GPS will lead you around the paved parts of the world, but tapping on a smartphone screen won’t always work in the wilderness. For backcountry adventures, you’ll need to be comfortable going analog.
These tools won’t give you turn-by-turn directions out of the woods, but taking them along could save you from shacking up with a bear for the rest of your days.
1. Maps
Regional outfits like Outdoor Trail Maps provide local details, such as trail routes. They also have standard cartographic info like elevation, GPS coordinates, and the topographical lines that show terrain contours.
2. Sleeve
Thanks to a zip closure with heat-welded seams, the Sea to Summit TPU translucent envelope will protect your precious chart in water up to 33 feet deep. The 12-by-8.3-inch thermoplastic urethane case is also freeze-proof, so it won’t crack. Eyelets provide a way to lash it down.
3. Pencil
Savvy wanderers annotate their guide say, by adding an X to mark their destination for the day to make it even more useful. A mechanical pencil such as the Zebra M-701 stays sharp, its stainless-steel case won’t corrode in moisture, and textured knurling helps you grip it.
4. Compass
Use the transparent Suunto A-30 compass to orient the map so it’s lined up with magnetic north. Then, measurements on its side will help you interpret the scale so you can figure out that the 1 inch of paper between you and a lake is a really freakin’ long walk in the real world.