UKH

Rather than carrying a full OS map I’m very much a devotee of using an A4 or A3 section of the map (either photocopied or printed from mapping software). Although printing on to waterproof paper is an option, I don’t find it robust enough and doesn’t give you the write on/rub off option that a laminate does

The only problem is that I generally find the laminates quite hard and rigid. I recently read somewhere that you can get “soft” laminators, presumably to give a finish similar to OS Tuff maps – anyone got any experience of soft laminating?

In reply to exiled_northerner:
Clear polyurethane varnish on both sides. Some are clearer than others. Best to do one side at a time because the paper tears easily when one side is wet. An alternative is sticky-backed plastic on the front and varnish on the back. Laminating works well if you keep your map in your gaiter as the stiffness makes it easy to shove in.

In reply to exiled_northerner:

Or purchase a map case for a £ 5 quid

In reply to exiled_northerner:

We used to use that plastic sticky stuff that schoolkids could wrap thier books in, a bit like sticky back cling film. Wasn't so much more flexible and the write on/ wipe off credentials were not amazing but it was a useful trick, when a laminator was not available. No idea if the stuff still exists, we bought it in France.

I get where you're coming from, but if you want mark the map (eg: with checkpoints, route notes, mapping amends, or as I quite often want in a sea kayak, with tidal info) the map moves inside the case!

In reply to exiled_northerner:

Use a China graph or a permanent pen then use a rubber or use a non permanent pen and it comes off easily. I use it on exercise in the army. And it honestly comes off a piece of piss.

In reply to exiled_northerner:
Do prints of colour scans on your printer at home, then you can mark away to your heart's content and laminate them and do as may copies as you want. I did this for the Haute Route, with notes and photocopies of the guide book etc, so that each A4 sheet had everything I needed, no need to get out guidebooks etc.

In reply to exiled_northerner:

I use fablon. Then just rub it with some scotchbrite or Brillo pad to roughen it up and you can use a normal pencil on it.

In reply to exiled_northerner:

I just use A4 or A3 clear plastic wallets to carry photocopies on standard paper.

Portrait style used upside down give most protection.
Landscape easier to get in and write notes directly onto the paper.

Give a surprising amount of protection and a lot easier to stuff in a pocket. Can tape up the end for more protection but don't find it necessary. I am out in all weathers in Cumbria with "bits of paper " for work and play.

In reply to exiled_northerner:

Try 150 thickness MATT laminate pouches, various sizes. You can write on it in pencil even if wet and rub it off. With 150 thickness you can fold it up.
Try:
http://www.bindingbazaar.com/
But whilst the laminate is cheap, the 'postage' is very expensive so not worth it unless you need a load.

In reply to exiled_northerner:

Fablonned maps for years. It's heavy, not durable and a ball ache.

Just use a map case

In reply to neuromancer:

Anyone else struggling to print A3 from osmaps online? Just bought an A3 printer and laminator for this purpose but ne marche pas!

In reply to Bluebird:

Isn't it a copyright thing that you can only print A4 size.

Alternative is to printout 2 adjoining A4 as PDFs and then use something like Photoshop to combine them.
Painful but it works.

In reply to m0unt41n:

But I signed up/paid to use OSmaps and it gives me the options to print A3 as an individual. The only thing that isn't working is the very last step that kicks the printer into life. I'll go back to them, again and see.

In reply to exiled_northerner:

Make sure you have set the paper size to A3 or "Auto" in the printer properties. It maybe your printer driver is not throwing up a warning on screen but on the printer that it thinks it is set for the wrong stock.

A question on laminating: How much does an A3 laminating pouch add to the dimensions? Is it a similar margin to that on an A4 pouch? Would it still be possible to get it in an A3 sized case? I currently tend to laminate some A4 sheets (esp. if they are to be reused). I have found that doing this on A4 and on long walks having the rest on light paper makes for a nice set up when all thrown into a Ortlieb A4 wallet. It makes it lots easier to pick and switch sheets in a hoolie if there is one rigid piece in there.

In reply to ultrabumbly:

Will check printer settings.
A3 laminates add a 1mm margin down both long sides and 2 or 3 mm on short sides by my estimates (just looking at one now)

In reply to exiled_northerner:

on the "soft" lamination question from the OP. The pouches come in various weights measured in gsm. The lightest are quite flimsy with the heaviest being quite stiff. Just be aware that when you buy pouches some manufacturers quote the gsm for one side and some for both; i.e. the whole pouch. Laminators are rated on the thickness they will take and the cheaper home models might not cope with the heaviest grade. Very light pouches combined with light paper in an economy laminator might crinkle some times. In any case just be aware that the rigidity is going to be a sum effect of the paper and the pouch thickness.

tip :If you can get the use of a decent office grade machine, I've found with the heavier pouches you can get a fairly good hole for a lanyard or just a knotted loop for using with gloves. Just punch a whole in the paper and then a slightly smaller, concentric, one in the pouch before running it through.

