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Gps find a place where to get out of the forest. How not to get lost in the forest: five applications for navigation in the green thicket. Looking for a way out of the shopping center

Modern applications can help you find your way wherever you are: in a metropolis, outside the city, in a forest, or even in a shopping center. In addition, special programs will help you find out where your children are.

Pointing finger for mushroom picker

The app store has a series of programs for navigating the forest. For example, application "Navigator. I'm going home", as the developers assure, it works without an Internet connection, using a GPS signal. For example, it will help you return to the starting point from which your route began. The application will tell you where to turn by voice. It will save the necessary routes, for example, a mushroom or berry place, in the map and help you return to it again. There are several versions of the program.

Another application "Location Detector (GPS)", According to the developer, it can also work without an Internet connection and is suitable for use in forests and mountains. It allows you to independently choose the best map, as well as the navigation method: arrow or voice. You can save the desired places; the functionality also includes a compass. It is also possible to send an SMS message with your location and coordinates.

In the direction of the compass needle

Many users also download compass apps for traveling. For correct operation, you must have a phone model equipped with a magnetic sensor.

Application "Compass 360 Pro Free" According to the developer, it works properly and accurately anywhere in the world. You can use it like a real compass, it does not require an Internet connection and supports many languages.

Similar application "Compass", as the developer assures, it will also allow you to determine the magnetic and true course, location and address. Displays your position on the lock screen as well.

Looking for a way out of the shopping center

For example, an application will help pedestrians navigate the city "Maps: transport and navigation", it will calculate the route time and has voice prompts. It will indicate how to get to the desired place by transport, and will indicate the nearest restaurants, cafes, gas stations and pharmacies.

Similar application "Yandex maps" also has pedestrian navigation, which takes into account the passages between houses, paths in squares and parks.

Another assistant for pedestrians can be an application "2GIS: reference book and navigator." Works without the Internet. In addition, the program will help you quickly find the entrance to the desired building and not even get lost inside the shopping center, showing you the desired store or the nearest ATM.

Children under supervision

To track the location of a child, there is, for example, an application "Family GPS Locator My Family". It allows you to set a child mode, which will not allow your child to turn off geolocation and change settings. You can view your travel history on the map, as well as create places and receive notifications when your child arrives or leaves. Works via GPS.

Similar application "LifeSign - Family Locator", According to the developer, it will show on the map where your child is. You will also know the weather in that place, the charge level and the availability of mobile communications. It can work even without a GPS signal.

Today, for Russian consumers, the domestic market offers a huge number of modifications of GPS navigators, which they can use for trips to the forest and fishing. The most popular devices, ideal for hiking, are devices from the Garmin brand. Navigators can be of several types:

  • software;
  • tourist (pocket);
  • automotive, etc.

The best forest navigators have a huge number of functions, the main ones being:

  • ability to choose the most active route;
  • ability to work uninterruptedly for a long time (at least 20 hours);
  • ability to work with the software “Roads of the Russian Federation”, etc.

How to choose the best navigator for the forest, which one is better?

When choosing a navigator for forest walks, every mushroom picker should pay attention to devices that are easy to use. They must have the following characteristics:

  • small dimensions;
  • light weight;
  • high-capacity battery;
  • the ability to find a way back in record time;
  • assistance with orientation;
  • be equipped with a memory card, thanks to which the device can remember a large number of places;
  • be equipped with the maximum number of road maps;
  • ability to create short routes;
  • equipping with a highly sensitive GPS receiver, etc.

Navigator for forest and fishing

The Garmin brand GPS navigator, designed for forests and fishing, will help people minimize the time for the upcoming route. This device can be especially useful in unfamiliar areas, which are fraught with many surprises and road obstacles. The manufacturer of navigators Garmin presented several new series for forestry and fishing for Russian consumers:

  • eTrex;
  • Oregon;
  • GPSMap, etc.

All of these devices are ideal for pedestrians, as they have very compact sizes, a display that glows at night, and an affordable price.

Navigator for Android for the forest

Despite the fact that new gadgets are constantly presented on the domestic market, finding a navigation application in them that is convenient and multifunctional is quite problematic. Many mushroom pickers install third-party software on Android, which is freely available. A modern navigator for Android for the forest must first of all be able to plot the most optimal route and guide its user along it. He must be able to download a large number of roadmaps and be able to work with them.

Forest navigator for iPhone

Special software is available for iPhone owners that determines and displays on the screen the route to any point in the Russian Federation. The user of this technical device who goes for a walk in the forest will always have access to the selected route strip, on which all traffic situations are determined and indicated. On the iPhone screen, the night and day modes are automatically switched, since the program always takes into account the current time. A convenient navigator search system will allow iPhone owners to quickly plan the upcoming route and not be distracted from searching for mushrooms by carefully studying and memorizing the area.

