to get a copy of the osmaps loaded on a Garmin device (currently £169.99 on the OS website for a pre-loaded sd card) - you can redeem bought paper maps but only allows it to be downloaded to the os mobile app.

Is anyone aware of another way to get more detailed maps or add contour lines and more detail to the topo maps that doesn't cost the same as the GPS device itself?

PS - I am not posting this to start a discussion about whether we should be using a map or a gps device or both or whatever. I am able to read maps to a decent degree, but I prefer having the digital version to hand to assist with navigation.

Cheers!
David
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby DavidShepherd » Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:46 pm

Apologies - should have put this in the relevant forum section for gear and equipment.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby boriselbrus » Sun Apr 24, 2022 2:19 pm

You can buy the SD cards with OS maps pre installed on eBay for less than £40. I've no idea about the legality of these but it's ebay so???

Alternatively you can get OSM maps which have contour lines and are fully routable from Talky Toaster for less than £15. Certainly legal, with good detail just "different" to OS maps.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby DavidShepherd » Mon Apr 25, 2022 8:44 am

boriselbrus wrote:You can buy the SD cards with OS maps pre installed on eBay for less than £40. I've no idea about the legality of these but it's ebay so???

Alternatively you can get OSM maps which have contour lines and are fully routable from Talky Toaster for less than £15. Certainly legal, with good detail just "different" to OS maps.


Ah that's excellent, thank you!
Checked on ebay and it looks like second hand ones people are selling on so I will give those a bash. Appreciate it!
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby StewF » Mon Apr 25, 2022 9:42 am

An alternative is talkytoaster, very helpful guy, https://talkytoaster.me.uk/

Got a chip with maps on for £16 for etrex 20x, you can buy download too. Have found the maps to be very good.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby MRG1 » Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:10 am

I haven't used a Garmin device for a while, I now use various maps on an android phone.
But to second your other replies: I did previously take a look at Talkytoaster and they do look pretty good.
If they're based on the Openstreetmap data, which many of my preferred maps are, then bear in mind that they will have MANY of the paths and wee tracks that are missing from the OS maps.
Well worth taking a look.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby Kenny Raeside » Fri Apr 29, 2022 12:02 pm

I just fitted the SD card I got from eBay ( UK & Ireland TOPO maps) to my Garmin Etrex30.
It is absolutely spot on, for less than £15 delivered it is outstanding value.
The detail is fantastic.
Just remember to disable the Garmin installed TOPO light map that is standard in the device or it kinda overwrites the card and limits the detail.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby DavidShepherd » Mon May 23, 2022 12:04 pm

Kenny Raeside wrote:I just fitted the SD card I got from eBay ( UK & Ireland TOPO maps) to my Garmin Etrex30.
It is absolutely spot on, for less than £15 delivered it is outstanding value.
The detail is fantastic.
Just remember to disable the Garmin installed TOPO light map that is standard in the device or it kinda overwrites the card and limits the detail.


Thanks! Really appreciate you coming back with this info. I picked one up a couple of days ago so waiting for it to be delivered.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby timhes » Sun Sep 25, 2022 12:24 am

Hi
Re cheap maps on ebay, the seller told me "they are OSM open street maps ,it is made by carleon not garmin and like the discovere topo map its a OSM map not the garmin one" They may be saying that because they don't want to write anything incriminating, but if thats true they are selling free maps. Download what you want at extract bbbike org its free and legal but they do ask for a donation. Sorry but can't write that link because it breaks your rules
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby Marty_JG » Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:31 pm

I can tell you what I did and I'm delighted by it.

First, purchase the old 1:50k & 1:25K OS maps on EBay. The one I got was about £40, there are still some.
Second, purchase OSM & NASA maps from Talky Toaster.

You can easily squeeze both sets onto a single unit.

I prefer to feature hunt on the OS but I actually prefer navigation on Talky Toaster because, being Vector, it doesn't pixilate and is that bit quicker.

It is also the case there are some paths on one but not on the other. Both ways round. OSM has many glaring omissions, but it also can have new paths e.g. trails made by mountain bikers.
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Re: Garmin GPS maps

Postby StewF » Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:39 am

Talky toaster.com got pre loaded maps on card for £16 gent was very helpful. Can dowload as well.

Good maps etrex 20x works great with them.

Bargain
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