whats in your headphones?

[sparky]

If this is inapropriate mods feel free to delete this topic

I never listen to music in the back country....in summer. The longer nights and shorter trips of the winter are a different story. I just wanted to share some music I am digging into recently, and just sounds great while alone at night in the wilderness.

[sparky]

[RoguePhotonic]

I never used to listen to music in the backcountry. I spent all of my 2009 and 2010 trips which were 110 days together with nothing at all. Not a book or music. Just me and the wilderness. But you miss it and songs get stuck in your head for up to a month at a time. So now I always take music on long trips. Short weekend or week long trips I wouldn't take music though.

I mostly listen to pop music myself. I spend a great deal of time listening to Taylor Swift on or off trail.

[Jimr]

I've never brought music along. I always have a tune running in my head on trail. Unfortunately, it tends to be a song with a rhythm that suits my pace, but I don't particularly like. Then I can't get it out of my head. I almost brought my wife's i-pod last summer, but decided not to since my son was with me. I would probably have decided against it even solo. I just can't quite justify spending all of the time and effort to get into nature, then block it out with ear buds.

[RoguePhotonic]

I just can't quite justify spending all of the time and effort to get into nature, then block it out with ear buds.

It has always amazed me that people will hike with both ear buds in and wonder down the trail. A packer told me that their horses have come up behind people and bumped them because they had no idea stock was even behind them.

I may wear headphones when I hike allot but I always just use one ear bud so that I can maintain situational awareness.

[KathyW]

I listen to audibooks when I hike and backpack. I almost always backpack and hike solo anymore; so it's nice having books to listen to when I feel the desire to. I have 5 little Ipod shuffles, and I load one book on each.

I listen to audio books when I drive too and sometimes when I jog, but I also listen to music sometimes when I jog.

I go through a lot of audiobooks.

[The Other Tom]

I just can't quite justify spending all of the time and effort to get into nature, then block it out with ear buds.

My sentiments exactly. I want to experience the sounds (as well as sights) of nature.

[markskor]

I just can't quite justify spending all of the time and effort to get into nature, then block it out with ear buds.

My sentiments exactly. I want to experience the sounds (as well as sights) of nature.

Maybe I am the odd man out here but…
I carry one of those “postage-stamp-sized” iPods loaded up with a little Willie, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Cream, Led Zeppelin…lots of Old School rockers. I never listen when out on the trail as I too always “want to experience the sounds (as well as sights) of nature”…(not miss anything).

That being said, after the hiking is over and at the campsite, especially if solo, nothin’ wrong with sittin’ down lakeside with my fishin’ pole, rocking out to a little Whiskey River, Truckin’, or maybe even some Subterranean Homesick Blues. The upbeat music usually perks me up immediately and the fish don’t seem to mind if/when I sing along…which I regularly do…loudly. (Keeps the other anglers far away too.)

[Wandering Daisy]

Two years ago I bought an I-pod Shuffle. Why? My problem is that when the sun goes down or my campsite gets into deep shadows, it gets cold, and I have to get inside the sleeping bag. Except for mid-summer, that means I am often in bed by 7-8PM. I am still not sleepy. It is uncomfortable to read a book laying down, with my hands exposed to the cold. And if I take a book I also have to take reading glasses. So I now listen to music for an hour. At first I tried books on tape- do not like these because, honestly, a really good book is hard to put down and found that I would be anticipating listening to the book all day instead of being in the moment in the wilderness! If I have had a long day and do not get into the bag until late, I skip the music. My choice of music is classical. Really concentrating on the complexity of classical music gives a different listening experience than I get at home where my music often just becomes background music.

I particularly like the i-pd when I go solo on long trips. When I go with my husband, he is an avid reader (he actually takes his e-reader) so forget any conversation from him! When I go with my chatty girlfriends, we do not need any entertainement or I-pod. It is like a big slumber party!

But, I NEVER listen to anything during the daytime. I really do not see how anyone could need or want anything more interesting or stimulating that just being out in the wilderness and observiing everything.

[fourputt]

No artificial sound in the backcountry for me thank you (tho audiobooks are a godsend for long drives).

I give a very big ditto, especially off-trail, about missing too much when plugged in, such as the bear that came within 50' of my campsite on Kendrick Creek last May. I heard it stomping thru the brush over the roaring water before I saw it. Headphones might've made for more excitement than I wanted had we become aware of each at closer quarters.