Garmin navigator for the forest

Garmin brand GPS navigators designed for forests are ergonomic and compact. With this device, the mushroom picker will be able to start working without taking off his gloves, which is very important in adverse weather conditions. Convenient joysticks allow users to quickly move the cursor around the screen when entering data and selecting a route. Locking the joystick will prevent the device from involuntarily starting its operation even under strong physical impact. The durable casing of Garmin devices is reliably protected from any mechanical damage and can retain its original external data for a long time.

Car navigator in the forest

Some mushroom pickers who have their own transport try to use car navigators when visiting the forest. These devices are not very suitable for “silent hunting”, since they are configured specifically for the roads of the Russian Federation and can provide their owners with not entirely accurate data, especially if it is necessary to lay out a route in a dense forest. Car navigators are equipped with maps that allow drivers to determine the distance of the car from a specific city or street. They also provide data to the motorist about all major country roads in Russia. It is able to warn the driver about all traffic jams that are present on his route.

How to use a navigator in the forest?

Every avid mushroom picker should use a portable forest navigator during a “silent hunt”, thanks to which he will not stray from the chosen route and will not get lost. Before turning it on, you need to study the instructions, which will help the user to configure it correctly. It is important to install all the necessary software on this device in advance. After launching the application, a map of the area will appear on the navigator screen. Special prompts that will regularly appear on the monitor will help you customize it directly for yourself. The mushroom picker must enter into a special section of the menu all the requested data that may be useful to him later. Once the information entry is completed, the mushroom picker can set a specific route and follow it throughout the entire trip.

You don’t have a special tourist GPS navigator and want to take the navigator from your car on a hike? Will the car navigator work in the forest or in the mountains? About this in the video review:

The short summary is as follows: it is better to use a tourist navigator for a hike, and use a car navigator in a car. But in extreme cases, you can take a car navigator on a hike. At the same time, we must remember the following disadvantages of such a solution (the information is generalized, each specific model may have its own characteristics):
1. The battery of the car navigator is designed for a very short battery life, only a couple of hours. The problem can be solved by having a solar battery or PowerBank for recharging.
2. The shape and dimensions of such a navigator are not at all campy. It is uncomfortable to hold in your hand and will not fit into any pocket.
3. Touch controls are not the best solution for a hike. What if the screen cannot be locked?
4. Unprotected housing. Typically, car navigators are afraid of both water and falls; the screen can easily be broken on rocks.
5. The software is primarily designed for use in the car, not on the go.
6. Maps are adapted to the road network; it is not possible to download raster maps. This problem can be solved by installing OSM cards.
Taking into account these limitations, we can conclude that the car navigator is not suitable for serious hikes, but can be used for mushroom picking, walks in the forest, and picnics. Such a navigator will allow you not to get lost in the forest and return back to the car.

Unfinished article...

List of sections


Car navigator on a hike or in the forest

Immediately after turning on the navigator, the start page is displayed and the search for satellites begins. To determine the navigation accuracy, current altitude and coordinates, you need to press and hold the antenna image in the upper left corner of the start screen for a few seconds:


The touch screen is not blocked in any way, so it is better to turn off the device while driving (button on the back), in addition, this will save battery power. However, when turned off, navigation does not work, which means recording your track is extremely problematic. After turning on the navigator, the search for satellites starts again.

Configuring a car navigator for pedestrian operation mode

There is no special mode for working with the navigator outside the car. However, you can configure a number of parameters so as to achieve the most comfortable use of the navigator while hiking. To do this, on the start page, click on the shortcut " Settings".

Setting up the map

Go to the section " Map and vehicle":

Change the vehicle icon from a car to a triangle. This icon on the map indicates our location and direction:


In car navigation mode, a 3D map view is traditionally used. In the hiking version, this view is inconvenient; it is convenient to see the map from above, and select the direction of the map " North from above":


Set the parameter " Map details" meaning " High", this will allow you to display the maximum number of elements on the map, although far from the roads the detail of all road maps is very low:


In chapter " Map layers"put a tick" Trip log", it is also advisable to check all other boxes:


Disable " Autoscale", it is completely unnecessary in the pedestrian mode of the navigator:


In chapter " My cards"installed maps are displayed, we include all the maps we need. It is worth noting that Garmin Nuvi car navigators only support working with vector maps. The device is sold with pre-installed Navikom maps" Roads of Russia. RF" or " City Navigator NT Russia" and free updates - I recommend updating the maps to the latest version. You can try installing the map " Roads of Russia. RF. Topo" is a topographic vector map covering the territory of the Russian Federation, this is used in Garmin tourist navigators, but this feature has not been tested. You can also try installing an OpenStreetMap map.


