Just out of curiosity, are you full digital do you still buy map often ?.
The last summer before the “brexit” I went to scotland, one of the classic hike there is going atop the Ben nevis mountain. Even though in summer it’s not a complicated hike, I still bought a paper map to not be yet another tourist lost in the mist, I have a limited trust in mobile phone map in outdoor activity, especially when the weather isn’t optimal.
Question was triggered as I stumbled open that map when sorting some stuff on my bookshelves.
False dichotomy: I’ll still happily grab a paper map to this day if given the option, but I’ve never paid for one.
Every paper map I’ve ever used has been either a state highway map given for free at the state welcome center on the side of the freeway, or a state/national park hiking trail map given for free at the visitor center or ranger station.
That’s a good point. I’ll use paper maps for, say, park trails all the time.
Maps were always free. My family even had AAA so we could get those fancy Trip-Tiks.
Hiking.
I use digital when my life doesn’t depend on it.
Edit: bought it last month.
Do decorative video games maps count?
I buy some roadmaps probably every 10 years or so to make sure mine are up to date and not too beat up, I keep them in my car and do use them occasionally. I usually have 3 maps, a local maps of my nearest city and surrounding area, one of my state, and then one of the surrounding region.
I also tend to pick up free maps wherever I can, lots of state parks and such, tourist maps, etc. but I’m not buying them so not exactly relevant.
I also tend to pick up free maps from AAA since I’m a member whenever I’m going on a road trip, I’m paying for the membership so I guess in a sense I’m buying them, but also not really
I love paper maps, I have never had one run out of battery, or direct me onto a dead end.
It’s more than that though. It’s an adventure whenever you look at one.
I never use GPS or location services, show me a map and I know where I am and how to get to the next place.
My most recent paper map is of Tobago.
Bought? I don’t remember, but I got free maps of Michigan when I moved here about 5 years ago. They were very useful when Google made me turn into a back road in the upper peninsula and then stopped working when I lost signal (when tho I had offline maps of the area downloaded)
Backroads Map Book a couple years ago, because logging/mining roads aren’t marked well online, and then you have to figure out how to download it offline when you’re in the ass end of nowhere. Best I’ve found is OSMAnd and even that doesn’t have everything.
In our neck of the woods, membership in the Automobile Association comes with free maps. You have to go into their offices and request them, and they’re very helpful about which maps may come handy.
I usually get them before a long roadtrip into areas where they may be weak cell service. To be safe, I also download digital maps, but a paper map gives better broad context on where we are and what is nearby.
Problem is, we’re terrible at getting rid of them after the trips…
Probably 2022? My wife like maps, especially older ones, as decoration.
I have a road atlas in my car. Other than that, I will print out trail maps when backpacking.
I bought a topo map a few weeks ago for a backpacking trip. Electronics are heavier and less suitable for that purpose in my opinion.
I don’t typically ever have to Buy maps. But whenever I’m touring a new place paper maps are awesome. Especially for cities. I learned basically all of Paris and Barcelona that way. Granted I also had to walk everywhere.
Not me per se but rather my father. For our third (and up to this day latest) roadtrip to Las Vegas in 2014. My parents were still not very smartphone-savy and I wouldn’t have my first until a year later. That time we really did a lot of roaming around the city beyond just the Boulevard and surroundings.
They always gave them away for free, so I guess never?