New NZ route planning web site

You can use Paypal to buy this info.

We understand your motivation. We expect everything on the web to be free, however long it took to create it or however much it cost to produce it. But ultimately it's not only about cost, but about value for money and affordability. This project took 8 months to complete to its present stage. And map BP33, in the Tararuas, costs 0.90 cents (31c of which go to Paypal as fees), for which you receive 128 track profiles for all of the major Tararua tracks, including the Southern Crossing and Northern Crossing, plus the corresponding 128 KML files you can view on Google Earth. For $2.00 you also get a great topo map and the 128 GPX files for your GPS receiver. Plus the bonus downloads of two extremely useful files. Our main concern is to afford to keep the web site self-financing for those who find it useful. As soon as we realize the costs are all, or most, on us, we will have to conclude that this project cannot continue and will be cancelled.

Maybe the Products & Services forum? http://www.tramper.co.nz/?view=forum&id=18

It's great that Matthew provides a forum for free advertising of commercial products. But I am irked when I see these business people posting their advertisements in the wrong forum as above and trying to make it look as though the owner hasn't posted the ad as well as not making it clear in the post that it is advertising a product that requires payment. This is the second time it has happened recently. The other time was when a business woman advertised her farm walk in the guise of an enthusiastic endorsement. We ain't dumb, sunshine.

They'll think twice with you on the watch Honora. ;)

To respond to the actual post: 1. I can get a topo from http://www.linz.govt.nz/ - We have a nice large-format plotter at work... ;) 2. .kmls are quite accessible, for instance, I am doing the Te Araroa from October and the Trust has available (for free) a the majority of .kmls for the track. 3. Elevation profiles, whilst marginally useful, can be sought from the .kml. I'm sure this product has some utility but I think the vendor needs to know the objections.

I love my Freshmap but it's not cheap. It's great having the cadastrals (celebrity endorsement).

As of now the NZTP (http://www.nztrackprofiles.com) web site is completely free of any fees. No fees, no donations, not even ads. Please visit the site to explore its contents and downloads. Your comments will be most welcome.