Here we are interested in the point " Route calculation mode"where we select the value" Directly". This mode allows you to plot a route without being tied to the road surface:


Screen settings

Let's move on to the next settings section - " Screen":

Set the optimal screen brightness value. There is no need to make the screen backlight too bright; our battery already has enough battery life for a short battery life. It is worth noting that the screen of Garmin Nuvi navigators remains readable even in bright sun.


The Garmin Nuvi car navigator can automatically turn off the screen after a specified period of time if the user does not show any activity in working with it. But it is important to note that when the screen turns off, the GPS receiver also turns off, that is, the track cannot be recorded in this way, and after turning it on with the button on the back of the device, the search for satellites is carried out again. The time before the screen automatically turns off should be selected individually, I set the value to " 1 minute":


The settings made will allow you to use the Garmin Nuvi car navigator for a hiking trip as comfortably as possible.

Working with waypoints

Tourist navigators allow you not only to view the map and your current location, but also to save waypoints that are displayed on the map and to which you can get directions. Let's see what capabilities are included in Garmin Nuvi navigators.

On the start page, click the shortcut " Where?" in the form of a large magnifying glass and we get to the search page:

Location House

In the navigator you can set one highlighted point for quick access - location House. To do this, press the context menu button (upper left corner of the screen), select the item " Set location Home" and in the menu that opens select " Current location":


On the map this point will be displayed as a house. This makes it convenient to set the location of your camp. And by selecting the shortcut " Home", we will get a route to this point.

Finding a point by coordinates

The coordinates of the most important points can be copied into a regular notepad, so they will not be lost even if the navigator is not working. To get directions to a point with known coordinates, you need to select the shortcut " Coordinates", enter the required coordinates in the form provided, or select a location directly on the map:


Selecting a point on the map

You can select a point on the map by scrolling the map and clicking on the desired location. It appears as a blue flag. Clicking on the marked point again allows you to save it. Click " Save", and the location will be added to the list of saved places:


Saving your current location

To determine the coordinates of your location and save it in the navigator’s memory, click on the arrow on the map indicating your position. We get to the page " Where I am". This page displays your coordinates, altitude and a button " Save". Press this button, enter the name of the point, press the button " Ready" and the current location is added to the saved objects:


Actions on waypoints

The list of waypoints can be accessed from the search page by selecting " Saved". A list of all waypoints is displayed, sorted by distance from our current location. When you click on the line with the desired waypoint, a menu of actions opens:


Button " i" allows you to view details for a given point - coordinates, category and distance to the point. On the page with detailed information, the context menu (the button in the upper left part of the screen) allows you to delete or edit a point:


Let's take a closer look at editing a waypoint. Select the menu item " Edit":

A menu is displayed that allows you to change the waypoint name (entered using the virtual keyboard) and its category (entered or selected from the list presented above the virtual keyboard):


You can also change the symbol that appears on the map. The symbol is selected from the presented list of symbols:


If you select " Delete", you will be prompted to delete the waypoint:


To delete several waypoints at once, on the page where all saved points are displayed, select the context menu item " Remove items", then check the boxes next to the elements to be deleted and click the " button Delete". A similar deletion request appears:


Working with the map

To access the map on the start page you must select the shortcut " Map".

Map panels

The map page displays a number of information panels in addition to the map itself. By default, the right panel is hidden, to display it, enter the context menu (the button in the lower right corner of the screen) and select " Trip data":


The panel contains three fields; if you click on a field, a list of possible values ​​displayed in this field appears, thereby you can set the display of the parameters that you need at the moment. Here are some items on the list:


For the hiking option, useful items include distance traveled, distance to destination, distance to waypoint, direction, average speed while moving, stop times, time on the move, total time, time of day, altitude, location, and GPS accuracy.

Lower right information field (in the picture above " Direction") is also configurable:

Depending on the situation, the list contains a different number of lines. If a route has been laid, then additional parameters appear such as the distance to the destination, the distance to the intermediate point and others.

Lower left information field - " Speed", is not configured in any way. But if you click on it, the trip computer opens:


There are a large number of information fields, the order of the fields does not change, and the fields themselves are not customizable either.

The trip computer context menu (button in the upper left corner of the screen) allows you to reset the data:


If you reset your trip data, your speed, time, and distance traveled will be reset. This is convenient to do before starting a new transition if you want to measure the average speed, time or distance.

