kindle

[squeezebox]

I have not heard much about kindles lately. Seems like a kindle would be good for when I'm to tired to walk anymore, but too early to sleep. What about a tablet?

[MuddyWaters]

I have not he6ard much about kindles lately. Seems like a kindle would be good for when I'm to tired to walk anymore, but too early to sleep. What about a tablet?

Useless imo.

Nothing a phone wont do, and most have that for town at least. Its redundant.

[perrito]

Unless you don't want to blow all of your phone's juice on reading. The Kindle will last a month without recharging.

[Hikes in Rain]

Kindle screens are also larger than phones, at least in my case. I read fast enough that a phone screen slows me down enough to be annoying. Even with the protective case, the weight penalty is negligible compared to the benefits.

[Connie]

I have a Kindle app, on my iPod Touch.

I have read that there are Kindle that have WiFi and a browser for internet use. For example, the Kindle Fire has a faster battery discharge rate: 7 hours perhaps. So look at the specifications for each model you consider.

I like the portable supplemental batteries, like Anker, I use for long travel on the train, many people in the forum use for backpacking and select the capacity based on use and how many days on the trail before town.

[Nooga]

I tend to read more during the months with shorter days, and have carried a Kindle. Its extra weight, but less than many paper back books. I think all Kindle's have the wifi. My Kindle has wifi and 3G connectivity.

[Connie]

What Kindle will last a month without recharging?

[SGTJones]

I've loved having my Kindle. I can read for weeks without recharge and it saves my phone battery so I don't have to constantly pull out the battery pack to recharge. All kindles will last at least a month, provided you're not reading 8hrs/day which shouldn't be a problem on the trail. Really just depends on how much you read.

[Hikes in Rain]

What Kindle will last a month without recharging?

My paperwhite will, provided you keep the backlight low and on airplane mode while not actually downloading a book. And not reading eight hours a day, as mentioned!

[colorado_rob]

My paperwhite will, provided you keep the backlight low and on airplane mode while not actually downloading a book. And not reading eight hours a day, as mentioned!Mine won't, more like 2-3 weeks, but of course YMMV. In any case, kindles and kindle apps are great. since they came into use a while ago my reading has doubled or tripled, at least. So convenient! A world of literature at our fingertips! We live in a amazing time.

YMMV, but I actually prefer my kindle phone app to my paper white kindle; it's so easy to swipe pages. And I find battery drain to be minimal while on the trail, I can read for 1-2 hours every single night for a week on one phone charge, along with other minimal phone usage. Make sure to use the white letters on black background mode as this uses much less battery than black letter on a white background. So, instead of carrying a phone and a kindle, for the identical weight, I carry a phone and an external battery, which weighs the same as a kindle (8 ounces).

One other thing: be careful about using a kindle in for cold weather hiking; freezing is not good for a kindle, though not necessarily fatal for the newer ones.

[Leo L.]

Im voracious at reading and since started using a Kindle find this a really great addition to travelling.
Unfortunately, I broke two Kindles in the backpack already (display cracked), so ist very good advice to use a proper cover.
The older Kindles are pretty useless while hiking, as many spare hours free for reading are in the dark, no use of the older un-lit Kindles.
The new Paperwhite is great, but is a Little heavier and battery doesn't last that long.
Since I have a smartphone I'm reading with the Kindle app exclusively and belive thats the best for hiking. I'd rather carry a spare battery pack fort he smartphone than the Kindle.

[Greenlight]

The Kindle Paperwhite or Voyage has a backlit screen and will last many days without a recharge. It does a lot that a phone can't do...like allow you to read for hours per day on zeros or when you're weathered in or sick and don't feel like moving. If you're a diehard reader, it will make sense to carry one. If you're not a reader, save the weight.


I have not heard much about kindles lately. Seems like a kindle would be good for when I'm to tired to walk anymore, but too early to sleep. What about a tablet?

[scrabbler]

Or, be like Tipi and take actual paper, and burn it as you read it.

[Hikingjim]

This is what the site says about paperwhite, and I agree with it:
A single charge lasts up to eight weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 10. Battery life will vary based on light and wireless usage

If you read at night you don't need the light to be too high, and it goes a solid month for me at an average of an hour a day.

Only worth carrying for those who read quite a lot. I wouldn't carry the thing to read 3 pages before passing out each night. Phone app works well enough for that

[colorado_rob]

The Kindle Paperwhite or Voyage has a backlit screen and will last many days without a recharge. It does a lot that a phone can't do...like allow you to read for hours per day on zeros or when you're weathered in or sick and don't feel like moving. If you're a diehard reader, it will make sense to carry one. If you're not a reader, save the weight.What are you talking about? Sorry, the kindle does nothing that a kindle phone app can't do. Try it sometime, same functionality, stupid-easy to read on one, any font size you want, multiple colors (though white letters on black minimizes battery use), etc, etc.. If you carry a phone anyway for other uses, it just doesn't make much sense to carry a kindle as well, for reasons already stated: a 10,000 maH external battery weighs the same as a kindle, and will recharge a phone 3+ times, allowing virtually infinite reading. Unless a single paperback will last you a long time, and for some it does (I read at least a book a week on the trail), physical books on the trail are silly, sorry, heavy and restrictive (to that book), just doesn't make sense anymore (on the trail), except to those who actually like to carry extra weight and constantly brag about it. But to each his own, of course. JMHO.

[Hikingjim]

I agree that the kindle app allows the same basic functionality.

The reason I like reading on the kindle paperwhite is it doesn't strain my eyes, and it's bigger than my phone so I can make the font bigger and still have a decent amount of text on a page. The back light just lights up the screen. It doesn't shine light at your eyes

If you don't mind reading on your phone for the desired amount of time (try it for a few weeks), then go with that. Maybe it's better on certain phones

When I carry just my phone and no kindle, I tend to take a bigger charger. When I carry kindle I usually just bring my less than 3 oz lip stick size charger because I don't use my phone as much or have a great need for mobile recharge

So it's a bit of a luxury item, and it comes or stays behind, depending on the nature of the trip

[CoolBobby]

Nook Glowlight Plus... weighs in at under 7 ounces, water proof, made of aluminum and great battery life. My battery is still running strong. I read about an hour a night, and I only have charged it once when I first got it 43 days ago. I am down to about 10% battery right now. I don' read on my phone, as touch screens eat a lot of juice.

[CoolBobby]

What Kindle will last a month without recharging?

Nook Glowlight Plus will.. and its designed for the outdoors. Love mine...

[Secondmouse]

if you use the Kindle app on your phone, reverse the contrast so you have white words on black background and your battery last much longer...