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Switched from paper maps to GPS mid-hike on the Appalachian Trail last year
I used to plan every mile on a paper topo map. Then I hit a foggy ridge in the Smokies and couldn't see 20 feet. Pulled out my phone with Gaia GPS and it saved me from walking right off a cliff. Now I still carry a paper backup, but I rely on the GPS for real-time nav. Anyone else made the switch and never looked back?
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baker.holly2h ago
Knew a guy who swore by paper maps until he tried to read one in a downpour and it turned into expensive confetti. I still keep a folded one in my pack for emergencies, but honestly my phone's never let me wander into a swamp at midnight. Paper maps make great backup coasters for camp coffee though.
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