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Old 02-13-2016, 01:05 PM   #1
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2016 Atlas???

Haven't posted on the forum in a while, but we have been busy camping and taking care of fambly issues and such.

Craig and I need to replace our tattered and much repaired Atlas (large print) that our son gave us years ago.

Any suggestions to maker and why you like it?

We need large print cuz both of us have old eyes. I like the one my son got cuz it also lists state parks for camping. (Even so we have to look up details or Fed, TVA and ACOE parks by hand.)

Anyone make on with water resistant pages as well as the large print.?

Thanks in advance,

Josie
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Old 02-13-2016, 04:17 PM   #2
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You should have asked yesterday you could have looked at mine. I have the 2016 Rand Mc Nally large scale atlas (35% larger). It is spiral bound for easy folding. Not waterproof but water resistant. A couple of pages got wet, they are a little puffy but still holding strong and you can still read it.
Try Good Sams online trip planner it lists all the campgrounds on your route.

Eddie
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Old 02-13-2016, 05:03 PM   #3
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A thread you might find interesting.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...las-62440.html

Road atlases are not big sellers as near as I can tell Raz
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Old 02-13-2016, 09:20 PM   #4
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Wish I had though of it yesterday, too, Eddie. Little slow in my maturity. But, thanks as that was one I was looking at to use my Barnes and Noble coupon.
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Old 02-13-2016, 09:29 PM   #5
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No, Raz, prolly not, but I still like an Atlas both for looking for routes as well as marking the route taken for future reference. The one we have is getting quite tattered with pages that have ripped out requiring me to tape them back in along the top or bottom since it doesn't work on the spiraled sides. Makes for interesting page turning.

Also, we are in the planning stages of a new to us 21 foot Escape trailer and I'm thinking a new atlas to start our new adventures. (I may regret that when I want to refer to routes taken with the Scamp we now have.)

Josie
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Old 02-13-2016, 11:36 PM   #6
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That large scale atlas sounded pretty good for my older eyes; the tiny print is now impossible for me to read without a strong magnifying glass. But I just looked at the Amazon reviews, and purchasers there point out some problems. The pages have no overlap, which makes it difficult to orient oneself when moving from one part of the state to the next. Words, even letters, are cut in half by the page breaks. And, they say, the spiral binding obliterates some map data. Eddie, have you noticed any of this on your copy?
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Old 02-14-2016, 03:12 AM   #7
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I'm a map person too. I like to study the road ahead in the evenings. I ended up with a "new" 2010 American Map standard edition which is the last year they produced them. Far more detail than any of the others. Unlike the large print, it includes Canada. I bought a magnifying glass . One benefit of using an old map is my navigator is always right. It's the map that got us lost. Congratulations on the Escape. Raz
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Old 02-14-2016, 07:36 AM   #8
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Yes, Mike....we have found that to be true, too and often still have to refer to the maps we pick up at Visitor Centers for those little details or fire up the hot-spot so I can check Google maps.

But, like Raz, I like to pore over the paper maps to figure routes and stuff in the evenings and off hours.

I need a better magnifying glass....my old one doesn't work any more....I think the glass shrunk or something. (Cuz yanno I'm not gonna admit it's my eyes. )

Josie
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Old 02-14-2016, 09:16 AM   #9
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What's missing in the current publications is campgrounds, points of interest and topography. I also found fewer city blow outs and secondary roads for when we miss that left turn. I think most folks prefer GPS, making atlases obsolete. If companies can't sell them they won't make them. Oh for the good old days Raz
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Old 02-14-2016, 01:13 PM   #10
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I just ordered one of these, and will try to remember to write a review here after it arrives. It's large format, and the images supplied by the website look promising.
https://www.mappingspecialists.com/s...-large-format/

I currently have a 2011 Rand McNally, Walmart edition, in the truck and a 2005 Rand McNally in the house. I'm due for a newer one. Maybe rotate the 2011 to the house and take the new one on the road, since it's mighty difficult to glance at a big atlas in one hand through a magnifying glass in the other hand, while driving.
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Old 02-15-2016, 04:50 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Magee View Post
...... It's large format, and the images supplied by the website look promising.
I agree, the images look very promising. The Portland/Mt Hood image has all the detail my favorite American Map/ MapQuest atlas has except for the topography. The campgrounds are there. The points of interest are there. And all the secondary roads are there.. I'm guessing they are using the same maps. When it arrives compare it to your Rand McNally. I bet this one stays in your truck!

The only odd thing is the size. My large format is over 250 pages without Canada and Mexico. You may need a magnifier. Good find. Raz
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Old 02-15-2016, 10:13 AM   #12
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Yes, Mike, please do. And, thank you.

