View Full Version : Hiking with an ipod???
ShelterLeopard
10-21-2009, 18:48
So lately, I've been seeing lots of people hike while listening to their ipods. When I did my two week section this past summer, I must've seen at least five people listening to ipods in one day. Is it just me, or does this stike anyone else as a bit weird?
It might be just me- I'm pretty anti-technology, especially on trail, but it seems like it would be not at all like hiking to spend all day listening to an ipod. I mean, it could make a bad day go by a little faster, but I dunno... Thoughts??? :-?
Jester2000
10-21-2009, 18:53
I've seen a lot of people wearing them. I kind of want to hear nature around me while I'm hiking, particularly if that nature rattles at me before biting. But the wind is nice, too, and deer in the woods, and silence.
I love music, but I also love how much I really, really want to hear it when I hit town. I guess I'm one of those deprive-yourself-of-something-so-you-appreciate-it-more people. I feel the same way about flush toilets.
That said, the right music could, I suppose, be really motivational when going uphill, or when trying to pound out the last few miles of a long day.
RedneckRye
10-21-2009, 19:43
For me, after several days or weeks or months on the trail, my MP3 player gives me something to listen to other that the voices that eventually crowd out the sounds of nature.
Also, there is nothing better that walking thru the mid-atlantic states and listening to traffic reports of 45 minute delays on all inbound routes.
I once listened to an entire 500 mile NASCAR race as I walked 7 miles.
I only had one pit stop, but it did take longer that 15 seconds.
An iPod seems a bit inconvenient, as it needs to be recharged via an USB connector.
I know that I will be bummed when my old old old RCA Lyra finally dies.
It runs on a single AAA battery, has an FM receiver, and accepts SD cards so that I can be sent new music in my mail drops.
ChinMusic
10-21-2009, 19:59
An iPod seems a bit inconvenient, as it needs to be recharged via an USB connector.
iPhones, and I assume iPods, can be charged with AA batteries thru an item such as: http://www.thepocketsolution.com/PSI-45407/3g+iPhone+AA+Battery+Booster.html
It weighs next to nothing and, yes, it does work. Just carry a few extra lithium AAs.
I carry my iPhone but don't listen much during the day. If a section is especially boring, or the mood strikes me, I may listen to some tunes, podcast, or book while hiking. But for the most part, I like to listen to nature.
I love the iPhone before I go to sleep. Audio books and podcasts are just a nice way to top off the day....for me.
Walkie Talkie
10-21-2009, 20:24
I don't hike without it. I reserve the batteries for the end of the day or at night while relaxing. I usually take it out of my ear when I see someone so I can at least say Hi and not look like some snob.
I have one: the iPod Touch.
I have Orange Gadgets i360 GPS and xGPS software, for it. I love it.
I have useful "apps" including Topo Maps, Star Walk, iBird and more, and reading material.
I find I do not read, but if I wanted to I could.
I do not have music (well, okay 5 selections jazz, one music video) because I do not listen to music, unless I am in my car.
I do not listen to music on-the-trail because I want to hear everything: it is important I hear anything and everything that gives me a hint what animals may be around, e.g. bears, mountain lions, anything and, yes, you can "hear" when everything goes silent.
I used mine during a weeklong section hike last month. I prefer to listen to the sound of "nothing" while hiking, but there were moments that I was tired and needed a boost to get over a particularly tough climb, and pulling out my ipod for 30-60 minutes did the trick every time. For me, it was kind of like an instant energy shot.
I use my Ipod in the hammock at night
Cabin Fever
10-21-2009, 21:26
I used mine during a weeklong section hike last month. I prefer to listen to the sound of "nothing" while hiking, but there were moments that I was tired and needed a boost to get over a particularly tough climb, and pulling out my ipod for 30-60 minutes did the trick every time. For me, it was kind of like an instant energy shot.
I concur. I use an iPod nano that fits in my hip belt pocket easily.
ChinMusic
10-21-2009, 21:52
I used mine during a weeklong section hike last month. I prefer to listen to the sound of "nothing" while hiking, but there were moments that I was tired and needed a boost to get over a particularly tough climb, and pulling out my ipod for 30-60 minutes did the trick every time. For me, it was kind of like an instant energy shot.