This is not all that should be said about car navigators on a hike. The article was not completed due to lack of time and waning interest in this topic.

Mandatory!

The problem of turning a smartphone into a hiking GPS navigator has been solved. The main navigator is now a smartphone; in terms of functionality and ease of use, it leaves far behind all existing special hiking GPS navigators. And in terms of reliability, sensitivity and battery life, it is on par with them.

I must say, the problem was not solved by me, but by the manufacturers of smartphones, batteries and software. I only selected worthy candidates and tested them in practice. I won’t make any secrets, I’ll be happy to share detailed recipes, use them and continue experimenting.

First about the software.

There are dozens of programs that turn a smartphone into a navigator. The choice according to my requirements left only one program: Locus Map (Locus Map). It is written only for Android, so the choice of smartphones has narrowed significantly. There is a free, slightly trimmed version of Locus Free, the full version of Locus PRO costs $6 one time, I advise you to install it right away, because when upgrading Free to Pro, you will have to do all the settings again, and there are a lot of them.

So, the main advantages of Locus, because of which it turned out to be out of competition:

  1. Availability of high-quality free offline vector maps of the whole world based on OSM (Open Street Maps). Here's a link to one of them. There are terabytes of regularly updated maps.
  2. The program understands raster maps, which are easy to make yourself from scanned paper maps. For example, using the Mapc2Mapc program. The beloved General Staff will easily take root here. Here is a gift for you: a map of Crimea and the Lycian Way in Turkey that I made. You will find instructions for using the Mapc2Mapc program just below.
  3. Convenient recording of track and waypoints. You can draw a track manually and place waypoints anywhere, not just at your current location.
  4. Conveniently upload your tracks and points. Both of them can be placed in an unlimited number of folders, enabled/disabled by folders, or individually.
  5. There is no limit on the number of points, tracks and points in tracks.
  6. The ability to disable auto-locking of the display (the display will still turn off to save energy) and assign functions to the volume keys, such as zooming. In practice, this means that the navigator can be controlled without pressing the screen. This is also true when the screen is wet and does not respond correctly to gestures.
  7. It is possible to locate directories with maps on an SD card.
  8. Absolutely everything is customizable: the type and size of the cursor, its position (in the center or on ¼ of the screen), the color and width of the tracks, the size of the point icons, options for displaying the names of the points (permanently, open by tap or when approaching)…
  9. Unlimitedly customizable trip computers: amount of data, location, font (size, transparency and color) - in any combination.
  10. Fine-tuning the recording of track points by time, distance and accuracy. This allows you to record only the points of real movements, and not wandering around and jumping hundreds of meters with poor communication with satellites.
  11. Configuring the use of the internal compass and barometer: filtering depth, on and off limits.
  12. Setting the GPS receiver to turn off to save power (always on, always off, only on when in use)
  13. Customize all buttons on the top and two side panels, auto-hide.
  14. Running the application as a service, which eliminates failures when other applications are running simultaneously (calls, photos...). For example, for me, track recording pauses during calls, if not turned on as a service.
  15. The program is developing and constantly improving, new convenient functions appear, bugs are fixed when working on new smartphones and versions of Android.

Is it really more than a list? I only wrote down what was interesting to me. The program's capabilities are simply incredible; the developers are trying to create the most universal GPS-based application. Due to the huge number of settings, it is not easy to understand them. I will describe how to make the most necessary things for the hike.

This is what my program window looks like with a vector map of Crimea. The difference from the default one is only in the buttons at the top, on the side and in the trip computer.

Setting up Locus.

1. Select all default directories- in the phone memory, Not on an external SD card. This is done in the settings - miscellaneous. Directories for vector maps locus/mapsVector and raster maps locus/maps can also be placed on an external SD card by specifying this in the program settings.

2. Download a map of the area where you are so that you have something to work with.

First, copy vector maps (in .map format) to locus/mapsVector, and raster maps to locus/maps. If you took a vector map from the link above, then they come with their own styles, which Necessarily you need to install it by going to the site with maps from your smartphone https://www.openandromaps.org/en/legend/elevate-mountain-hike-theme. In a collumn " Quick install in Android" Click Locus. Then you need to enable themes. First, activate the vector map. Then drag the bookmark at the bottom left. there you select “external” and there will be “Elevate” and “Elements”. They are exactly the same, but the first is by default designed for wild areas, the second for the city. The only difference is in the checkboxes that include different elements on the map. The theme needs to be installed once, suitable for all cards.

