How I Navigate My Backpacking & Bikepacking Trips
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- Stuff I Mentioned in this Video:
How To Use A Compass - • How to Use a Map and C...
Plan a Bikepacking Trip - bikepacking.com
USGS TOPO - www.usgs.gov/core-science-sys...
What is a GPX - • What is a GPX File?
Garmin InReach Mini - amzn.to/3nDVMP9
Wahoo Element Roam - amzn.to/2RmUJqQ
Gear I'm Over in 2021 - • Backpacking Gear I'm O...
Favorite Backpacking Gear of 2020 - • My Favorite Backpackin...
Get Exclusive Behind The Scenes Content, Unseen Trail videos, & Support my Channel with a pledge as low as a $1/month - / darwinonthetrail
** Gear Used to Shoot this Video! **
- Camera -
Canon EOS R - amzn.to/2L45vwA
- Lense -
Canon EF 24 f/2.8 - amzn.to/2L1WzYk
- Sound -
Rode Video Mic Pro+ - amzn.to/2Q5qFxH
- TriPod -
Targus 360 Trigger Tripod - amzn.to/2kMsU5Y
- Music By: Mike Boren -
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What is your Go-To Navigation Method for Backpacking &/or Bikepacking Trips? What Resources do you use to plan out your Routes/Trips?
👇Let Us Know Down Below!👇
Garmin InReach plus a map.
I so far use mostly my phone but just took a map and compass course from REI because it has been 20+ years since i had used them. I can't wait to get out and practice my new skills
Its strange, I use an Phone app mainly for hiking, a guide for the bike packing I have done, and for kayaking I use a map and compass and a GPS device lol. So really it just depends what I am doing as to what I prefer. I wish we had bike packing resources like you guys here in Australia. At least I have not found any yet. That website you use looks great.
Cool video about using Caltopo with Google Earth to view your track with actual elevation in 3D mode in GE ... th-cam.com/video/-we00TbQshQ/w-d-xo.html
Mostly National Geographic Maps....and sometimes Alltrails, more to track my progress than anything else.
*User-friendly, easy to use for my **Latest.Bike** . I love the function of choosing where I want to go on my phone and synchronizing effortlessly onto my GPS.*
"Stop asking me the same dang question" videos never get old. Solid information man.
We do not understand how you do not have more subscribers with this great content.
Thanks! My guess would be because I refuse to do the same thing everyone else is doing, don't do Ads for Backcountry, & tend to say what I want, even tho people don't want me to. 😉
@@DarwinOnthetrail and that's why we keep coming back. Good honest reviews and advice. So refreshing. Feel free to check us out
Interesting cuz I thought you were doing pretty well with the number of subscribers. It is somewhat of a niche audience. I think your content is great and people who do paid promotion content that I know of, do not have as many subscribers as you do. Maybe there are bigger channels out there that I’ve just not seen. 🤷🏼♀️. Anyway, I do agree you are doing great content both on TH-cam and podcasts/films etc.
Subscribers really mean nothing in the long run. People can subscribe because of 1 video & then never watch another video the creator makes, but stay subscribed. It's all about engagement, views, & if YT decides it wants to promote the video to the audience. All of this is why I sorta stopped caring so much about YT videos. I decided to stop playing the Algorithm Game & put my efforts into more "Meaningful" & fulfilling projects (Films, Podcasts, Etc...). YT Videos are disposable to the audience & take a ton of effort on the creators part to make. I'd rather put those efforts into long lasting projects that can make an impact & help give back to the community. 👍
Thanks for the kind words & the support. ❤️
@@DarwinOnthetrail Wise words. Plus more time on the trail traveling :)
When you need a map and compass tutorial-Dave Canterbury is the man to learn from.
NOTED!
Jeff Randall and also Nantahala outdoor center is good if you are in the south.
Yep.
Yes. This is truth.
Hearing you say “Hey guys, it’s Darwin” feels weird now after listening to your podcast
😂 GOOD! That's what I was hoping would happen 😉
@@DarwinOnthetrail So when are you planning on messing with the Podcast listeners by dropping a "Hey Guys, It's Darwin" to start a podcast? Lol Can't wait for more episodes!
I just binged your podcasts while on a long hike today!
I use a map and compass, alltrails, Guthook and an in reach. Still always get turned around. My navigation skills are next to none.
I'm a big fan of Gaia. Even if you're just going for a day hike on a super well defined trail system and don't need to plan or worry about mapping, it also has a nice track record feature that will give you details on how far you went, elevation gained, pace, how much time you were actually moving. Plus it lays down an electronic "breadcrumb" trail which is nice to have if you need it, and to see where you actually went or allows you to share that route with others.
