This Incredible Technology is Shaking up the Hiking World

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That multi-tool, along with incredible bravery, some medical knowledge, and a will to survive at any cost saved Ralston's life, but the advent of some incredible technology means that if you ever find yourself in a similar position when enjoying the great outdoors, you'll be able to escape a whole lot quicker, and hopefully with both arms intact.

Read on, as we take a look at the latest must-have gadgets for any aspiring hiker.

Garmin inReach Mini

You may be fine sticking to a mobile phone if the extent of your hiking is a wander round the local park, but if you're planning an adventure further afield, taking in mountainous routes or inhospitable terrain where mobile phone coverage doesn't exist and help can't easily be found, it's worth considering a backup.

Garmin's inReach Mini compact satellite communicator is the perfect companion, letting you send and receive text messages, trigger SOS notifications to search and rescue teams, check out downloadable maps and even get access to the latest weather forecasts, helping you to stay as safe as possible.

GoSun Solar Stove

If you're a fan of longer hikes spread over multiple days, you’ll be needing a means of cooking food to sustain yourself, and that's where the GoSun Solar Stove comes in. There's no need to worry about carrying seperate gas canisters around, because the GoSun Solar Stove takes all the power it needs from the sun instead. Perhaps surprisingly, thanks to the use of parabolic reflectors and borosilicate glass, GoSun offers the ability to cook even when it's cloudy or cold, meaning your food will never go cold, no matter long you're away from civilisation.

ViewRanger maps

Paper maps and compasses have been staple accessories for hikers for hundreds of years, and while we'd always advise packing both when heading into the wilderness, digital maps from ViewRanger are the perfect way of dragging your country walk into the 21st century.

As you'd expect from maps designed for use in the great outdoors, ViewRanger's maps are completely offline, running on a range of devices from iPhones and Android phones to Android Wear smartwatches and the Apple Watch. Everything you need to know is present and correct, from contour lines highlighting terrain to your exact location, and ViewRanger even offers augmented reality to discover more about 9,000,000 landscape features in 23 different countries.

The Cave from Heimplanet

In a time where most tech has changed almost beyond recognition, the design of the average tent has remained stubbornly familiar, with most affordable options using traditional methods of construction – complete with bags of poles and tent pegs.

The Cave from Heimplant ushers in something completely different, with a geodesic inflatable design that helps it to stand out from the crowd. When deflated, it weighs in at just 4.8kg, yet can be pitched into a fully-fledged tent in less than one minute. And, despite being made up of an inflatable frame, inner and outer unit, it can be deflated and rolled up into your bag without having to strip into different component parts, making it easier to simply get up and go.

Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter

You've got your maps, a way to contact the outside world if anything goes wrong, and a way of cooking food, but you can never have too much water when walking and the Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter means you'll be able to top up from streams and lakes when you're out and about. It's capable of filtering around one litre of water per minute, removing microorganisms, chemicals and even distinctive tastes, and making sure you stay hydrated wherever you are.

Bivystick

We love the idea of Garmin's inReach Mini, but if you'd rather stick with your own mobile phone, Bivystick is a viable alternative. The Bivystick itself effectively turns your mobile into a satellite phone, with a dedicated app that lets you make contact with emergency services should the worst happen, along with other features like weather reports and location tracking that could make a massive difference when you're in the wilderness.

We spoke to the creators of Bivystick earlier this year, and discovered a startup where employees are passionate about the great outdoors, with a product that's designed for avid adventurers. The perfect gadget for hikers, then.

This article first appeared on http://www.redbull.com. The original can be read here.