Put it better than I did. I do feel "stronger" while listening to music and seem to go faster without thinking about it. It's like the feet have to keep up with the beat.
I carry mine usually and listen for say an hour or two during the day. I turn it down so I can still hear ambient noise, birds, etc. but also enjoy the music. I also have a very small am-fm radio. That's nice to have at night since I generally hike solo.
Lone Wolf
10-21-2009, 23:29
Is it just me, or does this stike anyone else as a bit weird?
It might be just me- I'm pretty anti-technology, especially on trail, but it seems like it would be not at all like hiking to spend all day listening to an ipod. I mean, it could make a bad day go by a little faster, but I dunno... Thoughts??? :-?
no weirder than hikers with cell phones.
Nicksaari
10-21-2009, 23:38
i keep my ipod stocked with great episodes of This American Life, Radio lab, Prairie home companion along with most of my music. i only listen at night, and rotate or incorporate a good paperback book. and when its off to bed, its strictly EAR PLUGS all the way.
Depending on my mood, I'll listen to my iPod shuffle. I have the new shuffle that is as small as a paper clip. I love nature and love music. Most of the time though, I'll go without music, but it ain't no sin to listen to music on the trail! Plus, most of the music I listen to is bluegrass/old timey music/folk... it feels appropriate when I hike the trail :)
If Verizon comes out with the iPhone, I'll probably thru-hike with an iPhone next year.
njordan2
10-22-2009, 00:22
One of the pleasures I get from hiking is blowing the cobwebs out of my head. For me another techno gadget would defeat the purpose.
However, I am not above turning on the radio in my head!
Different Socks
10-22-2009, 02:27
It's funny to me that you see so many IPOD's on the trail these days. I was laughed at on the AT and the PCT b/c I carried a small radio on the AT and a tape player/radio on the PCT.
But ya know what? After a dozen or more people suddenly acquired radio/players following a 3 foot blizzard in the Smokies, and others on the PCT started asking me for my Walkman so they could endure long hours tent bound, nobody was laughing any more...........funny that!
I'd also like to add that when I carried the radio on the AT, I'd listen for hours and miles upon miles of walking. Then I'd listen even more later in the evening. Pretty much did the same on the PCT and other long hikes. But awhile back, I began to realize how much of my auditory environment I was missing, b/c I had music drowning it all out. Now when I am on the trail, I only use music to set a pace, a mood or to get me thru long uphills and boring section of roadwalks.
There have been many, many times, that music has actually enhanced my experience on a hike. One particular morning on the PCT, I had walked off trail to go down to Yosemite Valley to p/u a food box. Along the way I climbed Half Dome and watched the sunrise from the top. No one else up there, just me, the rock, the sun and the sky. I listened to "Wolf Eyes" and "Natural States", two beautiful New Age tapes. Now whenever I hear that music, I am transported back to that place.
So yes, I take music, b/c it's become a prt of every one of my hikes.
Wise Old Owl
10-22-2009, 02:37
i keep my ipod stocked with great episodes of This American Life, Radio lab, Prairie home companion along with most of my music. i only listen at night, and rotate or incorporate a good paperback book. and when its off to bed, its strictly EAR PLUGS all the way.
You and I have a lot in common, However I don't own a Ipod, I stuffed all the songs, talk & shows into the cell phone.... and got a spare battery.
Lately I have been posting to WB from the woods on my cell. 3G Rocks... & 4G is around the corner.
i take my ipod everywhere...even hiking!:)
Lemni Skate
10-22-2009, 05:46
When I listen I shuffle the songs on this list.
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/mattymath/4500_great_songs_from_rock_and_closely_related_gen res_
I only listen on long hikes (5 days or more), and then usually only once in a while when I really need some motivation to get up a hill or to make it to that last shelter.
I always take the headphones off when I see someone approaching.
