Camping

Modern Hiking Gadgets

For many “old school” hikers, the strictly “I survived for three days with nothing more than a pocket knife and a ball of string – that’s what you call lightweight hiking” brigade, the thoughts of having any electronic gadgetry to make your hikes and back packs more enjoyable would be completely alien to them, but that’s probably because the word “electronics” conjures up visions of laptops, games consoles and automatic bread makers. The types of electronic hiking equipment we’re talking about is nothing like that stuff . . . well, not most of it anyway . . .

• Hiking watches – even though you probably have enough clock watching in your day job, you still do need to know the time sometimes when you’re out hiking . . . make sure that you get to your camping site or car before dark for example.
• Hiking radios – I’m not talking about sound pollution with a beat box blaring out and scaring all of the animals within a 5 mile radius of your hike, but it is handy to have a radio with you so that you can keep up to date on any weather warnings etc and maybe a little gentle night music to help you relax after a long days hiking.
• Two Way Hiker radios – are a great idea, particularly for any hiking twosomes who often get separated during their hiking adventures . . . you go on ahead and I’ll catch up after I’ve had a little rest . . . yeah, right! Funny how you always disappear when you’re the one carrying the chocolate bars in your backpack.
• Weather instruments – if you don’t take a radio with you on your hike then it’s a good idea to have an electronic weather instrument . . . you really do need to know if the weather is going to close in around the mountain for your own safety.
• Batteries & Chargers – like it or not, many of the hiking equipment which normal hikers take with them do rely on battery power, and there are some great portable battery chargers which you can take along in your backpack in case you get flat batteries. Battery powered hiking equipment is neither use nor ornament if it doesn’t have any battery power.
• Cameras – it’s great to share your hiking adventures with your buddies when you get home . . . go on, bore them with your hiking photos . . . look, I did see a bear, it’s up that tree . . . that’s a branch . . . no it’s a bear, honest . . .

Fantastic, they’ve got all those great photos to remind them of their hiking trip . . . it looks great doesn’t it, what a terrific place!

• Emergency Hiking Electronic Devices – I know that we hikers like to think that we can pit ourselves against nature and survive using nothing more than our experience, instincts and well thought out hiking equipment, but there are occasions when even the most experienced of hikers need to be rescued. Accidents do happen, bones get broken, ankles get twisted . . . hiking trails are not always the most stable of surfaces and they’re also very often not very accessible for rescuers. I mean, a cell phone is okay, help, I’ve broken my leg . . . where are you . . . on the trail next to a big tree . . . I’ll be with you in the next four days!! A personal locator beacon, however, can pinpoint your exact position and help can be with you in no time at all. These are also particularly useful for use in snowy conditions when hikers and skiers can become buried in an avalanche or similar. It’s not ponsy, it’s called being safe!

She must have had a boring old day, sitting on a bench winding up the radio . . . why didn’t she go hiking with the Wilderness Geek - lazy bones . . . .