Also having access to multiple types of basemaps is really nice. I spend some time on boats and being able to pull up nautical charts in the app is really nice
Nice video, thank you. It gave me some suggestions.. As you have encouraged to post ones own setup - and please excuse my poor English, I'm from Austria:
Using the GPS on my phone is very power consuming, and I mostly don't have the opportunity to charge it. Sure, powerpacks, or "battery bricks", or solar panels could amend this, but I am a backpacker, and weight literally hurts me :-). Thus, I have only one with me, of safety reasons only, e.g. when my headlamp or my ham radio shuts off, etc. My "brick" with 20.000 mAh also can generate heat for a few hours, should I be drenched to the bone and resort to my sleeping bag. For such things, but not for electronics on a regular basis. So, I only use my phone as a GPS, when I am not sure, where I am, and deactivate it afterwards. Even though I have an outdoor phone with a huge 6.000 mAh battery. The big disadvantage: I get no GPX records for my trip documentation.
Designated GPS devices, on the other hand, operate with batteries, and a spare set of two usually works for about 16 hrs. Two AAAs weigh 0,8 ounces, two AAs 1,8 ounces, and not about 1 pound :-). So, I also (like you) have an old Garmin eTrex, a Navilock tracker, and a Garmin Foretrex 401. The latter can be carried like a wristwatch, and features a small display with basic graphics, compass, altimeter, and all that good stuff. But the issue with all of them is the limited storage for GPX files: I must use my phone as a storage device and upload the tracks piece by piece, and "glue" them together. The up-do-date GPS devices have slots for really big SD cards, but 400 bucks and 1,3 pounds are a no go for me.
Speaking of maps and compasses: I like both, because in a quiet noon or evening, I can unfold the map, and twiddle around with my further plans. In cinemascope, and not a tiny display :-). I got a special pouch for maps, wherein they are waterproofely enclosed, and I can write and draw on the plastic cover with removable overhead-pens. In this pouch, there is also a pen and a waterproof notepad. You can't reasonably take notes an a phone with wet fingers or in bright sunlight. And - very important for me - a metering device: That has a tiny wheel, with which you can "travel" an intricated path, and read the distance from the scale. A GPS can only yield the distance between two waypoints as the crow flies, and that usually is only a fraction of the actual distance to hike.
Compasses: I use a 8x30 monocular with built-in compass and a reticle. The magnification is 8 times. I don't need heavy binoculars, because I don't need a stereoscopic view, but the magnification. Thus, I carry such a thing anyway with me. With the reticle, you can easily measure distances without any electronics, and the compass bearing is shown precisely in your sight of view, no batteries, just mechanics, sunlight and optics :-). An example: You see a summit, and can determine the distance to it, and the bearing. Together with the map, with a single penstroke, you can identify it. What a tangle with a GPS in that case :-).
Thanks to all of your tips over the course of a few years, I've gotten more active in camping/hiking. I'm gonna try my first thru hike the John Muir Trail.
I’m doing my first thru-hike soon on the SHT and will be using my guide book along with digital maps! On day hikes I use all trails, Avenza Maps or paper maps.
Awesome! As much as I love your previous videos, this perhaps has been the most useful to me. thanks so much!
Cartography was something I enjoyed earning my forestry degree. I was making maps with the aid of GPS unit when it was still a small suitcase with a large antenna and there were only a dozen satellites to sync with. I was one of the first to drag around a little handheld gps unit on trail as well as a topo map and compass. To me, navigation was half the fun. Now, Guthooks is just too easy to deal with the garmin. I still bring a compass and some sort of topo map, for emergencies or just for fun.
Thanks, D.. Hugely informative, highly appreciated.
Here in the UK it's a Swedish Silva Classic baseplate compass and the relevant 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map for me (using the Silva 1-2-3 method). That said, I often use and highly recommend the View Ranger and OS apps: terrific.
For snowy mountain areas, a clinometer app (Avalanche Inc), and a watch with an altimeter (Decathlon) are essential for me. No chance of seeing such this year 😭
Great video! Thank you for this! I’m panning my Colorado Trail through-hike this July so this will be extremely helpful. Cheers
Glad it was helpful!
