I'm glad I bought this program. As it stands the cost may be a little high based on functionality, but I don't think so when you consider the cost of downloading topo maps.

Very smooth interface, and the download was only about two minutes per map. However, it's difficult to locate specific maps as there is no search or coordinate feature. Would gladly rate this app 5 stars if such a feature were implemented. Overall, good job.

Map quality is excellent. Understand this is the 1st release of this software. This is a map viewer only although it will display your position (icon only.) This software lacks a coordinate viewer - MGRS would be nice. Also, map sheets are viewable only one sheet at a time - would be nice if sheets were continuous.

Well worth the money. Now I have a useful base map when out of cell range. Can’t beat the USGS maps. Looks as if many improvement are to come, Great start ! Works as advertized.

This is the best topo map ever!!

Update is a big improvement! App is well on it's way to greatness...combine with gps tracking/mapping and it will be HUGE! Thanks!

New release adds Massachusetts areas and state outlines in satellite view, A++. !!!

Now I can have real USGS topos in my pocket when out of cell range, with the blue dot showing current location. USGS topos are not up-to-date, but that is part of what makes them interesting. Installing topos is easy. Either zoom in and click on the quad or search by name. Navigating maps and zooming works as expected, and maps render quickly. Would be nice to smoothly move to adjacent maps while viewing. Another idea would be an option to view adjacent maps without quadrangle white space for those times when the trail straddles several topos. I have not tried the other topo apps, but this one works for me.

Finding the map you want is Not easy. Wish the satellite view at least had state borders superimposed. Ideally you could search by topo map name, city & state, or geographic feature. As is, very difficult. Great potential though. Also wish it could save Tracks & waypoints.

I bought this App because I love topo maps. I'm looking forward to gps tracking with trail exporting to google earth. I would also like to see two maps' edges merged so you can see them as one map. It's frustrating to have to switch between two maps continuously. A search bar would be great for looking for specific landmarks or places in order to select the right map. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the next upgrade.

I like the idea but it needs an update.

The Topo Maps app is USELESS under its present form. It is IMPOSSIBLE to pick a location with degree of accuracy using the current "point with the finger" method of bringing up maps. The finger IS NOT precise enough to get anywhere close to the map you want.

...is an unhappy mapper with this application. Give these guys the AIG Award for 2009. It's a great idea to sell free USGS Topo quads to iPhone users but too crude and clunky to use. For an iPhone app, this is way too crude - save your money. There are 54,000, USGS 7.5-minute quads covering the US. With all techniques available for identifying the one you need - such as quad name, coordinates, street address - this is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. The developers are developing their skills at our expense. They should be ashamed to keep my money. How do you give minus five stars?

Best stuff so far, but needs some updates...

The maps are great, you can zoom in and out. Some maps though, don't have locating capabilities. The interface could be better, a little tough to find the map you want. There is definately some potential here.

A great application. Long overdue to get hi-res topo maps with gps position overlay. I would love to see the GPS data exposed (lat/lon, sat info...) on a screen. Could use a help screen for new users. The selection and download of maps is easy. Overall A+ for a first release. Keep up the good work!

I purchased this for a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. However, it is virtually impossible to find a specific topo map.

Fantastic app. I have been waiting for one like this. Beyond cheap for what it does. Mule riders dream.

The maps I pulled up are 15-20 years oldcome on for $4 you can do better than that

Apparently, the comment virtually the whole country doensn't include Alaska. Don't buy it if you live in the last fronteer.

Great app!!! Though i REALLY wish it could save Tracks, or at least waypoints - similar to the "drop pin" feature in google maps. Also, a previous reviewer UNFAIRLY one-starred this app for outdated maps. Complaints like this should be directed at the USGS - since THEY create the maps, not the app developer!

This app is exactly what you are looking for if you want the best took maps available, usgs. You can zoom in and out with great res. And view your location on that map. A little rough when first released, but updates made it a hundred times better.

Having just returned from paddling Congaree National Park and purchased a standard 24K topo for nearly $15, I was pleased to find such a fine app with the detail needed and the ease of use. Even Garmin does not have the 24K topos for most of the eastern 1/3 of the US yet, but for outdoors types this apps will save hundreds of dollars, particularly when you are only going to need a small section or corner of a topo and you really don't want to have to purchase the whole thing. I can see this app evolving and improving but even if it doesn't, it ranks as one of the very best and most useful apps for hikers and paddlers. Now to make a waterproof iPhone...

