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Bulldawg
01-03-2008, 22:07
Who carries an MP3 player with them? When do you listen, at night, at breaks, or while hiking? What do you listen too?

I carry a little flash drive one I have, the 40GB iPod is too heavy and needs charging to often. I listen at breaks and in the evenings, not while hiking. I listen to Corey Smith, Zac Brown, Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett, stuff like that. Just wondering................

Yahtzee
01-03-2008, 22:18
I listen to both a Ipod shuffle and a Dell dj. Love 'em both. Use them mostly when I hike, not much in camp or in my tent. Tho, don't use it much when I hike either. I swear Welcome to the Jungle will get you up any mountain.

A radio option can be a good thing, local radio can be quite good down South.

Kirby
01-03-2008, 22:35
My mom purchased me a battery powered MP# player for the holidays, I will have it with me. I am not sure what type of situation I would use it in thoughm guess I will find out.

Kirby

mlkelley
01-03-2008, 22:38
My mom purchased me a battery powered MP# player for the holidays, I will have it with me. I am not sure what type of situation I would use it in thoughm guess I will find out.

Kirby
What brand is your battery powered mp3 player? How much storage? I've been looking for a non-rechargable battery mp3 player.

KG4FAM
01-03-2008, 22:42
I use one if I am doing a short day hike up something like Table Rock or Blood, but I dont take one backpacking.

Kirby
01-03-2008, 23:22
What brand is your battery powered mp3 player? How much storage? I've been looking for a non-rechargable battery mp3 player.

The brand is Trutech. It holds 250 songs, and uses AAA batteries, 250 is plenty for me. Every now and then I will send it home and have 250 different songs added.

Kirby

take-a-knee
01-03-2008, 23:27
What brand is your battery powered mp3 player? How much storage? I've been looking for a non-rechargable battery mp3 player.

Backpacking Lite had a review of a waterproof-battery powered MP3/radio that just hit the market.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/freestyle_audio_mp3_player_screen_orsm07.html

mlkelley
01-03-2008, 23:36
Backpacking Lite had a review of a waterproof-battery powered MP3/radio that just hit the market.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/freestyle_audio_mp3_player_screen_orsm07.html

Sweet:banana, exactly what i've been looking for. Thanks

Bulldawg
01-03-2008, 23:46
The brand is Trutech. It holds 250 songs, and uses AAA batteries, 250 is plenty for me. Every now and then I will send it home and have 250 different songs added.

Kirby


I know you just got this thing, but I have one, can't remember the brand, that uses a memory stick, one specially designed to fit inside it. It is light, takes one AAA battery, lasts a LONG time on one GOOD battery. Best part is and this is where I am thinking about yor thru hike, is you can buy other sticks. Have one loaded at home, swap them out at POs along your hike. Get like two, start with what you want, have someone send you the new one somewhere a few weeks up the trail. You send the first one back, still have music, and next week or so, the first one comes back to you with new music. Heck, I'd even be willing to do it for you if you buy the sticks and player!!

Bulldawg
01-03-2008, 23:46
I know you just got this thing, but I have one, can't remember the brand, that uses a memory stick, one specially designed to fit inside it. It is light, takes one AAA battery, lasts a LONG time on one GOOD battery. Best part is and this is where I am thinking about yor thru hike, is you can buy other sticks. Have one loaded at home, swap them out at POs along your hike. Get like two, start with what you want, have someone send you the new one somewhere a few weeks up the trail. You send the first one back, still have music, and next week or so, the first one comes back to you with new music. Heck, I'd even be willing to do it for you if you buy the sticks and player!!


I dig it out and get the brand name for ya if you are interested.

mlkelley
01-03-2008, 23:51
Absolutley interested!

take-a-knee
01-03-2008, 23:54
Sweet:banana, exactly what i've been looking for. Thanks

Sorry, I googled the manufacturer and the production model has a rechargable battery.

