@janch,

If I were you I would pay for the most update maps. Flying with patched maps is not the best way to go.

The GPSMAP 696 is not a cheap GPS unit.
Plus flying a plane will cost quite a bit too.

Better to be safe and have a real GPS map that will work for your trips.
Having a patched one screw up while flying is not a very smart thing to do.

I have a friend that flies his own plane and he cuts no corners when it come to cost.