Delorme Topo USA v5.0 (DVD) review:1 stars (For only the most advanced and patient users....) - I bought this product to use with my Garmin etrex GPS unit. The website claims it is compatable, but it turns out it is not. I was unable to successfully navigate or use more than about 10% of the features, and I consider myself a moderate to advanced user. Another negitive thing about this program is the fact it comes with NO instruction manual! Tech support is a long distance call, available only during very limited hours. Finally, navigating around any map requires constant reloading which takes forever. I have a $3500 computer,as fast as they currently make them and I found myself waiting for images to load constantly. Do yourself a favor and try another program.1 stars (Do Not Buy!) - I would say I have average computer skills. I cannot make this program work as advertised. It is extreemly hard to find, view or print what you want. It is a waste of my time and my money. Save your self the trouble, do not buy this program.5 stars (Hikers: read this review, ignore the others) - Most of the people that have reviewed this software on Amazon simply bought the program for the wrong purpose or they simply don't know what they're talking about.

Topo USA is designed for hikers, plain and simple. Sure, there are other uses, and I'm not suggesting that fisherman, for example, or hunters wouldn't likewise find it useful. After all, those activities involve hiking, too.

Topo USA is certainly not designed to replace car navigation systems--don't even think that you can hook up your laptop and use this thing in busy traffic, it's not the right product. Get an in-dash system for that.

Topo USA is not for professional engineers designing new roads and bridges.

Topo USA is designed to show you trails that are out there, or to make your own, and it does that very well.

If you want something to map your trip to Washington, you would be better off with something else. If, on the other hand, you want to make maps from your hikes, or even to make maps *before* your hikes, this is a great product.

What Topo USA does better than anything else is to map data from your handheld GPS. The EarthMate isn't the best option for this. I use a Garmin eTrex Summit, myself, and the data I get is good enough to make online maps for my hiking web site, HikePA.com.

If you want something to help you map out your recreational hiking, this is it.

Read the other reviews here, and you'll find that the ones who give this negative remarks all want it to do something it's not designed to do. These are the same people who want to go off-roading with their yuppie SUV when they really need a Jeep :-)

Feel free to drop me a line if you have questions . . .
Delorme Topo USA v5.0 (DVD) Features:
Computer software (programs)
Education (Educational)
Reference
Geography (Geographical)
Atlas (Atlases)
Maps (Mapping)
Travel Planners (Planning)
Route
Map Info (Mapinfo)
Hobby Hobbies
CD
$50 of free aerial and satellite imagery included
Advanced map customization and printing
Automatic routing on trails and roads
Nationwide campground information
GPS compatibility; USGS digital map data

Delorme Topo USA v5.0 (DVD) is the DVD version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around 89.99USD.