Electrical device you are most likely and least likely to eliminate

[Woodpuppy]

For daytrips I’ll take my iPhone and my Garmin GPS. For camping I’d have a headlamp and a handheld with variable output, and extra lithium primary cells for both. I suppose a decent weather radio would be a good idea. All I have is an old radio shack cube powered by a 9V battery. A battery to charge the iPhone would be smart for longer trips. Oh, and my D-cell air bed inflator! If I were just using a thermarest I’d drop the inflator.

 

[Robin]

I just got back from 4 days at a drive-in campsite in northern Maine. My daughter won a bull moose tag for the state of Maines fall moose hunt and her husband wanted to scout the area she will be hunting (just east of the Allagash River). I went up early and found a primo campsite in the Debulloue Public Reserved Land area (no cell service) and used my SPOT X to notify them as they were heading north via texts. Then we stayed a day more than planned and I was able to send his boss a text that he won't be at work today.

On my normal canoe trips, I carry the SPOT X to message my wife and daughter and they can message me. Very comforting for a couple of senior citizens to stay in contact.
I carry a small pocket camera that takes decent pictures, nothing special.
I carry a headlamp and a small flashlight.
I bring a Go Pro with spare batteries.
I bring a small power pack.
I bring my IPad to listen to pre-recorded music on the drive up and back, it stays in the truck.
I just got my first smartphone, but that will stay in the truck too.

 

[Odyssey]

My cell phone has maps loaded so I can check gps locations backing up my maps and compasses. I do take some photos. The phone could stay home no problem.
My headlamps are useful mostly when rummaging round at night, but I try to keep the camp clear and stumble-free; likewise I try to place things in rememberable locations so I can find them in the dark...knife goes here, headlamp goes there, tp over there...If I left the headlamps at home I could manage okay.
I did just buy this year a mini USB chargeable air pump for inflating air mattresses. A little lame looking gadget that works quite well. I could rely on the old huff n" puff if I had to.

 

[lowangle al]

I've already eliminated a point and shoot camera and rely on my i phone for that. Other than that I take a garmin in reach that works with the phone. Add a battery charging device, a watch and headlamp. The thing I would least likely leave behind is my watch, but for safety sake I would take the garmin and use my phone to check the time.

 

[Woodpuppy]

I've already eliminated a point and shoot camera and rely on my i phone for that. Other than that I take a garmin in reach that works with the phone. Add a battery charging device, a watch and headlamp. The thing I would least likely leave behind is my watch, but for safety sake I would take the garmin and use my phone to check the time.

I didn’t think to include a watch; though I only own 1 electronic watch, a solar/atomic G-Shock. Everything else is automatic.

 

[Bob B.]

Most trips, small pocket camera and headlamp. Now, my phone as a camera … and I have a small solar panel that charges a battery for rapid cell phone recharging … feel kinda gucci about bringing these things as I never felt them needed before … my old camera went kaput so I just use my phone now.

it is funny, when I romp the timber for a few days I take nothing electronic …

 

[RickR]

We take an InReach for emergency contact and weather reports, headlamps, our i-phones as cameras and a small power pack to charge them. I used to carry a simple Canon point and shoot which I prefer to the i-phone for convenience/handiness. I need to replace it.

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

Phone for photos and when I have service to check in, spot when I don’t have service or not likely too, rechargeable flashlight, and power bank to recharge them all.

I guess the flashlight would have to go if I had to since the phone has one.

when I romp the timber for a few days I take nothing electronic

Interesting- when I’m deer hunting I have nothing as well.

 

[dramey]

I currently take a Spot, Garmin Montana and my cell phone. Later this month, I will be adding a Satellite Phone. I take these with me when I am in the canoe, on the ATV or snowmachine. I go mostly by myself and into some really remote areas here in Alaska.

