Navigation
Navigation and communication
A downloaded map, a compass you can use, and a way to tell someone you are late.
Phone maps are excellent until the battery dies or the trail you are on is not the trail in the app. A paper map or an offline download, plus a compass, is the backup that does not need a signal.
A satellite messenger is for places where a phone will not reach help. It is not a reason to skip the route plan you left with someone. A personal locator beacon has a simpler job and a subscription-free rescue signal. Read the difference before you buy.
How to choose
- Practice a bearing in town. The trailhead is a bad classroom.
- Carry a battery that outlasts the day if the phone is your map.
- File the plan with a person, not with the group chat you might not reach.
Roundups
Gear in this category