Newegg.com still has a few AAA powered flashdrive MP3 players though none I saw was waterproof. I only want to use mine in camp so I think I'll get a Sandisk Sansa M250 or the Creative MUVO and keep it in a breast-milk storage bag.

Bulldawg
01-03-2008, 23:54
Absolutley interested!

You doing a THRU ml? We'll see if we can find the brand name. This one is sort of old(three years), hope they're still out there.

mlkelley
01-03-2008, 23:57
73 days, 12 hours, 33 minutes and 9 seconds.....8.....7......6.....5

Bulldawg
01-04-2008, 00:08
http://www.gizmag.com/go/3162/

This is the one I have with a 256mb. Note that the thing only works with Lexar Jump Gear flash drives. Maybe some others out there that will work.

Bob S
01-04-2008, 00:18
I’m self employed in a service business and use a Palm Pilot to schedule work, track customers and marketing. It just happens that the Palm has a built in MP3 player. It works well, I don’t listen to it while hiking, but I do use it some times at night before I fall asleep. I can also load audio books from a CD or DVD on to it and listen to them.

The Palm also has an e-book program on it. I use it much more then the MP3 player. I have well over 500 books I have downloaded (all free from www.Memoware.com (http://www.memoware.com/) ) and installed onto a memory card. I also read it when driving and get caught by a RR train or just in the evening at home. It has an easily expanded memory capacity, all I have to do is to buy a new bigger SD-card to have more songs or books on it.

Hana_Hanger
01-04-2008, 00:27
Love mine for the hard steep climbs/passes;
Or on rainy days!
Nothing fancy...

Zen Nano Plus by Creative
uses one AAA
lasts for about 10-12 hours depending on the weather
Holds apxo 250 songs
Liked this one and had to buy off of Amazon for me and eBay for my sons...because they are discontinued.

This one has a built in FM Radio and it
has a tape recorder plus you can record from the built in Radio or CD player or go online and download songs.
Many of the newer ones ...do not record off of the Radio or CD players.
Waterproof...no but its so tiny ...we simply put in a snack ziploc bag...no problem

Ewker
01-04-2008, 00:33
I have a 2GB Phillips Go Gear MP3 player, it is about the size of a bic lighter. Got mine off ebay for 25.00 including S&H

Anyone download Podcasts to their MP3 player

bredler
01-04-2008, 00:39
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=215&product=9771

I had that one when it first came out. Uses standard batteries (can't remember either AA or AAA). Really easy to use, you just pull the LCD screen part out and plug it into your computer like a flash drive, then drag and drop the stuff you want onto it like any other flash drive. Disconnect and you're done!

I loved mine, but it got stolen in my high school. Found out who took it and shook him up, but he had already sold it and the police can't do anything aobut that. Anywho, great MP3 player and real cheap. The 512 MB size retails for $35.

Dirty Harry
01-04-2008, 00:48
I use a 1 gb mini disc player, by far the best option. One as batt will last me weeks with alot of play. iPods in my opinion don't do to well in the outdoors
Mostly because it is a hard drive set up.

Nest
01-04-2008, 01:26
The one I got has a MicroSD slot. The MP3 player was cheap since it is only 1GB, but I can carry a lot of the little cards and bounce them ahead without sacrificing much weight or cost. Plus with the microSD to SD adapter, I can use them in my camera too.

greentick
01-04-2008, 01:50
Zen Nano Plus by Creative
uses one AAA
lasts for about 10-12 hours depending on the weather
Holds apxo 250 songs
Liked this one and had to buy off of Amazon for me and eBay for my sons...because they are discontinued.

This one has a built in FM Radio and it
has a tape recorder plus you can record from the built in Radio or CD player or go online and download songs.
Many of the newer ones ...do not record off of the Radio or CD players.
Waterproof...no but its so tiny ...we simply put in a snack ziploc bag...no problem

I think I have an older version, like just Zen Nano. Love it. Just haven't gotten to the point where I can wear one in the woods... too much sensory deprivation... maybe someday.

