What map for a new handheld garmin?

[mainbutter]

My girlfriend got me a garmin eTrex 20 for christmas!! (yes she is pretty awesome)

So now the question is what map(s) to purchase for the unit. I have no personal experience with garmin products since 2000 or so, and don't know what I should be looking at getting.

First and foremost I want to have good lake maps for fishing purposes, mostly out of my canoe and also to bring along while ice fishing. I was thinking that the Upper Midwest Fishing Guide sounded like the map to get. Does anyone have any experience with this product?

The other thing I've been thinking about is possibly a topographical map for hiking and possibly geocaching purposes. Any thoughts, or would having coordinates and a basic map work well enough?

Thanks for any suggestions and personal experiences! I'm so excited to give the new GPS a whirl.

[MN Mike]

The other thing I've been thinking about is possibly a topographical map for hiking and possibly geocaching purposes. Any thoughts, or would having coordinates and a basic map work well enough?

Thanks for any suggestions and personal experiences! I'm so excited to give the new GPS a whirl.

I've downloaded free Topo maps for Minnesota and Colorado, both have worked very well and I've been happy with them. If you Google ' Minnesota Topo Maps for Garmin ' you'll end up with a link.

Geocaching seems to be a popular hobby, Garmin definitely caters to that crowd, I haven't done it but I have some friends that do.

Mike

[OnAFly]

There is a set of free Minnesota lake maps at gpsfiledepot HSOforum.

Also, The MNDNR has a set of maps for all of the WMAs in the state and their parking spots. That's kind of handy if you hunt public land.

[mainbutter]

Thanks for the tips on the free maps guys, it's great to get maps without having to dish out a ben franklin

[OnAFly]

I honestly can't say anything about the accuracy of the maps, I just know they are available. Good luck with the GPS, I just got a Garmin too and I love it!

[jmg]

Reading all these posts reminded me that my son gave me the Insignia GPS that he had earlier bought his bride for her car. She didn't like it so he bought her a Garmin and he gave the other to me, which was thoughtful of him(them). It works alright for car use, but I wondered if any cards from Navionics or Lakemaster, etc. would fit it, since it does have a SD card slot on one side? Of course, he called tonight and informed me that he can not find the instruction manual so I guess I need to go online and try to locate one through Best Buy or some other place. Just wondering if anyone had any experience with these, esp. with lake map applications?

Any info, as always, is appreciated. A Happy, Healthy New Year Wish to all!!!

[MN Mike]

jmg,

What is the model of that Garmin? Nuvi I would imagine? Should have a number after it.

I have a Nuvi 250 and the Garmin Lakemaster chip, they do work in these, If I remember right the 205w or 255w have the SD Cards, either way, you're good to go, just remember it has to be the Garmin Lakemaster product.

One thing to make sure of is that you have the latest updates in the Nuvi, sometimes if it is not updated, your chip won't work until you do the update. Updating is easy, sign up for a free account at the my.garmin site, download the web connector, connect your Nuvi and it will detect what version you are on and let you know if you need updates, if you have any free mapping updates to the Nuvi, it will alert you to those too.

Garmin released a Upper Midwest Fishing Guide lake map product last week, you can test drive the map at Garmins' site. If you fish different states it's your best bang for the buck. You can check it out and they have a list of compatible devices that can run this mapping product. They also include more than lake data on this product too.

If you google your Garmin device ie: 'Garmin Nuvi 250 manual' it should give you a link and take you right to Garmins site where the manual is located.

Mike

[jmg]

Mike, thanks for the info about the Garmins, but it is a Best Buy name(Insignia) GPS that he gave me. I doubt, after reading about it on the Best Buy HSOforum, that it will do much of anything. I'm still trying to convince it that its home is not in Kansas City, KS any longer. You did get my attention, though, since my wife has one of the Garmin Nuvi models that you mentioned. Now, if I can only get her to trade.....?HMMMMMM!

Best wishes for the New Year.

[Finns]

Did a google search for the Insignia and the first site that came had user manuals.

[jmg]

Thanks Finns!!

[itchmesir]

if ya know how to use torrents you can download Garmins 2008 Topo Maps.. its a great program.. very accurate.. labels every little creek and stream in minnesota... it works for the whole US.. just select what map sections you want and then load them onto your garmin

[delcecchi]

care to tell or pm me the tracker? or email me the torrent file at gmail?

[leech~~]

I'm fairly loaded down with GPS's for some reason? I have two ifinders B/W & color. Two XOG's which I use in car, sled, and dirtbike and a Garmin 1300 for the wifes car. I was looking at the Lake Master chip for the Garmin at Cab's and the guy actually put one in a unit for me to try. It didn't seem to show as much detail as well as the Lakemaster in my other units to me? How are they working for others?