The map can be downloaded directly to the smart phone. The maps are multilingual, the language can be switched for each map separately, click the three dots in the catalog with maps to the right of the map name.

There is a big drawback to maps from the openandromaps.org resource. The problem is with street names in populated areas. There are either none, or they are displayed only on a couple of scales. But in terms of detail in the wilderness, these maps have no equal.

It happens that the program sees newly downloaded maps after rebooting the smartphone.

3. Now some important settings. The rest can be left as default.

If you don’t want to deal with long disputes, you can just copy my settings. Download the settings file, copy it to the phone in the Locus/Backup folder (do not unpack it, just as downloaded, with the .zip extension), and then in the program menu select “Additional functions” - Backup manager - Restore. Please note that in these settings, map folders are configured in the phone memory by default. If you want, change to an external SD card. You can also pick up my Trip Computer. This feature only works in the Pro version. Download the computer file, copy it to the Locus/data/dashboard folder. Then select it (called kravchik1) with a long tap on the computer icon (with the eye, top second from the right).

If you still want to figure it out yourself (due to constant updating of the application, the settings may be in other sections and renamed):

Editing the top and right sidebar buttons.

Entering the editor - long tap on any element of the panel - panel settings. We set the number of buttons on the top panel to 5, the right panel to 2 and change the elements (remove unnecessary ones and add new functions): GPS, Data, Maps, Track Recording, Trip Computer, New Point, New Route. Move elements by clicking on the icon. "GPS" is the satellite visibility icon. Yellow - no signal, green - there is a signal. “Data” is a directory of your tracks and points. “Maps”—entrance to the catalog with maps. “Record track” opens an additional track recording panel (it can be adjusted, I recommend placing it at the bottom). “Trip computer” turns on/off the selected computer, and with a long tap you select the computer. You can draw whatever you want through settings/additional functions/route editor. I didn’t like any of the ready-made ones - the symbols were too large and covered half the screen. I made simple little black numbers at the top of the card, on the left. It shows speed, altitude, distance traveled. “New Point” records the center of the screen as a new point, asks for the name and destination folder. “New Route” allows you to draw a route manually. I use this function as a distance meter.

The first five buttons will be on the top panel, the rest on the side panel.

The sixth, leftmost element of the top panel changes differently: just click and select from several options. I advise you to choose GPS here. Will show the accuracy and number of visible satellites. If the accuracy is displayed at, say, 50m, then the navigator can fool you at 300m; you should not take such readings seriously.

Controls/Screen:

  • “Lock auto-rotate” - check “all screens” and “portrait mode” (this will disable auto-rotate display)
  • “Disable screen lock” - check the “Disable all locks” checkbox (the screen will still turn off when not in use, but it will not need to be unlocked with gestures)

Controls/Map Screen

  • hardware buttons: zoom control

Controls/panels and buttons

  • left panel buttons - map style switch - check the box. This is a switch of those very topics. Different themes for different purposes
  • It is better not to enable auto-hiding of the top, bottom and function bars, they do not interfere if the screen is more than 4.5 inches

Recording tracks:

  • pedestrian profile: 20m/10s/35m
  • view of the track recording panel - bottom panel

GPS and sensors:

  • launch at application startup - always
  • Disable when inactive - I advise you to uncheck the box.
  • compass-auto switching, 2km/h
  • use true path angle: yes

Miscellaneous:

  • exit confirmation: yes
  • Locus as a service: yes

Points and tracks:

  • track line style: I advise you to choose purple color so as not to blend in with any symbols on the map, track width: 4px

Instructions for converting raster maps into the Locus.sqlitedb format using the Mapc2Mapc program.

Download the Mapc2Mapc program and install it. In the free version, the functionality is the same, but the map will be littered with red crosses. If this is critical for you, the license costs a one-time fee of $20. Or look for the broken version. I've only seen older versions, they have a lot of bugs and worse functionality.

The program has the ability to link a card: File/load image for calibration. But I haven’t figured out this option and am linking maps in oziexplorer. How the binding is done is a separate topic, read specialized sites and forums.

Open the desired map: File/Load calibrated map. Sometimes the program finds it difficult to select a projection. For example, for Pulkovo1942 (our favorite General Staff) you need to choose from the list, this is Russia, Georgia or Asia.

Then File/Write map for mobile device, select Locus/Rmaps/Galileo .sqlitedb from the list. You can leave Zoom and all the checkboxes as default. Click OK. Now attention! A page will open where the map is divided into squares and you can disable any. If you click OK here, the number of squares increases 4 times so that you can select more accurately. If you do not need to throw out individual pieces of the card (or you have already thrown it away), check the “No more selections” checkbox and click OK. The conversion will begin. Depending on the size of the card and the performance of the computer, it can take a lot of time, up to several hours. Look for the converted map next to the original one.

