Reviews > Books > Trail Guides > AT Guides > Mapdana AT-1 > Owner Review by Rick Allnutt

Mapdana AT-1
Owner Review by Rick Allnutt
20 July 2004



Every step from Springer north, I carried the Mapdana as my only data guide.
It worked surprisingly well.
Risk - Springer to Clingman's Dome -May 2004

PERSONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rick Allnutt
51 Year old male
6' 0'' (183 cm) in height
190 lb (86 kg) in weight
Email address: rick (at) BackpackGearTest (dot) org
I live in Dayton, Ohio

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
Over the last several years, I have become an ultralight camper with a three-season base pack weight of about 11 lb (5 kg) and skin out weight of 20 lb (9 kg). I have completed many section hikes on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in all four seasons, with a total mileage of nearly 450 miles (725 km). I am a gearhead, a hammock camper, and make much of my own equipment.

PRODUCT INFORMATION
Bandana with trail data
Appalachian Trail Map #1
Manufacturer: Antigravity Gear
Year Manufactured: 2004
Manufacturer's Link: http://www.antigravitygear.com/
MSRP: US$12.95 
Listed Weight: 1.6 oz (45 g)
Measured Weight: 1.6 oz (45 g)
Size: 27 x 27 in (69 x 69 cm)

TEST CONDITIONS
I used the Mapdana on a two week section hike of the portion of the AT covered by its information. Temperatures ranged from 40 F (4 C) to about 90 F (32 C). I used it in rain, sun, and heat. It served as a handkerchief, a head band, a pot holder, a towel, a washcloth, a map, and a data source.

REVIEW
I purchased the AT-1 Mapdana with the purpose of making it my only data source for a long section hike on the AT. I reviewed the data on the map and contacted Antigravity Gear to find out if there were any known errors on the Mapdana before taking off down the trail in mid-May, 2004. I was told of two errors, involving mileage in the Smoky Mountains before I left. (I discovered several additional errors on the trail.)

There are four Mapdanas that cover the AT.  AT-1 covers the section from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Damascus, Virginia. All the Mapdanas have been produced for the first time in the spring of 2004. Each is the same size and is printed on one side of white cotton cloth.

Mapdana AT-1 has a map section and a data guide section.  The map section is a near copy of the National Park Service map of the AT, which is available at several Internet sites. This map shows the roads and towns near the trail and serves to keep me oriented to the part of the country I am walking through.  When I have been walking south-east for several hours, like happens northbound from Standing Indian Mountain, it is reassuring to see the trail will be swinging back toward the north star (geographic north) before long. This is not a topographic map, but instead is good to give general roadways and towns near the trail. Such a map is useful for hitchhiking or placement of cars at the end of sections of the trail.

The data section of the Mapdana takes up most of the space on its surface.  Its information is taken from the AT Data Book, with attribution and permission of the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC). Because the Mapdana is printed in color, I find it much easier to see where water and services will be found along the trail than when using any other data source. This is because all road crossings, camping sites, and shelters with good water are listed in blue on the bandana.  Road crossings with towns that offer services are listed in red, and a section below the AT data gives the name of the services available and the telephone numbers of those services.  These services range from hotels, to hostels, to diners, to medical offices.  This town information is taken from the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA) "Companion" with attribution and by permission. 

One of the advantages of the Mapdana is the ability to use it in the rain.  During my hike I experienced a number of rainy afternoons. I saw many other hikers struggling with their paper guides in the rain, and then dealing with wet messes of paper in the evening after their paper guide had gotten wet. With my cloth guide, I had none of those problems. The Mapdana got wet, but it dried reasonably quickly.  (The material is 100% cotton, so it does not dry immediately.) But, even when the Mapdana was soaking wet in a rain storm, the data was still easy to read and use. 

Mapdana and a pair of socks drying at the Cable Mill Shelter

After using the Mapdana in the rain, washing it with my clothing, using it as a towel and as a dish towel, one thing is certain to me.  This piece of cloth is going to last.  Specifically:

-The colors do not fade or bleed.
-The lines do not come off.
-The printing remains very easy to read.
-The cloth does not come apart. 
-The edges do not fray.

My review is of the first version of the first of the four Mapdanas produced by Antigravity Gear. Like many other ventures that require careful editing, this map has a few errors that escaped the editing process.  There is a difference between the interest a hiker has in the next water source and the interest an editor has in it.  To be fair,  I have corresponded with Antigravity Gear about the few errors I found during my hike. The company has been proactive in responding to my reports and has included them in an errata page on the web site.  These errors can be found on the descriptive page for each of the Mapdanas listed on the Antigravity Website.

Several of my errata submissions were clarifications that are not found in the ATC's AT Data Book.  An example is needing directions for finding the water source at Stecoah Gap without knowing it is about 200 paces west along the road.   However, there are a couple simple editing problems - like forgetting to list the Cable Gap Shelter (pictured above) between Yellow Gap Mountain Road and Fontana.  These are "growing pains problems" for Antigravity which need to be marked on the Mapdana before leaving home - a thin line laundry pen works for this.

I do have one suggestion for the next version of the Mapdana: It would be very nice if the border was replaced with an elevation strip chart. This information would certainly have helped me plan my days better. The elevation strip chart was the only piece of information I would borrow from other hiker's books and maps when I could get it. 

As I said at the onset: every step from Springer north, I carried the Mapdana as my only data guide. In the end, I believe it worked surprisingly well. I would not hesitate finishing any portion of this quarter of the AT with the Mapdana as my only data source.

What I really like about the Mapdana:
- Easy to read, bold colors
- Resistant to fading, bleeding, and losing data even when subjected to heavy outdoor activity.
- Multiple use item - everything from towel to book.
- Very up-to-date - has the new Gooch Mountain Shelter listed already - this shelter was only finished in October of 2003.

What I don't like:
- Errata - I need to make notes on the Mapdana before going to the field
 

Reviews > Books > Trail Guides > AT Guides > Mapdana AT-1 > Owner Review by Rick Allnutt