If you're exploring (sailing) with university students and don't want to carry bulky computers, they are the best. The follow-up support is the best I've seen yet in iPhone apps.

This is a great little application for a mere $6. You get access to USGS maps in a slick and easy to use interface. I look forward to future updates that will include seamless maps, and a waypoint tool. With the seamless map version of this application, you would look at one large map instead of individual tiles with white boarders, making navigation more intuitive than the current version. Overall, this is an application with a positive future.

Keep in mind that each printed grid section map may cost you $7 to $10 each. Not to mention that some sections can be very hard to track down. This is an outstanding value!

This app is the best I have tried for offline USGS 24k Topos. Interface is very well done allowing very simple one button selection and installation of maps, an otherwise difficult and tedious task. I would like to see my tracks on screen, and be able to save and export them, but still giving it 4 stars !!!!

This is an excellent topo map viewing tool. Things I like: 1. Downloading maps is easy and fast, which is so much better than some other apps out there. This reason alone sets this app apart from other apps. 2. Map displays beautifully and zooms flawlessly. 3. Downloaded maps are organized and visualized on a big map. Very easy to locate the map that you want to look at. 4. Gps works without cellular signal. The only important feature missing is the ability to create way points on the map and display/record track. With this feature, this app would be the best hiking app without doubt.

If you are an outdoor person that uses USGS Topo Maps you will have to download this App. The actual USGS paper topo map is now shown on your iPhone along with your position. What more do you need? Best topo map App on the App store.

These maps are pretty good, I know this app will get better in the future. I hope it will get to the point where it lists all the National Forests and State Parks in Minnesota. I really like the app so far. I wish it incorporated one of those Google "You are here" Pins. That would be helpful too. I have only explored it a little bit. I do like it though.

Most of the poor reviews are due to the ignorence of the masses and don't understand the USGS quad system. On future updates it would be nice to automatically pull up the next quad if you have it downloaded and you have hiked off the map

I have downloaded the USGS Topo Indices as PDFs. With those as a guide I found it very simple to install my choices at my desktop. In the field this app works like a charm. Glad I bought it!

This is a great topo map app, display is fast and hi res. Maps download quickly too. It really needs the ability to record waypoints, routes, and all the corresponding data such as eta, course, heading, speed, etc..

I found out about this app from Expedition Portal, and have been using this to navigate the Prescott National Forest on my KTM 950 Adventure. At times, maps do not load on the first try, but eventually do. I recommend downloading from a WiFi connection.

I bought this app a few days ago after looking for (and not finding) one to go with my desktop topo software. After spending $80 last year for one state (!!), this app is quite the bargain. There are a few things it can't replicate (calculate trail mileage, draw vertical profile of trail, etc. - but that's not the purpose of this app), so I'll still use the other for trip planning, but otherwise...: Took the app (and a printout of the topo, just in case) on a bacpacking trip in the Columbia River Gorge (Oregon) this weekend, and never used the paper. Why would I, when the app is so much clearer and zooms in so much better? I really was very pleased - it was smooth to work with, the maps downloaded quickly, and the level of detail when zooming really close in was amazing. My only complaint is that the contiguous maps don't open automatically. I had to follow a trail to the edge of the map I'd opened, then click an arrow (L, R, up, or down) to open the next map, reorient myself, then continue following the trail. I did get used to it, but it's not ideal. Overall, REALLY practical app and loved having it along; thanks! It will be added to my required packing list from here on out.

All in all, I like the quality of the scans, and the ease with which maps can be downloaded. A few suggestions to make it better:

I have used maps all my life in the Army and this app is excellent.I held off on buying it because of past reviews but after seeing the most recent review I decided to take the plunge.It is user friendly and works very well.I have not had any issues in downloading maps. I just go to USGs map site(USGS.gov) and locate the maps I want.You can also just type the state you want into the search box and a whole list of maps will pop up.Once I use it in the field I will update the review.None of the issues mentioned with downloading have occurred for me.I would suggest you try it.

