Hiking

. . . can you hear me, over

. . . no . . . .well let go of the button then bozo, anyway, if you can’t hear me, how can you answer me . . . ESP.

Hiking gadgets can save your life, but they’re also great fun (even when you’re not hiking). Two way radios are great to have with you on your hikes, they’re just an extension of the old “string and can” routine, but so much more sophisticated . . . well, they would be wouldn’t they . . . hikers don’t just carry any old rubbish you know, the available space and weight in their backpacks is far too precious for that.

All About Hiking Radios

Hikers are a practical bunch, and they are very keen on saving back pack weight and space, so if any clever gadget geek can come up with a useful hiking gadget which fulfils more than one important purpose that’s a big advantage . . . one hiking gadget with lots of uses, why do you think the Swiss army knife is so popular with everybody from boy scouts to fully fledged back country hikers . . . because you can do lots of different things with them that’s why.

Don’t let the word “hunter” scare you off, these are great for hikers who want to shoot the wildlife with nothing more than a camera too . . . .

Hiking Radio Features

So what should you expect from your hiking radio? Apart from being able to keep in touch with your hiking buddies if you get separated along the trail that is?

• You can keep in contact with your hiking buddies if you get separated along the trail . . . I said apart from that!
• Waterproofing is a good idea . . . you never know when there’s gonna be a cloud burst, or you’ll have to cross a waterfall, or you’ll have to wade across a river . . . hey, it said a stream on the internet, with stepping stones, how was I to know it’s been the wettest spring time in living memory and the water’s waist deep, now clear off and if I want to talk to you I’ll be on our usual channel!
• You’ve gotta have good sound quality . . . volume control, talk beeps and a battery meter to know how much longer chatting time is available
• Built in flashlight – what a brilliant idea. If you have a radio with a built in flashlight it’s all you’ll need for those midnight toilet breaks . . . . lonehiker calling base camp, lonehiker calling base camp, come in please, some strange noises happened while my pants were down and I daren’t come back on my own. Is anybody awake?
• You need a good range . . . of course the range is determined by many factors, not just the capabilities of your hiking radio, but in order to be safe you could do with a good 20 or 30 miles range depending on good weather and an unobstructed line of sight between the radio operators.
• Weather function – it’s always handy to know what the weather has in store for you, especially when you’re hiking or backpacking in the middle of the wilderness. Weather can be a minor inconvenience in the towns and cities, but downright dangerous on hiking or camping trips. If you know what to expect then you can prepare for it, so keep an ear on the weather stations and heed any hiking weather warnings for your area.
• Battery life – a radio is only a radio when the batteries have power, so plenty of battery power is a real bonus. Rechargeable batteries and portable battery charger units are all available for hikers, but even so, the longer they last the more convenient for the hiker.
• GPS locator – some hiking radios have a built in GPS locator which is another great feature for anyone who is prone to getting lost . . .  and also helps the rescue services to find you if you’re injured or in a pickle.

Solar panel for charging, that’s a great idea . . . I should have watched this video a bit sooner . . . oh well, you live and learn!