A few minutes in the tent at night also.
nitewalker
10-22-2009, 07:29
i have used the ipod in the past but not during the day while hiking. i use it mostly after camp is set. i sometimes turned it on for lunch or a break. i found the ipod has limitations. i now use a radio that has am/fm, weather band and the old audio tv stations that now do not exist, oh well. i use this device in the same manner as the ipod. im a big sports nut and the ipod is useless for sports unless you have the ipod touch with all the perks and a reliable signal..
i recently bought a satelite radio from sirrus radio called the stalletto and this thing records music, uses internet and satellite signals. the battery charge will last two weeks with moderate use. i have yet to bring it on the trail but i will give it a test run soon. im curious how it will pick up the satellit signals in the woods. i have teasted it around haere where i live and it has no problems with a small window for the signal...
hiking with the music on just doesnt feel rite "most" of the time but not all.....
bulldog49
10-22-2009, 09:47
The only sound I care to hear when I'm hiking is the sound of nature. Don't need an Ipod for that.
I use my iPod Touch for my hiking work outs. When I get on the trail for a work out and have a lighter pack the iPod music keeps my pace up. I also use the stopwatch function to time my hike so I can track my progress. (I hike a mountain once every weekend for a workout).
Jester2000
10-22-2009, 10:59
The only sound I care to hear when I'm hiking is the sound of nature. Don't need an Ipod for that.
You could load your iPod with nature sounds.
ShelterLeopard
10-22-2009, 11:00
I used mine during a weeklong section hike last month. I prefer to listen to the sound of "nothing" while hiking, but there were moments that I was tired and needed a boost to get over a particularly tough climb, and pulling out my ipod for 30-60 minutes did the trick every time. For me, it was kind of like an instant energy shot.
That makes a lot of sense- I personally find it weird that anyone would hike with an ipod on for the entire day (and I read at night, I like to hear nothing- and I like to keep an ear out for animals), but I could imagine it might help a lot on one of those stretches where you think you must've hiked five miles and you still haven't gone two.
And I find people talking on cell phones weird too- I hike to get away from all that. I only ever turn my phone on in towns (maybe I'll call home once from the trail if no one is around and if I haven't let my family know I'm still alive for a week).
ShelterLeopard
10-22-2009, 11:04
And I didn't think about being stuck in the snow- of course, that's not as much of a problem on the AT, though I wil be starting in February... I'm kinda considering bringing it along now...
Lone Wolf
10-22-2009, 11:04
well get used to it. ipods, cell phones, SPOTs, blackberries, blueberries and dingleberries are part of the AT these days
Jester2000
10-22-2009, 11:06
well get used to it. ipods, cell phones, SPOTs, blackberries, blueberries and dingleberries are part of the AT these days
Hahahahaha! What kind of Aps are available for dingleberries?
Lone Wolf
10-22-2009, 11:07
Hahahahaha! What kind of Aps are available for dingleberries?
Tucks pads
Rocket Jones
10-22-2009, 11:09
I think dingleberries have been around lots longer than ipods.
Lone Wolf
10-22-2009, 11:12
What kind of Aps are available
i didn't know what "Aps" were til a few days ago. i don't own any electronic gadgets and never will
ShelterLeopard
10-22-2009, 11:21
I can't bring myself to bring it- it feels sacrilegious. And I am trying to escape from technology. And wolf might eat me... And like Jester, I'm into the whole self deprivation of the trail. Those chocolate milkshakes wouldn't taste nearly as good if I could have them whenever!
Seriously though, ni ipod for me- it'd bad enough to have my cell phone in my pack, I don't need anything else. (The only way I made sure my family didn't sedate me and implant a tracking device in my head is by promising I'll bring my cell phone...)
Lone Wolf
10-22-2009, 11:33
I can't bring myself to bring it- it feels sacrilegious. And I am trying to escape from technology. And wolf might eat me... And like Jester, I'm into the whole self deprivation of the trail. Those chocolate milkshakes wouldn't taste nearly as good if I could have them whenever!
Seriously though, ni ipod for me- it'd bad enough to have my cell phone in my pack, I don't need anything else. (The only way I made sure my family didn't sedate me and implant a tracking device in my head is by promising I'll bring my cell phone...)
leave the cell at home. it's useless most of the time. there's plenty of pay phones along the way
Brass Rat
10-22-2009, 11:33
I've seen a lot of people wearing them. I kind of want to hear nature around me while I'm hiking, particularly if that nature rattles at me before biting. But the wind is nice, too, and deer in the woods, and silence.
