DeLorme Arkansas Atlas & Gazetteer

Long Term Report

Report Contents:
Biography
Product Information
Long Term Report
Likes
Dislikes

Biography
Name: Bradley Bishop
Age: 30
Gender: male
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)
Weight: 195 lb (88 kg)
Email address: bradley AT bishopfam DOT us
City, State, Country: Tahlequah, Oklahoma, USA
Date: 05/30/2005

Backpacking Background
I've been hiking, camping, and backpacking for over 20 years, beginning as a Boy Scout in Tennessee. I currently live in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (not a lot of mountains around there) and have done some hiking and backpacking locally and in the Ozarks and Buffalo National River area of Arkansas. I hope to go backpacking once a month as long as my schedule permits. I would classify my backpacking style as mid to heavyweight. I still tend to carry way too much stuff, but I am trying to lighten up.

---

Product Information return to top
DeLorme
Year of Publication: 2004
URL: http://www.delorme.com/
Cover Price: $19.95 US
Listed dimensions: 11 in (28 cm) x 15 ½ in (39 cm)
Actual dimensions: 11 in (28 cm) x 15 ½ in (39 cm)
Weight: 14 oz (397 g)
Material: Paperback

Long Term Report return to top
As I said in my Initial Report and Field Report, I am a map addict and have been looking forward to this test since the day my application was accepted. Because of its size, I have not used the DeLorme Arkansas Atlas & Gazetteer (hereafter referred to as Atlas) as a piece of backpacking gear, but rather as a reference for planning trips and finding campsites and trailheads. It has proven very useful in this capacity.

The Atlas has held up very nicely over the course of this test. It shows no more wear and tear than I would have expected from an atlas. I have used the Atlas primarily for planning trips and navigating to trailheads, and it has stayed at home or in my car.

The Atlas proved to be a very useful reference, especially for finding some backroads to trailheads. I even used it to help locate a friend's cabin which was on a "road" that was barely officially recognized as such, but was on the map in the Atlas.

The Atlas also proved very useful in finding some new areas to hike. I found some beautiful areas close to home that I did not even know existed. The Atlas indicated their presence and even included an overview of facilities and activities available for some of the areas.

I did not use the Atlas for navigating trails as I had planned because the detail of the trails I chose was not sufficient. The Atlas proved much more useful for navigation to and from the trail.

Despite the large size of the Atlas, I find it easy to use in the car. Unlike foldable maps which I can fold up to show only the area in which I'm interested, I must keep the entire Atlas open. It is still easy to use while driving, although it would be advisable to use primarily at a stop or allow a passenger to navigate.

I am no longer using the Atlas because I just relocated to Tucson, Arizona. I plan to keep the Atlas as a reference for any future trips to Arkansas. I have already purchased the Arizona Atlas and am looking forward to using it as well.

I would highly recommend this Atlas, and have owned one for every state in which I have lived. My recommendation is to use the Atlas for planning trips and navigating to and from trailheads. For actual trail navigation, a more detailed map of the area would be more suitable.

Likes return to top
Ease of use
Layout of sections
Cross-referenced grid on back cover
Descriptions of campgrounds and other point of interest

Dislikes return to top
Size
Lack of portability

Thanks for the opportunity to test the DeLorme Arkansas Atlas & Gazetteer.