A few questions about maps

Maps on the Fenix work the same way as they do on handheld GPS units. The watch comes with "Topoactive" maps for your region (north america, or africa, or Europe, for example), and coverage outside of that region is just a very basic map with very little detail. You can add maps to the watch in any number of different ways. You can buy more Garmin maps, yes, but you can also download maps from wherever you'd like, such as OSM. You can even download birdseye imagery onto the Fenix if you want. Installing maps on the watch is exactly the same process as installing them on a handheld GPS; depending on the format of the map you downloaded, you can install it via Garmin Basecamp software or, sometimes, simply just copy and paste the map file directly onto the watch via USB. Once you've added the maps you wanted, you can configure which maps you want each activity to use.

And yes, the track that gets recorded does include timestamp info.

C.sco's explanation is great.  Just be aware that you'll need to purchase a Pro or Sapphire model to be able to use maps.

Thanks for the explanation! Can you use those custom maps with the Garmin explore portal as well or is that limited to the desktop applications?

Thanks for pointing that out. I am already aware of that.

Basecamp on the PC/Mac works with custom maps, I dont think explore does

Explore doesn't have anything to do with the maps on the watch. It basically syncs routes and waypoints.

Ya, basically the purposes of the various software/apps are:

• Connect (Mobile App & Interwebs) - the main brain of the Garmin fitness ecosystem, where all of your health and fitness data, activities, and social networking are centralized. Also has basic route/course/waypoint creation and management functions. This app requires internet connection to do almost anything.
• Connect IQ (Mobile App & Interwebs) - Essentially the Garmin "app store", where you can download 3rd-party stuff onto your devices that support it.
• Express (Desktop app) - For syncing your Garmin devices to the cloud, performing software and map updates. Sort of redundant because Connect (Mobile app) also does all of that, except for the map updates (and software updates and syncing for non-fitness devices, like handheld GPS and InReach devices).
• Basecamp (Desktop app) - For managing maps on your Garmin devices, and also the only way to load Birdseye imagery onto your devices
• Explore (Mobile App & Interwebs) - More advanced course/route/waypoint creation and management. Connect can do these things also, but Explore is much more advanced and capable. Also the central hub for all things InReach (except it can't be used for a phone interface for InReach messages, see next app below). Unlike Connect, almost everything on this app can be used offline for example, route/course syncing)
• Earthmate (Mobile app) - Somewhat outdated app that isn't used for much anymore, other than functioning as a phone interface for InReach devices.

Strictly speaking, the average user only really needs the Connect mobile app to use 90% of the Fenix's functions and Garmin's ecosystem. The other software and apps are really only needed by more advanced users.

I use "Argenitian custom maps" on my Fenix 6 loaded by Basecam, they work prety well

C.sco said:

Explore (Mobile App & Interwebs) - More advanced course/route/waypoint creation and management. Connect can do these things also, but Explore is much more advanced and capable. Also the central hub for all things InReach (except it can't be used for a phone interface for InReach messages, see next app below)

From memory, the other advantage of Explore is that it can sync routes without an internet connection.

Google TalkyToaster maps. They’re better than anything else around and a tenth of the price.