Fiddleback
01-04-2008, 12:08
I've got an iPod which I dearly love and a Otterbox case which makes the player darn near invulnerable. But that necessary protection added another 5oz and I still wasn't real keen on taking the player on the trail and either risking it or the time I spent putting 4GB of music on it. On top of that, I'd prefer to listen to books at night on the trail and I'd rather not repeatedly add and delete them to the already full iPod so...

I picked up a refurbished Sansa E201 for $30. It has a 2GB capacity and accepts SD memory cards up to 2GB in size. Right now I have more than 18 1/2 hours of books/short stories on it which only take up half the internal memory. Newer Sansa models can be found on EBay for a similar price.

FB

Hooch
01-04-2008, 12:12
I think I have an older version, like just Zen Nano. Love it. Just haven't gotten to the point where I can wear one in the woods... too much sensory deprivation... maybe someday.I've got the same Zen Nano and lov eit as well. I don't listen to it hiking, but sometimes it's nice to get going at night in my hammock.

excuses
01-05-2008, 00:07
I also have a Zen Nano 512. Folk and Rock on it. Mostly it stays in the ziploc. There are times though when a little motivation is needed.

take-a-knee
01-05-2008, 00:12
I also have a Zen Nano 512. Folk and Rock on it. Mostly it stays in the ziploc. There are times though when a little motivation is needed.

Try a Gerber breast milk storage bag, far superior to a ziploc. I use them for my first aid stuff also.

Tennessee Viking
01-05-2008, 00:39
I just got my iPod shuffle 1Gig. I usually use mine and previous players on all my hikes. It is a helpful distraction on steep climbs, then pause it on breaks to listen to the wilderness.

For areas known for bears and snakes, I keep one ear open or not use my player.

Tennessee Viking
01-05-2008, 00:41
I have everything from classical to heavy metal. Sarah Brightman and Moya Brennan when hitting an wide and open view just an excellent moment.

Then heavy metal works well for those steep climbs. Makes me aggressive and makes me climb even harder.

take-a-knee
01-05-2008, 00:48
I just got my iPod shuffle 1Gig. I usually use mine and previous players on all my hikes. It is a helpful distraction on steep climbs, then pause it on breaks to listen to the wilderness.

For areas known for bears and snakes, I keep one ear open or not use my player.

I have one of those for the gym, the internal battery seems to last quite a while. It seems to me the ideal Hiker MP3 would be waterproof, have removeable memory, an FM tuner (for weather and news) and run on AAA's. Apparantly this doesn't exist.

Lyle
01-05-2008, 00:59
I have a 2nd generation Ipod Nano. Not bought with the idea of taking it backpacking, so didn't worry about rechargable battery. I just thought I would pass on this bit of info:

This afternoon, I put on a shirt that I washed a couple of days ago in an agitator washer, then dried in a dryer. I went into town, and realized that my Nano was in the shirt pocket! It had gone through the laundry. I pulled it out, attempted to turn it on and nothing. I assumed it was toast. I even started looking for a new MP3 player. When I came home, I just decided, on a lark, to plug the Nano into the USB. Lo and behold the screen lit up and the sync started. After the sync was finished, I could scroll through my music, I plugged in the ear buds, and IT STILL WORKS!

I find this pretty impressive, that after being washed, rinsed, pounded about in an agitator washer, pounded some more in the dryer, that all it needed was to be recharged. Guess I wouldn't recommend this treatment for others, but I feel good that the Ipod Nano could probably withstand backpacking with proper care.

Bob S
01-05-2008, 01:13
It may have dried out and worked for you, but knowing my luck it would have been toast if I did that…

Press
01-05-2008, 01:22
iPod Shuffle is the way to go for me. Doesn't weigh much more than a matchbook, enough battery life to play all the music you can stuff on it, good for 2-3 day hikes. I listen some on the trail but like to keep it low enough to also hear the birds, wind, etc., and also like to listen at night. I like all kinds of music, esp. anything rootsy. Great memory from this fall, night, raining, Billy Bragg on iPod, as I was reading "The Summer He Didn't Die" by Jim Harrison.

