Except for a map and compass and the ability to use it, by the sounds of it.

"Rescuers said the walker was dressed for the hills and had the appropriate equipment."

'Appropriate equipment', such as a map and compass ?

I presume not.

A GPS is not appropriate equipment, even with batteries. It can be a fun toy to plot your track, see your average speed and accurate distance covered after the event. If you want to know where you are, and how to get to where you need to be, then you need a proper map (ideally OS Landranger, or Explorer series) and a compass, and know how to use them.
A phone should not be relied upon in such remote regions either, although it can be convenient when they do pick up a signal.

people rely too much on gadgets. they should learn the appropriate skills that rely on the traditional navigation skills that existed before these gadgets. Part of my learning involved being taken blindfolded to a place in the dark and then having a set time to find my way back. we had a map, a compass and a torch. All we knew was that we were 5miles from our base! It was foul weather too, and yes, we managed fine!

I agree with the previous views.

It may not be helping the situation with the 'the powers that be' apparently encouraging the use of techy gadgets

I agree with the foregoing comments as too inappropriateness of GPS. It has its place and will wothout doubt be improved upon in future. I am however, a map and compass man and always will be! GPS doesn't get used even in my car!!!

Very strange statement from the rescue team, assuming they were quoted correctly.

He either no map & compass or the abillity to use them, and certainly had no spare batteries for the GPS, but still described as having the appropriate equipment ?

I disagree with some of the traditionalist/technophobic comments here which describe GPS as a "toy" or "not appropriate" and suggest that a compass and map are far superior.

Yes, a GPS is not a substitute for navigation skills.

Yes, a compass and map should always be carried too, and you should know how to use them.

And yes, spare GPS batteries should always be carried.

This is all just common sense.

However I disagree strongly with the suggestions from some comments that a GPS is somehow inappropriate or inferior as a navigation tool. It is an excellent and useful tool to have at your disposal.

I disagree entirely with the preceeding comments. Here's the scenario: you are alone on the hill in winter at the end of a long day; you have a map and compass; you are currently lost; visibility is less than 20 metres and the light is failing. What do you do now?

When you're lost in poor visibility, a map is not much use. A GPS (with batteries) can save a lot of time and worry. Under the circumstances I think this chap did exactly the right thing.

In your scenario; how did you get lost while using your map and compass in the poor visability?

In the scenario above, how did the walker get lost while using a map and compass in the poor visability?

This chap did do the right thing when he realised he was lost . The thing is if he had the ability to use a map and compass correctly he would not have been lost in the first place . That is of course if he had them with him.
Clearly Colin your map reading/using abilities leave something to be desired ,if what you say was true how come for years before GPS folk managed to get themselves around on the hills in mist and dense cloud.
As for GPS being a toy , no, its a good tool , I have not got one but have seen many used in others hands with no problem at all . It gives those less confident of themselves some freedom on the hills. Especially when used to confirm location.
Nevertheless it is no substitute for proper map reading techniques, and should be used in conjunction with a map even if there is one on the tiny screen, The wider view can place oneself in the Landscape . Its the equivalent to good drivers looking ahead on the road ,a good map reader looks ahead on the map and can tell the location even in mist by the features , or lack of them sometimes, of the land .
If visibility falls then pacing and use of the compass comes into play along with choosing waymarks(such has walls ,streams and other land features) on the map to tick off in marking progress.

Personally I carry a map,compass and GPS. A GPS is certainly NOT a toy and becomes a very useful tool for confirming location, distance, speed and elevation. However, the key word there is 'confirm'... You shouldn't venture out without a map an compass and the skills to use them.

To say a GPS is not a good tool is absolutely rubbish. In the event of an incident it can give a very accurate location down to 10 meters and is using the same satellite information that the search and rescue helicopter uses!

Don't dismiss technology as worthless as it certainy has a place but don't rely on it either as the old methods are proven, tested and reliable for both yesterday and today!

Good comments Rob - concern arises when the 'apparent' developing trend indicates that technology is all that is needed and that Map and Compass is a 'bit last century'. If in doubt, ask an Orienteer.

This has turned into an enjoyable and interesting debate about GPS. Far more informative than simply branding the casualty as incompetent on the basis of a short news item. And regardless of equipment and ability, I think we all have the potential to cock it up from time to time.

