Balancing Technology and the Outdoors

How will breakthroughs in technology such as Google Glass and Goal Zero change the way we participate in outdoor activities?

Two worlds collide.
I belong to two different communities that don’t traditionally coincide. One is the techie world, where there are breakthroughs and advancements every single day. You can generally explain one process in five different ways, and there is never an end to exploration and learning.
The other community is the outdoorsy world, where tradition and culture are standard. People generally explore the outdoors to escape a busy and mundane lifestyle. Experiencing the outdoors cannot be expressed with equations or definitions. Instead, to fully understand nature, you have to get outside and fully embrace the outdoors.
Although these two lifestyles rarely mix, advancements in technology are starting to break the barrier between them. Mostly it is technology that is branching out into new and unseen territories. 10 years ago, the word technology would have been a disgrace to mention if you were on a hike or fishing on a remote lake. Now, most adventurists exploring the outdoors use technology to enhance their outdoor experience and usually have at least their cell phone with them at all times.
If you didn’t take a picture, you didn’t go.
Possibly the biggest reason that technology is being introduced in the outdoor world is because of social media. People love being able to take a picture at the top of a mountain with their smartphone, and then post that picture to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter the second they reach cell service. Hashtags such as #nature, #nofilter and #adventure are consistently being used to be able to share photos from outdoor adventures.
GoPro has thrived off the recent movements in technology and social media. Skiers, hikers and cyclists are commonly seen with a small camera mounted onto their helmet. With this capability, thrill-seekers are able to film every second of their adventure and then share it with people all over the world. This practically indestructible camera has been used to film 72-foot long mountain bike gaps, avalanche cliff jumping and rattlesnake attacks. These are things that only a few years ago would have been impossible to get decent footage of. GoPro currently has over 3 million followers on Instagram, and has an average of 9,000 new followers every single day.
Stay connected, and don’t get lost.
Goal Zero is an up-and-coming company that has provided outdoor enthusiasts with the ability to charge their devices with solar kits and other sources of portable power. This allows videographers and photographers to keep their devices fully charged while they’re far away from power sources. Goal Zero has released power packs and solar generators to be able to charge laptops, cameras and even small refrigerators. Now there is no excuse to not have fully charged devices even if you’re 50 miles into the wilderness.
GPS. What a lifesaver GPS has been for anyone that has ventured into new territory. GPS satellites circle the Earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information down to us(garmin.com). Hikers and explorers use GPS to have the confidence that they’re not going to get lost when entering areas they’re not familiar with. Almost everyone has GPS on their mobile device, and most newer cars have a built-in GPS feature. No one likes being lost. Especially when they’re 100 miles away from civilization.
These advancements are already pushing technology into nature, but how will things change in ten years?
Google Glass may be one of those inventions that could shape our future outdoor experiences. Although this new innovation from Google is yet to really take off, it gives us a glimpse as to what we can expect in the coming years. It isn’t that far fetched to think that soon we will all be using wearable technology that “enhances” our everyday activities. It’s only a matter of time until this extends into our enhancing our hobbies as well.
Google has released apps for their innovative glasses that can help you read greens when you’re playing golf, provide maps with directions, and take instant video. I can only imagine that Google will eventually release apps that will assist you as you’re camping with your family, or going on a hike on a Saturday after a long week at the office. It would be convenient to be able to instantly snap a picture whenever something interesting occurred on your hike . Google Glass would give you that ability.
Is this really a good thing?
There is still a fair number of traditionalists that refuse to allow these breakthroughs in technology to reach the outdoor world. Many people still won’t give in. As I was hiking in Zion National Park in Southern Utah, my friends and I were playing light music on a portable speaker that we had brought with us. An older man walked by and scolded us saying, “turn your music off and listen to the nature!” Although I agree that we should embrace the untouched beauty of the outdoors, my friends and I truly believed that our music was enhancing our hike. We agreed to respect him and turn our music down, but we did turn it back up once we were alone again.
That said, I still believe that it’s important to set aside time when we aren’t glued to our devices. One advantage of hiking in a desolate canyon is that you don’t have to worry about checking your email or responding to a text message. Instead, you can just clear your mind, blocking out all distractions that life throws at you. Everyone is different, but it does feel good to completely disconnect. When you’re working, work. When you’re fishing, fish. When you’re driving, drive.
Find the balance.
Technology can enhance our outdoor experiences, but it shouldn’t take them over. I love the fact that I can keep my iPhone charged to take pictures during a 4-night campout. I’m not however going to check my Twitter feed and miss out on a beautiful sunset. These two worlds can coincide as long as we take advantage of technology and don’t let it interfere with that window of time spent exploring new terrain.
VPS.net Cloud Hosting can help you come up with the next breakthrough in outdoor technology!