About smartphones and increasing their reliability.

Once Locus is selected, Iphone and others automatically disappear, leaving only Android. It would be nice to use a special protected smartphone. They are not only protected from damage and water, but can also work normally in temperatures down to -20. True, they are so hefty that you don’t want to carry them around in everyday life. And if you don’t have the means to buy a separate device for a hike, you can get by with a regular smartphone with water protection. Super impact protection is useless. You need to put the smart phone in silicone, stick on a protective glass and tie the device with a cord to a backpack or belt. The cord is ordinary, 35-40 cm long, so that the phone does not reach the ground and does not interfere with putting it to your ear. If your phone doesn't have an eyelet for a lanyard, you can attach it to the silicone case.

This is how I carry mine in my backpack pocket.

Experience has shown that the minimum requirements are: 4-core processor 1.2 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, 4.5″ screen. It is vital that the screen can be operated normally in the rain, that is, when there are drops of water on it and your fingers are wet. For example, Samsung S7-S10 has such screens. I'm currently using the S7 edge and am very pleased.

Autonomy of the smartphone.

Conventional devices can withstand 1.5 hiking days under the following conditions: constant track recording, moderate use of the screen, constantly in touch, 10 minutes of calls, 5 MB of Internet (mail, weather forecast). If you turn off the connection, it lasts for 2 days. Not much. Removable batteries are a thing of the past, now the only option is to charge. The solar battery charging option is not suitable for active hiking. Attaching it to a backpack is inconvenient and ineffective. Normally, you can use solar charging only on vacation.

Therefore, there is only one way out: charging from a power bank with lithium-ion batteries. I have already tried a dozen of them, of different designs. You need to choose according to the optimal combination of main parameters: capacity, weight, price, reliability and convenience. With weight and price, everything is simple and clear. But with the most important thing - capacity, manufacturers are messing up. First: absolutely everyone indicates the capacity of the internal battery for a voltage of 3.7V. But it comes out of the power bank 5V. Second: no one indicates the efficiency of the converter from 3.7 to 5V. And it ranges from 70 to 88%. Typical figure is 80%. So it turns out that it is written 10000mAh, but in reality it is 5400-6400mAh. This power bank will charge a 3600mAh smartphone battery from 5 to 100% 1.5 times.

Manufacturers also mess with the charge and discharge current. Of course, to a lesser extent. The higher the charge current, the faster the power bank charges. And the greater the current supplied (per discharge), the faster the phone will charge. Take power banks with fast charging capabilities, this is very important when you only have a short opportunity to connect to an outlet while on a hike.

From the point of view of reliability and convenience, I consider it optimal to use power banks with a “written” capacity of around 10000mAh. One large one is certainly more economical in price and weight. But power banks are often lost, forgotten and broken. Therefore, it is safer to take several smaller pieces.

A solar panel on a power bank is a useless weight. It takes 2 weeks for her to charge it!

The built-in flashlight is a dangerous thing because it likes to turn on accidentally and wastes its charge.

I measure the capacity of power banks with a USB tester. And it’s even better not to compare capacity, but Watt hours. Then we avoid the need to take into account the voltage, which changes during the measurement process and produces an incorrect result.

Here are some tested options for comparison to get an idea of ​​how different they are.

Globex 11500mAh: weight 240 g (plastic body), actual capacity 6000mah/30Wh. Charges with a current of 1A, outputs up to 1.5A. Full charge time 10 hours.

Drobak power roverII 10000mAh: weight 280 g (steel case), actual capacity 5400mAh/27Wh. It charges and produces 0.85A. Full charge time 12 hours.

Xiaomi 10000mAh: weight 210g (aluminum body), actual capacity 6400mAh/32Wh. Charges 2.2A, outputs 1.8A. Full charge time 5.5 hours.

Xiaomi 2 10000mAh (with fast charging): weight 222g (aluminum body), actual capacity 6520mAh/32.6Wh. Charges 2.2A/5V, 1.5A/9-12V, outputs 2A/5V, 1.5A/9-12V. Full charge time is 3-5.5 hours.

If you consider that Xiaomi is also not expensive, then they win in all respects! Here is a photo of the hero:

One BUT: the market is flooded with fakes of terrible quality. Look for an original item in trusted stores with a good reputation, and under no circumstances look at one-page sites with a discount of many%. By the way, do not buy anything on such sites! The real price per 10,000 is 15-20 dollars.

