My Electronics for the Appalachian Trail

Electronics on the Appalachian Trail? It seems like one of the biggest controversies out there. Some believe you shouldn’t have any and apparently you are a horrible person if you do. Then there is the rest of us with kids and families left back at home or those of us that still have to work while we do our thru-hike (I have both lol) =)

Electronics for the Appalachian Trail:

Here are the electronics I will be using for my upcoming Appalachian Trail thru-hike starting in February.

Phone/Camera

iPhone 11 Pro. I upgraded to this phone for the purpose of the camera. Being a professional photographer I was really wanting to bring my pro camera, but the weight of it and the lenses were a no go (an extra 10 pounds). But I knew I wanted good quality pictures, so I decided to upgrade my iPhone 6 in order to make that happen.

Headlamp

I will be taking the NiteCore NU25 with a modified headband for a little extra weight savings. It has both a regular light and red light as well as brightness levels. It is all very easy to work too, which is a must.

Watch

I debated for a while on if I wanted to take a watch or not and whether to take a regular watch with an alarm or a “smartwatch”. I ended up choosing the Garmin Fenix 5s. I love being able to quickly look at the temperature outside, steps taken, and notifications I receive on my phone. The battery lasts 8 days when not in GPS mode which is awesome.

GPS/PLB

For my GPS and Personal Locator Beacon, I am taking the Garmin InReach Explorer+. It gives my family peace of mind and allows my husband and kids to see exactly where I am at any given time on the trail. It also allows me to connect with other InReach hikers on the trail when there is no phone service (or send texts to shuttle/hostels).

Battery Banks

To keep all of that charged, I will be carrying two (2) 10,000 mAh power banks. The reason I chose (2) 10,000 instead of (1) 20,000 was due to weight savings, the fact that if I am short on time it is quicker to charge a 10,000 than a 20,000 and if one should stop working, I will still have one left to get me through until I can get a replacement. The two I will be carrying are the ZMI and a PowerADD. I have several Ankers as well, however, after dealing with their customer service 3 different times and each time having a horrible experience I decided to try different brands. I have had to deal with ZMI customer service and they were amazing. I went with the PowerADD one simply due to it is the lightest 10,000 mAh one I could find on the market.

Charging Block

For the charging block, I am using an Anker 12W Dual mini plug. It is lightweight and the plug folds into the block for easy storage.

Tripod

For my tripod, I am using the UltraPod and for the head, I am using the Manfrotto Universal Smartphone Clamp, Pro Version. The reason I like this Tripod is that it is lightweight and I can strap it to the end of my trekking pole, so I can use my trekking pole like a selfie stick.

Miscellaneous

I will also be taking charking cords as well as wired earphones.

What are your electronics for the Appalachian Trail? Comment below and let us know!