Trailrunner
OK he choked out, I agree with you, you hafta walk before you run. Using a GPS is a bit like using a calculator, if ya don't know math, ya don't understand what the buttons do. A map is always a good idea, and the compass is the standard thing, and its good to practice with it at home and maybe even take it camping with you just so you will feel utterly stupid when you realise it doesn't help you figure out where you are. Then you can graduate to a GPS. It knows where you are and where your truck is, and you still won't be able to find where you are on a map without a book or a decoding thingy. I have presented medium hard situations to experienced map and compass users who couldn't figure out where they were, its an art. Hey navigation is an art, like learning the math. But either way it takes practice. I personaly do not carry a compass. And generally I will have a Google Earth photo printout rather than a map.
Jim