When I hiked the JMT I used Guthook. It's not so much needed for navigating as the trail is so obvious (with the exception of the really snowy parts), but very useful for planning out your day (where to get water, where to camp). For trips on trails that Guthook doesn't cover, I like AllTrails. AllTrails also makes it easy to download the GPX file of any route. My backup is a Garmin inReach but don't really use that other than as a satellite communicator (I have the Garmin app on phone but tend to prefer AllTrails for navigation). I'm curious about trying a watch like the Garmin Fenix but haven't tried it yet.
Running a dynamo hub gives me more confidence for navigating longer bikepacking trips.
I love using Caltopo for making my own routes. I can then export that gpx file and import into Gaia! Works like a charm. Great video!
This was awesome! And so needed...few except for survivalist show this!
Stoked to see you do that Grand Staircase Loop trip!
oh man, the Grand Staircase. nice, looking forward to that.
OH YEAH!!!
That trail looks amazing!
Trail? You mean the Escalante Route?
Very good information. Thanks for sharing and I hope you come to Spain soon.
Garmin Edge 1030 with GPX files from Ride With GPS (or something similar) and a paper route narrative. I use a dyno hub and external battery to charge gps and other electronic as I ride.
Great content! I am living in Switzerland and mostly hike in the Swiss Alps. To prepare my hikes I use the Swisstopo Apps on tablet or mobile. This Apps has very detailed routes and also indicates closed paths. For the hikes I bring with me a mobile, a GPS device loaded with detailed topo and paper maps but I never load routes on these devices. One of the reason is the fast changing weather conditions or difficult terrain in the mountains forcing me to change plan.
Have fun in Escalante! I was there last week and miss it already.
Great informative video Darwin! I use gpx with either the inreach mini or my watch (both garmin) with the phone as my 3rd backup. I never take paper maps. Mostly use all trails but I should look into these other apps.
Hey... I use my Garmin Fenix. Very convenient with maps, activity tracking, compass, etc. on my wrist. I find it easily lasts the entire day, then charge at night. My phone became my background app device and i still carry an old, e-trex as backup. And of course, one of my most important pieces of gear... a storm whistle
I was just trying to research this topic lol thanks man!
There are some great orienteering (map and compass) videos here on TH-cam. I actually go to a competition in Texas every October called Score-O with my scouts. Fantastic practice for being in the wild. Always have two methods to navigate - one battery powered and one not - because you never know what weather or circumstance will do to your phone/GPS battery power. Heat or extreme cold don't react too well with batteries.
I have redundancies as a lot of what I do is off trail. Always carry a GPS for knowing where I am. Always have a map and compass to be able to get myself out of the poop (phones can be dropped. Screens cracked etc). Plus I use a phone app (either Avenza or Alltrails. Pro version of alltrails now allows you to create your own layered gpx file for where a trail history doesn't already exist).
Super helpful! Thank you!
Thanks for the deep dive because I got videos from people who are well established in using gps and navigation. I’m a newbie and getting lost is a real fear of mine.
I use the Gaia GPS app. I'm not really a thru-hiker, but the app comes in handy to find local trails - especially when travelling. I also like the ability to setup/create a route. Again, while travelling I can set up a morning run/walk route and figure distance based on where I'm staying and don't have to figure it out on the fly.
Good overview, thanks for this. A great in-depth resource for old school land navigation is still _Be Expert with Map and Compass_ by Björn Kjellström, now in its 3rd edition.
Thanks for the info!
Very helpful, thank you!
Great video Darwin I generally hike the AT so I use Guthook or the AT Guide. However, I am planning a 23 mile loop on the Pinchot Trail in PA and plan to use a GPX file with a map backup. The trail is well marked but there are a number of trails that run off of it. Thanks for the video.
I love using the Gaia app. I just purchased a spot device as well because I hike alone a lot and my family worries. I couldn’t afford the inreach so the spot gen4 seemed like a good compromise. I also carry a map and compass backpacking.
excellent video Darwin very helpful information.
Glad it was helpful! 🤙
I backpack a lot on crown land (a bit like national forest land) in Canada and while there are some really clear trails, there is often route finding that is needed. I like using a mix of apps, my Garmin inReach Mini (to check in with my safety person) and trail books, but I always have a map in a ziplock bag. Phones get wet, batteries die. I think redundancy in navigational equipment is really important. In places with really clear, popular day hikes, I'm a bit more relaxed. But in the backcountry, it is ultimately up to me to get myself home safely
I use Guthook, yes it has some more well known trails here in Australia and NZ, the main app I use is OsmAnd+ both with and with out GPX file inputs. For some lesser walks I use Avenza. I haven't used a map and compass of years, although I still carry them sometimes..
