Waterproof maps are usable when in contact with water, commonly used by hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. They are printed on waterproof paper with waterproof ink or laminated. Pigment inks are preferred. Military personnel use them due to their durability.
Waterproof maps are maps that can be in direct contact with a significant amount of water while remaining fully usable. Waterproof maps are commonly used by hikers and others who need to navigate outdoors. They are able to withstand humidity and rain better; full immersion may cause damage to some types of waterproof maps. A waterproof map is usually printed on waterproof paper, and if the map is not laminated, it is printed with waterproof ink that will not smudge or run when exposed to water. There are many different methods that can be used to produce a functional waterproof map.
The paper the map is printed on is of the utmost importance. Plain paper, when exposed to water, becomes saturated and tears very easily. This obviously wouldn’t work for waterproof maps, as they need to remain functional even when exposed to water. In some cases, many maps are included in a map book; if so, it is common for only the front and back cover of the book to be waterproof.
There are two main methods of waterproofing paper. Paper can be produced with thick, tightly bound, water-repellent fibers that strongly resist water saturation. This tends to produce very strong, waterproof paper; however, only specialized inks can be used to mark such paper, generally leading to a higher overall cost. The other method is lamination; the paper can be covered with a clear synthetic coating that repels water. However, laminated maps can sometimes be stiff and bulky, and lamination costs more money than printing on plain paper.
The ink used to produce waterproof maps is also extremely important. Ordinary dye ink consists of very small water-soluble particles; if exposed to water, they tend to smudge and run across the page. Pigment inks, however, are made with larger particles that aren’t soluble in water; once the ink saturates the paper, it dries and tends to bleed very little, if at all. Pigment inks and other stronger inks are often used to produce waterproof maps. However, they are not needed when the paper the map is printed on is laminated.
Waterproof maps are used by many individuals for professional as well as personal reasons. They are, for example, popular with military personnel because they can survive very harsh conditions and still remain usable. Outdoor enthusiasts also really like them for the same reasons. Waterproof topo maps are very common; Detailed geographic maps of an area are much more widely used outdoors in rainy conditions than political maps or atlases.
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