I love music, but I also love how much I really, really want to hear it when I hit town. I guess I'm one of those deprive-yourself-of-something-so-you-appreciate-it-more people. I feel the same way about flush toilets.
That said, the right music could, I suppose, be really motivational when going uphill, or when trying to pound out the last few miles of a long day.
I'm also all about listening to the sounds of nature. That said, I usually have some song playing in my head anyway (sometimes for hours). One time I got stuck on "Black Hole Sun" during an extended uphill... problem is, the tempo tends to shift down to whatever is my walking pace, which makes the music kind of weird when I'm walking reeeaaally sloooooww.
ShelterLeopard
10-22-2009, 11:38
leave the cell at home. it's useless most of the time. there's plenty of pay phones along the way
I agreed to bring it for two reasons:
One, I don't have to wait to use the pay phone in town (and my cell is free, for me).
Two, I figured if I com across someone with a broken ankle on the trail, maybe it would be useful. I dunno though, there should be plenty of people out there, maybe I won't bring it...
Don't the ears buds get weird if you sweat up your ear? Serious ? from a nopod.
Don't the ears buds get weird if you sweat up your ear? Serious ? from a nopod.theres different kinds of earbuds! i use the kind that fit inside your ear canal.(skullcandy) no sweat!:D
schnikel
10-22-2009, 12:49
I got an I-pod as a gift last christmas so I brought it along with me on a Georgia AT section hike in March. The thing never left my bag- wasted weight (though not much; they are light) I just never felt like I wanted it.
Schnikel
Jester2000
10-22-2009, 13:15
leave the cell at home. it's useless most of the time. there's plenty of pay phones along the way
Tragically, the days of payphones running wild and free through every street in every town have come to an end, and payphones are now an endangered species.
Due mainly to cell phones (an invasive species) killing them off.
I listen to my ipod at night before I close my eyes..charge it during the day with a solar charger..but now that I got the iphone i'll leave the pod at home. charger will still work for the phone
I enjoyed carrying my mp3 player on the trail. Man it made some the bigger grunt climbs breeze by................
Of course, eating a Jolly Rancher and listening to some Old Crow Medicine Show will do wonders for just about any ol' soul.
Slo-go'en
10-22-2009, 14:14
MP3 players of one kind or another have become very, very popular on the trail. I tend to use mine late in the day to help put a little spring back into my step.
As for the sounds of nature, often that is just the sound of your foot steps and heavy breathing as you stomp up the trail. MP3 players can also be handy for drowing out some less desirable sounds of nature, like someones exessively loud snoring.
As for leaving technology home, unless you go butt naked into the woods, your bringing pleanty of advanced technology with you anyway.
Speaking of going butt naked into the woods, I once saw a book about a guy who actually did that. Was back in the 1920's or there abouts. First picture in the book was of him starting to rip his clothes off, getting ready to step into the wilderness of Maine, in June no less. Apprently, he managed to live through the summer and write the book about it. Don't think you could get away with doing something like that today..
ShelterLeopard
10-22-2009, 15:27
Tragically, the days of payphones running wild and free through every street in every town have come to an end, and payphones are now an endangered species.
Due mainly to cell phones (an invasive species) killing them off.
That's what worried me. (And I never like asking to use a hostel owners phone, especially for long distance. Even offering to pay for the call, it still seems weird.)
faarside
10-22-2009, 15:35
I do use an MP3/WMA player while hiking, but only occasionally. Perhaps when I need "inspiration", or perhaps when I am looking at a beautiful panorama, I may listen to some instrumental music of the Andes. I WILL NOT, however, pop in the ear buds and leave them in listening to music or radio constantly as it defeats my main desire, which is to fully appreciate nature and the outdoors by listening to IT (the sounds of nature).
Rambler1
10-22-2009, 19:08
I prefer to keep my ears open so I can hear the heavy breathing and pounding of bears or perhaps the every so slight twig breaking of mountain lions sneaking up on me. Plus it can't compete with the voices in my head....
ChinMusic
10-22-2009, 19:14
I prefer to keep my ears open so I can hear the heavy breathing and pounding of bears or perhaps the every so slight twig breaking of mountain lions sneaking up on me. Plus it can't compete with the voices in my head....
