Originally Posted by
pdlamb
I'm afraid we're past the age of "peak paper." ACA is ginning up more routes, but apparently paper maps aren't sustainable (profitable) any more. Though I haven't bought any .gpx or their proprietary smart phone app, it seems like the effective price has gone up when you need to buy a .gpx to use with a standalone GPS unit, and then you'll presumably also want the smartphone app to get all the services that used to be included on the paper maps.
I'd still rather use paper maps. I guess i am already out of luck on some routes and will be soon on all of them. I guess I really don't have anything against a well designed phone app other than I'd rather not be battery dependent. My preference is still to shut the phone off all day when on tour. My Garmin Instinct 2 watch will do turn by turn directions and has great battery life, but forget about looking at a map on it. For times when I can get by with a good look at the map in the morning and just the prompts from the watch at the turns that may be enough. It definitely isn't enough if the route is at all complex.
To be clear, I have not actually used the watch that way yet so I don't really know how it will work out for that. I have had it do some prompts when out on daily rides just as a proof of concept. I think it can do it with the phone off, again I'd need to do a bit more testing.