Smartphone Tools Have Their Place in the Wild

Smartphone Tools Have Their Place in the Wild


I have some vacation time coming up shortly and I'm planning to make
the most of the summery weather by camping and walking in the wild.
Unlike the makeshift camping trips of my youth, this outing will be
planned carefully, and I'm taking my smartphone, loaded with apps that
I think will be useful in the field.


Planning a camping trip can be complex because there are so many
different things you may need to take with you. The Camping List Pro,
$2 for iOS, can help. It's a list-making and organizing app specially
set up for camping, with categories from shelter to personal hygiene.
You can add your own things to the list as well. It's easy to use and
attractively designed, and its preloaded lists may help you remember
to pack some useful items you may have overlooked, like air pumps and
Ziploc bags.

¶ Camping Trip Planner, $1 for Android, is similar. Simpler than
Camping List Pro and graphically more spartan, it may suit your
tastes. A list-based interface is straightforward, though I wish for a
button on the main display to add entries rather than having to tap
through the menu first. The app doesn't suggest items for you, but it
does have a model list with over 200 useful camping items to jog your
memory.

¶ After you've planned your trip, the next step is finding a campsite.
On iOS and Android, the popular Camp and RV app is packed with
comprehensive information for campsites across the United States and
Canada — nearly 25,000 of them, from private sites to military
campgrounds.

¶ The app is based on a map interface. You search for a campsite or
simply navigate to the region you're interested in exploring, and see
what icons pop up on the map. Tapping one of the icons brings up a
message with more information on that site.

¶ From there, you can bring up an information page that includes data
like a Web site URL, contact details and even photographs. The $10
price tag is high, but it is kept current by its developers and will
work offline, which may be really useful if you're on the road. You
can also opt for just the Camp and Tent version or the RV version,
depending on your needs, and they're just $5 each.

¶ If you're planning some sightseeing walks on your trip, then
Columbia's GPS Pal, from the Columbia Sportswear Company, may become
your best outdoor digital friend. Using the GPS technology in your
phone, it automatically logs your trek, including elevation data, so
you can see later where you went. You can also add notes, photos and
video to specific GPS location tags to record something memorable.
It's on iOS and Android and is free, which is impressive. But there's
one important issue common to all GPS apps: using them will eat up
your battery life. That's something to remember if you're planning to
use them to find your way back to where you started.

¶ Knots are always handy to know, whether or not you're camping — I
even put my old Scouts knot training to use the other day while
putting up a hammock. Many apps can help you learn knots, but a great
one on iOS is What Knot to Do, also from Columbia Sportswear. It's
free and no-nonsense, listing 70 knots sorted by category, including
knots like hitches or "stoppers." The app includes a short description
of each knot category and what individual knots are useful for, and
you can save your favorites for easy reference later.

¶ It walks you step by step, with images, through tying each knot. But
if you're a complete novice, you may get a bit lost among all the
options and knotty jargon, with phrases like "a loop on the bight" and
"fair the knot."

¶ The Android app Knots Guide is a great alternative, with a simple
interface that divides knots into categories like "fishing" or
"decorative." It's not the best-looking app ever, and the knot-tying
diagrams sometimes need close examination. But it is free.

¶ Compass apps are useful for trekking, or even pitching your tent
relative to prevailing wind directions. Commander Compass on iOS is a
graphically attractive compass that also packs in an inclinometer, GPS
tracker and speedometer. If its $4 price is too much for you, you
might try Apple's simpler built-in compass app instead. On Android,
the Compass app from Catch.com is a rough equivalent to Commander
Compass and it's free.

¶ When you are out in the countryside, remember to use these and other
apps only when you need them. The view of the real world around you is
probably far better than the one on your touch screen.

¶ Quick Call

¶ Crayon Physics Deluxe has long been a big hit on iOS, thanks to its
clever physics-based game and cute graphics that make your on-screen
crayon drawings come to life to solve puzzles. It has finally been
released as an Android app on Google Play, costing $3.
(By KIT EATON posted on www.nytimes.com)