Tablets anyone? What have you seen others use on the trail?

[Wise Old Owl]

Electronics on the trail is a new awkward moment between solar panels, phones, tablets, and other unique items... what have you seen others or what do you take to make your hike more enjoyable.....


I ask ONE thing,,, keep it up beat, IF you are a naysayer... don't want to take anything... etc..... please move on... Lets just keep this positive...

[max patch]

I'm planning on taking my Kindle Fire so I won't have to carry my usual 3 paperbacks. Thats subject to change....I'm interested in checking out the new Samsung Mega 6.3 which would be big enough to serve as a tablet while also doing double duty as my phone.

[max patch]

Oh, and no interest in solar panels. Rather carry extra batteries if I think they would be needed.

[Wise Old Owl]

OK good start.. anyone can weigh in..

[WalksInDark]

+1 Kindle.

[fredmugs]

I just did a 200 mile hike on the PCT. I took my Kindle with paper maps loaded in pdf format and Halfmile's App on my smart phone. I sure wish there was something similar to that for the AT.

[max patch]

Even carrying the Kindle I intend to take paper maps.

[dink]

Kindle fire with the wonderful waterproof, shatterproof Klear Kase went with me on my last section (PA in early july) didn't have to worry about charging it because I was only out for a week...solar would be nice for a long hike though!

[chiefiepoo]

Section hiker here. Ipod for music and free on line lectures, generally topics associated with the area I'm passing through. Android smart phone to check transport connections, make needed reservations, and keep family informed as I hike solo. I'll hold off on a tablet till I can't read the small print on the handheld devices. Looking forward to Googles "Loon" project, someday, that will provide WiFi internet to remote areas by using balloons up about 20km in the stratosphere. Still using paper maps and select pages from AT guide. No dedicated GPS and don't use c phone for that in the woods. Out west in really remote areas I add an ACR Res Q Link for emergencies. Recharge comes from a Morphie or PowerRock packing a 2800 mAh boost.

[Theosus]

I take my iPhone (I turn the phone part off and use it for music/movies/games at night when its dark but I'm not tired enough to sleep yet, and my GPS to show me where I am and to record my trip.

I have a friend who takes a kindle or nook or some generic non-apple device. He reads and does GPS stuff on it. It actually has really good battery life and tracks his trips while closed in his pack.

[marshbirder]

I bought a Kindle Paperwhite last week and I love it, but my thru is a few years off. If I were leaving next March it would be that and my iPhone for podcasts and music.

[Another Kevin]

I carry a smartphone, but the only tablets I usually take on the trail are ibuprofen.

[Wise Old Owl]

I carry a smartphone, but the only tablets I usually take on the trail are ibuprofen.

Ugh yea too funny - not what was going to keep us on topic.

[rocketsocks]

Ipod...in addition to several movies, and tons of tunes, AT maps, and games...I recently down loaded a drawing app that's kinda rinkydink...but still pretty cool if your a drawer or like to jot ideas down.

[Another Kevin]

Seriously, though, a tablet is a lot of weight - what do you want to do with one that you can't do on a smartphone?

[Mountain Mike]

Brought Kindle fire last year. Debating on buying a basic kindle or get a battery back up due to it's limited battery. I read a lot when I hike. Still love the fire for use in town when I have wifi to keep up on email. etc. I only carry a pre-paid dumb phone on the trail since I don't have a use for them in real life. It stays turned off in the pack until I need a reservation or shuttle when I get close to town.

[TheStu]

If I'm only going long enough to need one paperback then I stick with the paperback. If I'm going to need more reading material than that I take my Sony Reader -- none of that Kindle stuff for me

[Dogwood]

The most elaborate electronics set-up I've seen a thru-hiker carry was on the AT in 2006. He usually hung a flexible solar panel array on the back of his backpack. Had a PDA like device (that's what it looked like), SMALL 6" wide monitor(VERY flat and very light wt especially considering it was 2006), digital camera, rechargeable batteries w/the charger, spare batteries(he had at least three different kinds of batteries), multiple memory cards, a mini satellite dish(looked and was sized like one of those perforated metal steamer inserts you place inside a pot to steam food in that fold up), asst. cables, and best of all, a separate mini keyboard that folded in to fourths(have never seen anything like this since). He would update his trail journals every couple of days this way. AMAZINGLY, ALL this stuff didn't weigh that much and was all rather compact. The rest of his hiking kit was very light wt too. I asked him about weather reports a few times and he let me check my Email from on trail once or twice so who am I to judge him? Best of all, even though I saw him regularly at shelters or campsites where I also was staying he always was polite and respectful of others by asking first if he could set-up his electronics near others or he would do it away from everyone else. He was very considerate! He was very non-intrusive in using his electronic gear. He was easy going as well. As much as I could be judgmental about him carrying these electronics I realized it was his hike and I knew he wasn't intruding on anyone else's hike! . Trail name was "Gadget!"

[Kookork]

For my 2014 AT thru hike:
1- A Pay as you Go cellphone ,( 40 dollars)

2- Digital voice recorder(AAA battery ) to record my thinking at the time when I am hiking or after camping for the day and my to do list in a separate file,(60 dollars )

3-MP3 player with radio for music and weather update (AAA Battery),( 30 dollars)

4-Waterproof, shockproof, dust proof, freeze-proof shoot and point camera with lots of SD carts for photography and occasional videos. ( 175 dollars with 8 Gigabyte SD ) 30 dollars extra SD carts .

5-Charger for the camera and Cellphone and one spare battery for the camera. ( 20 dollars )

6-The wrist watch would be a Casio Dual altimeter thermometer and compass enabled watch. ( 70 Dollars)

7- AAA Batteries

Cheap,light, almost old school but mostly reliable electronics is my way to go. Internet connection would be just when in towns.

The overall price is under 450 Dollars worth of electronics.

[moytoy]

I met a father and son who were doing a week on the FT carrying a Ipad. Kid was a young teen so I suspect the Ipad was for his amusement, I didn't ask.
I'm interested in a tablet but until the weight sinks a little lower my Galaxy with have to do. The new largish smart phones are almost a tablet.