OK, Bryson...........:D
pafarmboy
10-22-2009, 19:32
Ipod touch. Don't use it during the day. But in camp....Chess app, book downloads, music to drown out night noises. Internet access when in town.......could go on and on.
Why WOULDN'T you carry one IMO.
They are great for camp use!
ShelterLeopard
10-24-2009, 00:59
Ipod touch. Don't use it during the day. But in camp....Chess app, book downloads, music to drown out night noises. Internet access when in town.......could go on and on.
Why WOULDN'T you carry one IMO.
Cause that kind of stuff I don't want when I'm hiking. That's just how I am. I like my issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction before bed (maybe even a real book), and if anything electronic, a small handheld radio. But I'm not even going to bring one of those this time.
Why WOULDN'T you carry one IMO.
Hmm..never thought of playing chess in camp or drowning out the sounds of nature.
I must confess, I kill time in camp in a very Luddite kind of way.
Talking, writing in my journal, enjoying the sunset, etc/
Old fogey stuff, granted. But it works.
Walkie Talkie
10-24-2009, 04:49
It's funny how on the trail it seems like every other hiker has erbuds in and on here they almost seem taboo. Maybe it is because in here there are people talking more about being with nature then actually getting out. I've heard nature and it doesn't sound that great to tell you the truth.
Ramble~On
10-24-2009, 13:27
Listening to "nature" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is nice. My iPod rates somewhere in the top 3 of my favorite gear items. Yeah, it's a piece of gear same as a tent or stove. I carried a small AA charger and tips for my phone and the iPod...lithium battieries are amazing and my stuff was always charged.
Having music along made the hike! Nature has it's own music and I don't feel that I missed a thing by using an ipod once in a while. After so much listening to nature, it's nice to listen to something else.
So lately, I've been seeing lots of people hike while listening to their ipods. When I did my two week section this past summer, I must've seen at least five people listening to ipods in one day. Is it just me, or does this stike anyone else as a bit weird?
It might be just me- I'm pretty anti-technology, especially on trail, but it seems like it would be not at all like hiking to spend all day listening to an ipod. I mean, it could make a bad day go by a little faster, but I dunno... Thoughts??? :-?
It's just you.
I'm not anti-tech, but I'm pretty pro nature. Sleeping in a hammock or tent near shelters, I don't have to contend with snoring (except my own), and don't have any desire to drown out the sounds of the night.
But - to each his/her own.
If you're a solo hiker that's probably part of the reason you feel the way you do. I usually go into the woods to see, hear, smell, touch, (ok, not really to taste) nature. It's a personal retreat for me, so I guess maybe it's not just you :-?:o.
pafarmboy
10-24-2009, 18:20
Hmm..never thought of playing chess in camp or drowning out the sounds of nature.
People snoring like a freight train aren't nature sounds, they are 'night noises' noone enjoys.
People snoring like a freight train aren't nature sounds, they are 'night noises' noone enjoys.
...see why Tinman and I do not camp in shelters. :)
I am not anti-Ipod..but, "music to drown out night noises" when I am camped out seems one of the more odd reasons to carry a device to go out camping.
If you are worried about snoring, well..there is a good reason to not use a shelter.
YMMV.
pafarmboy
10-24-2009, 19:21
...see why Tinman and I do not camp in shelters. :)
I am not anti-Ipod..but, "music to drown out night noises" when I am camped out seems one of the more odd reasons to carry a device to go out camping.
If you are worried about snoring, well..there is a good reason to not use a shelter.
YMMV.
Apparently you have never hiked thru GSMNP.
ChinMusic
10-24-2009, 19:23
Apparently you have never hiked thru GSMNP.
Easy. Many veterans just chill around the shelter until it fills up and then set up their shelter legally. No one says a thru has to set up as soon as they get there.
Even then it's only 4-6 days. They can suck it up.
Apparently you have never hiked thru GSMNP.
Check out my website. Let me know what you find. ;)
I'm glad you love your totchke...but there are many valid reasons why to not take one (as you originally asked).
As I said, I'm a Luddite, though. I actually like the night noises found in the park.
YMMV.