The rest of the tested power banks were collapsible, using standard 18650 batteries. Here is the best of them, TOMO:

The charger separately weighs 108 grams, each battery weighs 46 grams. All together weighs 292 grams. It charges and outputs 1.8A. For the money, it’s a little more expensive than the previous ones. TOMO has 4 independent charge/discharge channels, one for each battery. There is a charge indicator separately for each battery. And it even shows the strength of the recoil current. It is not necessary to insert all 4 batteries, it will work from one. Of course, the key here is the quality of the batteries. And I took the best ones - industrial Panasonic NCR 18650B with a real capacity of 3300-3400 mAh. This is the discharge capacity, measured with a special charger. That is, the total was 13400mAh. When discharged, 7200 mAh comes out of the TOMO. Obviously, the efficiency of the converter is only 72%. Very bad. Another important nuance: when turned off, the discharge current is 0.34 mA for each battery. This means that 8% of the charge will go to waste in a week. So you need to remove the batteries if it is temporarily lying around idle.

I also tested similar charges, but with one charge/discharge channel, with batteries connected in parallel. The results are similar to TOMO, but the execution is poor and the quality is low. During the hike, I didn’t dare rely on such things; they would let me down at any moment. One plus is that when the device is turned off, there is no discharge at all.

What are the advantages of charging on 18650 batteries: You can take one charger for 2-4 batteries, and take as many batteries as you need! Yes, at least 10. It will be cheaper and easier.

The main drawback was discovered on the very first trip. Often poor contact with batteries. You have to wipe them and rotate them. You think it's charging, but it's not really charging or it's weak. Such a serious drawback offsets the advantages in price and weight. In addition, all of them have low efficiency. So I recommend non-separable power banks.

Another use for power banks is charging batteries for cameras and video cameras. If their charging only works from 220V, it doesn’t matter: on aliexpress you will find USB 5V chargers for all types of batteries.

Please note: Lithium-ion batteries self-discharge by 10% per month. Therefore, be sure to recharge them before going on a trip.

Hunters, fishermen, tourists and even mushroom pickers have recently increasingly used navigators to go into the forest or go to a body of water. The fact that this convenient and functional gadget will not let you get lost is understandable. But you can mark the usual fish sites and mushroom spots on it, so that next year the basket and the cage will not remain empty.

There are, of course, all kinds of applications for androids, phones, smartphones, tablets and other devices, but, firstly, from among them it is somewhat difficult to choose the best option, and even if this works out, they can fail on a long hike. Phone chargers are not installed on birch or pine trees, and at the most crucial moment your gadget may simply refuse to work. A good navigator not only holds its charge much longer, but makes it possible to quickly change the battery and even use regular batteries. In addition, all these applications will not provide such a volume of necessary and useful information as a navigator for a trip to the forest.

Types of tourist navigators

The division is understandable to the point of banality, which is good.

  • Simple. Black and white, low-functional navigators. Most of them don't even have the ability to download new maps. The most they can do is mark a few points and lay out a couple of routes on an existing map. It is not recommended to take them on a multi-day walking tour, but it is quite possible to mark mushroom spots around the dacha or favorite sites for large bream, carp or catfish pool.
  • Complex. There is literally room for imagination on these devices. But this space must be approached, if not carefully, then very thoughtfully. Here you will be offered not only a large selection of maps, which can be constantly updated, but also an altimeter, compass, barometer and even a pedometer. Not to mention building a route and remembering the path already taken. Without certain skills, you can get confused.

Depending on what exactly you want from the device you are purchasing, you need to choose. Marking out a lake so that you don’t come back from fishing without a catch, or stake out a small birch grove full of crap – you don’t need to overpay several times for this. And if you like to leave the benefits of civilization a couple of times a year and go admire unfamiliar forest spaces or picturesque mountains for one and a half to two weeks, then you should shake your wallet and choose an advanced multifunctional navigator for tourism.

Navigator for fishing and hunting

This issue has already been covered somewhat above, so there is no point in repeating it. But still. Fishing and hunting are different. If you engage in these types of outdoor activities close to home, then soon you won’t even need a navigator. But if you are going to a new body of water or to a completely unfamiliar forest, it is better to make sure in advance that your navigator has a map of this area with all the details and an approximate route to a couple of nearby settlements.

Navigation application for android

We have already touched on this issue, but it’s worth deciphering it a little. There are a lot of navigation applications. If someone advised you something specific, and you completely trust the advisor, it’s still worth giving such a navigator a few tries, after downloading it to your Android and definitely before going into the forest. In most cases, additional, but very useful functions are not included in the initial version, and they will have to be downloaded and installed separately, often for an additional fee. And most importantly, do not forget to make sure that the gadget’s battery is 100% charged before going into the forest.


