Best Backpacking Podcast

Episode 18: Technology on Trial

On this episode we are going to discuss use of technology and is it useful on the trail? Do you need it, and how do you use it? We’ll also do a Throwback Thursday and look back as to what was used to communicate while on a Thru-Hike all but 15 years ago. Wow! Has it been that long?

Can you effectively use technology without it disengaging you from your outdoor experience? We find it goes both ways. Yes, it can be beneficial to bring a little tech out into the Wilderness, but it can also be aggravating as hell when you find cell service.

What’s your opinion? If you bring your cell phone on the trail, what do you use it for?

#throwbackthursday Do you remember the Pocketmail device? – Back in my day (Wow, never thought I would say that) there was no cell phones on the trail on a large extent. It was a huge debate to bring or not to bring.

Wireless mobile data is extremely expensive or entirely unavailable, high speed broadband just a dream. Pocketmail was a PDA type device which featured an acoustic coupler modem which you could slap onto a phone after dialing a number and download/upload e-mails over the phone. The PDA itself had memory internally to store e-mails awaiting transmission, and ran off two AA batteries.

We had a blast doing this podcast. Share your stories with us and let us know how you feel about technology on the trail.

Thanks for listening.

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