Okay, if you are looking for something that tells you where to go without thinking about it, it is called a GPS and you should go buy one. If you want to expierence the joy of navagation without all the paper that goes into the typical map, here is a great app for you. With all the new additions, this app makes it so much easier to plot a course and follow it across terrain. Zooms are smooth and easier to read than paper maps because it magnifies the details. Thanks for a great app.

Great app!!!! Exactly what I expected. Easy & quick to download maps. Downloaded about 60 maps the first evening. Be sure to zoom in to identify individual maps. Also helpful to view website. I ride a dual sport motorcycle on back roads and dirt roads. The maps and GPS are great for always knowing my location. Can't wait for the updates everyone mentions.

High quality USGS topo maps. Download the map(s) you want (for free after buying the App), zoom in and then center the dark-sky site you're interested in. Topo Maps links to Panoramascope (another App by this author). Panoramascope renders a 360 degree horizon panorama from the viewpoint you centered on the topo map. You can set the height above the ground to easily see where your view of the horizon will be obstructed during your stargazing session. Mountain peaks are labeled also, and a photo of the horizon can be lined up and saved as a favorite in Panoramascope. Topo Maps and Panoramascope integrate well and are useful planning tools before driving hours to a dark-sky site. I've been looking for this kind of tool and highly recommend these two Apps.

Good stuff:

Tested and used in the Colorado backcountry. Same usgs quads the govt has. Very impressed gps is accurate

I feel a lot of these reviewers are a tad too picky. I waited a while to review this because you could tell the developer made this a "work in progress". The few updates I've received have been absolutely stellar with this last one forcing me write this review. This now includes Alaska & Canada? Unreal! As a Pacific Northwesterner, I'm an avid traveller to Canada and was just waiting for an update like this. If you download just two of the maps, it's paid for itself! The new shading features are awesome and I can't even describe how cool it is to combine all those maps onto one screen....VERY cool. Thanks for developing this and I look forward to future updates!

I have reviewed ~60 gps/mapping apps for purposes of backpacking. There are four that stand out as the best available, and (if you are hiking in the U.S.) this is one of them. (The other three are Maplets, Gaia GPS, and GPS Kit). Topo Maps is, hands-down, the best one if the only type of map you want is USGS and you don't care about importing or recording tracks. It is so easy and so elegant. For people serious about using a mapping/gps app as a tool for backpacking, then it's worth getting all four of the apps (they are not expensive) and experimenting to see which one (or combination) best meets your needs. More info about using iPhone as a gps tool for backpacking is covered in an article you can find by googling for adventure alan backpacking iPhone

This is my first time reviewing an app. Just used this to navigate on a hut trip in Colorado -- worked better than a Garmin, plus the maps are free.

But NOW I need to get a solar recharger for my iPhone. :-) After reading almost every word of ALL the user guide and web pages there is only one issue I've seen. When down loading a map, the app defaults to look at your server and if a download fails from there we have to try time and time again (so far 3G download times are very reasonable). But isn't there a way where users could select the option to continue to wait for your server map(s). Which include the data files and install quickly. Or maybe (if we're in a rip) we could opt to download the files directly from the USGS site??Otherwise, this app is not only the most expensive app I've ever downloaded. But it's also worth it. Very good quality interface.

Every time. Just switched to a 4s so ????

Every time. Will not flip map to topo. Just switched to a 4s so ????USELESS ON iOS 5.0.1Update: week 5 on 4s and no go...I am going to ask for a refund

This app is amazing! Anybody who spends time outdoors and sometimes goes off trail needs to own this!

This WAS a great app. Will not view map or locate. Crashes every time.Please fix and upgrade asap.

This ap is great! I spend the majority of my free time outdoors and use this a lot. It's saved me number hours and miles hiked looking for roads, where I parked my truck, camp is, etc... The only down side is the amount of battery that's used while running this ap and more specifically when trying to download a new map while in an area with poor or no reception.

Nice program. Fast, sharp, easy to use.Really really wish it could record tracks, i find myself dropping waypoint pins for breadcrumbs. I like to know where Ive been, or even how to get back.Also wish I could save google maps or open street maps to use offline for travel.

Speaking as an infantry officer of 27 years service and Airborne-Ranger to boot........THIS is an excellent application...if you can read topo maps.