Podcast 112 | The Analog Backcountry Experience
together with Vaer Watches
This episode is sponsored by Vaer Watches, home to beautifully designed, extremely durable, expedition-worthy wristwatches masterfully crafted in the USA.
From Day 1 Vaer has had a simple mission: build watches that can be trusted anywhere, including the most extreme outdoor environments. Over the years we've had the opportunity to continually put this ethos to the test, working with explorers and athletes who have continued to showcase the unique appeal of extreme durability, and timeless design.
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Show Notes
In episode 112 of the Backpacking Light podcast, we’re going to learn about the analog Backcountry experience and some of the gear that can help feed your need for a digital-free backcountry life.
In this Episode:
What’s New at Backpacking Light?
- New Masterclass: The Science and Performance of Outdoor Fabric Structures and their Impacts on Moisture and Heat.
- November 13, 2024 – Webinar: The Science and Performance of Fibers in Outdoor Base Layer Clothing, Part 1: Natural vs. Synthetic Fibers.
- December 5, 2024 – Live Online Course: Minimalist Footwear: Design, Materials, Technologies, & Performance for Multi-Day Backpacking.
- Learn More: Find information about all of our upcoming Member Q&As, Webinars, Live Courses, other live events, and more on our Events Calendar Page.
Featured Brands and Products
- Vaer C5 Tactical Field Solar Watch
- Silva Expedition Neo Compass
- Field Notes Expedition Notebook
- Fisher Stowaway Space Pen
The Vaer C5 Tactical Field Solar features a sapphire face cover, 316L stainless steel body, and a Japanese Epson VS-42 solar-powered movement that provides up to six months of power reserve at high precision. The watch is water-resistant up to 10 ATM (100 meters), offers a blacked-out aesthetic with exceptional lume performance, ensuring readability in low-light conditions.
The Silva Expedition NEO is a durable, high-precision compass designed for advanced navigation in challenging outdoor environments. It features a neodymium-powered needle that ensures swift and stable performance, and cannot be demagnetized, making it a reliable tool for professionals. The compass also includes a globally balanced needle for accurate readings worldwide, luminous markings for low-light conditions, a clinometer for measuring slopes, and adjustable declination for regional variations.
The Field Notes Expedition Edition is a durable, weatherproof notebook designed for challenging environments. It features a high-visibility "Antarctic Survey Orange" front cover and a "Polar Night Black" back cover, both made from Yupo Synthetic paper—a tearproof and waterproof material. The 48 interior pages are printed with a light gray dot-graph pattern, suitable for various types of note-taking. Due to the nonporous nature of the synthetic paper, writing instruments like ballpoint pens, pencils, or fine-tip Sharpies are recommended for optimal performance.
The Fisher Stowaway Space Pen has an anodized aluminum barrel that measures 3.9 inches when closed and extends to 5.13 inches when open. The pen features Fisher's pressurized thixotropic ink cartridge, enabling it to write in extreme conditions, including temperatures ranging from -30°F to +250°F and in wet (including submerged) environments. It writes at any angle, even upside down, and on almost any surface.
The Analog Backcountry Experience
- The Wilderness Act and how it showcases a change in attitude related to how America manages its public lands.
- Attention Restoration Theory (ART) – nature can restore depleted cognitive resources, particularly that of directed attention.
- The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature (Berman et al., Psychological Science).
- Key Findings of ART – walking in nature improves directed attention abilities, nature provides a restorative environment that helps replenish cognitive resources, and exposure to natural environments leads to improved cognitive function compared to urban settings.
- Stress Reduction Theory – exposure to nature reduces physiological stress responses.
- What are we doing to our backcountry experience in nature if we rely on smartphones in the backcountry?
- If you were to leave digital navigation technology at home, what would you do instead, and how would it make you feel? How Ryan Feels – Enhanced Mindfulness, Mental Clarity, and the awareness of the subconscious connection to turned off electronics.
- Digital Detox: taking extended breaks from digital devices can have positive digital effects.
Featured Episode Tip: How to Determine Compass Direction Using an Analog Watch
Links, Mentions, and Related Content
- Full Text of the Wilderness Act
- The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature (Berman et al., Psychological Science 2008)
- Digital Detox: The Effect of Smartphone Abstinence on Mood, Anxiety, and Craving (Wilcockson et al., Addictive Behaviors 2019)
- Tips, Tricks, and Hacks: Using Lines of Position to Fix your Location on a Map
- Wilderness Skills: Navigating without a Compass, Map or GPS
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Credits
- Executive Producer - Backpacking Light; Show Director and Host - Ryan Jordan; Producer - Chase Jordan; Theme music: Look for Me in the Mountains written by Chris Cunningham and Ryan Jordan, performed by Chris Cunningham (acoustic guitar, lead and harmony vocals, harmonica), Chad Langford (upright bass), and Tom Murphy (mandolin), produced by Basecamp Studios in Bozeman, Montana.
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Disclosure
- Sponsorship Policy: Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for product mentions or placements in editorial coverage, including any podcast episode content not excplicitly identified as sponsored content.
- Some (but not all) of the links in these show notes may be affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and visit one of our affiliate partners (usually a retailer site), and subsequently place an order with that retailer, we receive a commission on your entire order, which varies between 3% and 15% of the purchase price. Affiliate commissions represent less than 15% of Backpacking Light's gross revenue. More than 70% of our revenue comes from Membership Fees. So if you'd really like to support our work, don't buy gear you don't need - support our consumer advocacy work and become a Member instead.
- Learn more about affiliate commissions, influencer marketing, and our consumer advocacy work by reading our article Stop wasting money on gear.
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