Light Music On The Trail

Latest Posts | New Discussions | Hot Threads | Forum Topics
Help | Settings | Followed Threads
reply
1 to 20 of 26 messages
Page:
danonthehill
17/02/2012 at 17:30
I like to listen to music when I am out walking, but on multi-day trips, I sometimes go for up to a week without encountering an electrical outlet. Previously, I carried 5 spare batteries for my mobile phone, and even this mean't I had to greatly ration my music.

Now, I have an Android phone and I am lucky if it last 3 hours when listening to music (not good if I am walking 12 hours+ a day). I wouldn't mind buying a light MP3 player, so can anyone recommend one that will run for long periods on a battery? Or perhaps, another solution?
Paddy Dillon
17/02/2012 at 18:34

Someone will pop along and suggest a solar charger... but I've never tried one.

Last summer in Iceland I came across a hut in the middle of nowhere, beside a small stream, generating power from a minature hydro-electric turbine the size of a dog's kennel. I was amazed to find 240 volt outlets all around the hut!

As for music... I'm one of those who never listens to it outoors... preferring the ambient sounds, whatever they are, wherever I happen to be.

Martin Carpenter
17/02/2012 at 18:39

Suspect that you'll be struggling to find an MP3 with replacable 'normal' batteries. 

Long wave radio? Those last for a good while on AAA batteries. Not as light in themselves as MP3 stuff gets I suppose.

I do have a tendency to sometimes listen to cricket when walking for a fair while and its on. The tempos match

Bedouin
17/02/2012 at 18:46
I use a rechargeable USB battery pack.
Neil1
17/02/2012 at 18:50
A Sansa Clip MP3 player. Charges from USB. Can go for days on one charge; even longer with an earphone amplifier. Carry something like a Duracell instant charger, that runs off normal batteries, to boost it. The Sansa is my favourite gadgety thing that I've ever owned by the way. I listen to it most times when walking; great sound, expandable storage, small and light plus it's fairly bombproof.

Comet sell a 2gb capacity MP3 player that runs off one normal AAA. OK as a back up.

Sansa
Edited: 17/02/2012 at 18:53
Kish Logan
17/02/2012 at 19:12
I nearly always carry a tin whistle. Found it very useful in the Carpathian Mountains, where the shepherds play a similar instrument but without a reed. (cf my avatar, seen here playing a concertina, but more often a mouth organ)
Edited: 17/02/2012 at 19:14
Tim Timmington
17/02/2012 at 19:13
I don't have any figures, but my iPod Shuffle (2nd Generation) has excellent battery life.

Don't know what the latest ones are like, but my one the battery seemed to last for so long by the time it was time to charge it I'd lost the cable for it.
geekinthesticks
17/02/2012 at 19:23
I would second the Sansa Clip. Small,light, easy to use. It just appears on your computer as a removable drive. None of the iTunes nonsense. Like Bedouin suggests I also carry a usb recharger, which I can use to top up my phone too. There are various ones about, I got mine from Proporta.
Edited: 17/02/2012 at 19:24
Tim Timmington
17/02/2012 at 19:27
That's a good point, iTunes is absolute rubbish. Tried to rename my carefully sorted, carefully named music collection.

I don't even have it installed, I use Winamp instead.
Nick Rose
17/02/2012 at 19:35
Another vote for the Sansa Clip, it has more facilities than ipod shuffle. FM radio, you can also record the radio programmes. Voice recording also.
Imperial John
17/02/2012 at 19:41
I'm glad I still have my MiniDisc. 100 hours battery life and superior sound quality to mp3.
danonthehill
17/02/2012 at 19:51
Thanks all. I thought I'd be better off with a replaceable battery MP3 player and bunch of AA/AAAs but the Sansa looks interesting; looks like it would give 10-15hrs of play from one charge. Seem to be a few complaints about it being too quiet though. That's a good tip about the headphone amplifier, but the ones I can see look a little bulky, is there a compact equivalent? And what would be a good USB recharger?
danonthehill
17/02/2012 at 19:54
I have got an old Sony minidisc player somewhere in the cupboard. It takes one AA. Is that true 100hrs? How many batteries does it take?
Neil1
17/02/2012 at 20:12
Edited: 17/02/2012 at 20:15
huskyman
17/02/2012 at 20:23

I'm on Paddy's side.

 I go out to get away from "the rat race", no mobile, no anything 'electrical'.

 The sounds of nature only. I don't want to hear music, the news, etc.

 The world could explode, I get 'vaporised', radiated, I don't care.

 When I get back I can find out. 

geekinthesticks
17/02/2012 at 22:11
If you tell the Sansa Clip you are in the EU, the ear police will limit the sound it can output to a whisper. If you go into the settings and tell it you are are in the US, you are free to turn up the volume and deafen yourself.
huskyman
17/02/2012 at 22:45

 As an add on to my earlier post, I do carry a mobile, but not switched on. Only used if I need to call MRT and I hope I never have to.

 As for listening to music, etc. I like to hear the sound of nature, (or lack of). listening to something you might miss the call of a Perigren calling, the hiss of a snake, or worst case, some large animal comming near you.

 Even just lying in a tent/shelter, listening to rain, makes me feel better/calmer.

 If I want a distraction I'll carry a book to read.

waldo
17/02/2012 at 23:00
That's why I prefer to walk solo.You see and hear much more if
you walk alone.Some have their ears plugged even when walking
with company. Cheers.
privatehudson
17/02/2012 at 23:06

I used to use a Sansa Fuze until recently and found it was pretty good for listening to music on. In general I used to get about 10-12 hours of listening time on a single charge, so combined with a battery based USB charger, it could be a good solution. I only stopped using it recently because I bought myself an Android phone, but as has been mentioned already, the battery life is rather limited, which means either carrying lots of batteries for the USB charger, or a plug outlet on a frequent basis.

I also liked listening to audiobooks on the MP3 player since I could generally get through even a large book in a day or two of walking. In fact sometimes hearing a particular book reminds me of a camping or walking trip, giving me good memories.

Scott
17/02/2012 at 23:12
Kish Logan wrote (see)
I nearly always carry a tin whistle. Found it very useful in the Carpathian Mountains, where the shepherds play a similar instrument but without a reed.

 Class.

"It's psychosomatic. You need a lobotomy. I'll get a saw."

1 to 20 of 26 messages
Page:
Forum Jump  
Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Shopping

Most popular

Competitions

View all competitions
Sign up to our twitter feed

Promotions

View all promotions