MS S&T, MapSource, Garmin BaseCamp, or MapQuest

[LarryJM]

For those that have used several of these or others that are compatible with uploading to a Garmin GPS which one do you prefer for trip planning and what specifically are the advantages for the the one you use or prefer. Please include all that you have used in your response.

I am a long time MapSource user and consider myself proficient in its use, but have used the other free options such as Garmin BaseCamp and MapQuest, but have no experience with MS S&T since that is a paid subscription, but am considering it since it's not that expensive, but at first glance doesn't seem to offer much more than the other free options.

Tx,

Larry

[LarryJM]

stetwood wrote:
We do the planning on Streets & Trips,bigger screens and can double check campgrounds and other POI on the web. Once satisfied with route transfer to the Garmin in sections generally one or two days at time. Have to be careful, however on our last trip there were at least 4 POI or campgrounds located in the wrong place, causing much hand wringing. The Garmin was accurate for 3 of the 4 places, but only if the actual address was inputted, not the name of the place.

Can you explain how using S&T has a bigger screen or makes double checking campgrounds and other POI on the web that the other three programs I originally mentioned fails at. All three use the same computer platform so the screen size is the same and can be used while connected to the WEB for additional searches/info.

HINT: On potential CGs look at them on google earth (BaseCamp has a direct link now for any selected location in BaseCamp to see that location in Google Earth) and make sure the are where they are supposed to be and get the general layout and surrounding roads/neighborhoods. Sometimes the addresses might be the mailing and not the physical location.

Larry

[stetwood]

We do the planning on Streets & Trips,bigger screens and can double check campgrounds and other POI on the web. Once satisfied with route transfer to the Garmin in sections generally one or two days at time. Have to be careful, however on our last trip there were at least 4 POI or campgrounds located in the wrong place, causing much hand wringing. The Garmin was accurate for 3 of the 4 places, but only if the actual address was inputted, not the name of the place.

[LarryJM]

prichardson wrote:
The MS S&T that I have came as a program you install on your computer. For route planning I find it easier to use than Garmin Basecamp and it is compatible with Garmin GPS units.

I can understand that it appears BaseCamp is the most difficult to use of the four I listed, but I wonder as I originally asked how S&T compares to MapSource or MapQuest and all four are compatible with Garmin GPS units.

I'm just now learning some of the ins and out of Basecamp, but one feature that could be interesting is that it seems that if you left click on a location on the map it gives you a pop up window with all the POIs in that area (size is unknown) and it appears the list for CGs is very extensive and include things like WMs, Military FamKamps, Local City/County camping facilities, etc. I haven't gotten into trying to use it a lot and have basically just been playing with it to see if for me it would be worth using vs. the MapSource I now use.

Larry

[LarryJM]

Road Runners wrote:
re: since that is a paid subscription

What do you mean by paid subrscription? You buy the program and install it on your computer. I don't see any subscription in that, but maybe there is something else about Streets and Trips that I don't know about.

I have used Streets and Trips for many years. In fact, I have used it ever since in first came on the marke for trip planning and enroute navigation. I find it very useful and easy to use in both of these operations.

I just meant it isn't free and is like word processing and office productivity programs is periodically replaced/upgraded and it looks like you then have to pay again to get the latest and greatest. The other three are basically free forever and do have periodic updates.

My main use of S&T would be trip planning since I only run a GPS when actually driving/navigating.

Larry

[tatest]

Haven't used BaseCamp, been using Garmin's older MapSource, useful for dealing with my route saves and loading my GPSMap (different functions from auto navigation).

For route planning I have Street Atlas, Streets and Trips, and use MapQuest to plan trips for other people (I can send the results). Have also used Google Maps (online and iOS app) and Apple's maps and app. Depends on what tool is handiest.

For TRIP planning, I prefer Streets & Trips for its flexibiliity, the way I can quickly do multiple variations on a trip idea and adjust the details. I could probably do the same in Street Atlas, but mine is buried in Topo (my prime use of DeLorme) and I am more fluent in S&T. All of these tools have a learning curve.

None is sufficient alone, for my use. My trip planning includes a lot of outside material about where to go and what to see, where to stay. It also includes a Motor Carrier's Road Atlas, and sometimes highway department maps, for information not well used by software planning tools.

Compatibility with and brand of GPS is a non-issue for me, since I do not let an electronic device running software using routing asumptions I disagree with, against often inaccurate data, blindly feed me turn by turn directions. I used to develop these databases and routing tools, I know what has to be done to provide acceptable times to come up with an answer, and would rather look at the data with intelligence and come up with my own answers.

[prichardson]

The MS S&T that I have came as a program you install on your computer. For route planning I find it easier to use than Garmin Basecamp and it is compatible with Garmin GPS units.

[2gypsies1]

We've used Delorme's Street Atlas for 20 years for our trip planning. It's a great program as you can easily program your route to the way you really want to go. We travel secondary roads as our first choice. Garmin's BaseCamp was awful for us compared to Delorme.

[Road_Runners]

re: since that is a paid subscription

What do you mean by paid subrscription? You buy the program and install it on your computer. I don't see any subscription in that, but maybe there is something else about Streets and Trips that I don't know about.

I have used Streets and Trips for many years. In fact, I have used it ever since in first came on the marke for trip planning and enroute navigation. I find it very useful and easy to use in both of these operations.