Topo Map

Hello. Do you mean 1:25000 or 1:250000? It's a scale thing, so in 1:50000 (the most common scale for tramping), all distances are 1/50000'th the size on the map as they are physically. (ie. 2 centimetres on a standard 1:50000 topo map represents 1 kilometer). If you see a map at 1:25000 scale (assuming that wasn't a typo that you wrote), chances are as good as any that someone's just taken a 1:50000 and printed it larger, but with no added detail. Sometimes groups such as Orienteering clubs and other organisations that need them make or commission their own maps of certain areas at a better scale and that actually are more detailed, but they're usually quite specialised and not widely available. 1:50000 is by far the most popular scale for tramping, because it's the most detailed available scale of map officially produced in a series that covers all of New Zealand. (I think, someone please correct me if I'm wrong about this.) Land Information NZ (LINZ) also produces a 1:250000 series of maps (2cm on the map = 5km). They're less detailed because you're showing a larger area on the same sheet of paper, but you can get a better overview of larger areas, maybe for planning if anything. I don't know anyone who buys 1:250000 maps for tramping, but I've seen claims that they can used -- probably not for anything other than following very well-made tracks, however. I certainly wouldn't want to use them seriously in the field when there are more detailed maps available, which there are. You can get the standard LINZ maps through many tramping shops (and often other shops), but also through mail order in various places. There are also some other companies (like TerraLink) that make maps from the same data for popular areas, but might try to design them more efficiently for use in those areas. (LINZ maps sometimes chop off logically related areas indiscriminately because they're on the other side of the boundary and onto the next map.) Keep in mind, though, that on 30th September LINZ will be introducing a completely new series with a different coordinate system that they're trying to get everyone to use. At that time, all the existing topo maps on shelves will be removed and replaced with the new series. If you're planning to buy some and can wait until then, it's probably not a bad idea. Hopefully I have all of this correct. I'm sure someone else will chip in if I've made a mistake or missed anything important.

1:25000 means that 1mm (or 1cm, or 1 fingerwidth for that matter) on the map is equal to 25000mm (or cm or fingerwidths) on the actual ground. Same with the 1:50000s... 1mm = 50000mm on the ground. What this means is a 1:50000 map shows a larger area of the earths surface then a 1:25000 map, however because it is showing a larger area of the earth, the detail on the map has to be less in order to fit it all on. Its like being in a helecopter at 10000 metres compared to being in a helecopter at 100 metres... you can see futher but you can't pick out what headlines people are reading on the daily newspaper! Most standard topo maps that you can pick up an outdoor shops or from Doc are 1:50000, which I believe is the Land Information New Zealand standard. I find them fine for navigating with. Ive never looked at a 1:25000 so don't have an opinion on their usefulness

In the old imperial days the scale of the maps was 1:63,360 or and "inch to a mile". There are 63,360 inches in a mile. Funny but I find that easier to visualise than the metric system. 1:50,000 is the nearest you can get to that in metric and it is the largest scale that you can get in NZ, so it is the best for tramping. In some other countries you can get 1:25,000 maps which would be better for tramping, but the downside then is that you would have to buy more maps. I have always found it best to stick to the same scale. Some of the parkmaps are 1:100,000 which is a pain because I get a feel for how far a distance is based on using 1:50,000 maps and get caught out. Hence I tend to stick with the 1:50,000 topos where I can.

Thanks guys it makes sense now