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Enjoying the great outdoors doesn’t mean leaving the tech at home. As an avid hiker and a techie, I spend as much time researching the right tech and apps to bring on my adventures as I spend planning out my trail routes. With this year’s trip an expansive exploration of the East Coast, my list of tech is all about those stars, trails, and making sure that the only bumps in the road are the ones I’ve decided to climb.
I absolutely adore AllTrails. With over 50,000 trails documented in their online and mobile applications, you’re able to read reviews and see photos from other adventures, and filter by mode of transport (biking, foot, running, or wheelchair), rating, difficulty, and if it is dog or kid friendly. The application also provides driving directions as some mapping applications aren’t able to find the trail start. What’s super neat is that you can use your phone to track your pace, distance, elevation and speed. It’s a must-have for anyone who’s planning a hike in North America.
As their fantastic video above demonstrates, Star Walk is a complete mobile astronomy guide. Life your mobile device to the sky, the Star Walk will show you the celestial objects above you. You can zoom in, gather detailed facts on the object, and it makes a great ice breaker.
Audubon Bird GuideSurprise to no one in my office, I’ve included THE BEST bird watching application on the market. Audubon is partnered with the natural sciences departments of some of the best academic institutions in the world, including Drexel University and Cornell. There are over 800 different species of birds, each with a detailed description and connected to the VIREO global gallery of bird photography. They’ve got bird sound, migration patterns, regions, birds that have been found in your current area, and an easy-to-use bird identifier system. No matter your experience with bird watching, the Audubon app is made for every birder in mind.
Nekteck Solar ChargerWith all of these amazing applications, you’re going to need a way to ensure that your devices stay charged. The Nekteck Solar Chargers is shock proof, water resistant and super portable. There’s a spot for a carabineer - you can attach it to your backpack, recharging it as you adventure. With two USB ports, you can charge two devices at the same time. There’s also the bonus LED flashlight. Everything about this charger is amazing - just like those photos of your hike that you can keep posting to Instagram with your charged phone.
