That time a thru-hiker told me to ditch my paper map

I used to carry a full topo map for every section of the Appalachian Trail, even repeat sections I knew well. A guy at a shelter in Vermont said I was just hauling dead weight and pointed out I could use my phone plus a folded cheat sheet. I tried it on the next 40 mile stretch in the Whites, kept just the peak profiles and water source notes. Saved about half a pound and honestly navigated easier. Anyone else drop paper entirely or still keep some for backup?

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1 Comment

terry_barnes28d ago

Sheesh, people act like half a pound is gonna break your back, just keep the map if it makes you happy.