[denkmoon]

>Navigating with a map and compass was taught to 10-year-old kids in elementary school when I was that age, and then it was practiced a few times every year.

When I was in school, in the 90s and 00s, in Australia, we did this maybe a handful of times throughout my entire education. Not a single time that I can recall we actually managed to navigate correctly.

Theoretically navigating with a map and compass is not hard, but I sure as shit would not want my life depending on my ability to do so.

[kurthr]

What was the declination on your compass set to?

Navigating with a low resolution map without a good view of peaks/valleys is hard enough... but if you don't realize magnetic north is off (or correct the wrong direction), it's easy to end up lost.

[mbeex]

> Theoretically navigating with a map and compass is not hard, but I sure as shit would not want my life depending on my ability to do so.

Would you rather rely on your phone that hasn't been charged for two days?

Actually, the situation is not even a trade-off. There is no dichotomy. When you use both, you simply gain a convenient extra layer of redundancy.