So, I just purchased a new in the box one of these from Cabelas for a good price ($229, and free freight). It comes with a 100k map installed, which is too vague to use in the BWCA. On my old eTrex Legend HCx, I had purchased Garmin's US TOPO 24K, which is no long available, I believe.

The unit is pre-installed with US TOPO 100k. I don't think that 100k gives enough detail for use for the BWCA, and I'm thinking that I need a 24k map set. As a result, I'm looking at Garmin's 24k BWCA software.

Many questions:

1. Is the Garmin TOPO BWCA software a good way to go? It costs $100. Not sure if it includes portages and campsites. I think it may include portages, but not campsites. I have an old download with all the BWCA campsites and portages, which I think would work OK with the mapset I eventually end up installing.

2. Any other map(s) would you recommend instead of Garmin? Not a real fan of Garmin maps. They are good, but they are not all that user friendly.

3. As previously stated, I do have Garmin US TOPO 24k, but apparently it is locked due to the fact that I bought a new computer a few years ago. Probably would not work with my new 64st either, I would guess, but I've not tried it.

4. Should I get the micro-SD card or the download for whatever software I get? I'm leaning towards the SD card.

Thanks for your help. Tomster

I just use the BirdsEye subscription maps, and a few .gpx files I have.

Onedrive link to my .gpx files

Install the Basecamp program to use either.

butthead

Thanks! I have to spend some time getting things to work the way I want.

Tomster

See if you can get your hands on the BWCA Campsites & Portages map file (.img format). If you have a PC, it's available at gpsfiledepot. Those with a Mac -- like me -- need someone to send it to you. It allows you to display all of the BWCAW's portages and campsites on your device in a background map (which can be turned on or off) without having to install all of the individual waypoints and tracks and cluttering up your device, perhaps filling it to its maximum limits.

And, are you interested in lake depths? I had the Upper Midwest Fishing Guide chip in my 62st and thought it was phenomenal. Then, Garmin screwed up my chip -- long story -- and they sent me the Garmin Lake Vü HD chip (FREE!) for my 64st. It blows away all previous lake depth map chips I've ever owned.

PaddleNav from Red Pine Mapping

With a trip to the BWCA coming in about a month, I figured it was time to get my new GPSMAP 64st set up and familiarized. Thanks to Butthead's files, which I uploaded to the device, a copy of MNTOPO that apparently was transferred from my old Garmin desktop file folder, and Basecamp, it was a breeze to create routes on my desktop computer and upload them to the 64st.

Figuring I should upload all potential routes in my foreseeable BWCA tripping days - mission accomplished. This way, I should not have to screw around with the 64st-desktop transfer BS from now on.

Still not sure where the MNTOPO (which is a 24k map and plenty for what I'll need) came from, but I am not complaining.

Can't wait to get out of the Illinois heat and humidity, and actually a fairly light year for skeeters. I just need some cooler weather and some tarp/campfire time. Heading north the day after Labor Day for a 10-day solo towards the end of the Gunflint. Probably hit Trail Center for a burger on the way up and back, although I've read that Rockwood on Poplar Lake has a pretty good burger now. May try that once to check it out.

Tomster

Just got back from my first trip with the new 64st myself.

I used the MN topo for from the GPSfiledepot.

I also have the portages and campsite file that I modified years ago with better symbols. (Tents and portage markers)

Worked great.