5 Portable High-Tech Accessories For Backpacking
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Backpacking can be a fun activity that's also beneficial for both your physical and mental health, giving you a great workout while also getting you away from the stresses of modern life and helping you get more in tune with nature. While cutting yourself off from work emails and social media might be a therapeutic breath of fresh air, that doesn't necessarily mean you need to rid yourself of all technology. In fact, bringing some high-tech gear while backpacking can make your journey into the wilderness easier, safer, more efficient — and even more rewarding.
The types of high-tech devices you can bring with you on a backpacking trip grow by the day as technology advances and many gadgets are becoming smaller and more portable. After all, backpacking is all about living off only what you can physically carry, so lugging around a desktop computer or a full-sized generator isn't exactly feasible. However, there are plenty of devices that are lightweight and easy to carry, as well as durable enough to survive roughing it outdoors while you do the same.
Not every gadget is worth spending money on, though, and some probably won't add much to your hiking experience. To help you decide which gear is right for you, here are five portable high-tech accessories for backpacking based on the testing and positive reviews of SlashGear and other reputable publications. More details on how these items were evaluated can be found at the end of this list.
Goal Zero Sherpa 100
To make sure any high-tech accessories you use while backpacking stay fully charged, you'll want to bring along one of the best power banks and wireless chargers for camping and hiking, such as the Goal Zero Sherpa 100. With the Sherpa 100, you're basically equipping yourself with a portable wall outlet that can charge even larger devices like laptops, thanks to its 100 AC inverter. Since it uses USB-C, it's also fast and can take power in at 60W while outputting it at 100W. The power bank also conveniently allows for 15W wireless charging, and its 25,600 mAh capacity allows it to charge your smartphone several times over.
In SlashGear's review of the Goal Zero Sherpa 100, we praised its "cleaner design" and "easier ports" when compared to older generations, which make it simpler to use with multiple devices. A color LCD display makes the product even easier to operate. It's especially useful for backpacking thanks to its rugged construction and its ability to pair with Goal Zero's high-efficiency Nomad 50 Solar Panel (sold separately), which can recharge from the sun in as little as three hours.
The Goal Zero Sherpa 100 costs $299.95 and is available from Amazon. Of course, there are several other high-quality power banks that are much more affordable, which may be an important factor if you're on a budget. However, the durability, battery capacity, and the ability to use solar panels for continuous, off-the-grid recharging means the Goal Zero Sherpa 100 is certainly worth considering for your next backpacking adventure.
Garmin inReach Mini 2
Safety should be a top priority when it comes to backpacking, which is why it's important to equip yourself with hiking and camping tech that helps you stay safe in the wilderness, such as the Garmin inReach Mini 2. The satellite communicator enables you to stay in touch with the rest of the world even when you're deep off the grid, which can be incredibly valuable in emergency situations or useful for GPS navigation purposes.
It's small, lightweight, and durable — all qualities that make it ideal for roughing it outdoors. The device includes a digital compass, weather forecasting, a "TracBack" routing tool that can navigate you back to your original starting point, and can send interactive SOS alerts to emergency responders that are available 24/7. One fantastic feature is that, unlike nearly every other satellite communicator, the inReach lets you casually text loved ones by pairing it with your smartphone. This feature, as well as its long battery life, are two of the stated reasons that GearLab gave the product a positive review after hands-on experience with the device.
Truth be told, its screen could stand to be a little larger, but since it's designed for GPS navigation and emergency communication as opposed to watching Netflix, this shouldn't be a dealbreaker when it comes to backpacking. The Garmin inReach Mini 2 can be purchased on Amazon for $399.99.
RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank Radio with LED Flashlight
After being thoroughly tested, the 4,000 mAh Portable Emergency Solar/Hand Crank Weather Radio made by RunningSnail was given positive reviews by Bob Vila, as well as Wirecutter, which named the product its budget pick for the best emergency weather radio. It's a great device — but for backpacking, you may want to consider its smaller cousin, the RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank Radio with LED Flashlight. It's less powerful but takes up less space, is very affordable, and is one of the top-rated hand crank flashlights for camping.
