Does anyone use the Bushnell Backtrack?

[Scott Free]

A dozen years ago, three of us were camped in a wide valley in WV's Dolly Sods Wilderness. After dinner we hiked over to a small beaver pond a couple hundred yards away, but still within view of our camp. Suddenly, a heavy wet fog blew in leaving us essentially blind. We stumbled around in that valley for a long scary while before finally finding our tents. A compass would have been useless to us. The Backtrack or other GPS could have been a lifesaver. The next morning, we hiked out to the road with the aid of a compass. It was raining and foggy and visibility was almost nil. We found the road just fine, but didn't know whether to go left or right to find the car. We (of course) went the wrong way. The Backtrack or other GPS would have prevented this. If weather stops you from seeing enough landmarks to make use of a map, a compass is of only limited use. For what it costs and weighs, this is definitely a worthwhile product. (It is simple enough that a kid can use it, too.)