Del Q
01-05-2008, 10:26
I use the SanDisk, 4GB, one AAA battery, on the "long green tunnel", up hills, etc, music is a nice break and a GREAT energizer. Seems to help me keep up a steadier pace with more of a smile. Fits 800+ songs, for the hard hills I forward to faster music. Works for me.

Del Q

Critterman
01-05-2008, 10:39
I got a Sansa m250 2g w/ fm tuner and voice recorder yesterday at Circiut City for $39. It uses a "AAA" battery. The radio has 20 presets and autoscan that would come in handy for a thru hiker. Weighs 1.8 oz with the battery and earphones. Comes with an armband also but I didn't weigh it. Battery life is said to be 19 hours on alkaline. I really like it.

The Scribe
01-05-2008, 12:02
What brand is your battery powered mp3 player? How much storage? I've been looking for a non-rechargable battery mp3 player.


I bought a SanDisk MP3 player from Overstock.com. Approx $50? Uses one AAA battery. Love it. I use it at the gym mostly. When I take it hiking and try to use it I end up turning it off as I realize I didn't hike into the woods to not listen to nature. I find I listen to it briefly for weather updates.

I spend all my work day in the Apple world but I didn't by an iPod. The reason? The SanDisk has an FM tuner in it and I find I listen to the radio as much, if not more than the MP3 side. Why Apple doesn't make an iPod with a built in FM tuner is beyond me. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if they did. Although I could by 2-3 of what I have for the price of an equivalent iPod.

2Questions
01-05-2008, 18:16
I use an older Samsung that takes an AA battery...is good for about 40 hours. FM tuner and voice recorder as well. I mostly enjoy listening to podcasts from the practical backpacker.com site. It's interesting getting to know about the inventors and manufacturers of backpacking gear.

slowandlow
01-05-2008, 19:41
Another vote for the 4gig Sandisk Sansa. I mainly use it at night when going to sleep in shelters as it drowns out the farting, snoring, mice, etc and helps me wind down. It has a sleep timer you can set so it doesn't run all night and drain the battery. With a AAA energizer lithium it lasts a couple of weeks when used in this manner and is even lighter. It holds enough music that you can put it on shuffle and you wont hear the same song twice for a looooooong time. Storing songs as variable bit rate WMA's gets you about twice as many as MP3 without a perceptible loss in quality.

gulester
01-08-2008, 01:06
Ipod nano 2nd gen. worked well for me. lasted from hot springs to katahdin. I was able to increase battery life by turning off the backlight and putting it in my sleeping bag on cold nights. the battery lasted at least 30 hrs between charges. I used it mostly while hiking alone during the day between 1-5 hrs/day. It is easy enough to charge. I would kind of be cautious with anything less than 1gb of memory beucase those songs will grow old quickly and its hard to put new music on (most libraries will not let you install any software). by VA, most people had some type of mp3 player/radio. a small player is definitely worth the weigh becuase it keeps you mentally together.

Quagmire
01-08-2008, 02:17
160 GB ipod classic. good for 50-60 hours of play. My best is 54 hours, but my frind has achieved 56. Granted if i start watching movies on it then that number drops quickly.

jhick
01-08-2008, 08:40
Being a musician, sometimes I really wanna hear some music. I have a 20GB Creative Sleek Photo, it's probably not the most rugged one to carry but it will hold a lot of music and was only $150. I never start out with in on, but mainly use it when the mood strikes me.
If I'm a little tired and need a little boost, I may put on Maserati or Russian Circles (heavy instrumental bands). Allman Bros and Phish go well with the outdoors for me also. If I'm just 'winding down' Steve Kimock, Neil Young or acoustic guitar type stuff.

ps Steve Kimock is a genius.

