Backpacking...

[Zak]

I had a Sierra Zip stove and used it a lot in the 90s. Now I have a Biolight stove, basically the same idea but the Biolite creates electricity from the heat differential and can charge cell phones, flashlights, and power banks. I like not having to carry fuel. Neither one is allowed if there is a fire ban, though.

 

[Dekartes]

I like the idea of the Biolite but have not given it a shot yet. How hard to get a fire going that produces enough heat to cook? Pretty cool idea for a remote trip to top off batteries.

 

[Dekartes]

Maybe we should ask for a gear sub thread. Lots of gear nerds here.

 

[NukeLDO]

Garmin InReach paid for itself this week. Wife and a friend hiking the last 30 miles of the PCT and were 15 miles north of Hart's Pass. Friend began not feeling well vomited all night long and slipped into diabetic ketoacidosis about 7 AM the following morning. Wife messaged me via the Garmin and I was able to get Okanagan County sheriff started on SAR. Exact coordinates made finding them simpler. Helicopter from Spokane airlifted him out 6 hours after getting the rescue operation going. Slipped into a coma while airborne on the way to the hospital. She hiked back out by herself over the next two days. Likely saved his life.
Whole experience shows the importance of understanding your hiking partner's medical issues/medications, and what to do if they experience an issue in the backcountry. In this case, we knew he had some cardiac issues in the past that he came through, but we did not know he was diabetic until the EMT found meds in his backpack once they were on the ground. Complete recovery expected, but could have ended very differently.
Will be upgrading to the Mini 2 for ease of use and lighter weight.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

^^^^^^^Just get one^^^^^^
Or something like it.
Your family will understand the few hundred dollars. Especially after you explain how it works. My wife LOVES that both myself and most of the people I hang out with in the woods has one.



Count my blessings i haven't had to press the SOS button yet. But damn glad I have it in case it's needed.

 

[mcswny]

^^^^^^^Just get one^^^^^^
Or something like it.
Your family will understand the few hundred dollars. Especially after you explain how it works. My wife LOVES that both myself and most of the people I hang out with in the woods has one.

View attachment 81161

Count my blessings i haven't had to press the SOS button yet. But damn glad I have it in case it's needed.

100%.

We had a scare with my kid 8 miles in when she was 1. As terrifying as it was, knowing that I had my garmin one me in the back of my mind kept me a bit more sane.

 

[Zak]

I like the idea of the Biolite but have not given it a shot yet. How hard to get a fire going that produces enough heat to cook? Pretty cool idea for a remote trip to top off batteries.

It's a piece of cake to get the fire going quickly. I carry some tinder when I bring it.

 

[Eastside]

^^^^^^^Just get one^^^^^^
Or something like it.
Your family will understand the few hundred dollars. Especially after you explain how it works. My wife LOVES that both myself and most of the people I hang out with in the woods has one.

View attachment 81161

Count my blessings i haven't had to press the SOS button yet. But damn glad I have it in case it's needed.

I have the same one. Never used it for more than sending my wife “I’m OK” messages but it is worth it. I frequent several places where I lose cell reception. One is in the mountains at about 7000 ft with few locations where I can get reception and the other is the Deschutes Canyon.

 

[Salmo_g]

I always told myself that I was philosophically okay with dying in the wilderness. If I didn't return home my family would figure out that something must have happened. Turns out that my family doesn't exactly share my philosophy, so last spring I bought a Garmin InReach Mini 2. It's light at less than 4 oz and low in bulk, but to make the best use of it I also have to carry my smart phone with me on hikes. I understand that most people do, but I always left my phone in the car since I don't plan to make phone calls while on the trail. Since I'm over 70 my wife was not liking me to go hiking solo. So now I carry the Garmin and my phone and consider the extra weight as just part of the price to be able to continue hiking in my senior years. I send a message home each night indicating where I am and as proof that I'm still alive and well.

Things do happen in the wilderness. Just yesterday I read/watched a video of a long distance hiker I follow who experienced a heart condition far from a trailhead and had to use the Garmin for a helicopter ride out to a hospital. It's like insurance; better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

It's like insurance; better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

This EXACTLY what I told my wife.

You bring up a good point though with the weight of the device. We spend so much time and effort and money trying to cut weight, taking the opposite approach (of better to have and not need than need and not have), that it almost feels counterintuitive to spend more money on something that's going to add weight.

But damn these things are super handy.

And like you, I would leave my phone behind before, but the added bonus of having the phone with me now is it's also a pretty kick ass camera. So there's a small added benefit to help offset the little bit of weight you're adding.

 

[Eastside]

I always told myself that I was philosophically okay with dying in the wilderness. If I didn't return home my family would figure out that something must have happened. Turns out that my family doesn't exactly share my philosophy, so last spring I bought a Garmin InReach Mini 2. It's light at less than 4 oz and low in bulk, but to make the best use of it I also have to carry my smart phone with me on hikes. I understand that most people do, but I always left my phone in the car since I don't plan to make phone calls while on the trail. Since I'm over 70 my wife was not liking me to go hiking solo. So now I carry the Garmin and my phone and consider the extra weight as just part of the price to be able to continue hiking in my senior years. I send a message home each night indicating where I am and as proof that I'm still alive and well.

Things do happen in the wilderness. Just yesterday I read/watched a video of a long distance hiker I follow who experienced a heart condition far from a trailhead and had to use the Garmin for a helicopter ride out to a hospital. It's like insurance; better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Same with me. I do a lot of solo adventures and the Garmin has allowed me to continue doing them with my wife’s approval (so far).