Mine is Rand McNally's 2011 Large Print. It's a reasonable map with city and National Parks, but not State parks. The spiral edges often cut off the ability to match it to the next or preceeding page, which is aggravating. And, I've found that some of the city blow outs are not as detailed as a person would like. That said...no map is pefect and this one does work as advertised...I definitely appreciate the larger type.

If I were designing an atlas myself I would wish the pages were at least water resistance and that the spiral edges were re-inforced so as not to tear out so easy. City, county, state and National campgrounds would be included, of course. Downside is that it would likely be a huge, expensive tome with not enough sales to make it worth printing. Reckon I'll continue to supplement with Visitor Center state maps and online Google maps that I can enahnce down to the block...street...level. Craig enjoys the heck out of Google Earth.

Josie
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Old 02-20-2016, 07:19 PM   #13
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The American Highways Road Atlas arrived today, and I compared a couple of state's pages to those in my 2011 Rand McNally Road Atlas. I am somewhat disappointed in my purchase. Whatever they mean by "large format," it isn't large print. The states are drawn at the same scale, pretty much. Small towns in AH seem to have the same size type, in perhaps a tad wider font, but not printed as dark (less contrast) compared to the RM. The AH print is ever-so-slightly more readable in bright sunlight, but slightly less readable under home lighting.

A few small differences I noticed were in AH's favor. They show locations of forest campgrounds that RM does not, and AH includes shading and names for state forests (RM does not). Also, AH includes shading to indicate hilly/mountainous terrain throughout its map pages, whereas RM only has that on some insets (mostly national parks). Speaking of park insets, I see that some of AH's insets are larger and contain more informational labeling; for example, AH's Yosemite inset is 3.5"x4.4" versus RM's Yosemite at 2.75"x3.5". RM prints national parks in medium-green with locations printed in dark green lettering (hard to read), but AH adds a splash of yellow behind their dark green lettering to increase contrast in these places.

One thing I always disliked about my RM Atlases is the hideous shade of yellow they used for the Unites States overall map at the atlas' beginning. Good contrast, yes. Easy on the eyes, no. It is ugly and revolting! (Sorry, RM, JMO.) American Highways uses a light green, and they make it lighter in the arid west (indicating the lesser amount of foliage) and add a band of varying shades of light gray in mountainous areas to give a rough indicator of the terrain. This is lower contrast than the RM yellow, but it's still easily viewable.

The comments about "American Map" products, now discontinued, sparked enough curiosity to prompt me to order a 2008 "slightly used" copy of their atlas from an Amazon seller. When it arrives, I'll write another comparison. Even if it's 8 years old, if the letters on small towns are noticeably easier to read, it should be worth having around (for my old eyes). We shall see. (small pun intended)
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Old 02-23-2016, 05:31 PM   #14
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Correction to my post above, paragraph 2, last sentence: AH adds a splash of yellow behind their red (not dark green) lettering to increase contrast. But you got the idea.

The American Map large print atlas was delivered today and it's surprising how similar this looks to the American Highways atlas, except the American Map has blown up the states somewhat larger and made the print significantly larger. Between these two, there are many similarities. Topo shading looks the same. Most coloration is very close. Forest campground icons are the same. Lettering is in the same position.

I am very happy with the readability of the fonts in this spiral-bound American Map. But it's heavy, 2 lb. 10 oz. versus the AH atlas' weight of 1 lb. 6 oz. And AM cut their states apart without any overlap to guide the eye to the right spot when flipping from, say, east CO to west CO; at least I don't see any words cut in half, though!

I think I'll get fair use out of the American Map. I can make out the small town names without a magnifying glass, and the ability to fold the spiral-bound atlas to the desired page (making it half as large to hold) are nice advantages. But if I'm traveling through a metro area where new expressways or bypasses may have been built since 2008, I'll have to check my newer atlas... or trust the Garmin... if those things can be trusted!
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Old 03-09-2016, 07:44 AM   #15
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Thanks, Mike. After taking a physical peek in Barnes and Noble the other day my 2016 Rand McNally is on its way from Amazon. I chose the one without the spiral bind because we've ripped so many pages from the old one from repeated use of those particular pages. I also paid slightly more to get the one with the plastic cover onnit since it often lives between my seat and the console in the 4Runner adding to the stresses of travel on the cover.

We will still likely supplement with paper maps from Visitor Centers and online sources for tiny driving details.
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Old 03-10-2016, 04:05 AM   #16
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Happy trails Josie, enjoy your new trailer, Raz
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Old 03-10-2016, 07:33 PM   #17
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Thankx, Raz...we're hoping to take possession in the next couple of weeks or so.

Josie
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