Grumpy Ol' Pops
01-08-2008, 21:54
I use both a 40 gB and an 80 gB iPod Classic. The "80" has over 12,000 individual tracks on it at 66% of capacity and the "40" has about 6,000. I use the Apple charger for both and I've found that the batteries charge within about thirty minutes to full capacity. It's generally easy to find an electrical outlet at a diner, laundromat, or grocery, and if you ask politely, the folks there don't mind, as long as you're spending some bucks.
The 40 gB unit, loaded only with music, is for day hikes or single to double overnights, while the 80 gB is for longer sections. I use them only during breaks or at night, unless the terrain is relatively level. Then, I'll hike to some ZZ Top of Jimmy Buffett. Volume is kept low so that I can hear what's happening around me. Most of the time, I tend to wear the headphones throughout the night and listen to the type music that helps me sleep faster and better. Drowns out snoring, also!
The 80 gB also has several audiobooks and MANY different podcasts to give me much variety in choice.
Even with extended use, the batteries have lasted for a maximum of about 56 to 60 hours before needing recharging.

Bulldawg
01-08-2008, 22:45
I use both a 40 gB and an 80 gB iPod Classic. The "80" has over 12,000 individual tracks on it at 66% of capacity and the "40" has about 6,000. I use the Apple charger for both and I've found that the batteries charge within about thirty minutes to full capacity. It's generally easy to find an electrical outlet at a diner, laundromat, or grocery, and if you ask politely, the folks there don't mind, as long as you're spending some bucks.
The 40 gB unit, loaded only with music, is for day hikes or single to double overnights, while the 80 gB is for longer sections. I use them only during breaks or at night, unless the terrain is relatively level. Then, I'll hike to some ZZ Top of Jimmy Buffett. Volume is kept low so that I can hear what's happening around me. Most of the time, I tend to wear the headphones throughout the night and listen to the type music that helps me sleep faster and better. Drowns out snoring, also!
The 80 gB also has several audiobooks and MANY different podcasts to give me much variety in choice.
Even with extended use, the batteries have lasted for a maximum of about 56 to 60 hours before needing recharging.

WOW, I have an 80GB iPod Gen 3 and about 6 or 8 hours is all I get out of a charge. Maybe the battery needs replacing. Anybody know if that is possible??

PhoenixGSU
01-08-2008, 22:55
I carry a 30 gb MS Zune with me so I have something to listen to before I goto sleep. I ususally listen to it for a bit and turn it off before I pass out to save the batteries. I can't listen to it while I hike though. The sound of wind and wildlife is the only soundtrack I need.

Quagmire
01-09-2008, 02:09
WOW, I have an 80GB iPod Gen 3 and about 6 or 8 hours is all I get out of a charge. Maybe the battery needs replacing. Anybody know if that is possible??

Sure can. i would assume you can get a replacement battery from apple. It should come with a battery and a special litte white tool used to open the case. It is a PITA to exchange for sure, but if your battery life is way down from new and everything else works great, a new battery is a small price to pay. I cant remember exactly where i got my replacement battery for my 2nd gen a few years ago, just do some googling and you'll probably find that which you desire.

Mrs Baggins
01-09-2008, 07:33
Who carries an MP3 player with them? When do you listen, at night, at breaks, or while hiking? What do you listen too?

I carry a little flash drive one I have, the 40GB iPod is too heavy and needs charging to often. I listen at breaks and in the evenings, not while hiking. I listen to Corey Smith, Zac Brown, Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett, stuff like that. Just wondering................

I carry a SanDisk 1 gig mp3 and I DO listen while I hike, but only when I'm going up a hideously steep hill. When I can't hear myself breathing hard and gasping I get up that hill a whole lot easier. As soon as I reach the top I take out the earplugs. And I don't listen on the downs because I can go downhill like a billygoat. I don't need to hear the wildlife on the ups - I just need to make it up that mountainside anyway that I can.