Tips for Hiking in the Rain: Synthetic Maps Won’t Get Wet!

Explore the Outdoors with Synthetic Topographic Maps

Backpackers, get ready for your summer adventures with detailed topographic maps from mapsales.com. All you need is a map and a compass to start exploring!

Topographic Quad Map of Mount Saint Helen

1. Choose Synthetic Maps

However, weather is unpredictable, and in the summer, sudden rains can make navigating (especially with electronic devices!) difficult. There are a few options for adventurers:

• Put your maps in plastic sleeves (difficult to remove and open to new section without getting the paper wet)
• Get Laminated Maps (difficult to fold)
• Get Synthetic Maps!

Synthetic Paper Maps are water-resistant and fold-able, perfect for hiking in any weather!

2. Get Detailed Topographic Maps

County Topographic Maps Feature

• Every County Across the USA
• Contour Lines with Elevation and Shape of Terrain
• Towns, Water Ways and Other Landmarks
• Quad Maps show Even Greater Detail

3. Have a Back-up Plan

While we don’t like having to rely on GPS (sometimes they spoil the fun of exploring!) it’s good to have a back-up plan. This may take some extra planning, including: overestimating the time it will take you to navigate, bringing extra food and water, having a meeting place and a plan for bad weather! Plan alternate routes in case of flooding rivers or low visibility of geographic features.

Your back-up plan should also include having a back-up map or GPS system on hand!

So, this summer, put your GPS away (as a backup) and explore the outdoors with the old-fashioned compass and map, even in the rain!