I own a GPS and take it with me on every trip. I don't normally use it for navigating but for marking points of interest and other items like sources of water on a hike, landmarks for backtracking. A GPS requires to be moving to get a direction and have found on a leisurely cruise in a canoe that it may take a while for it show the correct compass direction. Nice thing about a GPS is that it is not affected by magnetic declination, shows speed (if going fast enough, usually not accurate on a canoe trip), distance traveled (if left on during the entire leg, otherwise it shows distance in a straight line), and depending upon the model several other amenities.

I have had one experience in which a compass helped more than a GPS. I was hiking this past January off the Gunflint. I had my GPS on during the entire hike and entered the location of the car before I ventured out. The trail did a large loop around and was supposed to bring me back to the car, however the trail disappeared into the woods and the snow was up to my hips in places. No matter how far I walked into the direction towards the car (according to the GPS) it was always to my left. I just couldn't get a bearing off the GPS and pulled the compass out, found north, knew the car was to the east and connected with the trail using the compass.

Posted by pk on December 11, 2000 at 12:36