@ Hazel

"A GPS is not appropriate equipment, even with batteries. It can be a fun toy to plot your track, see your average speed and accurate distance covered after the event. If you want to know where you are, and how to get to where you need to be, then you need a proper map (ideally OS Landranger, or Explorer series) and a compass, and know how to use them.
A phone should not be relied upon in such remote regions either, although it can be convenient when they do pick up a signal."

I'm afraid this simply isn't the case Hazel. A GPS in the right hands can be a very useful tool, and if I was out on the hill and chose to do so, I could get a 10 figure grid reference from my GPS at a glance and wouldn't need a map to do this. Some GPS sets now also feature built in 1:25k and 1:50k mapping as well. This guy should have taken a map and should have known how to use it, however branded GPS sets as "toy's" seems quite a technophobic attitude. I think that GPS is an excellent addition to any outdoor enthusiasts kit, and even if not used as a primary means of navigation can proove highly effective in an emergency. I should add I am a mountain leader and by no means rely on a GPS as a soul means of navigation, but like it or not GPS is the future, and is becoming more and more advanced each year.

To keep the thread going - if 'GPS is the future' will paper maps become redundant?
I am no 'technophobe' having used GPS since it needed an advance-retard control and a starting handle; but they are not a requirement for safe mountain travel.
As noted in an earlier post; 'before GPS folk managed to get themselves around on the hills in mist', and were even able to relocate themselves when misplaced.

True, but before cars people used to walk huge distances, doesn't mean you would now though?

Don't get me wrong I think that map and compass should always have a place on the hill as a backup,but the advances in GPS over the last couple of years have shown that technology is becoming more prevalent in the hills, and this is not a bad thing, a GPS is highly accurate in any conditions, and with the ability to display location to within 50cm on a 1:25k map, why risk not having a GPS just to cling on to tradition?

A bit more than just tradition; more the level of concentration required while using a map and compass as distinct from using a GPS.

I know myself that while relying on a GPS (even with the 1:25k map displayed) I gradually lose the level of concentration I would have while using a map and compass. That of course may be a personal failing but I suspect it is not just me.

Take the reverse of an earlier scenario - if the GPS which is being used fails for whatever reason, unless the user has been concentrating and is fully aware of location it is quite difficult but possible, for a competent navigator, to relocate using map and compass.

A problem is created when it is not a competent navigator pushing the GPS buttons.

There are anecdotes of SatNav users in cars who become seriously disorientated when they start walking around the urban area in which they find themselves. They have no, as mountaineers and orienteers would call it, map memory to fall back on. To get there they had little to do but drive.

I recently read an article about memory and a quote from it is both interesting and amusing.

Studies show that memory skills are being lost according to Ed Cooke who went on to say, "I have a theory that it's in the interests of tech giants to make us as empty headed as possible...so they can sell us something to help".

I agree with Ian about the concentration. I do a lot of night walking and I know if I have the map in my hand an tick off points on the way I never get lost but if I use the GPS I get chatting and stray of the route and then end up having to stop and work out where I've ended up!

My GPS has maps and I take a lot of groups out onto the North Wales mountains. I always put the intended route into the GPS using Tracklogs but we often change the route due to weather or people issues and a handheld map really is much easier to use in these situations than a little LCD screen.

I'm training as an ML and personally I believe for legal reasons having a GPS available for confirming accurate location in emergencies is a sensible idea.

Very polarised debate. I was a land surveyor and made maps for a living. GPS mapping is a far superior method of location and navigation. Paper maps + compass for back up yes. I hike, I geocache and I almost never use a paper map.

Tony, as a surveyor I'm sure GPS mapping is very important, especially as you will have access to DifferentialGPS that mountaineer won't.

Also, I know people who can navigate more accurately on the hill using a paper map and compass (eg Orienteers) than someone using a GPS unit.

Orienteers mainly make use of the map to navigate accurately and quickly and for obvious reasons GPS does not feature. MLTUK assessments will often require that candidates navigate in poor weather, accurately and quickly, while only using the map.

A GPS unit will usually give an accurate location often as a point on an electronic map or as a grid reference.

However, whether the map is paper or electronic the person using it has to be able to read that map and understand the information it provides to then relate that information to the ground around them (the real world).

A GPS can't read the map for you.