Waterproof maps

[Emily B]

If anyone is interested in using waterproof maps, they can call BML Printers on 01794 518518 or email nigel@bmlprint.co.uk. We have been laser printing waterproof maps for permanent courses for 18 months without any problems. Although personally I still prefer to have some protection from the map bag.

[Simon E]

The Hampstead Heath event has come and gone and I still think this is the way forward. Unfortunately it was a hot, sunny day, so the scope for testing the waterproof nature of the maps was limited. However I can report back on what happens if you cover your map in blood. Mike Hampton fell on a gravel track and his elbow produced ample quantities of blood that spread over his map. It stained the affected areas a brown colour, but I reckon it was still usable. The map I used for controlling is also fine after several hours of use. It was interesting to talk to several people who had obviously read the Nopesport debate, all of whom seemed happy with the print quality and robustness.

I'd now be happy to use Pretex maps without a plastic bag for any laser-printed event. There are significant savings to be had in manpower (no more heat sealing), environmental costs (reduced use of plastic bags) and even transport costs (1000 unbagged maps are an awful lot easier to move around and carry to remote starts than 1000 bagged maps), I'm not sure how it deals with offset printing since we've not tried it yet. For those who still doubt it you could always take your own plastic bag with you to the start.

If anyone wants to look at the maps I'll take some samples (new and used!) to the Caddihoe at the weekend.

[brooner]

didn't notice any huge difference in quality at hampstead, like you said it was a blazing hot day so not much opportunity to test the waterproofness but my only complaint was a small area of rubbing had affected the ability to read detail so easily and they were also quite easily ripped (which could be an issue when bashing through areas of green).

[Stodgetta]

no more heat sealing

Disaster! No more club social nights with 20 Chasers eating cakes, gossiping and doing a bit of bagging/sealing in their spare time

[D,J,J&Ms Dad]

After the Swiss last year we evaluated Pretex for maps along with another, much smoother product. The feedback I received at the time was a preference for the smoother one, but unfortunately there was a noticeably higher cost associated with it so we put it on the back-burner. Personally I quite liked the Pretex product and had no problems using the maps - much preferring not to need a plastic bag.

There are also the environmental considerations i.e. Pretex is biodegradable which I am sure the more plasticky products are not, and plastic bags certainly aren't!

As regards printability using conventional ink on paper, Pretex comes in both digital and offset grades. I know the digital works well, and the manufacturer's information states that the offset grade ".....can be printed with the normal printing inks for coated paper. Special inks are not required." I am sure we would have no problem with either and have ordered stocks of the digital and samples of the offset.

If anyone wants any more information they can always email me: alan@print5.co.uk.

[FromTheGrassyKnoll]

I'd now be happy to use Pretex maps without a plastic bag for any laser-printed event.

Did you print them yourselves or send off to Germany?

How much did it cost per map?

[Simon E]

I'd now be happy to use Pretex maps without a plastic bag for any laser-printed event.

Did you print them yourselves or send off to Germany?

How much did it cost per map?

They were done in Germany. Worked out at about 35p per A4 map including postage.

Looks like various UK printers will soon be getting in on the act judging by comments in this forum and various other emails I have had recently.

[RJ]

The paper will print normally with a standard laser printer. They went through the Minolta 2350 without any bother.

It is important to decide on the weight of the paper to be used. There is no point in getting the lightest and cheapest, the end product.... the map... has to be comfortable in the hand and not flap about. I think we were using something like 130gsm.

It would also be worth a club buying a large quantity for bulk discounts and then selling it on to other clubs. I think ours worked out at about 7p a sheet. 250g plastic bags and 150gsm ordinary paper works out at a very similar cost.

However, I think I will wait a bit and see how it fares in wet and muddy conditions this winter.

[seabird]

Antalis tell me they will accept a minimum order of £200 for Pretex A4 sheets, which is considerably less than the cost of the 26,000 sheets minimum shown on their website!

[Hammer]

Does Pretex rip?

How does it do with folds. Does it form a crease and loose the map detail along a fold line?

[Ed]

Does Pretex rip?

it's hard to get a rip started, but it can rip: at the german relay champs at the weekend the maps were pretex and stapled to a board by one corner for the outgoing runner to rip off. after a while they made an announcement to be careful to rip the map off straight down - I assume someone had ended up with two half maps.

I've still yet to manage to put a stick or thumb compass through a pretex map though, which I pretty regularly manage with polybagged paper maps.

How does it do with folds. Does it form a crease and loose the map detail along a fold line?

Haven't noticed any problems, either with offset or laser prints. That may depend as much on the printer/toner as the paper though?

Overall I'm generally favourably impressed by pretex, despite being a sceptic when it comes to unbagged waterproof maps. When we did the sums in the spring it worked out slightly more expensive to use pretex than bagged paper maps though (so we went for the bags).

[IanD]

NATO's Force Ten Phoenix on 23/24 September used waterproof maps from Harvey's. Day Two was VERY wet. For some reason, the organisers found it necessary to provide a plastic map bag for the "waterproof" map, but the bag was one of these very flimsy ones that crumpled and made the map inside hard to read. I soon removed the bag and can confirm that the waterproof map was absolutely fine unprotected in the rain. Admittedly I didn't try rubbing mud or blood into it, but vegetation wiped off easily and I had no problem with print coming off or disolving, even on folds.

Harvey's have a lot of experience making waterproof maps for walkers - maybe we should tap in to their knowledge?

Off topic, I really enjoyed the Pheonix, which I think deserves a higher entry. With only 6 controls in 18km on Day One (B course), and significant route choice on every leg, it was clear that the planner shares my belief that orienteering should be more about the legs between the controls than the control sites themselves.

[zulu_warrior]

As controller of the Phoenix I used a "Harvey's" waterproof map for both days and the Friday when putting out the controls which was almost as wet as the Sunday. It survived the weekend exceptionally well. It is still very readable and shows no sign of loss of detail on the folds etc.

While not trying a blood experiment I did try the mud one. The specs of dirt left on the map could possibly be make interpretion difficult on a complex map (i.e. a considerable amount of black and brown detail); no problem for me here as I knew the map!

[quote="IanD"]For some reason, the organisers found it necessary to provide a plastic map bag for the "waterproof" map,

This was supposed to be for the C Course where we had to change (and write on) a control's location and not a comment on the map!