by Marty_JG » Mon May 03, 2021 11:17 am
A good GPS unit, or a "rugged" smartphone, pre-loaded and pre-tested with maps and routes, is highly reliable. The critical issue is to pre-load and pre-test. Anything can fail, in a gale that sheet of paper can be whipped from a hand in an instant. You can crack or lose a compass... as a couple of dozen Lost & Found in our own forum proves.
I have more faith in electronic navigation than some. They're good enough for ships, planes, and space craft, so I don't fully understand the scepticism for hill paths.
My warning was not about phones per se but a warning about an inadequate phones, hence my advice for a "rugged" phone (waterproof, dust proof, impact resistant, big battery) or a dedicated unit e.g. Garmin.