Product Tour — scratch map guide

Most damage to a scratch map happens in the first thirty seconds of owning one, usually because of enthusiasm and the wrong tool. The foil is designed to lift away easily, which also means the paper beneath it is easy to score. Here is how to do it cleanly.

Search for a scratch map and you will find two quite different things: apps and websites that let you tick off countries on screen, and physical foil posters you scratch by hand. They serve different purposes, and it is worth knowing which one you actually want before you spend anything.

A scratch map only works as a keepsake if the edition matches the way you actually travel. Choosing between a world map and a single-country map is the decision that determines whether yours ends up on the wall or in a drawer, so it is worth a few minutes of thought before you buy.