Using GPS on the Hiking / Camping Trail

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Today, with Global Positioning System (GPS) gadgets still a new technology, many people are unaware that GPS wasn’t only meant for the open road. It can be used while hiking or camping, and can even help you from being lost when there are no roads or highways nearby.

How is that possible? Portable GPS’s can track your journey, leaving a trail of digital breadcrumbs that keep you secure even on deep-woods adventures.

Here are some of the top strategies for using GPS on the camping trail:

• Plan in advance – Some GPS systems, like the Suunto X10 GPS watch, allow you to coordinate your GPS map with a map on Google, giving you an advanced knowledge of the track you’ll be heading on. You can also cross-section this map with Google Earth so that you have a better idea of the terrain and environment you’ll expect.Planning in advance is always crucial to having a good time when you’re camping and hiking. If you’re planning on exploring deep into the woods or wilderness, you would do good to prepare your general track by merging your computer with your GPS for an advanced map.
• Keep an eye on the weather – Some GPS devices (including the Suunto X10 GPS watch) allow you to monitor the weather before it happens. If a storm is coming, you should know about it before you see it on the horizon, or before you watch the skies turn grey. The GPS extends your “inner meteorologist” and gives you added technology – such as a barometer – to assist you in watching the weather. While this obviously has implications for your cmaping or hiking trip, it’s useful for a variety of other outdoor activities, as well; especially if you don’t have the internet or a TV to access.
• Watching your time and distance – Especially useful for runners and hikers, keeping a track of your distance is great for athletic endeavors, as you’ll be able to monitor exactly how long it took you to walk, hike, or run how many miles.This allows you to monitor your distance, for example, even if you feel like taking a side jaunt somewhere else entirely. If you have your ideal 10k run mapped out somewhere, and need to take a detour, you’d still be able to keep an eye on the distance you’ve traveled.

These are just three of the strategies you could employ while using your GPS watch or other GPS device while outdoors. Much like a GPS navigation system will help prevent you from ever getting lost in the car, today’s technology can even help you from getting lost in the woods. You’ll be able to monitor weather, altitude, and other variables that let you know about the skies you’re hiking or camping under, and you’ll find yourself having a better time for it.

Hiking with GPS

Monday, December 26th, 2011

Many people want to make hiking a permanent hobby for them, but are usually thrown back by a few excuses. What if it’s too cold or too hot today? Won’t it be uncomfortable? What happens if I get lost? What will I do?

There are answers to these questions, and if you’re serious about being a habitual hiker, you might even just ignore them. But here’s one question that has a definite answer you can find right away: “will I get lost?” No, you don’t have to. If you want to do some deep-words exploring, you can go hiking with a GPS to help you find your way, and leave “bread crumbs” through the forrest to not only get you where you’re going, but to get yourself back to where you came from.

Of course, there’s another mental hurdle. “Isn’t GPS hard to use?” Well, of course, the answer is no. GPS devices including GPS watches can be like mobile computers, but that doesn’t mean you have to be computer literate to handle one. Instead, you can either ask someone who knows, consult the sales team where you buy your GPS, try it out yourself, or some combinatino of all three. It’s not like you haven’t learned anything before and, believe me, it will actually end up being much simpler than you’re making it out to be.

For many people, hiking is about the freedom of the open woods, about climbing obstacles and conquering hills. The best way to do this is to keep things simple, and by keeping close watch on your path and your navigation, you lose some of the intense foccus that gives many hikers such an intense natural high. You want to be full y present when you’re out there, and having GPS on your wrist can often give you the peace of mind to do just that.

Keep one thing in mind, however: GPS does strip some of the mystique away. You might even want to keep your GPS covered or in your backpack during the trip yourself to add to the reality of being in the wilderness with only yourself and your wits with you. You’ll always know that you’re leaving that metaphorical trail of bread crumbs to get back, but you’ll also experience the reality of living totally natural, if only for a while. It makes for a great escape from civilization, and once you’re ready to come home, fire up the GPS and find your car. It’s that simple.