Posted: 5/14/2013 12:38:24 PM EDT
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Meet Earl http://www.meetearl.com/
What do you guys think of this? Its still in its early phases but with my hiking, hunting, and prepping mindset this looks interesting. |
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Interesting; I am kinda curious about the "300,000 trails at your fingertips" thing. Does it have all the backpacker way points pre-installed or something? Because a lot of trails aren't mapped out really  Also, 10oz for a solar charging GPS that includes a working FRS, GMRS, and MURS radio itself is not too shabby  Speed |
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Taking tech with you while on a backpacking trip should be considered a crime of humanity. It should be the 8th Sin. While I tend to agree with that statement, I see this as a hybrid between a book reader and a GPS unit. I don't carry technology (read: things that take electricity other than flashlights) into the backcountry, but I still find this to be a neat little tablet. |
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Taking tech with you while on a backpacking trip should be considered a crime of humanity. It should be the 8th Sin. I agree, but I always carry a GPS, which is "technology" This would replace my small GPS unit with one that has the capabilities of telling me the weather, and a radio tuner for listening to NOAA weather reports, which come in handy in the sticks. Not to mention a whole crap ton of other stuff you could use it for outside of the woods. |
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"I don't take technology into the woods..." What, you go out there freaking naked? You take all sorts of technologies out into the woods. Every tool you take is tech. You don't take electronics out there? Your loss.
I grew up old school as well, but I am not going to deny the utility of modern electronic tech. It is *a good thing* to have a GPS available if you need it. Radios are good tools to have if you need one. I like very much being able to read a book in my tent while crashing (modern e-readers are FANTASTIC devices, especially at night). I like having an electronic compass, barometric pressure sensor, thermometer, etc., in a single device. Not to mention all of the digital storage that is nice to have on hand at any given time. It is not a substitute. I vastly prefer staring into the night's fire than into the glare of a tablet screen - at least for leisure. Repeat: the new tech is not a substitute for knowing how to live without it. But it is certainly a valuable tool. You don't need to rely on it to enjoy using it. It CAN enhance your outdoor experience, and it CAN be a valuable survival tool. |
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Taking tech with you while on a backpacking trip should be considered a crime of humanity. It should be the 8th Sin. Be sure to leave the knife, water purifier, and compass at home to then. Anyway; I use Panasonic Toughbook cf-19; its laptop / tablet convertible. You can pick one up used on eBay for under $400 even though they cost about $4,000 new. Mine has a very high grade GPS, its indestructable and runs on only 19w of power so easy to use with solar panel. Another cool option is the Garmin Rino 530; which is now "last years" model and cheap. 2 way radio, weather radio, compass, altimeter, barometer, thermometer, and a super accurate GPS. The thing I want next is something that gets Sat Radio and SAt weather though, like my Jeep has but with typo maps |
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I'm a big fan of "teach somebody to use a map and compass, and give them a GPS". Purposefully handicapping yourself for no reason when you can function just fine either way is pointless.
I have a deployment tablet with all kinds of useful publications on it. Survival, maps, medical and weapons info, on down to specific non-sensitive pubs I need for my job. It's actually be invaluable, and I have a small solar charger for it. Quoted:
Anyway; I use Panasonic Toughbook cf-19; its laptop / tablet convertible. You can pick one up used on eBay for under $400 even though they cost about $4,000 new. Mine has a very high grade GPS, its indestructable and runs on only 19w of power so easy to use with solar panel. I am issued one of those at work. A little heavy for a backpack but I always keep it in the truck. |
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My phone does everything that tablet does and is smaller. Does your phone come with solar cells for recharging? Does your phone directly receive shortwave radio signals? Does your phone directly receive NOAA weather channel alerts? Does your phone have a micro SD slot for SDHC cards? |
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My phone does everything that tablet does and is smaller. That's cool, what model is it? I didn't know there were any water/dust/shock/mud-proof phones with 6" e-ink screen, solar charging, FRS, GMRS, MURS, AM, FM, SW, LW, NOAA radios, magnetometer, thermometer, barometer, hygrometer, and anemometer. |
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"I don't take technology into the woods..." What, you go out there freaking naked? You take all sorts of technologies out into the woods. Every tool you take is tech. You don't take electronics out there? Your loss. Quoted:
Be sure to leave the knife, water purifier, and compass at home to then. [rant] You know what I am saying, so lets not split hairs. If you sissy-marys cant live one fucking day without your bloody tech junk, then you dont deserve to share the same woods with anyone who really has a clue. Yeah, go ahead and delude yourselves that you have an edge over anyone else because you are sitting in a thicket somewhere gazing at your new-millennia boob tubes, and believe you are surviving. Ayuh. Do you guys even hear yourselves? WTF! We are doomed. I was following someone in an Escalade today. Nice vehicle, but they were weaving all over the road, obviously texting. We have developed technology to the point we are addicted to it, and you jackwads who think its appropriate to venture into the wild and expose your tech-nasty junk to the Gaia should have your nuts nailed to a stump and get pushed over backwards. [/rant] 
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My phone does everything that tablet does and is smaller. Does your phone come with solar cells for recharging? Does your phone directly receive shortwave radio signals? Does your phone directly receive NOAA weather channel alerts? Does your phone have a micro SD slot for SDHC cards? His phone actually exists and didn't have to pander for crowdfunding. |
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My phone does everything that tablet does and is smaller. Does your phone come with solar cells for recharging? Does your phone directly receive shortwave radio signals? Does your phone directly receive NOAA weather channel alerts? Does your phone have a micro SD slot for SDHC cards? His phone actually exists and didn't have to pander for crowdfunding. Your post actually failed to answer any of the questions. |