 

[RCF]

One of the best posts I have seen about being prepared in advance. I have been in a couple of events before Garmin was available. The people involved were lucky to live. Garmin saves lives. A small investment is well worth the saving of someone's life.

 

[Brute]

I have one as well…and I don’t back pack anymore back)…but I take my jeeps into some remote areas…

 

[Draketake]

Okay folks. Heres the skinny. I am NOT a techie. I do some solo backpacking and a lot of solo fishing, in some fairly remote areas, now mostly in Central Oregon Desert Canyons.

Can the Garmin device be used without a cell phone? Is there another device you folks recommend for a techno idiot? If I can find something that works for a doughball like me, it would make my wife happy. I am approaching old man status so I know it will ease her mind.

Thank you all.

Bob

 

[Phil K]

Is there another device you folks recommend for a techno idiot?

How could I have missed this thread?

I’m thinking more and more that I need to get on the rescue device program. In the past I’ve done most of my backcountry trips with my wife, and we’ve always counted on each other to go get help if something went off the rails. Philosophically, I favor the notion of self reliance, but as mentioned above, that isn’t always an ideal solution.

This year, my wife, who has terrible sleep issues, has several times bailed on me at the last moment, leaving me to do solo trips. I’m mostly comfortable with that, and have taken on some moderate off trial ventures.

I actually bought a SPOT GEN4 last year but haven’t activated it yet. It is one of several simpler devices that can send out an alert/location info in case of emergency. I believe this one gives limited, pre-programmed messaging In addition to ”OH SH_T…. HELP!” I really don’t want or need something that will allow me to communicate beyond that.

I get a kick out of how many other geezers are still doing this!

 

[NukeLDO]

Okay folks. Heres the skinny. I am NOT a techie. I do some solo backpacking and a lot of solo fishing, in some fairly remote areas, now mostly in Central Oregon Desert Canyons.

Can the Garmin device be used without a cell phone? Is there another device you folks recommend for a techno idiot? If I can find something that works for a doughball like me, it would make my wife happy. I am approaching old man status so I know it will ease her mind.

Thank you all.

Bob

The original Garmin InReach Explorer can be used w/o a cell phone. It has the SOS button which connects the device to an emergency response center to get you help. It's old-school texting.....a keyboard is displayed and using up/down/side arrows, you can send a text. Also has on-board mapping, tracking, etc. Can be paired to a cell phone, but not required. This was how my wife used it last week. Keep in mind, messages are bouncing up to the Iridium satellites and back down, so sometimes it might take 20 min for a message to go through or come in.
There are other devices, but beware that if you're just sending "I'm OK" texts to your loved one, they might have to have that particular manufacturer's app installed. With the Garmin, you can text or email anyone and they don't need the Garmin apps to receive or reply. All messages you send with it will include your location coordinates that can be seen when the message is received.

 

[wanderingrichard]

Okay folks. Heres the skinny. I am NOT a techie. I do some solo backpacking and a lot of solo fishing, in some fairly remote areas, now mostly in Central Oregon Desert Canyons.

Can the Garmin device be used without a cell phone? Is there another device you folks recommend for a techno idiot? If I can find something that works for a doughball like me, it would make my wife happy. I am approaching old man status so I know it will ease her mind.

Thank you all.

Bob

Bob,
Besides the Garmin, you could also look at the ACR ResqLink

ResQLink™ View - ACR ARTEX

Small but resilient, the ResQLink View has been professionally engineered and tested to ensure it can withstand even the harshest elements. This buoyant Personal Locator Beacon requires no subscription for use and includes a digital display providing live status and GPS coordinates. Whether on...

www.acrartex.com

Edit: looks like @NukeLDO laid it out well. The ACR is mostly a Help Me Help Me device. But, the site is worth exploring

 

[Salmo_g]

Can the Garmin device be used without a cell phone?

Yes. However, it is much easier with a smart phone, blue tooth paired. I'm no techie either, but even I managed to do this. Two benefits of pairing to a phone: 1) way way easier to type a message as the Garmin doesn't have a real key board. Pairing allows you to just send a text message to phone numbers you add, like your wife or other family member; 2) when you push "SOS" Garmin will contact you. With pairing you can tell them your situation and what sort of help you need; i.e., there's a big difference having someone walk you out with a sprained ankle compared to having Lifelift helicopter come and pick you up for thousands of dollars.

 

[NukeLDO]

Given the personal email address of my Garmin device (assigned when you register and activate the device), emergency services responding were able to contact her directly via the Garmin. Like I said, responsiveness of the Iridium system can be delayed, but this let first responders gather more information as they flew to the scene from Spokane.

 

[NukeLDO]

Given the personal email address of my Garmin device (assigned when you register and activate the device), emergency services responding were able to contact her directly via the Garmin. Like I said, responsiveness of the Iridium system can be delayed, but this let first responders gather more information as they flew to the scene from Spokane.

I had given the wife a crash course on using the Garmin a couple of days before she left. And she was thoroughly frustrated with its old-school texting capability. A paired phone absolutely makes it easier. But, at this point, she's glad she paid attention and knew how to use the thing. We're still debating why she didn't use the SOS button and elected to email me via the device. Luckily, I checked email first thing in the morning when I got up and her message to send help had just come in.