Maps - Paper vs. Digital

[GrumpyGregry]

Paper maps don't get flat batteries....

True. But they are water soluble and blow away in the wind.

I'd be running a selection of laminated road atlas pages and a Garmin Etrex (which uses freely available AA batteries) if it were me.

 

[steveindenmark]

I carry both and they both become useful during the trip. Having both gives you an alternative in any eventuality.

An I pad which indicates exactly where you are can be a god send. Especially when you dont know which way to go and that little red flashing dot follows your every move.

Steve

 

[MarkF]

I like to unfold my big paper map, all over my table, sip my cold beer, look at the big picture and let my imagination run riot.

 

[young Ed]

I like to unfold my big paper map, all over my table, sip my cold beer, look at the big picture and let my imagination run riot.

i often sit on strava and just find my house and then sort of find interesting routes all round my way and they range from 5 miles to 100! i just think of it as building up a bank of routes of varying length so i can just download a route of suitable length and go ride
Cheers Ed

 

[MarkF]

i often sit on strava and just find my house and then sort of find interesting routes all round my way and they range from 5 miles to 100! i just think of it as building up a bank of routes of varying length so i can just download a route of suitable length and go ride
Cheers Ed

Just had a look at what strava is.................... I get a lot of pleasure from spreading the maps out and idly looking at them, a small screen is no good to me, I usually don't know where I am going or what's out there. If I have a "fixed" trip sometime then I think I might upgrade into the modern world.

 

[young Ed]

Just had a look at what strava is.................... I get a lot of pleasure from spreading the maps out and idly looking at them, a small screen is no good to me, I usually don't know where I am going or what's out there. If I have a "fixed" trip sometime then I think I might upgrade into the modern world.

strava is a great cycling and running logging website and progress tracker and training aid!

almost always i will plot a route on strava download it to the garmin and ride it either that or i will ride a route i already know and just have the garmin to record the ride and give me distance ridden and speed etc there and then
Cheers Ed

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I like to unfold my big paper map, all over my table, sip my cold beer, look at the big picture and let my imagination run riot.

The essence of 'the joy of maps' is, for me, the journeys one makes in one's mind.

 

[stuee147]

if your not to worried about where you go between set points then why bother with maps if you know roughly which way you need to head then just head and only use satnav when your heading for set places. it all depends on your time scale and if you have the freedom to get a bit lost and have more of an adventure.
the other option i used to use as a kid was i carried a tea towel with a map of the uk from that i could work out where i was and roughly the direction i needed to head and towns and larger villages to look out for and guide myself by as well. and it also gave me a towel to dry my plate and cups ect

 

[MarkF]

if your not to worried about where you go between set points then why bother with maps if you know roughly which way you need to head

My map is the key to unlocking my adventure. A map gives me terrain detail, places of historical interest, beauty spots etc I don't want to head blind "roughly" down a boring route when interesting things/places might be near.

 

[stuee147]

My map is the key to unlocking my adventure. A map gives me terrain detail, places of historical interest, beauty spots etc I don't want to head blind "roughly" down a boring route when interesting things/places might be near.

i can see your point it all comes down to what your wanting out of it i always enjoyed finding the little hidden villages and things that arnt that well known i prefer that to going to places that everyone visits but that's just me . in the past i have found some great places and very interesting places but iv also found some real hell holes thats the drawback with just going and not using maps

 

[Cush]

I would use 1:50,000 maps purchased as needed and then post them home as you finish with them. Nice memory's will be embedded into them and they will be an aid to writing up your notes when you get home. Asking locally is ok but somehow or other I always seem to find the village idiot or the newcomer to the area or the Last of the Summer wine group. So I try to avoid asking too often.

 

[oldfatfool]

Lots of advantages with digital, instant directions to nearest, hotel, supermarket, campsite, police station, hospital etc etc etc. Recharge is no more than a couple of AA battery away. Abroad I do carry atlas pages for the area but only ever used them to see an overview of the general route / re-routing.