> about once a day I'd turn on the GPS to
> validate my location.
This point can't be stressed enough, these early GPS models (and even one I owned in the early 2000s) often served a fundamentally different use-case than what people think of as "GPS" today, which has come to mean something with integrated maps and navigation.
The idea with many of these early devices was exactly what you're describing, experienced hikers who'd mainly use a map & compass to navigate might buy these. It was enough to have one GPS for the entire group, and on a typical trip with good visibility and orientation the GPS might never come out of the backpack.
But knowing where you are if you manage to completely lose orientation (e.g. with an onset of fog) is invaluable. The original use case for GPS devices for hikers was that sort of fallback safety.
The idea with many of these early devices was exactly what you're describing, experienced hikers who'd mainly use a map & compass to navigate might buy these. It was enough to have one GPS for the entire group, and on a typical trip with good visibility and orientation the GPS might never come out of the backpack.
But knowing where you are if you manage to completely lose orientation (e.g. with an onset of fog) is invaluable. The original use case for GPS devices for hikers was that sort of fallback safety.