In reply to Bluebird:

Works fine for me - colour laser A3 at work - pretty good!!

In reply to MtnGeekUK:

Just started working for me this morning. Happy days!

In reply to exiled_northerner:
It takes some practice but you can get large rolls of tacky back / sticky back plastic meant for covering books. You can use this to cover OS maps, its quiet hard to avoid bubbles and quite time consuming to do but it works a dream and you could just do this for your sheets.

Personally I just tend to buy the weather proof os maps now a days.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

Or if you are printing, zip lock / push to seal type bags from Tesco / Asda / IKEA work quite well.

In reply to MtnGeekUK:

hehe time for a freezer bag detour:

Once some uk supermarket freezer bags were fairly decent. The current zip slider ones from supermarkets all seem to pop open when being placed in a pack or rolled and tucked under a shoulder strap etc. They all tend to be an awkward shape for map purposes and the larger ones often have flat/stand and fill bottoms. I haven't tried them all but I tried a lot with a friend recently helping him pack for a trip when we had no Ziplocs on hand other than small. The press to close ones are all single seal and inadequate. There is one UK brand that is ok called Lakeland. I think they are only available online and from their own stores these days.

Even proper Ziploc(TM) push to seals(double) won't take that much abrasion and they are the only food type seal bags I use now. The corners will wear after a few passes across something. I use them a lot and they are probably the toughest and most reliable but currently a PITA to get hold of in the UK unless someone has a costco card. I order online in bulk instead. Also the design changed recently and included easy separation tabs and there have been many reports of these bags failing not on the top but at the side seam so I would only recommend the older ones without the tab until that is fixed.

As an aside, I noticed ClasOhlson had less than half price OpSaks in store the other day. Not sure if all sizes but I stocked up on the smart phone size 3 packs. They are expensive for a zip baggy but they are durable. The ones I got were only about £1/ea.

In reply to MtnGeekUK:

Why not just tacky back a sheet of a4, better and more permanent that a zip lock.

In reply to ultrabumbly:

Tried the IKEA ones? Multi pack, two different sizes, couple of quid.

Double seal, found them pretty reasonable.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

Quicker, less FAFF, easier to get hold of?

In reply to MtnGeekUK:

Whsmiths sell it amongst many other high street options, plus I'm sure Amazon will do too.

For a single sheet of a4 it's not that much faff for a map it is quite a bit, but then it lasts for decades!.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


How does it cope with folding? I imagine it'd crease then crack on the particularly used fold-lines, and then let water in and get horribly blurred.

In reply to Removed UserBwox:
lasts pretty well probably better than the active os maps covering you can get, ofcourse it depends on the exact thickness and quality of the product you are using - I have never needed to replace a map done this way

In reply to exiled_northerner:
Anyone who thinks fablonning a map lasts for ages must not spend any time using it outdoors or in any inclement weather.

Just

Buy

A

Map

Case

In reply to neuromancer:
Maybe I'm imagining my 10 year old fabloned map (on both sides) of ben nevis that has been up there many times in summer and winter in all sort of conditions and then left in a damp bag for hours if not days sometimes. Its still in great condition.

Its better than a map case IMO, it doesn't get misted over so much or covered in water droplets in the same way and is lighter and you don't get the issue of being either side of the map case etc. It also makes the map incredibly durable. Yeah and I have a map case or at least I used to before I decided this was better.

Most my maps for mountainous areas I have now covered this way or are the active maps. It also prevents the map being damaged by high winds, which can still be an issue with a map case if you need to rearrange the map in it as you've travelled off the edge of the visible part of the map.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Do you fablon it with gods tears or something?

The shelf life of a fablonned map for me is approximately two to three weeks in the field: after that the fablon cracks at the folds, lets water in, the map rots, ink runs, children are sacrificed to the many faced God etc

Also one fablonned map is heavier than a map and two ortlieb map cases ime.

I retain my standpoint of you being Harry Potter and using magic, not fablon.

In reply to neuromancer:

You sound like you live in a bit of a fantasy world and need to grow up a bit.