Switched from paper maps to GPS app after 12 years, my pace improved a lot

I used to carry folded paper maps on every trip, even the ones I printed at home. Last spring on the Appalachian Trail near Roanoke, I kept stopping every 20 minutes just to check where I was, and my group had to wait for me. A friend finally said, "Just try this app for one weekend, you can go back to paper if you hate it." After three days, I was covering about 3 extra miles per day because I stopped second-guessing the trail junctions. Now I keep a paper backup in my pack for safety, but I mainly navigate from my phone. Has anyone else made this kind of switch and noticed a real difference in their daily mileage?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke_jones2d ago

Two years back I tried that exact switch near Damascus, and my daily miles jumped from 14 to 17, mostly because I stopped arguing with my own handwriting on the map. My navigation mistakes went from "which ridge is this" to "why did I trust a phone battery," so now I carry a paper copy too, just in case. Your mileage may vary, but for me the app saves time, even if it makes me feel like a tech guy I never wanted to be.

noahgreen2d ago

That stat about the 14 to 17 miles jump rings true for a bunch of folks I've talked to on the PCT forums, and @brooke_jones nailed the battery worry too. I heard someone say they lost a whole day near the Sierra because their phone died and they had no paper backup, so your call to carry both sounds smart, not paranoid.