For navigation I use all trails and Gaia apps, I also Carry a map and compass of the area I'm going to hike.
Hey Darwin! Awesome videos! Love the gear reviews and trail footage! And you switch to bike packing has been a fun change! Do you use a smart watch of any kind when out on trail? If so, what do you use and what are the best features? I’m looking to upgrade my iWatch 3 lol!
...over siksh years ))
Thank you, Darwin! I'm from Ukraine and I used to watch dozens of your videos, to get some ideas from you, and also I like you pronounce )
I use all the same tools. WAs just having a conversation on GPX files and where to get them. Good Video
I get an open source map and use it on Base Camp and my Fenix 5X. I use base camp to lay out my trip, it snaps to the trail when you pick the points. Then send it to my watch for navigation tracking.
Thank you for the video!! People never get lost, they get temporarily dis-oriented. 😅 I’m an older guy, so I always carry a compass and topo maps for a back-up. So far I like using AllTrails, however I’m finding I’m venturing into more desolate areas and I caught the rath of Ranger Jane on my last hike in a Natl Park for not having a satellite communicator. And you know she is right on target, only responsible people will carry a means of communicating/navigation when cell phone service is not available. I aborted the trail two days early because of the guilt. An in reach mini or similar, is my next purchase.
Thank you for this ❤️
I use GAIA. Good informative video. Cheers!
I like to use a handheld gps device (or app) plus a paper map. Super helpful to see the bigger picture...and sometimes trails move. ;)
Great information thanks!
Glad it was helpful! 🤙
Excellent video! Not only did I like it, but I also saved it.
P.S Adding the pepper map for the CDT?
QGIS as opensource GIS software, Openlayers plugin for getting OSM or google maps layers, additionally any WMS/WFS layer which provide more info, digitize the track, save as GPX...boom
Good stuff well made
I'm a big Gaia fan. However, on backpacking trips I tend to bring a paper map as well.
Great video
For shorter stuff I use dead reckoning (unfortunate name) and some combination of digital and paper for longer trips.
For bikepacking...you should really check out the app/site Ride With GPS. Browsable routes from others, great route creation, and natively syncs to your ROAM. You can load any other GPX into their route planner and slice and dice it however you want.
That’s what Bikepacking.com uses & is what I’m using in this video 😉👍
@@DarwinOnthetrail And I think this is now what's sold me on "Ride With GPS" !
Thanks
Thank you for this video. It is very useful.
You Bet! 🤙
Over here in Europe and espacially in Germany, „Komoot“ is the go to page and App. Excellent for plan hiking, Bikepacking and trailrunning trips and tons of recommended tours from other users. World wide maps are available and tours can be download for offline GPS tracking.
Over here Komoot is very popular for both hiking and biking. It‘s easy to download tracks from other people or plan your own adventure on the website.
For cycling you can select MTB, Road or Gravel routing and the routing algorithm plans your trip accordingly. Many devices, like a bike computer, connect to Komoot to download planned routes or upload your trips to share or analyze later. Or you can use the app on your phone.
If road biking in the Alps, take a look at cyclingcols.com.
Thank you
Love the video Darwin!
Glad you enjoyed it!
10 years ago or so before all the trails had apps you could use what I would do is download all the geocaches that I could find along the trail that I was hiking onto my GPS and it would give me a general idea of where the trail was.
Darwin... just in time I was considering a garmin for my back up to my iPhone... BIG THANKS FOR INFO.. question????? what were the small strap pouches on your pack at the beginning of vid ??? Always great vids to watch..TREK ON SAFE BROTHER
Darwin, I am thinking about doing the Unita Highline Trail this July. I am going with my daughter. I want to make sure I don't get lost. How difficult was it to follow the trail? Did you have to carry a GPS Unit constantly to find and stay on trail? Is Zpacks gpx files on the Uintas good enough for this hike. Which GPS unit did you use, I am unsure of the Garmin Unit I should buy. Thanks for your help and all you do on the trails.
Cheers for the great video,also can you help please what size ditty bag do you use?thank again ben.
Very helpful. I’m still trying to figure all of this out. I have the bigger garmin. Feeling like I want the mini, but am unsure because I haven’t used the apps with the phone with no service that you talk about. Before I go anywhere I study big maps first as I need to see the overall picture whether hiking, driving, etc.
Hiiker app might be useful for many trails!
Yes! A new video from Darwin 😁😁😁
Hope you enjoyed it!
