Just out of curiosity, are you full digital do you still buy map often ?.
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Same, I always have a backup paper map when I go hiking
Same. Same. I know some people use their phones, or GPS devices, but when I’m backpacking, I want a paper map and a compass. I bought two a few months back for planning a trips this summer.
Same thing, I’m mostly using the GPS on my phone but unless I try to always carry a paper map with me as a safety.
I like the infinite battery life, massive fold out screen size, and great daytime contrast ratio and glare filter. regularly for hiking.
I’m such a screen addict that I once pinched-to-zoom a paper map.
If you move your head forward at the same time, it works !
The last summer before the “brexit” I went to scotland, one of the classic hike there is going atop the Ben nevis mountain. Even though in summer it’s not a complicated hike, I still bought a paper map to not be yet another tourist lost in the mist, I have a limited trust in mobile phone map in outdoor activity, especially when the weather isn’t optimal.
Question was triggered as I stumbled open that map when sorting some stuff on my bookshelves.
False dichotomy: I’ll still happily grab a paper map to this day if given the option, but I’ve never paid for one.
Every paper map I’ve ever used has been either a state highway map given for free at the state welcome center on the side of the freeway, or a state/national park hiking trail map given for free at the visitor center or ranger station.
Maps were always free. My family even had AAA so we could get those fancy Trip-Tiks.
That’s a good point. I’ll use paper maps for, say, park trails all the time.
Do decorative video games maps count?
Hiking.
I use digital when my life doesn’t depend on it.
Edit: bought it last month.
Literally just bought a map book for most of Australia a few weeks ago.
Planning a three week trip through the Outback. Seems crazy to try and rely on technology out there for that long without a safety net of some sort.
I love paper maps, I have never had one run out of battery, or direct me onto a dead end.
It’s more than that though. It’s an adventure whenever you look at one.
I never use GPS or location services, show me a map and I know where I am and how to get to the next place.
My most recent paper map is of Tobago.
I have had a paper map direct me through a gated community. Thankfully the tools in the truck unfastened the hinges. Still bugs me. It was a county road!
I buy some roadmaps probably every 10 years or so to make sure mine are up to date and not too beat up, I keep them in my car and do use them occasionally. I usually have 3 maps, a local maps of my nearest city and surrounding area, one of my state, and then one of the surrounding region.
I also tend to pick up free maps wherever I can, lots of state parks and such, tourist maps, etc. but I’m not buying them so not exactly relevant.
I also tend to pick up free maps from AAA since I’m a member whenever I’m going on a road trip, I’m paying for the membership so I guess in a sense I’m buying them, but also not really
I bought a topo map a few weeks ago for a backpacking trip. Electronics are heavier and less suitable for that purpose in my opinion.
Bought? I don’t remember, but I got free maps of Michigan when I moved here about 5 years ago. They were very useful when Google made me turn into a back road in the upper peninsula and then stopped working when I lost signal (when tho I had offline maps of the area downloaded)
Probably 2022? My wife like maps, especially older ones, as decoration.
I have a road atlas in my car. Other than that, I will print out trail maps when backpacking.
I haven’t bought a paper map once in my 30 years of life. My parents still used them in the 90s and early 2000s when we went on vacation.
GPS Navigation didn’t become widely available at a decent size until the mid 2000s I would say. I remember for sure I had GPS navigation on a laptop which was just as ridiculous as it sounds in around 2002-2003.
The GPS was a PCMCIA card with an aerial you put near the windscreen. The software would just stop showing a map when you went faster than 50mph or so, and only provide basic instructions and your speed. Buying a laptop charger that plugged into the cigarette lighter socket wasn’t as cheap as it is now either.
Needless to say, it was a novelty thing. The main problem with paper map navigation when driving is, you really need to compress the instructions down to something you can remember if driving on your own. Since you need to stop if you lose track of your route. I don’t miss that to be honest.
Corsica trip with my wife, 2019. A paper map doesn’t need batteries, it’s big, you can annotate it easily. Plus it has that fresh-off-the-press scent 👌
Also IGN (Institut géographique national) maps are amazing
Are these anything special ? I mean, are they road maps with elevation, or something else ?
They are very precise, cover the whole french territory, are all in the same format, follow the same standards and the paper maps are not too expensive. There are topographical maps at a 1:25000 scale, and roadmaps at a 1:250000 scale. And these paper maps are as sturdy as they can be, my dad has been rocking some of them for almost his entire life.
I guess I just get too excited about state funded institutions that provide good service to the public and still exist in 2024. Them paper maps can really be a lifesaver when you’re hiking in the more remote parts of France though
There is no such thing as being too excited about a public service/institution ! I’ll havetoo look oit for these IGN maps, thanks for the recommendation
