The Strengths and Weaknesses of GPS

A GPS (global positioning system) is a fantastic tool to have at your disposal--except when it isn't.

It can be especially problematic in WV, because to a GPS, a road is a road is a road. But in your vehicle, a gravel road is NOT the same thing as an interstate.

It can also be a problem when you find yourself in an area without cell service; the GPS in your phone can tell you precisely where you are, but without any data, your coordinates are just that--a place on a blank map.

Another problem is that if you go to an area and rely entirely upon GPS to get around, you'll not only never learn go places without the GPS, you're also likely to miss the sights as you focus on where you're going rather than where you are and what is around you.

All his life has he looked away to the future, the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing.
--Yoda

For the above reasons, I recommend having maps and a road atlas and even a gazetteer in your car.

However, if you are in an area with coverage, a GPS can be a great way to get around new areas.

So you want to use a GPS, what should you use?

If you are planning on driving around WV (or another state that has sparse cell coverage areas) I highly recommend getting an actual GPS unit for your car. There are a ton of units available, ranging from $75 - $400, plus accessories.

When looking for a vehicle GPS, you'll want the following accessories: a power adapter and a dash or windshield mount. You'll also want to consider the maps available--a GPS sold in the US should have US maps. So if you're thinking about taking it somewhere else, you need to see about how to add maps. You also have the option with some models to get lifetime map updates. There are other options as well, but above are some of the more important ones.

If you are going to be spending your time in cities, you can most likely get away with just using your cell phone as a GPS. In this case, you'll need to decide which mapping app you want to use--and there are going to be a ton of options. Android phones come automatically with Google Maps, iPhones come with Apple Maps, but you can install Google maps on your iPhone. You'll also want to make sure you have a dash or windshield mount for your phone, so you can use your mapping app while driving.

If you want a GPS for walking, then your cell phone is probably going to be your best bet, since you'll already have it in your pocket.

For runners, there are a variety of GPS watches and smart watches available, however when you use the GPS, you'll probably need to charge your watch every single day, which can make a GPS watch more trouble than it's worth, and many models don't show current tracks, and so can't necessarily be used if you get lost.

If you like camping and hiking, you may want to invest in a hand-held GPS unit. Although you can use a GPS watch or your phone for this, being able to change out the batteries in a handheld unit adds extra security if you're worried about getting lost. Plus, most units use rechargeable Li batteries, but can use disposable batteries in a pinch.

Once you have this GPS, what do you do with it? For automobile models, generally you just leave them in your car, but bikers and walkers and runners and hikers, it can be fascinating to look at your data and do comparisons, which means downloading the data to your computer--companies like Garmin have software like Basecamp that allows you to save your route data as well as export it to give to other people.

You can also download data from various websites--or even add your own. There are lots of websites that provide GPS maps for hiking and biking.

The Hiking Project
All Trails (+cell phone app)
Trail Link
Gaia GPS (+cell phone app)
WV Trail Inventory

So don't be afraid to get out and explore--there are plenty of devices and apps to keep you from getting lost and to let you keep track of where you've been.

First Aid by Red Cross (iOS, Android)

Google Terms
Cell phone mapping apps
Handheld GPS
GPS watch
GPS for car