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To view this another way - many of the GPS units today are "mapping GPS's", so whether someone points out their location a paper map, or the same map located within their GPS ... is there really such a difference?

I've carried a GPS for years, and also have a compass in my pack. Am quite familiar with the compass, as I used to teach map and compass courses. But, if I wanted to increase my navigation "security", would I carry a second compass? No, I'd carry a second GPS. And yes, I've pulled a compass out of my pack only to find the bezel cracked and now inoperable.

And no, I don't think that this emphasis places us at any greater risk than many other uses of technology. For example - because of Goretex jackets we put ourselves in positions of greater risk than when we just had oiled cotton. Headlamps allow us to extend the hours we can hike and climb with some margin of safety. Water filters and purification methods allow us to go into places with much less risk. Aluminum snowshoes allows us the climb mountains rather than just navigate the flats that the wooden ones give us access to. The list goes on

I think we have an obligation to view each new technological tool with some degree of caution until it's proven and tested, in much the same way we did with cell phones and now with PLB's. But at some point people will adopt that new technology and place some degree of personal safety upon that device.

To me, it's more about managing risk rather avoiding it. And yes, feel free to borrow that line. wink


As pointed out in the post immediately below, batteries die. Last weekend, my batteries died and I had forgotten to replace the spares. If it were critical, I would have been screwed if did not have a map, compass and altimeter.

I have the native mapping software on my GPS but it is more for feel than anything else. The unit is way too small to get an accurate view of the terrain you are traveling. I have found most of the folks who don't take the time to learn about GPS, never took the time to learn map and compass skills, which is semi-ok, if your idea of hiking is on trails in optimum conditions.

You are right, it is about managing risk. After seeing a climbing accident where 4 people ended up in Arrowhead Medical Center via helicopter, I reassessed the risks I was willing to take. I upgraded gear and started carrying enough clothing to make it through the night on all day trips...in all seasons because you never know when you are going to bust up an ankle collapsing a snow bridge well off the trail grid.