TOPO USA 8.0 is the 2010 version of DeLorme's main mapping software package. It runs on Windows-based PC's, and interfaces directly with DeLorme's own GPS products, the PN series. Supported models include everything from the PN-20, the PN-30, and the PN-40. It will probably work with the PN-60, but a newer version is available and bundled with that model.

TOPO USA 8.0 is a comprehensive mapping product. It has a complete set of topograpical maps at 1:100,000 resolution, covering the entire contiguous 48 states, plus Hawaii and most of Alaska. It includes support for Canada and major roads in Mexico. It is backed up by a huge database of millions of Points-of-Interest, derived from the DeLorme Street Atlas 2010 package.

The program runs an most PC's, and doesn't require high-end graphics cards or huge amounts of memory. It loads rather slowly from the time you click on the icon to the point where you can begin to use the program. For some reason, the program opens with the map center somewhere near the Grand Canyon, and it is difficult to get it to default to a specific location. Thus, you have to find your home location manually, every time you run the program. You issue commands to the program from the menu tabs at the bottom of the window, but there is some lack of intuitiveness to the whole user interface. It takes some patience and not just a little bit of practice to become proficient with this software.

The major advantages with TOPO USA 8.0 come from the map library integration, and the interfacing with DeLorme's GPS devices. A subscrption to gthe DeLorme Map Library costs 30 dollars per year, and provides unlimited access to USGS Topo maps at 1:25,000 resolution, plus satellite imagery for most of the US, and hi-res aerial imagery for major metropolitan areas. The maps and imagery can be downloaded and layered with other TOPO data, and then printed or exported to a GPS. DeLorme's GPS units support on-screen display of the data. TOPO USA 8.0 also supports importation of track and waypoint data from GPS units.

The main drawbacks to the TOPO USA 8.0 program come from the user interface. It is apparently written for a somewhat technical audience, and most average users will be baffled by the user interface. The tabs are cryptically labelled, and the commands are difficult to find. Downloaded tracks are stored in specific files, and those files are difficult to find. All in all, the power of the software is handicapped by cryptic user controls, and the experience can be quite frustrating.

Nerds in the Wood recommends this program for it's powerful data and for compatibility with DeLorme GPS units. As a stand-alone product, few programs are available that compare in the realm of available data, but the lack of ease of use makes it intimidating. It gets a rating of 3.5 beenies.