Will Garmin cripple topo maps?

Garmin is adding new features to maps and outdoor devices. The same features are added to BaseCamp, so probably this could be a place to discuss them.

New feature is called ActiveRouting and is present in Topo Germany 2012 Pro and Topo TransAlpin 2012 Pro. Some information are available in German here:
http://www.garmin.com/de/topo/activerouting/

You can download sample of new maps here:
http://static.garmin.com/shared/de/custom/topod2012/testversion/TopoD2012pro_Testversion.zip
http://static.garmin.com/shared/de/custom/topod2012/testversion/GarminTransAlpin2012Pro_Testversion.zip

ActiveRouting allows to create routes optimized for a chosen activity. There is a set of new activities, that you can see in recent BaseCamp: walking, hiking, mountaineering, bicycling, tour cycling, mountain biking, ATV, dirt biking etc. For each activity there is dedicated routing and displayed map looks different. In the latter case only trails appropriate for an activity are displayed.

Demo maps include SQL database with tralis. I think that supported devices can perform search for nearest trail.

What is wrong? First there is only limited set of devices, which fully support new maps. It is Montana, 62/78, Oregon x50. Some basic support will be included in Dakota, eTrex 20/30 and Edge 800. All other GPS are summarized under name "old devices" with no support.

Second and main problem: it doesn't look like an added feature but rather like removed feature. Practically Garmin has removed all marked trails from new maps. If you own a supported device, than you can have some trails back, but not all at once. If you choose hiking, you won't see bicycle trails. I don't think triathlon is supported on any device ;)

Some example, first hiking. All marked trails are red. I don't know if there are colors in marking of trails in Alps but it looks like Garmin decided that hiking trails are always red.

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Here mountain biking. Trails for bicycle are always violet.

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And here sample from previous version of TransAlpin with all trails visible:

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I might be missing something but my first impression is disappointment. In my opinion Garmin has crippled new maps. Removing touristic information from maps makes them less usable. And limiting map use to predefined activities seems very artificial.

0 Former Member over 13 years ago

I have tried with demo maps and this worked differently. Actually there was no bike trails visible when I selected hiking mode. Was it an error?

I didn't notice that during development, nor do I notice that with the Topo 2012 demo. The trails are always there, just differently colored.

You even demonstrate that in your screenshot for biking and hiking, the same trails are displayed, just in different colors. Am I missing something?

0 POPEJ. over 13 years ago

I see paths on maps, not marked trails. Not every path is a trail. Marked trails is a touristic info, which disappear, when changing activity.

I used to use trails when hiking. I'm planing my routes using maps which shows trails. I can go by biking trails too or bypass biking trails. I can have choice, if I have all information. I'm even using my car to get to the start of the trail. Not a direct task to create car route now, when start of the trail can't be seen ;)

I know that all this is still possible. I can switch activities, mark some info, switch to other activity and check other data, etc. But I can't see any reason for all this inconvenience.