Emergency stations and commercial resupply stations on the trail would really ruin my day.
LongShot
What products would YOU like to see for long distance hiking?
system
#22
I can mentally picture you guys scowling everytime you come across an emergency station or food cache, so I don’t think that is something that I will persue. 
Thank you for your imput. And like I said, if there are other problems you regularly encounter that could use a product solution let me know what they are.
honorOFeagle
system
#23
for trail emergencies?
When I broke my ankle this year all the cell phone batts were
dead. And I was at NOC just the day before!-(
Perhaps a single/double use cell phone that you can pick up at
outfitters for $5. Keep it light, small, but reliable.
Maybe a sat phone, because some areas don’t have cell coverage?
Scamp
Don’t forget the beer!!
Scamp
system
#24
A PDA/Camera/GPS/MP3 player that accepts maps and guidebooks digitally from a datastick and can snd your journal with pictures you take using the thing. It must weigh less than 6 ounces and run off a wind up dynamo so you don’t need battries.
That way you wouldn’t need guidebooks, maps, cameras, CD players, notebooks, pens, pencils, etc.
SGT Rock
system
#26
Jason,
I have put some thought into your question and perhaps there is something you can do for someone like “Scamp” in true cases of emergency.
Do you know of the technology that high mountain skiers use in case of avalanche? A homing beacon that can be worn around the neck that will pinpoint the skiers location in case of emergency or if they were buried in an avalanche. It should broadcast a signal via satellite to emergency response teams.
Remeber the “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” lady? Same idea.
Although we all hike knowing certain risks, no-one ever goes off into the wilderness believing it will happen to them today or they wouldn’t go. But if there was a real necessity, having a button to push that would send a signal that pinpointed my location might be a real lifesaver.
Someone on this forum asked what she should do in case of a rattlesnake bite and whether her life would really be in danger. This might be a prime opportunity for a 4th year marketing student to create a little piece of mind!
Skunker
system
#27
I forgot to mention that the whole thing needs to be waterproof for obvious reasons.
SGT Rock
system
#28
how about a portable CD burner that accepts digital
camera flash media cards. All it would need to do
is read a flash media card and burn its contents
Already on the market – check out the Apacer Disc Steno CP100
http://www.apacer.com/apacer_english/product_html/disc_stone_cp100.asp
deeddawg
system
#29
I love SGT Rock’s idea. Should it contain a plain cell phone or a satellite phone for uploading those journal pages and pictures?
DebW
system
#30
Skunker,
I think something like that would be great if it does not already exist. I haven’t really dove into the GPS side of things in my research yet, but I will certainly check it out. That would certainly bring about much greater piece of mind in people. Someone on another forum had a suggestion to make a motion detector with high intensity LEDs for a bear detector. If that was also water proof, I could see sticking that outside and making it an alarm clock too. Then you really would have to get your ass up and outside to shut it off! :tongue
I think if I could come up with a group of electronic devices that ensure people’s safety then I could run with that for my thesis. I have to make sure that whatever I do is substantial enough. So far I have had a hard time finding things which don’t already exist, or things that would counter the purpose of hiking.
Jason
HonorOFeagle
system
#31
Jason,
Since Backpacking is an activity based on simplicity, you may find it difficult to adapt new “Technology” to it.
As a purist…I am more concerned with getting pack weight down and wouldn’t mind finding a more simplistic “ruck sack” pack instead of what I carry now. I have found difficulty in getting distance and simplicity together for myself. My goals are for ultralight packing and have narrowed things down pretty much to the absolute necessity.
Skunker
system
#32
how about a simple light weight 1 time use emergency beacon that sends a burst transmission to a satellite with up to a 15 second recordable message. “i broke my leg on top of albert mountain”, would then be able to be gps triangulated by satellite; would have a strobe beacon like the army rangers use for signalling helicopters and maybe a signal beacon that rescuers can signal to alert the injured party when they are within a mile or 2 to turn on the beacon (a small beep or flashing light)
Big Boy
system
#33
Scamp how about a solar flashlight so you can see to hydrated the beer with the dehydrated water LOL
When I quit smoking and took up hiking I really got tired of hard candy and couldn’t find any that is meat or veggie flavored
use to be YANG