If you like plastic coated maps, you'll like map sealer. Get a little bottle and a foam brush from REI and coat paper maps with it. Miraculous stuff.
I brought a paper AAA map of Central and South America on my latest trip. AAA maps are the sleaziest, thinest, most tear-prone paper known to Western Civilization. I coated the map both sides with map sealer, then folded, twisted, mangled and mutilated it for ten straight months in and out of ridiculous humidity, tropical downpours, you name it. The map is battered but still in one piece and still usable.
And as far as the original question, I'm always envious of those of you who are so organized that you're actually researching which map to buy for what country. I just show up and take whatever I can find, which is usually totally inadequate....but I always survive. I try to have at least two maps for comparing routes, since most have glaring mistakes--omissions, routes shown which do not exist, horrifyingly inaccurate ratings, etc.
Hope that helps.
Mark
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