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  1. #1

    Default Kindle on a thru hike

    Is it a good idea to bring a kindle to an early thru hike?
    On one hand it's more weight, on the other hand you can take as many books as you want.

  2. #2

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    It seems to me it would not be easy to protect the display screen, as well as other damage.

    I have an iPod Touch 5G with the Kindle app as well as other apps for reading, whatever. The iPod Touch allows making it single page and reading with it on its side. I find it slips in a button shirt pocket.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiteman View Post
    Is it a good idea to bring a kindle to an early thru hike?
    On one hand it's more weight, on the other hand you can take as many books as you want.
    its fine just keep it in a waterproof ziplock, i saw atleast two people using theirs( paper white) all the way to katahdin.

  4. #4
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    I'm a voracious reader on the trail, but I just use a Kindle App on my phone; I use an android, but I think Kindle apps are available for I-phones too. Works great, any font size you want, finger-swipe scroll, I even use my phone Kindle at home now in lieu of my actual Kindle.

    Put it in white-letters-on-dark-background to minimize battery use.

    One device fits all! Phone, camera, reader. 6 ounces of bliss plus two extra 0.9 ounce batteries.

  5. #5

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    You really can't compare the iPhone/iPad/pod touch/full-color tablet to a Kindle Paperwhite. You can look at an iPhone the wrong way and it'll crack the screen. The Paperwhite (I have the earlier 3? version without a backlight) is completely diesel. I won't say indestructible, but I loaned it to my brother and it came back to me with what looked like knife scratches on the screen, and plastic chips off the back case, and a year later it's still going strong. Battery life is also amazing on a Kindle. I'm lucky to get a couple hours of reading out of any other device with a full-color backlit screen (minus a full size iPad, but those are heavy and you're most likely not going to bring one on the trail).

  6. #6

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    The only thing that accidently scratched my iPod Touch was the plastic jacket pocket zipper.

    I may suppose that plastic zippers will scratch the display. It is a caution, true or not.

  7. #7

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    I have taken my Paperwhite on 300+ miles of hiking and have never felt like I was going to break it. Just shove it into a waterproof bag and place on the top of the pack where nothing heavy will be on top of it.

    A single charge on my Paperwhite will last me for a month of reading.

  8. #8
    Thru-hiker 2013 NoBo CarlZ993's Avatar
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    I saw several hikers in 2013 carry them on their thru-hikes. Wished I had mine at times. A friend used hers in 2012. She cracked the screen somehow & had to replace it. The Paperwhite version (or even the newer Voyage) have long battery lifes & back-lit viewing. No need to use your headlamp to read in the dark. Smart phones can be an option but their viewing size is limited (unless you have one of those monster-sized phones).

    It comes down to what you are willing to carry. Weight adds up & stuff will break.
    2013 AT Thru-hike: 3/21 to 8/19
    Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...t1M/edit#gid=0

  9. #9

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    Yea, not a problem. Get a padded case or even just a bubble mailer envelope will do. Just don't sit on your pack or put it in a place you won't crush it if you do.

    For best battery life get the paper white. I carried the first Kindle Fire for a while but since I can't afford a smart phone and have no need for one , I have switched out to a Galaxy Tab 3 since it has all the nice tablet features like GPS, camera, micro SD slot, etc.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  10. #10
    Registered User Hikes in Rain's Avatar
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    Encase your Paperwhite in one of these. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Lite weight and armor plated.

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    I have a bunch of them. I've currently dusted of the Kindle Keyboard with Wifi &3G I have and am planning on using it for these reasons.

    It will download books on the AT&T network for free. No Wifi needed.

    It can send emails also through the *.kindle.com address assigned to it for free with no WIFI signal

    Super light and most compact of all I have (Fire, Fire HD, Kindle 1, etc) at 285 grams.

    It doesn't have the backlight but the battery seems good for long term and I have started using lithium long lasting batteries in my headlight. Sleeping bag for only a bit is my reading to be done at night. I do enjoy a good warm daytime break and reading a bit also.

    Don't get me wrong, I want a paperwhite but can't decide which one!

  12. #12
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dochartaigh View Post
    You really can't compare the iPhone/iPad/pod touch/full-color tablet to a Kindle Paperwhite. You can look at an iPhone the wrong way and it'll crack the screen.
    Not my experience at all. I own a paper white kindle, fine little device, but I can read on my android phone just great, saves a bunch of weight vs. carrying two devices, though most on here don't consider 9.5 ounces (incl. case) a bunch of weight. I do. At least try using a Kindle app on your phone before messing with an extra device, like the Kindle. The android kindle app is just damn great (again, not sure about the iPhone version). Again, I have basically stopped using my Kindle because the phone is so easy to read with. And I have slowly-failing old-man eyes.

    My kindle paper white weighs 7.4 ounces, it's case, 2.1.

    I've been carrying smart phones for what, 8 years now and never ever broke one, though I've dropped them a couple times, thankfully not too dramatically. I did break my original Kindle, dropped it on the floor, it went haywired, never bothered to fix it because the paper white seemed like a better device anyway.

