Hi all,

Want to buy waterproof maps for my trips but don't know where to buy.

I've sent mail to Stanford and they recommended somewhere else but they sell waterproof maps of GB only.

Normal paper maps tear and get loss easily.

Can anybody recommend a good waterproof map source for me.
The maps will belong to main Europe, Middle East, Asia, Former Russian Countries. Scale between 1:250.000 to 1:750.000.

Thanks a lot for any help.

Samy

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

Rough Guide has waterproof maps (cartography by Reise-Know-How Reise Know-How -- Die Spezialisten für individuelles Reisen , select Landkarten). However, I'm not sure you'll find waterproof maps in scale you want. Waterproof seem to be mainstream maps in scale about 1M.

Camping stores sell something like Map Seal, a coating that's applied to paper maps.

The sealer you buy in camping stores does an astonishingly good job. It takes about ten or fifteen minutes to coat a map, after which no amount of folding and refolding, wind, rain, snow or exposure to morning coffee spills will affect your map.

Akhm for the first time I've heard about those map seals :confused1:

Can anyone tell me something more. How it is aplied, is it like a gel or something else based so it doesn't interefere with the visibility of the map, but also gives it much needed protection against the elements, thanks

There is a product by Nikwax called map proof NIKWAX :: Easier, Safer, Drier

hope its what your looking for.
or international travel maps itmb publishing. I have some that are waterproof. Maps, Travel Gifts, Globes, Travel Books, Topographic Maps

I can't speak to the chemical process, but in practical terms the stuff is like water in viscosity and clarity. You paint it on with an ineffectual-looking foam brush, then let dry for a while. The instructions say to second coat, but I found this unnecessary if your first coat is thorough.

Don't know where you'd find this in Croatia, but it's quite common in shops in the USA. Judging by the wind and rain I saw along the coast north of Zadar, there ought to be a demand for it.

Hope that helps.

Mark

I always found the cost of waterproof maps to be prohibitive, especially if you are buying a lot for a big trip. I use a hill walkers waterproof mapcase by Ortlieb which is great. (Cheaper ones tend to be rubbish by the way and split along the seams).

Something that helps with folding the maps neatly (and therefore reducing the wear and tear) is to cut off any excess edge on the cover, so you can fold it back on itself properly.

Matt

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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!

I use an A3 size document pocket by Ortlieb. This way I can get a full size ringbound road map to stay dry. I strap it on top of my tankbag, works a treat. 100% waterproof, Ortlieb kit is superb.

Rough guide maps are all plastic and the ones I have used were all well u-to-date and well laid out.

I recommend bookdepository.co.uk

Cheap and free worldwide delivery!

They are good for guidebooks, technical books and novels as well.

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Peter Kongsbak
South East Asia, USA, Central and South America and Scandinavia.

Hi McCartney, Hi Flyingdoctor,

Map case is a good solution. Dosn't work well if you have to use the map outside the case, under some rain etc.

Yeah, you re right. Instead of buying one, you can buy two maps without proof.

Thanks Peter for info. Checking it.
Another question: Who makes the best maps? What is your map source?
Michelin? Stanford? (I talk about 1:200.000/1:500:000 maps and also topographic ones).

Thanks a lot,

Samy

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

I found Gizi maps to be pretty good: Gizimap Travel Maps from Omnimap.com, world leader in map supply.

Having said that, some mapmakers produce better maps for some countries but not others.

Around the Alps, Fallert waterproof/tearproof are good. Theres are Kummerly & Frey maps that they get produces for them, specially for bikers fallert bmw tuning - Artikeldetailansicht - Wasser- und Reisfeste Landkarte Schweiz

Freytag&Berndt also make good maps for some countries: Freytag & Berndt Maps - buy from Mapsworldwide

John

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Hi Mark thanks for your reply. I live in zagreb but go to Zadar 3-4 times per year. My girlfriend have a house there, so I have experienced rain and jugo(wind that brings rain from the sea, that is) .
I'm a trekker and ex adventure racer, so I'm very familiar with the watterproof bags for the maps, but never heard of the watterproofer for the map itself.
I'm using nylon map bags from Ferrino when I travel or when I'm doing some trekking, and they are holding extreamly well,

cheers

Im very surprised no one has mentioned this before, for me its been common practice for decades.

Clear Packing Tape.
The stuff with a matt finish and about 50mm wide is the best. You can buy a roll of it very cheeply from any stationers or post office.

I lay out the map down and place weights on the edges to get it flat and straight. I cut a piece of tape about 20mm longer than the map and stick it down, starting from the top, going over the edges about 10mm.
I work down the map, overlapping the tape about 5mm(Ive found this is most important) and then go over the edge at the bottom too.
I turn the map over and do the other side.
I cut all the edges straight then if Im feeling really nice I fold lengths of tape over the edges to totally stop water seeping in.
The maps are a little thicker when they are done, but this depends greatly on the tape you buy.
Even the very thin/cheap tape works well, its just a little harder to lay down without wrinkles/bubbles. To fix the wrinkles/bubbles I ***** them with a pin and squeeze the air out that way.
The maps can be folded and unfolded endlessly without damage.
I found a marker somewhere in Estonia that wrote easily on the tape and I was able to wipe it clean again with window cleaning liquid... I lost the marker somewhere in Taiwan and cant remember its name, sorry.

Ive done this to all my maps. As I dont have a GPS, maps are quite important.

N

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I've not used them in this context and I don't know if they're waterproof, but what about making photocopies of route legs (each size-adjusted to A4 or A5) and then put them in those clear plastic punched pockets used in lever-arch files?

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-Matt