Best Scratch Map Reviews 2023

Whenever humans feel the urge to leave their abode and discover the faraway places they've only seen on postcards or on the Internet, the suitcases get packed, phones charged, and the traveling companies become a little richer. Even though only some extra-dedicated (and possibly somewhat cheeky) individuals make it their career to explore and roam about - like Norio Suzuki who vowed to find Hiroo Onoda, a panda, and the abominable snowman, and actually succeeded (although the snowman part might be a bit dodgy) - the exploration of the world for the rest of us, mere mortals, can also be quite an exciting experience! Especially if you've got a scratch map to record your vigorous traveling undertakings!

Since there are quite a few brands that mass-produce these maps, we at TopProducts have decided to help you find the most prominent models, so that you can choose your favorite one and start scratching off the places you've already graced with your presence in the past! It's like philately in a way, just with more scratching and less sticking!

These things may sound like something that would come out of a Kinder Egg, but in reality, it's a fairly fun and convenient way to keep track of where you've been and where you’re planning to go in the future. To start off, it's worth mentioning that these maps are quite good-looking even if you don't scratch anything off of them, as they come fully-furnished with golden or bronze foil that possesses a certain vintage look.

What's more, most models have the names of the countries already written on the outer layer of foil, so even if you leave it on, you'll be able to orient yourself and show your guests the locations you plan to visit without embarrassing yourself utterly! Another thing to pay attention to when buying one of these is the material of choice that the manufacturers used. Typically, it's going to be either art paper or some sort of thin plastic. These surfaces can then be scratched with a coin as you would a lottery ticket to reveal the winning number, ehrm, country.

It should be taken into account, however, that not all scratch maps react well to commonly-found coins, to put it like that. Some models come with premade metal 'scratchers' which are there to ensure that you don't damage the sensitive surface below while you're unveiling a recently-visited hot spot on this Earth of ours. Another interesting thing about these maps is that some of them come with tiny flags of countries so that you can designate the country you visited or are planning to visit in a more vivid and nationally-conscious fashion! Also, this addition can be used didactically as well, as you can introduce your children to the world geography in a simpler and more fun way, instead of making them learn their capitals and territories by heart!

Traveling around and scratching the itsy-bitsy pieces of the foil as you return from your international adventures can become a part of the family routine, and make your children a bunch of future world-trotters like yourself. (If this does come to be, you better make sure that they learn how to make money along the way, for these trips aren't exactly cheap.)

While we're at planning things and tracking your progress, our TopProducts team has made its inquiries in these three closely-related fields: best journals, fountain pens, and daily planners. If you happen to be in need of any of these items, feel free to consult the reviews we prepared and we're sure that you'll find something interesting for you!