Definitely 😁
Going through some of your old and new videos and they are really helping my plan my next hike. The Pinhoti I would like to know where you get your hats for the AT and the Pinhoti They seem to be made the same.
We've been using a topo map and Garmin etrex 20.
I use a GPX with my Garmin Inreach mini. But I always carry and use a Map and a Compass and as a good Scout, I know how to use it!
I navigate like the stars! Ha! Jokes aside, it's reassuring to to know that I plan/navigate similarly to someone with substantially more experience than myself. Thank you!
Using OSM (including elevation) on basecamp to plan + garmin 64s on the trail, my phone go’s being my backup. Bought that before phones could show a map on the screen
I hike a lot in the Los Padres National Forest. I like to use a combination of GaiaGPS, Google Earth, paper maps including old maps and trip reports. I will draw my route on Gaia and export it as a kml file, then open that in Google Earth. I will examine Google Earth to see if I can see the trail from space. If I have trails on old paper maps, I will look for them on Google Earth and mark what I can see. Then I will export from Google Earth and import back into Gaia to sync with my phone. Additionally, I'll check trip reports to see if anyone has been in the area. There are locals who try to find old abandoned trails, camps, cabins and other relics from the past. Sometimes they post a kml file I can put in my phone. I'll bring my phone to help me find stuff and a paper map so I can change my mind. Some of these places are overgrown and awful so it's good to have a backup plan.
Google maps. I had problems with it in the past, but ever since 2019 it has been working like a charm. Just take a battery bank with you + a solar panel if you go for long trips. You can easily hang it on your backpack or on your rear bicycle rack with some elastic paracord and small carabiners. You also don't have to worry about using too much data. You'd be fine with 2gb a month.
So on the garmin explorer + I can take the map an make it scale to zoom or scale to distance etc, which is best?
I'm considering using the InReach Mini as a navigation backup to Guthooks if I run out of battery for my phone. It seems like a good way to save on weight as I'll be carrying it in any case for the SOS function. As the Inreach will be off most of the time to conserve battery, my concern is that it won't cope with starting starting a route mid way through and navigate on to the trail in a logical way or that it will be cumbersome to find a appropriate waypoint to achieve the same thing if you've pre-loaded a long trail like the CDT. I'm imagining an Armageddon scenario of simultaneously both running out of battery and getting lost off trail. Have you had any experience using the Mini as a standalone navigation device?
Creating routes in gaia is very useful for me as most of the hiking I do is not on trails supported by guthook.
AllTrails might be okay for getting ideas and so do reviews but after that, meh.
Garmin inreach (or fenix) is cool since it can be set up to alert you at trail junctions and such.
I create it all in gaia and export gpx files to garmin for redundancy.
My biggest fear is getting lost LOST, so these are always helpful
Good to see you Darwin! What kind of compass is that, by the way?
osmand app, topo maps, gpx files displayed. works for everything.
I carry a GPS device (Garmin Oregon). That thing is worth it's weight in gold. I also carry a map on longer trails, but no compass. I live in the Netherlands, so there are signs at each corner as we unfortunately don't have a real wilderness here.
I can also open my gpx files on my phone by the way in case my device dies.
I use guide book to prepare and hiiker app similar of guthook
I’m convinced that you are the ruler of Dorkville. I still enjoy some of your vids though.
I use the All Trails app on my phone and home computer.
I like to find topographical maps of where I go and come up with my own waypoints. I then plug them into my Garmin and create a route there. Then I can leave that hanging from my pack and just grab and look as need be.
I mainly use view ranger as I'm in the UK and works very well with the main maps used in the UK (os), only problem is that it hammers my phone battery and GPS is lot in white out conditions which can be a bit scary
What do you use to charge your phone while backpacking ?
What is the difference between the Gaia app and the AllTrails app? The interface looks pretty similar.
I always carry a map and compass for back up.
I always grab the map and compass but I've been plotting my routes on Caltopo and loading them on my phone with the Avenza app
Hey I've watched your videos for a while and it has got me into weekend backpacking but something that i found in walmart has made me want to reach out and see if you would try or have tried Omeals they have many different foods with even vegan options but my favorite part is that it has a self heating element that you just add water to with any water dirty or clean the food is in its own packages and has a long shelf life for cheaper if not the same as other meals you heat yourself just wanted to reach out and they do have a website that food can be ordered off
Map and compass is very much the norm in the UK. I’ll use apps as a back up.
Watched all of it
Is Gaia you favorite GPX reader for th downloaded files?
How do you edit/make your own GPX route?
What fleece and shorts are you wearing?