You'll want to minimize the bulk and weight of what you take while backpacking, which is why a multifunctional device such as RunningSnail's emergency radio is so useful. Its 2,000 mAh power bank can charge your phone in a pinch and offers a reasonably bright LED flashlight. Its AM/FM/NOAA radio is also useful not just for entertainment but also for keeping you notified of any potentially dangerous weather headed in your direction. Since it can also be charged with an included hand crank and/or solar panel, you can also use it indefinitely, even when deep in the wilderness.
I own two of these for emergencies (I keep one in a go-bag), and can confirm that it works great and feels comfortable to grip and use as a flashlight. If you're primarily looking to add a flashlight to your backpacking gear, you may want to go with something that's brighter, longer lasting, and more ergonomic for long-term handling (or a headlamp). But the inclusion of a radio — as well as a hand crank for continuous, off-the-grid power — makes the RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank Radio with LED Flashlight a valuable accessory worth buying. It's available from Amazon for $27.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
A fitness tracker can elevate your backpacking experience by providing you with various health and workout metrics, while a multipurpose smartwatch can do the same while also making it easier to control your smartphone apps while you focus on your hike, along with its own useful features. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be the best possible smartwatch to bring with you while backpacking due to its state-of-the-art technology and rugged design that's built to withstand the elements. Its case is made of titanium, and the Alpine Loop band included is water resistant.
With cellular capability, you don't even need to bring a smartphone with you when wearing the Apple Watch Ultra. It also has dual-frequency GPS, which it can use to calculate pace, distance, and navigational routes, including backtracking you to your campsite if you get lost. Plus, its Compass app provides data like elevation, incline, latitude, longitude, and other useful information.
The device isn't for everyone, though. In SlashGear's hands-on review of the Apple Watch Ultra, we noted that — since it only comes in one size (49 millimeters) — it's too large for anyone with dainty wrists. If you're in that category, you'll want to opt for a smaller device, like the Apple Watch Series 9 or Samsung Galaxy Watch. But if you can comfortably wear it, you can purchase the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $779.99 from Amazon.
GoPro Hero 12 Black
The GoPro Hero 12 Black is one of the best action cameras to help survey your next hiking trail, and it can also be a great accessory during the backpacking trip itself, documenting your journey in crisp HDR 5.3K video. A curved adhesive mount and mounting buckle with thumb screw make it easy to fasten to your hiking apparel and record every step you take, as well as attach to a tripod for when you want to do some stationary vlogging.
The GoPro Hero 12 Black can record an ultra-wide, 156-degree field of view in an 8:7 aspect ratio, while an optional Max Lens Mod 2.0 can expand to a 177-degree field of view in 4K60, enabling you to capture the expanse of the wilderness as you backpack through it. It can also take 27-megapixel photos and 24.7-megapixel video stills.
In addition to its impressive video specs, the device includes several other features that make recording and editing easier, especially when you're far from a professional filmmaking suite. They include Bluetooth microphone recording, timecode syncing with multiple cameras, and LOG recording capability. In SlashGear's review of the GoPro Hero 12 Black, we also praised the improved video stabilization, battery life, and upgrades to the camera's software when compared to the previous model.
Ruggedly built for outdoor use, the camera is also shockproof and waterproof up to a depth of 33 feet. One drawback to the GoPro Hero 12 Black is its lack of GPS functionality, which can be very useful when backpacking in the middle of nowhere. However, it's not necessary for recording footage, especially if you have another GPS-enabled device for other uses. The GoPro Hero 12 Black is available for $399 from Amazon.
How these portable high-tech accessories were selected for this list
No matter how good a device sounds on paper, you won't ever really know if it performs as advertised without testing it. If you can't test it yourself, the next best thing is to rely on the reviews of reputable publications that have hands-on experience with a given product. The five portable high-tech accessories for backpacking included on this list have been vetted in this manner, either by myself or by my colleagues at SlashGear or from other publications that focus on technology and/or hiking and camping gear, including GearLab.
Other factors considered when compiling this list of accessories include how useful they'd be while backpacking in the wilderness, as well as how feasible it would be to actually carry them on your person in addition to other hiking staples like food, water, and protective clothing. Even if you decided to bring every item included on this list with you on a given outdoor trek, you'd only be adding a few collective pounds to your load and would still have plenty of space for other backpacking gear.