 

[Marten]

My Garmin 66i in reach device. With others in the group having them it really comes in handy when plans change or we go separate ways for a few days. I have back up for its many uses but use the stop watch for frying batches of fish, the alarm if we have early morning plans, its flashlight if needed, weather reports are handy for day planning, easy texting to our pilot if we want to change our pick up location and having contact with home if issues arise there. Of course the SOS button but in most cases I would try to set up my own evac so all my stuff can be taken out too.

 

[jdeerfoot]

I never go on a trip without these devices (hearing aid, cochlear implant) since I don’t want to be deaf. But I also take some of the stuff mentioned by others.

 

[ppine]

I bring multiple battery powered lights. Someone will have a cell phone, but they don't work in most places.
Nothing else.

 

[lowangle al]

I just took my first solo trip since getting my Garmin In reach and it is indispensable. The best thing about being able to stay in touch is to inform those at home that you are staying an extra night.

 

[recped]

Just realized I hadn't replied on this thread.

Here's my list of electrical devices I carry (no order)

Music player
Ear Buds
Speaker
Cameras (2 x still, 2 x video)
Headlamp (2)
Lantern
GPS
InReach
Anemometer
Thermometer
Power Banks (1 - 3 depending on trip duration)



Most likely to give up: Anemometer or Thermometer
Least likely to give up: It's a tie between a headlamp or an InReach

For a short(ish) trip on a known route with no complex logistics the InReach can go. I'm not sure I've ever been on a trip without some form of illumination (candle lanterns don't count), I recall one Fall trip where I left my headlamp in the truck and had to borrow my partner's spare, a cheap pocket flashlight of exceedingly poor quality.....what a pain!

 

[scoutergriz]

the only electronics I generally carry besides my watch and headlamp are a small weather station if it's for more than a day or two, and my glucose monitor. Most areas I go have no cell service, and on a good year I might take 3-4 photos.
I do carry flares though, but mainly because they came with my bear bangers.

 

[Seeker]

Back when I had a cell phone AND a camera, I'd have said cell phone. Now that I use my phone for everything, it's hard to leave behind, and it takes far better pics than my old digital camera ever did.

I'm leaning more and more toward buying an InReach or SPOT as I get older, more for my wife's peace of mind than for my own safety.

 

[Modified Ottertail]

I'm with pblanc. I can't tell you how many wilderness search reports include the subject's lack of having a reliable source of light (a cell phone does not count as a relisable llight source for travel). When comes down to what is necessary, other tha a compass and a fire starter, a headlamp is the one other thing always permanently residing in my pack.

I would argue that after water and extra layers, a headlamp is the single most important item to carry when in the outdoors. You can use the position of the Sun to crudely navigate or follow a stream downhill to a road, but a headlamp can keep you on the trail and extend your day so you don't spend that extra night out.

Other than that I carry a PLB and a smartphone in airplane mode—it's sole purpose is as my primary camera—and a battery to recharge the phone's. Actually the phone has a second purpose: the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Merlin app replaces my Peterson or Sibley bird guide.

The essentialness of a headlamp notwithstanding, I would give up the PLB last, since it is a passive-until-needed tool of last resort. It would be interesting to paddle with no artificial source of light and would require an adjustment of the daily schedule, but not carrying the camera/bird guide disguised as a phone would be an easy adjustment.

 

[dtvburns]

Most likely to leave my tent light, even this time of year I have it on for only a few minutes and could just as easily use my headlamp. I always bring a gps, radio and phone wile tripping. Don't really need a gps and hope never to need the phone. The gps is a luxury item to me, between the gps and map, navigation is super easy and there is no anxiety. The radio, unless I am in trouble, is most important as I use the WB on it all the time. I should get an inreach at some point.

 

[sweeper]

Inreach, camera, headlamp, and a weather radio, which has saved my bacon on a couple of trips.
I'm not giving any of them up.

The phone stays in the car.

 

[DuctTape]

Only electronic device I cannot go without is a headlamp. Although in summer, during the full moon the headlamp is almost never used.
The only other electronic device I have with me is my phone (in airplane mode) as it is my camera. Don't need it, but w/o it I won't have any pictures.