Why it’s best not to rely on cellphone navigation when hiking

[Elliott Wolin]

I purchased some large, thick ziploc bags to hold maps for kayaking (13″ x 15″ 4 mil).  But then I got a real strap-on kayak map case, so haven’t used them.  If anyone’s interested I can mail you some for cost + postage.  I bought a lot of them to keep the price down…it seemed like a good idea at the time!

[Brian W]

I hiked in an area yesterday, where cell signals were spotty.  My GAIA app would not load the topo map until I reached a high enough altitude.  I always track my day hikes with GAIA, but I usually don’t look at the map until I get home.  My paper map worked out fine, and the trail signs were good.

I did learn that the default Earthmate maps that I downloaded do not compare to the topos available via GAIA.  Roads and trails that showed on my GAIA topo and CalTopo map did not show on my Earthmate app.  I figured out tonight that the open street maps is what I need, so I downloaded them.  They’re still not as nice as the ones on GAIA.

[Roger Caffin]

Does this mean that the official government topo maps are still the ‘gold standard’ against which various commercial/electronic/mobile services can be compared? Rather sounds like it to me.

Cheers

[Mike M]

many of our gov’t topo maps are pretty outdated sadly

w/ Gaia you need to load the map(s) BEFORE you head afield, where I hike there is no cell signal, none- I’d be screwed not having the map loaded up before hand

[obx hiker]

^^

Also you can spray your normal inkjet printed paper map with a silicon water-proofing/repellent like campdry. Just wear a mask in a ventilated location like outside ’cause the stuff is nasty. Works good enough but you can’t subject the maps to prolonged or steady exposure to rain. Doesn’t make them completely waterproof.

 

[Brian W]

@Mike M

That was the case I experienced with the Earthmate default maps.  The trails I hiked were less than five years old.  They did not show in the default maps. Two trails were missing along with a road.  They did show in the street maps that I downloaded tonight.  And they did show in the default GAIA topo.

Even with CalTopo I had to make sure I loaded the right layer to pick up all of the trails and roads.

Updated maps is another challenge whether it’s paper or electronic.

[BlackHatGuy]

I’ve had the Earthmate maps show me trails that were not on USGS maps via Gaia (in Death Valley), and I’ve had Gaia maps show me trails that are not in Earthmate. So I have both, of course, the Earthmate maps for my inReach and the Gaia maps on my phone. They don’t seem to add any weight to my devices, but I don’t know how much a 1 or a 0 weighs.

[Rex Sanders]

“but I don’t know how much a 1 or a 0 weighs.”

About .000032 yoctograms, if I got the math right.

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/science/25qna.html

— Rex

[BlackHatGuy]

That was great! Thanks for the link. It’s nice to know we have people measuring these things.

[BlackHatGuy]

Why are U-2 jet pilots wearing Garmin satellite navigation smartwatches?

[Author]

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