Blue Jay
10-24-2009, 20:10
Why WOULDN'T you carry one IMO.
I prefer direct experience. Recycled stale culture does nothing for me.
Dances with Mice
10-25-2009, 15:43
I carry a tiny FM/Weather band radio but don't listen to it very much. Not all the voices in my head like the same station.
Wise Old Owl
10-26-2009, 08:59
Ray you have to stop listening to her & her freinds, try "what?" more often!:-?
Lemni Skate
02-05-2010, 11:44
I have a recording of "nature sounds" I like to listen to on my i-pod.
I carried a $5 walmart radio/headphone special. I consider a radio an integral part of my hikes. Obviously, a radio is helpful when you are stuck in your tent or at night. I like sports, so listening to baseball games at night when I am not tired enough to fall asleep is a real pleasure. But also, a radio gives you a taste of the area you are hiking thru. Especially, AM radio. There are some fantastic bluegrass/gospel stations down south that even the most agnostic person couldn't resist. You get the local news, the flavor, and the music that each community likes to hear. Weather updates. Once heard about a community festival in Falls Village, CT that turned out to be a blast. Little stuff like that.
I don't really get carrying an iPod, but only because, no matter how many songs it held, I would feel like I was hearing the same stuff over and over.
I have a recording of "nature sounds" I like to listen to on my i-pod.
HAA!!!!!!!!!! Coffee all over my computer screen from that one. HA!
:banana
Lucy Lulu
02-05-2010, 13:58
A good friend of mine, also a long distance hiker, ALWAYS has the ear buds going when we hike. She is competitive, loves to do the big miles, and the music really motivates her, and enhances the experience for her. I have no problem with it. If we hike together, I take my time and we meet up periodically and chat. If nothing else, I rather like the solitude.
Mostly, I hike solo though, and quit using them long ago, mostly to increase the wildlife experiences, or in some cases deter them. I tried using a little FM radio on the AT to listen to NPR, but a quick rattler in the Shenandoah's helped me to further consider, and ultimately, decide against the use of the radio. I've also found that I often hear large animals before I see them. Many of my bear encounters have been heard before they were seen, due to branches breaking or rocks falling. I also love the elk bugles, loon calls, and hawk and eagle screams.
I've no problem with the electronic gadgets on the trails. I think for a lot of people music does enhance the experience depending on their type of hiking.
You do miss some of the trail with earbuds, animals, wind, streams, even silence has a pleasure.
But by myself in a hammock on a restless night helps me relax sometimes.
As you transition from the techno world to the natural world over a period of weeks, you may feel less inclined to canned music.
Everybody is different.
SassyWindsor
02-05-2010, 15:40
............I kind of want to hear nature around me while I'm hiking, particularly if that nature rattles at me before biting. But the wind is nice, too, and deer in the woods, and silence..........
You obviously don't hike with a dog. If there is a dog nearby (especially an unleashed one) you'll see zero wildlife, except maybe the rattler, they don't seem to be afraid of dogs. I'd much rather see someone with an mp3 or iphone.
Jester2000
02-05-2010, 15:44
You obviously don't hike with a dog. If there is a dog nearby (especially an unleashed one) you'll see zero wildlife, except maybe the rattler, they don't seem to be afraid of dogs. I'd much rather see someone with an mp3 or iphone.
Nope. No dog, and that's one of the many reasons. The number one reason is that I don't have a dog.
jeremyduncan
02-05-2010, 17:29
MP3 players are improved technology just like more efficient pack designs, or using lighter materials to make gear.
Jester2000
02-05-2010, 17:36
MP3 players are improved technology just like more efficient pack designs, or using lighter materials to make gear.
True for some. Particularly if you've carried heavier music players in the past, or didn't carry them at all due to weight or size.
For other people it's unnecessary technology.
JustaTouron
02-05-2010, 17:36
It's funny how on the trail it seems like every other hiker has erbuds in and on here they almost seem taboo. Maybe it is because in here there are people talking more about being with nature then actually getting out. I've heard nature and it doesn't sound that great to tell you the truth.
I am not anti anyone else using them, I just won't personnally. And this thread seems to be about 50-50, users/non-users just like your observations.
I am not thrilled with folks who bring boom boxes into the woods.