"The back-country should be nice once the technology catches up so that people can start watching TV trail side when they "want that functionality".
Jellystone Park here we come….."
Kerry, I'm with you on the backcountry gizmology topic (trailbolgging, maps on ipads, etc), but I use a Spot Gen3 for a few reasons, and it actually ends up reducing my pack weight by about 5.6 oz.
1) My wife goes absolutely bonkers when she doesn't hear from me – which often happens with no cellphone coverage in the woods and mountains – so for her peace of mind I can send the OK messages to her and also family/friends of others I may he hiking with, complete with the map link with my/our location and tracking as well.
2) Since cellphone coverage is spotty at best, I just don't carry it. 4.7 oz saved right there (Samsung Galaxy S3). The Spot weighs 4.4 oz.
3) I don't need GPS since I am very comfortable with map and compass, so I stopped taking the GPS, saving 5.3 oz. The Spot tracks (set to 10 minute intervals) are good enough, and I can save a specific location (good stealth camping sites, for instance) by sending myself an OK message.
4) If the poop really does hit the fan – for me (unlikely, I like to think) or for somebody else on the trail – there is a way to request outside assistance.
5) If I should go belly-up-adios-for-good on the trail, there will be a track for SAR to start looking for my carcass, thereby saving the taxpayers a lot of money for an all-out search involving helicopters and dozens of searchers.
So… one might argue that carrying such a device is actually a responsible thing to do.
© Beartooth Media Group Inc.
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