  13. #13
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    It just occurred to me... you might have to buy a Kindle first before Amazon will link your Kindle library to a cell phone App... sorry, I had forgotten this little detail. Still, buy a Kindle (the PW is perfect IMHO, the Fire eats batteries), then once you have some books on it, download the Kindle app to your phone (free), log into your amazon account and link your phone (easy and free) and check it out. Play with the settings, I like white letters on black background, no light required to read and you can adjust the letter light way way down for reading in the dark, further saving battery life. I automatically flips portrait/landscape, has a bunch of fonts, whatever size you want, whatever spacing, just like on the actual Kindle. If you have never compared both side by side, don't say "they cannot be compared".

  14. #14
    Registered User vamelungeon's Avatar
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    As cheap as a paperwhite Kindle is now, why not? Just reading books with the thing in airplane mode will let the battery last a long time, much longer than a phone. I've taken mine on short hikes but I haven't thru hiked, but as a dedicated reader if I ever get to thru hike I'll have one with me.
    "You're a nearsighted, bitter old fool."

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    As an avid reader, love to have material available to peruse. But honestly, I have found that at the end of the long hiking day after making camp, eating, checking gear, all I care to read is the next day's trail map, and then off to blissful sleep.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    Not my experience at all. I own a paper white kindle, fine little device, but I can read on my android phone just great, saves a bunch of weight vs. carrying two devices, though most on here don't consider 9.5 ounces (incl. case) a bunch of weight.

    I recommended the Kindle over a phone for reading because if the OP is talking about bringing a Kindle with them on a through hike then I can only assume they like to read, a lot. And if they read a lot, even one of those giant smartphones with the biggest battery available isn't going to last through reading much of a normal length book at all before the battery dies. That's going to mean you have to recharge your smartphone, and recharge it often.


    I can only go by the Kindle I have (which I just googled the "D001100" model, and it's saying it's 4th gen, no touch screen or backlight) and it weighs 5.95 ounces. With my experience with it's crazy durability, it certainly doesn't need a case (just chuck it in the dry bag my down gear is in).


    When I compare the Kindle to my lightest USB cell phone charger –which is 3200mah and 3.76 ounces; and will charge my iPhone 1.5x times– the Kindle is still going to last the weight of several of those USB chargers in regards to battery life, thus will be a lighter overall system. Even if I bring my larger 12,000mah (think I get around ~6 charges out of that) USB charger, I'm at 8.71 ounces for that beast...and I would still bet the Kindle will outlast the smartphone + giant battery pack (and all those recharges) on a single charge. HYOY though - this could very well not matter if you’re stopping into town as often as you can to recharge everything, or don’t read much, but this hopefully gives those voracious readers out there something to think about.

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    I'm pretty much an electronics idiot, but I am capable of learning. The Kindle Paperwhite sound good. Seems as there are several variations. What does the WiFi feature do? Which one do you suggest I get and from where? I don't have a smart phone, and don't plan on getting one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by July View Post
    As an avid reader, love to have material available to peruse. But honestly, I have found that at the end of the long hiking day after making camp, eating, checking gear, all I care to read is the next day's trail map, and then off to blissful sleep.
    Addendum; I usually start at sunrise, and stop at sunset or little after. During the summer hiking season on the AT, it's a purty long day.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    It just occurred to me... you might have to buy a Kindle first before Amazon will link your Kindle library to a cell phone App... sorry, I had forgotten this little detail. Still, buy a Kindle (the PW is perfect IMHO, the Fire eats batteries), then once you have some books on it, download the Kindle app to your phone (free), log into your amazon account and link your phone (easy and free) and check it out. Play with the settings, I like white letters on black background, no light required to read and you can adjust the letter light way way down for reading in the dark, further saving battery life. I automatically flips portrait/landscape, has a bunch of fonts, whatever size you want, whatever spacing, just like on the actual Kindle. If you have never compared both side by side, don't say "they cannot be compared".
    No. You dont need a kindle, all you need is app. It automatcally syncs with amazon acct. I have never had a kindle device, no reason to. App runs on pc, tablet, phone.

  20. #20
    Thru-hiker 2013 NoBo CarlZ993's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CarlZ993 View Post
    I saw several hikers in 2013 carry them on their thru-hikes. Wished I had mine at times. A friend used hers in 2012. She cracked the screen somehow & had to replace it. The Paperwhite version (or even the newer Voyage) have long battery lifes & back-lit viewing. No need to use your headlamp to read in the dark. Smart phones can be an option but their viewing size is limited (unless you have one of those monster-sized phones).

    It comes down to what you are willing to carry. Weight adds up & stuff will break.
    Forgot to mention that you can check out electronic books from your local library (assuming your library has electronic books & you have a local library card/account). On trips, I'll check-out a few books (up to 3) & then put my Kindle on airplane mode. The books will stay on my device long after the 2-weeks are up. Get to a new town & grab a computer (library?), sign on to your library account, turn on your wi-fi to your Kindle (log on to the wi-fi system where you're at), the 'old' books disappear, & check out some new ones. No money spent. Turn off your Kindle's wi-fi. Repeat as often as necessary.
    2013 AT Thru-hike: 3/21 to 8/19
    Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...t1M/edit#gid=0

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