Sorry for getting onto this thread late - been out lost with my map and compass (kidding...)

I bought a Garmin GPS 60CSx a few months ago and added it to my essentials list that very day. Here's the primary reason why: I go into the woods with my family. While I have the standard military map/compass training and feel pretty confident that with them I could get back to the ski lodge, I am CERTAIN that my wife could not(despite my trying to teach her numerous times). On the other hand, I know (because I tried) that my wife can figure out the GPS. Moreover, I don't completely trust anyone's navigating skills unless they have had extensive real world experience and that's pretty hard to come by in the non-military world. That makes me question my brother's ability to navagate in an emergency despite his book knowledge and national-parks-trail-only navagating experience. So unless my wife, brother, and people like them are forbidden from venturing into the woods unless accompanied by experienced companions AND those companions are forbidden from ever being incapacitated, I think Doug's reasoning is valid and not only directed at fools (which my wife and brother are far from being).

One last thought: even with lots of outdoor experience and instruction, I can still get temporarily confused outdoors with a map and compass. I hate that. I NEVER get confused as to my location when I am using the GPS, map and compass as a trio. In fact, there is a lot of extremely valuable information that the GPS provides that most maps lack. My GPS can tell me if that generic building on the map is an abandoned barn, a Denny's, or a medical office building, and I think that information could be useful in a survival situation.

If anyone is wondering about the hype regarding the accuracy and fix finding ability of the GPS 60CSx, mine has obtained good fixes from an almost windowless room in my basement. I have yet to have a problem getting a fix outdoors no matter what the terrain, foliage, or weather.