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and you jackwads who think its appropriate to venture into the wild and expose your tech-nasty junk to the Gaia should have your nuts nailed to a stump and get pushed over backwards. Well, this "jackwad" doesn't view survival as a mystical experience with mother Earth. I view it as survival of the fittest, you know the way it has been going on for..forever. Those with advantage are more likely to survive and this is yet another tool in the toolbox. Our "tech" is what enabled us to succeed over stronger and faster animals. In reality while you are banging your bongos and communing with the Earth spirit people with a more motivated interest in succeeding will probably be setting the stage to kill and/or subjugate you. |
| I dont even wear a wrist watch in the woods most the time... that being said, to combine your GPS, Radio, Maps and Books all into one solar rechargeable system, that is efficiency, weight and space savings which is critical for backpacking. Especially for a good 6-10 day trip where you are in a new area or hiking through different places or you take two paperbacks instead of just one, or extra batteries for your radio.... it makes sense. |
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My phone does everything that tablet does and is smaller. Does your phone come with solar cells for recharging? Does your phone directly receive shortwave radio signals? Does your phone directly receive NOAA weather channel alerts? Does your phone have a micro SD slot for SDHC cards? His phone actually exists and didn't have to pander for crowdfunding. Before his phone existed, it didn't. Largely irrelevant. "Pandering for crowdfunding": Also irrelevant. It will either be worthwhile or not. It certainly seems like a useful item to me, and I'll be watching it closely myself. |
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"I don't take technology into the woods..." What, you go out there freaking naked? You take all sorts of technologies out into the woods. Every tool you take is tech. You don't take electronics out there? Your loss. Quoted:
Be sure to leave the knife, water purifier, and compass at home to then. [rant] You know what I am saying, so lets not split hairs. If you sissy-marys cant live one fucking day without your bloody tech junk, then you dont deserve to share the same woods with anyone who really has a clue. Yeah, go ahead and delude yourselves that you have an edge over anyone else because you are sitting in a thicket somewhere gazing at your new-millennia boob tubes, and believe you are surviving. Ayuh. Do you guys even hear yourselves? WTF! We are doomed. I was following someone in an Escalade today. Nice vehicle, but they were weaving all over the road, obviously texting. We have developed technology to the point we are addicted to it, and you jackwads who think its appropriate to venture into the wild and expose your tech-nasty junk to the Gaia should have your nuts nailed to a stump and get pushed over backwards. [/rant] <a href="http://s485.photobucket.com/user/pallymcgee/media/EatingPopcorn.gif.html" target="_blank">http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/pallymcgee/EatingPopcorn.gif</a> Good Grief man, who pissed in your wheaties today? You're going to sit here and tell me that using a GPS is a sin? Using a radio in the woods is off limits? Reading a book on an electronic device is bad, but a paper one is OK? Having a vast amount of reference materials at your disposal is a bad thing? And combining all of the devices into one efficient, easily portable one is the worst sin of all? Seriously? Sorry man, but that is just dumb. I have no idea why that makes you angry, but it shouldn't. Really, get a grip. |
Holt shit this thread sure went to hell
I'm still on the fence, I'm going to watch it, and I might just jump if it gets really close to it's funding goal. Although I'm not sure if i want to tie up my money on something untried, untested, just pictures and a description of what it's "supposed" to have. |
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Good Grief man, who pissed in your wheaties today? Hehe, I thought you'd get a kick out of that rant, Kev. 
Truth be known, I like tech. Love my iPhone, and would not dream of entering the woods without it - but only as an easy way to get my ass out of trouble, or to call the emergency services for anyone I encounter who may need. it. Yes, I will agree that SOME tech in the woods makes sense, but only if used for emergencies. Hell, it may save a life, and isnt that why we are here? Its a strong reason for me. However, carrying electronics into the woods also brings with it a weird kind of anthropomorphism. We've evolved - for lack of a better word - into creatures dependent upon electronic technology, and THAT is what makes me depressed. I have an addictive nature. I used to smoke cigarettes about 20 years ago. I quit - not because it was bad for me, but because I did not like the peripheral habits that smoking involved. I would grab the last butt out of my last pack of smokes, right before bedtime, knowing I would have to go to the store and get more smokes before work in the morning, or face the indignity of bumming smokes all day. Not my style. So I quit. Electronic tech is time-consuming an distracting. Remember Enter the Dragon? Bruce Lee (speaking with a student): "It is like a finger, pointing to the moon. If you concentrate on the finger, you miss all of that Heavenly glory." Kind of corny, but its true. Electronic tech is that finger. Many of the folks I work with now have such short attention spans, they cant even carry out an intelligent conversation. So I guess you can call me old-timer, old fashioned, relic, neanderthal, hippie, or whatever, but I just hate what we've become. 
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I get what you're saying, and I personally get out into the woods (not often enough lately) to get away from it all. Hell, at least I put my phone in airplane mode when I'm out there, I do NOT want to be bothered at all... Like I said, I am more apt to occupy myself with the fishing, the fire, the cooking, etc than doodle with the gadgets. I forbid my son now from bringing any gadgets because his generation is far too dependent on them. But generally speaking I will use the best tool available to solve a given problem. Land nav via map and compass or GPS? I can do both, but unless I am trying to teach someone something I will use the GPS. Radio or smoke signals? Uh... radio, thank you. Bic lighter or a primitive firestarting method? Again, unless I am trying to teach someone something give me that bic lighter every day of the week. I like reading myself to sleep in the woods. And once you go to e-books, it's really hard to go back. They really are fantastic, and much easier to read in the dark.
I like gadgets, they have their place. To each his own though.
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