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Paid $140 for a GPS watch on the JMT, still wish I had my compass

Honestly, I dropped $140 on a GPS watch before hiking the John Muir Trail last summer. It died on day four after a creek crossing, even though it said it was waterproof. I had to fall back on my paper map and compass, which I barely knew how to use. Tbh, that panic taught me more than the watch ever did. Anyone else ditch the tech after a gear fail, or am I just cheap and stubborn?
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wilson.olivia
wilson.olivia19d agoMost Upvoted
Ditch the fancy stuff after my phone got soaked on the PCT, yeah. The GPS was nice until it wasn’t. Now I just carry a cheap compass and a folded map. Feels way more real, honestly. Plus, no battery to worry about, just my own dumb brain.
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