Not sure why I need to add my .02 here, except I am delaying shoveling....
Phones - Won't take immersion of flipping into cold water and if waterproof phones haven't improved since my son's, then saltwater doesn't count (yes 70% of the planet).
There are some places that I want something I can beat the tar out of, physically and in weather or conditions I don't want to be in, and it still will work, it's certainly not a cellphone.
I hope I am not being perceived as unfair to Nessmuk -
Tim
I hope I am not being perceived as unfair to Nessmuk - merely presenting a counter argument. If it works for him, that is great. It used to work for me, but does not any longer....
Tim
Plenty of phone cases out there from LifeProof, Otter and others that are waterproof and pretty hard core from a damage point of view. And most phones now have gorilla glass and other comparable heavy duty glass. Your phone isn't nearly as flimsy as you think it is.
And from someone who used to buy and recharge AA and AAA batteries for all his stuff, the rechargeable lithium ion batteries in most modern stuff hold a charge way longer and recharge way easier than your old fashioned Duracell clunkers. And for a modest weight (far less than the weight of a bunch of spare AA's) you can carry a back up USB charger on you that will recharge all of your toys many times over before it requires it's own recharge. I switched over all my stuff years ago.
EDIT: I would add to that my more recent Garmin products (GPS and InReach) don't really strike me as being all that "bulletproof". I would have the same concerns with these devices as I do with my phone. Not sure why we are automatically assuming that just because it's a GPS means it is indestructable.
Yup. Our friend Nessmuck is a very experienced outdoorsman with a long history of involvement in backcountry navigation and education.
But there is a new segment of folks involved in hiking that have never used anything but phone-based apps on the trail. To them compass, GPS units and paper maps are unknowns. Their ever-present phone is the center of their connected life. Using it for hiking means just another "app" to download and is a reflex response.
It is these folks and others who have flocked to AllTrails and Gaia during the Covid-driven outdoor boom. And Outside Inc. sees the opportunity to reach them by acquiring a phone navigation App company.
You forgot Vinyl.That's been true forever in just about any space. First it was the 8 track, then VHS and cassette tape, and records, and now CDs and DVDs... Cars, bicycles, skis, ..., 2-stroke, 4-stroke, battery, ... gas/diesel, electric... you name it...
The mobile phone has revolutionized my business and many, many others. In my case, it has also replaced specialized, purpose-built devices. The main advantage being that everyone has one so the market is that big.
Tim
I said "records" in the post you quoted and included "vinyl" in post #23
Tim
I can't wait until those folks can safely go back to Disney, Cruises, plays and other places where people used to go in high density settings. I liked being anti-social not being a trend-setter in Social distancing.![]()
Dude, I know EXACTLY how you feel.
That’s the same way us kids who were in da woods before you showed up feel!!
Check the Otter guarantee... A friend dropped his (5 or so years ago) I believe in a rocky brook, the case failed, the phone was ruined.
Anybody remember the great Backpacking Revolution?
It occurred in the early 1970s and catapulted Kelly, Sierra Designs into household names.
Gas shortages and recession and still they came to the hills.
I was part of that uptick in use and faced the same Johnny-Come-lately sentiment expressed today.
What to do? Welcome them, educate them and turn them into advocates for the land.
Unfortunately I don't see it going back to where it was pre pandemic. A lot of the overuse was already happening before Covid. The shear rush of adrenaline while taking a selfie on the summit of a mountain is just too addicting for most already hooked to give up. What concerns me is the onslaught of unsolicited help information that is out there on social media that is not always spot on. Exacerbating that is that most of the folks that are doing so are now self proclaimed experts because they have hiked the 48. Not to mention their lack of humility. Thing is not all of them are 20 somethings. Lots of folks over 50 that never did much hiking a couple of years ago whom have now become self proclaimed experts. I certainly would be hesitant on a subject like GPS vs Cell Phones on FB. Lots of good info here on this subject. Personally I use both devices but one or other depending on the application. I'm no expert but having both certainly gives some level of redundancy in most situations.
Dude, I know EXACTLY how you feel.
That’s the same way us kids who were in da woods before you showed up feel!!
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