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The 2 AM thunderstorm that made me ditch my paper maps for good

Got caught near the Smokies last August with a soaked map that shredded when I tried folding it, had to guess the next 4 miles to the shelter. Switched to a waterproof phone case and downloaded offline topo, does anyone else keep a backup battery clipped to their shoulder strap?
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2 Comments
linda_butler
Honestly, I used to be the person who swore by paper maps no matter what. I thought phones were just another thing to break or lose battery on the trail. But after a similar soaked-map disaster on the AT, I totally flipped. Now I keep a tiny power bank clipped to my strap too, mostly for peace of mind. It’s funny how one bad storm can change your whole setup.
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troyc17
troyc173d ago
Totally get it. Same thing happened to me on a rainy trip in the Smokies. Paper map turned into mush in my pocket. Now I got a dry bag for the phone and a backup battery. Never going back.
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