California Topo 2011 on Garmin Nuvi?

[SoCalGuy]

Profiles are a very powerful feature of Garmin's newer outdoor/handheld devices. These models have a lot more menu options to customize their operation so it can take awhile to get them setup just the way you like. But after you do, you can create a profile and give it a name.

Ah, OK - so it's like a set of macros or saved setup files. We've used those for years in my industry (TV production), and I guess we've finally gotten complicated enough with GPS technology to warrant having those in the design.

As mentioned above, none of this is possible on any of the Nuvi series.

<sniff> Only a few years old, and already "obsolete"... 

BTW, you need to realize there are two categories of maps - "routable" and "not routable". Most topo maps on this site are not routable.

Yeah, sorta figured that's what was going on - so thanks for the confirmation.

On the Nuvi, if a map isn't routable then it will create the best route it can using its basemap. But the basemap is really crude and only contains a few of the biggest roads.

No kidding - once I got to my own neighborhood it was convinced that I was "Off Road".  ;-)

Basically, that topo map will only be useful to show your position on the screen.

Which is more than fine, I really just wanted to see if I could get the topo to work on the Nuvi. Don't think I'd ever take it hiking, but it's nice to have that option available.

Garmin's 24k topo map series are routable, FWIW.

For the price that they charge for those, I'd dang well expect that...  ;-)