Fitness: Take technology with you into the wilderness

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Technology has fundamentally changed how we hike. Smartphones and smart watches have replaced traditional navigational tools allowing hikers to follow the trail on their wrist instead of reaching into a backpack and unfolding an unwieldy traditional map.

For purists, there’s an uneasiness to letting technology into the unspoiled wilderness. But for professional explorer Ray Zahab, the navigational features on his iPhone and Apple Watch Ultra are game changers.

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“There’s no need to pull out my phone. I can view a map by glancing down at my wrist,” said Zahab, who traversed the Arctic using just the Apple Watch Ultra to steer his course.

Zahab, who hails from Chelsea, has trekked mountain ranges in Death Valley, sea ice in the Arctic and the desolate terrain of the Sahara, Gobi, Namib and Patagonia deserts. Using third party apps like Gaia Maps and WorkOutDoors, he can plan an intricate course on his desktop and download full colour maps with topography and personalized waypoints to his phone and smart watch.

“It’s all about simplicity on my expeditions,” Zahab says.

Reducing the number of devices that need charging is imperative for long treks in remote areas of the world. And in low-power mode, Zahab’s smart watch has all the navigation he needs without draining the battery. It also keeps the amount of gear to a minimum, which is key for anyone carrying their supplies on their back.

You don’t need to be a world-class adventurer to appreciate the latest in trekking technology. During a recent trip to Banff and Kootenay national parks, I tried out some of the navigational tricks and tips used by Zahab. Using third-party app AllTrails, I was able to view nearby trails from my hotel room, filtering by distance and degree of difficulty. After narrowing my list of options, I read reviews posted by fellow hikers for feedback on the terrain, views and ease of navigation. With the trail chosen, I downloaded the trail map to my phone and used the app to view it on my smart watch.

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AllTrails provided directions from my hotel to the trailhead, a bonus as trailheads can be tricky to find. Once I started the hike, I put my phone in my pocket and followed the trail on my smart watch, which tracked my exact location against the trail map, making it easy to stay on course. Any time I had a question about the route, a glance at the interactive map on my wrist showed me which way to go.

Still a traditionalist at heart? There’s always the option of navigating by compass on your smart watch or smartphone. Smart watches like the Apple Watch Ultra used by Zahab and the Garmin Fenix 7X connect with GPS signals from all over the world, allowing backcountry lovers to combine old-school navigational techniques with the latest in interactive mapping.

There’s also a bunch of safety features on smart watches that come in handy should things go sideways, including fall detection that sends out an emergency signal should you need assistance — a bonus if you twist an ankle in the backcountry. You can also share your location with friends and family and activate a built-in siren to help others find you in a pinch. And in the case of the Apple Watch Ultra, it automatically drops waypoints along the route allowing you to use its backtrack feature to return to the starting point if you do get lost.

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All these great features are also useful for trail runners. I used the AllTrails app to find trails suitable for running, which for me means wide trails with gentle ascents and descents. But by far the best feature was the hands-free navigation, which allowed me to put my phone away for my entire run. And when I did take a turn off-trail, my watch alerted me with a tap on the wrist and an inquiry whether I was taking a more scenic route or needed help getting back on course.

As much as I relied on my smart watch to hike and trail run, you can get all the benefits of trekking technology without having to buy another device. Paired with the right app, your current smartphone is a great hiking partner. Look for features like GPS tracking, full colour maps with topography, trail stats and reviews, safety features that synch with satellite communication devices, weather updates, offline access to downloaded maps and the ability for the app to synch with a smart watch.

Knowing you can easily stay on course with any of your current devices means you’re less reliant on course markings, which can be iffy. And for inexperienced hikers like me, access to tools that make trekking more accessible offers up more options to be active outdoors. It also provides extra peace of mind when hiking with kids. Whether it’s trekking off-grid or following a well-travelled trail, technology makes exploring the great outdoors easier and safer.

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