[pct-l] Map Protection

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Toby,

I carry two 8.5” x 11” size Ziploc bags for my maps and related guide and
navigation documents.  One bag has the bulk of the maps for a resupply
segment, and it stays in my pack, well protected.

On the average, each of HalfMile’s great maps covers about 7.5 trail-miles
so the second bag has only that day’s maps – usually about four maps, i.e.
two pieces of paper.  That bag is kept handy for regular reference.  Since
it’s the one that receives all the wear-and-tear it is replaced regularly as
appropriate.

Most modern printing methods are reasonably tolerant to moisture.  Untreated
paper won’t turn to pulp if it becomes damp -- or even wet – nor will the
ink instantly run off and drip onto the toes of your shoes.

Each map side will be potentially used for only about 2.5 hours of hiking;
meaning 5 hours per sheet.  To imagine a significant problem with untreated
maps I would have to assume that, 1) my Ziploc bag will fail -- big time,
and, 2) significant rain will fall to soak the page(s), and, 3) the maps
well subsequently be rendered unreadable, and finally, 4) the trail is so
difficult to navigate that the maps are really necessary anyway.  I believe
the percentage probability of all that happening at just the wrong time is
in the low, single-digits -- or less.

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Mon, Apr 11, 2011 at 6:03 AM, Toby Maxwell <toby.m.maxwell at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hey all,
>
>
>     I was just curious what people do for their maps.  I am planning on
> using some combination of the guidebooks and Halfmile's maps.  I have heard
> of people laminating them, but that seems heavy/potentially expensive.  I
> was planning on just keeping them in plastic bags and dealing with annoying
> shuffling inside the bags when it was raining hard.  Does anyone recommend
> against this approach?
>
>
> thanks,
>
>
> -Toby
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
>