Navigator for iPhone

This option will be better than android. Firstly, because a good application updates online, and you will always know where you are. Secondly, the functionality of such applications is much better, and the connection, if a satellite is connected, is much better.

Navigator Garmin

The most affordable model of navigators among hunters, tourists, fishermen, mushroom pickers and just amateurs going on hikes. However, cheapness this time does not mean a lack of quality. The device fully meets almost all requests. Small in size, which makes it easy to handle with one hand without connecting the other. The case is durable, waterproof and non-slip. The joystick is comfortable even for working with gloves and has a locking function, which is very convenient in order not to accidentally lose track of the route or other indicators. The battery is designed for uninterrupted operation for 20-24 hours. The device is equipped with all sorts of useful functions and additions. This is a very good helper when searching for mushrooms, fish or the right path.


An absolutely necessary device in a car, there is absolutely no point in arguing with it. It will show you exactly how to get to the forest and from now on you can safely turn it off. It is impossible to navigate in the forest using a car navigator. And not only because the car won’t get through there, but in some places it will squeeze through. But because he is not programmed for this. A map of streets, squares, alleys and country highways is usually loaded into it. They can tell you where it is best to avoid the traffic jam. Forest areas and the surface of the lake on car navigators are indicated by a solid blue or green spot, but for a mushroom picker or fisherman they are the same as “white spots”.


How to choose a navigator for hiking

Before you go to a specialized store, and even in the store itself, you need to pay attention to some parameters of the selected device.

Physical parameters

The size and weight of the navigator plays an important role if you have a long walk ahead over rough terrain. Of course, it won’t stretch your arms or shoulders, but the ideal option would be a device that fits in the palm of your hand and fits into the most convenient pocket, from where it can be easily taken out at any time without slowing down. It is not worth reminding that it should be well protected from moisture, dirt, dust and other troubles.

Display

A color display is not only beautiful, but also much more practical in terms of reading and understanding the displayed information. However, there are two rather significant inconveniences. Such a screen consumes much more energy, which means you will have to worry about additional batteries. On a sunny day, you will have to either look for a shaded corner or cover the screen with your hands, since the contrast can play a very unpleasant joke. The disadvantages are not that significant, but still, if you plan to use the navigator not on long hiking trips, you can get by with a black and white display.

CPU

For avid hikers who have multi-day hikes ahead of them, there is no question about processor power. The more powerful the better, there is no point in arguing here. Standing in one place and waiting for the navigator to process the information on such trips is not only boring, but can also put you behind schedule.

Memory

The same principle applies here as with processor power. The more memory, the more maps can be loaded into the navigator. The ideal option would be a device that allows you to use additional media such as micro SD. Well, the minimum amount of memory should be 1 GB.

Charger

This is one of the first questions that a seller is asked when choosing a travel navigator. And again the principle should be: the more, the better. A device whose passport states that its charge lasts less than 15 hours should not even be considered. On a long hike, you will have to change the batteries more than once or twice, and carry them with you, even to the city, because throwing away charging cells in the forest is harmful to nature, and not very pleasant.

Cartographic capabilities

In addition to the fact that the navigator shows you your location on a certain area of ​​the terrain, it is also good that it allows you to update the maps loaded into it. This will help reduce the error in the indicators and enable the user to make the necessary adjustments.

Housing and case

A cover is desirable. Especially if during the hike you plan to cross rivers, during which the possibility of getting your luggage wet increases significantly. And the navigator is also not insured against falling from a height or onto an untimely stone. Even a high-quality housing of the device itself may not withstand the overloads of a difficult tourist route, so extra protection will not hurt.

The requirements for the case itself were described above, but they are worth repeating:

  • Strength.
  • Tightness.
  • The presence of softening and anti-slip elements.

It's safe to say that in some conditions you will appreciate your forethought.

It is better to go on a multi-day hiking trip with an experienced guide, or a person who has been to these places more than once and knows some signs and features of the terrain that allow you to quickly determine the location of the group and adjust the route in case of deviation from the intended paths.


However, a good tourist navigator can also help out. The main thing when purchasing is to adhere to the parameters and requirements listed above and before going on a trip, thoroughly study all the capabilities of the device, download all the necessary applications and functions into it, and practice a little on familiar terrain. And then your journey will not be overshadowed by an unexpected unfamiliar landscape, which, instead of striking you with its beauty, will scare you with the realization that you are lost.