GPS maps question

[bigalpha]

Say I buy a Garmin. Do I have to download maps from Garmin for them to work in the GPS device? Or are the maps kind of a universal file format that all/most GPSs can read?

Thanks.

 

[JoesXJ]

If its a handheld, unless it came with something other than a crapy basemap, you need to buy better maps (topo, national parks, city navigator, etc.). I have the colorado 300, it came with no maps so I need to buy maps (or use what I had already) and download them to it. Look at ebay for maps, thats where I got mine.

 

[karstic]

Say I buy a Garmin. Do I have to download maps from Garmin for them to work in the GPS device? Or are the maps kind of a universal file format that all/most GPSs can read?

Thanks.

Yes, only Garmin maps can be downloaded to Garmin GPSr's, although there are ways to create your own maps to download to the GPSr.

 

[herdnerd]

Free topo maps can be found at here that will work for a Garmin. Although they are free, he asks for a donation to help fund making more.