Oh yeah ... paper maps! ABSOFUKINLUTELY. Learnt that backpacking in the Adirondacks. Electronics break, paper's good if you keep it dry. Those maps have every driveable road (including forest roads) in each state. aka Gazetteteer, Atlas. Battery never goes dead on those, dont need cell phone service. You can spread them out on a table and plan your route much better than a tiny screen. Essential tools. Breakouts for National Parks. Can plan a route across the entire US or Canada when you are thinking at that level. Shows campgrounds and parks and all kinds of useful stuff. Some have topography. And btw furghet those old gas station or AAA foldable maps, more trouble than they are worth. I also have an iPhone and a MOTO and a 6" Garmin (which has preloaded North America map info). I also carry a magnetic compass which I have used at times (have to get out of Expy to work). Only thing I dont have is a SPOT but I might get one. My tracfone cell phones dont work in Canada (and many places in US) so I rely on maps and Garmin for that. I need a backup for my backup contingency. I was thinking I "could do" without everything on my list except the PAPER maps if I had to (to MrBoost's point).
I was <who the hell knows where> in Colorado once in 2015 in my black Expy in late July. It was really hot and the sun is incredibly strong at elevation. Black is a solar oven (thats why I went to white in the 2014). I realized that if the old Gal broke down I would roast and maybe die by the end of the day. So also carry a couple gallons of water and a setup to create some shade if required .... to avoid dying. Try to avoid death. I actually pack enough food for 2 weeks and my supply of emergency stuff is fairly extensive and thought out from things that have (or could have) happened.
