Map Reading
| Field | Navigating |
| Went Obsolete | Since handheld GPS |
| Made Obsolete By | Affordable handhelds and accurate GPS |
| Knowledge Assumed | Reading, compass, basic intelligence |
| When useful | When you showed your son not to get lost in the wilderness |
GPS kiddies now can even get lost in cities…but since they have their GPS soon integrated in their mobile phones that problem becomes obsolete as well. You no longer need to combine a compass with a map and use your basic intelligence to work out where you are. No. It tells you to turn left after the next stone, then 200m down the vertical cliffs and 10m straight to find your lost car. Wonderful technique!
- Still useful in many, many cases; especially since GPS units are just electronic maps. They may tell you where to go, but if a bridge is out or there's roadwork, the GPS isn't going to tell you where to go. You need to work that out for yourself.
- Flying uses maps called “Sectionals”. I still use my atlas to find the best route as online routing is no where near as good as human intuition.
- Nearly every backpacking guide will tell you not to rely on a GPS when you're in the backcountry (i.e. hiking off the trail). A compass and topo map require no batteries and are always accurate.
