TopoColorado

 

TopoColorado
Page Type Gear Review
Object Title TopoColorado
Manufacturer National Geographic
Page By Alan Ellis
Page Type Oct 12, 2004 / Jan 20, 2007
Object ID 1141
Hits 3693
Vote
National Geographic's Topo!® CD-ROM set for Colorado contains every topographic map you could possibly need for the state. The set includes 7 CD-ROMs with more than 1,900 scanned USGS maps enhanced with digital 3-D shading. You'll be able to interact with the maps in more ways than you would think possible.

This set will enthrall the tech-savvy outdoor explorer. You won't find mapping software with more detail or customization options. It's an excellent planning tool for backcountry adventures or road trips.

- Draw freehand routes and upload to a GPS
- Reference thousands of preloaded GPS waypoints
- Create custom text, symbols, and map overlays
- 1:24,000 scale maps with seamless statewide coverage
- Navigate and scroll through the entire map area without borders
- Photo quality resolution for printing
- Works with all color and black & white printers supported by Windows
- Supports most popular handheld GPS receivers manufactured by Garmin, Eagle, Lowrance, and Magellan
- System Requirements: Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT; 16 MB of memory; double speed CD-ROM drive; 256-color monitor; 486 DX/66MHz PC or higher.
- Direct link requires input/output capabilities and a PC cable (sold separately)
- Print your maps on Adventure Paper, our durable, tear-resistant, waterproof paper for inkjet printers.

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Reviews


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Alan Ellis - Oct 12, 2004 11:34 am - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
I've used at least two other mapping software and this one is the best. Very easy to use and navigate. Much cheaper than buying the papers maps. They print very well and the shaded relief is very good.

Andy - Oct 21, 2004 10:30 am - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
I love this software. Whenever somebody mentions an interesting place I can go look it up right away and study the maps. I also like to print out maps on the waterproof 8.5x11 paper so that I have a map of only what I need and not what I don't. I definitely save money by not having to purchase quad and National Geographic Maps at $9 a pop.

miztflip - Nov 28, 2004 3:02 pm - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
This software has saved me a ton of money. I like Andy got tired of buying tons of 7min USGS maps only to use them a hand full of times. I also like to be able to print the scale that I want.



The mapping tools are great when planning trips, figuring expected times and looking into new areas.



Only negative is lack of instructional material. I'm still not sure of all that it can do.



After buying CO and liking it so much I went out and bought several other states.

bigwilly - Mar 24, 2005 3:24 pm - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
I love this program and use it almost daily. I can draw routes for potential climbs, figure the grade distance and elevation. I can always look up places that I learn about and investigate them as future outing possibilities. Loaded with easy to use features, and very compatible with a GPS.

DudeThatMustHurt - Jul 21, 2005 2:47 pm - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
I won't do a trip without first seeing my trail on TOPO!, I need to purchase the 3D upgrade but other than that I would be lost (literally) without it

Larry V - Sep 11, 2005 8:48 pm - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
I have used this package frequently since I bought it and found the software to be robust. The program has never crashed on me. The scanned USGS maps are of the highest quality. It is intuitive to use -- you don't need to read a 40 page manual first, or even a 1 page manual, just start using it.



Once in a great while I encounter a bug where the map goes blank. I've been able to work around this by selecting a different location temporarily. Other Negatives: I have tried two or three times to install the on-line package upgrade, which supposedly lets you annotate points on your map. The upgrade has failed each time I tried.



National Geographic asks that you write for permission (an extended license, that is) to post images of their maps on web sites, like SummitPost. I contacted them twice and never received a Yea or a Nay from them.



In summary, the software is unbeatable and the maps are unbeatable, while support is lacking. I give it 5 stars because the product is so valuable and it works... which is far more than I can say for other mapping products I have used, including Delorme.

Timothy Pearl - Jan 25, 2006 11:47 pm - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
The best. Many of the maps you see on trip reports on this site, like the one's with their routes drawn in are from this program. It is an investment at $120, but I use it for every trip in the state rather than buying individual maps saving lots of green. Also useful for recording and saving routes for the future.

Bill Reed - Mar 20, 2010 1:05 pm - Voted 3/5

Not thrilled
Love the concept and being able to check out an area when I want but am less than thrilled with a couple things.
Wish the zoom was in smaller increments, say 6 or 8 clicks instead of 4 and that the maps in the zooms were consistent. One level is shown in feet, the next in meters. Also, some of the info is very dated, for example: looking at the Cameron Pass area in Colorado and seeing the highway as it was, pre-1978, WTF? In addition, the Rawah Wilderness boundary is in it's pre-1980 location. With technology being what it is, I find these failings unacceptable.
My last bitch would be concerning saving a map to use, say on SP. It looks great on my computer until I save it. For some reason the saved version is quite different and of much lower quality.
Maybe it's because I'm using a Mac, but TOPO claims it's softwear is MAC compatible.

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