UKH

Hi All,

Long time no speak, just wondering after this weekends weather for Ten Tor training on Dartmoor, the OS Explorer Laminated Maps I have for the groups have taken a rather severe battering - one of them it has completely ripped. They are only a couple of months old and have been used on 6 training walks so I was wondering, if anyone else has had this problem and how would the Harvey's Maps stand up to the rain. I personally do own some Harvey's Maps but have not been in the conditions over the weekend with them, so cannot tell how good they are.

Thanks

BD

In reply to Boulderdash86:
Haven't used Harveys in this weather but...

I have spent the whole week-end under a mix of horizontal rain, fog and sleet, and have been "scrambling" up wet cloughs around Kinder Scout and I thanked myself for having taken for once my Ortlieb waterproof case. I was utterly wet but my map was happy and dry. I usually don't take it as I don't mind trashing a map but this week-end I would have ended up with a ball of wet paper.

Sorry if that seems obvious and you have reasons to avoid it. (I suppose it's not good if the area you are interested in is larger than the case and you need to refold the map). Not as handy as a Harveys but certainly comparable to the OS waterproof ones (which I find very impractical).

Edited to add: I have used laminated maps in the past and had similar experiences, after a few uses, the folds lose the protection, water goes in and they're ruined (worse than paper because you can't really dry them). Now I either take a normal map that might not survive or the case.

In reply to Boulderdash86:

Was a hell of a weekend on the moor!

Map case will aid the waterproofing qualities of Active maps. They'll still get battered about with being re-folded and shoved into the cases though.

Harvey maps are really good but the ink can get worn. I've found around where I crease Harvey maps, it goes white. Not a huge issue but could lose one or two features. With the amount of abuse they'd get from teenagers, this will probably happen. However, a larger scale means less re-folding of maps and they do hold up to water well!

Another option could be to print out maps and laminate them. The addition of a map case will help them last longer too.

In any case, they get a lot of abuse from teens and the weather so are never going to last for years!

In reply to Boulderdash86:

Ortlieb map cases, it's the way forwards

In reply to Boulderdash86:

The children walk with an active 1:2500 map and a 1:5000 paper map in the map case. Likewise I use an Ortlieb map case and swear by it, although its now developed a small hole. Thinking about it I may just keep using laminated map and accept the fact they are going to get abused and trashed.

Thanks for all the replies though.

In reply to Boulderdash86:

Have a look at Aqua3 maps - we've found them pretty durable. No-one has managed to tear them anyway, is some pretty horrendous weather. After a couple of years of constant abuse features have worn out around some of the folds, but this seems to be common to all well used maps. Certainly my Harvey map of Ben Nevis has done the same.

They do the maps either as equivalent areas to OS standards, or as a cut your own. you can order extra large maps as well that are 2 extra panels wide. this is obviously more bulky though.

Cheers,

Stuart

In reply to Boulderdash86:

I have the BMC mountain map for Dartmoor. Printed on plastic material and has withstood foul weather so far.

http://www.bmcshop.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=347_417&products_id=591...

It is 1:40,000 scale though, which takes a little while to adjust to if you're used to 1:25,000 or 1:50,000, or maybe that's just me.

N

In reply to Boulderdash86:

Being a resident of Dartmoor and a member of one of the SRTs down here I would say the best solution is to either use some mapping software to print out the area(s) you’re visiting or be prepared to cut up a paper map, and then either laminate them, (tip: try to use a matt rather than gloss finish – easier to write on and doesn’t reflect torch light as much in the dark), or use an Ortleib case. Keep a full OS or Harvey’s map in the bag just in case you end up somewhere where you’ve not planned to be or lose a map.

OS laminated maps eventually delaminate along the folds and whilst Harveys maps are tough but do need to be protected in a case, as do any paper map: not just from the obvious rain, but also from dropping them in the mud!

In reply to Boulderdash86:

Aqua3 are the way to go. They can also do XL site centered to your choice.

Great product, been using Aqua3 for years.

https://www.aqua3.com/

Any issues/queries - ring up and speak to Mike the Map