Switching to paper maps totally changed how I see the trails

Relying on GPS made me lazy and I missed so much cool stuff along the way. Now I plan every route with a map first and it feels like a real adventure again!

4 comments

4 Comments

price.rowan3d ago

Did you read that thing about paper maps turning hikes into puzzles?

kelly.max3d ago

Okay but come on, is a phone map really making you lazy? It's just a tool. Sometimes not getting lost in the woods is a good thing too. Sounds like you just needed an excuse to buy those fancy map pins.

jana_king803d ago

When you ask if a phone map makes you lazy, I have to say it CAN. It lets your brain switch off because you just follow the voice. With a paper map, you HAVE to pay attention to where you are every step of the way. You notice the small streams and weird rock shapes you'd zoom right past on a screen. That engagement is what makes it an ADVENTURE again. Getting lost with a map in your hands feels like solving a puzzle, not a failure.

anthonysingh3d ago

Totally get what you mean about it feeling like a puzzle. I had to use a paper map on a hike last year when my phone died (go figure) and it completely changed the trip. Instead of just following a line, I was actually looking at the land around me and matching it up with the map. You notice so much more when you're not just waiting for the next turn command. It turned a basic walk into a proper little mission.