Hot take: digital route planning apps vs paper maps - which actually saves you time on a thru-hike?

I keep seeing people in this group swearing by apps like AllTrails and Gaia GPS for planning long routes, but I've noticed something weird lately. On my last 50-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, I met a guy with a paper map who never took a wrong turn, while I was constantly pulling my phone out to check battery and signal. Meanwhile, my buddy who used a hybrid of both said the paper map gave him better awareness of the terrain ahead. So which side is actually more reliable for avoiding trail mishaps? I think the app users are missing the big picture because they're glued to a screen, but the paper map crowd is stuck in the past with no real-time updates. Has anyone else tested both systems on a multi-day hike and found a clear winner?

2 comments

2 Comments

park.riley1mo ago

Paper maps don't need batteries to work.

wadebailey1mo ago

Read a study once that said paper maps help you remember terrain better because you're actively looking at the whole picture instead of a little screen. I went digital for a 70-mile stretch of the PCT and missed three turns because the app glitched out on me.

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