Split: jscott’s brilliant idea

That water thing gotcha all bent up, er what?  he he

Just leave a light on in the tent.  No need to take on yet another tracking device.

A tile tracker will do the job on the cheap.

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“Just leave a light on in the tent.  No need to take on yet another tracking device.”

I don’t carry an iphone, so yes this would work. However, a few times I’ve been invited to some sort of evenings meal–mentioning I used to work crew has got me several GREAT meals with crews I’ve met–or shindig. Once or twice a joint’s come around or even a bit o whiskey. Then after some hours I have to walk some good distance in the dark and find my tent. Leaving the light on like Tom Bodette isn’t a possibility in these scenarios.

A chip weighs…what, a nano ounce; and an app even less. I don’t know what a tile tracker is. Usually my brilliant new ideas have been out for decades. Especially tech ideas.

Just sayin’. -Tents of the future will have the ability to change color at will. Adapt to their environment -stealth camp. Hold a charge to power electronics wirelessly -Bluetooth. GPS, messaging, health & medical tracking, warn of upcoming weather changes. Change form, self heal, even stay lit up while you take a long night stroll after a few puffs or snogs of whiskey. I do agree, a microchip would be the optimum way to go presently at grams. With technology pushing limits, it’s only a matter of time before they’re the size of grains of sand and impregnated into the fabric though.

Well, in the more immediate future, like tomorrow, Siri will be telling us which trails to take and even how to navigate off trail, with no need to look at maps.

“Dan can pay me back later if this becomes a big deal.”

I’ll pay you for the idea if you’ll cover the lawsuits when people become reliant on these chips and stop paying attention to where they camped, and then one malfunctions and the hiker goes wandering off into the night :)

By the time we have sentient tents, society would have been through a massive change. Scary and exciting all at the same time.

Can’t find your tent.  Goodgrief!  OK, it can be tough finding your car after a massive concert.  Reminds me of Woodstock, but must  backpacking in wilderness be like that? Not for me, thanks.  That’s why I hike the Cohos Trail instead of the AT in NH, and Rawah and Never Summer in CO, instead of Rocky.  Solitude does not have to mean loneliness.  Try it and see.

Sam, this subject came up in another thread. It was never a question of people losing their tents in a huge crowd of tents. Doug Peacock was alone when he lost his tent after going for water in the dark. this is what happened to me once too. And so on.

By the way, I’ve been hiking solo for decades, early, middle and late season. So I have tried it. A lot.

As mentioned, I don’t carry an iphone so this idea wouldn’t help me. But most do these days, and the weight penalty would be nil.

I assume you carry a flashlight/headlamp of some sort when wandering off in the darkness. If so, just cut a number of pieces of the lightest reflective guyline you have, and then either lay one over a branch or set one on the ground every so often (how often depends on how thick the brush is, etc.). These breadcrumbs will lead you right back to your shelter. No phone or tile/airtag needed.

He He He

I leave my wife in the tent.
(I realise this assumes your wife wants you back.)

Cheers

jscott, thankyou for that. But can’t think of a time when I headed out for water after dark.  Part of  the site selection routine is to make sure there is a water source, and if dark is approaching, task #1 is to go and fill the jugs.  So must have quite a different routine.  If I get up to visit nature in the night, it is only a few steps away, and often the headlamp is thrown on to avoid stumbles.  So, regret my misunderstanding.  Don’t wander, because it is almost always chilly, and getting back into the warm bag is priority #2.  Come to think, am a very organized type, and that is probably the reason for the misunderstanding.  Oh, and there are the two sheepdogs, who always know their way around.

Sam, your routine is similar to mine. I almost never set up camp in the dark. My routine is, put up tent, roll out mattress, inflate, toss in bag and other down items. Then, go get water. All with plenty of daylight.

BUT: things happen.

It’s occurred to me that the chip wouldn’t have to be on a tent. It could be on the tent stuff sack. Or, better, on a pack.