I taught map-and-compass navigation.
I think it stinks. What if you are in a forest, can't see a goddamned thing, or if it's heavily overcast, or foggy? I had a guy climb a tree once to attempt to get a bearing. Problem was that my best tree climber couldn't take a bearing I could trust and my best guy with a compass was afraid to climb the tree.
I don't know why people had a problem with maps and compasses, but they did and I couldn't get some of them past it.
My experience with GPSs has been mostly great. Especially on snow. And I always carried a compass. Especially in snow.