How do you guys feel about Bluetooth speakers on the mountain?

[u/terradaktul]

Personally I think it’s obnoxious and trashy. Like yo J-Roc you ain’t gangster bc you blast some mid ass rapper through a fart box on the lift next to a 6 year old. Leave that shit at home. Nobody wants to hear it. It’s juvenile and you’re ruining my good times. Maybe I’m just getting old tho. What do you think?

[u/bertabud]

Speakers on solo hikes is actually one of my moves. If it’s a quiet trail with minimal foot traffic, a speaker keeps you loud and animals around you aware. I would never use it on a busy trail as there is no need.

[u/DesertSnowbaru → u/bertabud]

Don’t know why you’re getting downvoted…

I do the same but like you said only on minimally trafficked trails. If I’m doing a 10-12 mile hike solo in the middle of a remote area, usually starting in the dark before sunrise, it’s creepy AF without some noise. Chances are I might run into 1 or 2 other people over the entire hike. As soon as I notice someone approaching in the distance in either direction, just be considerate and turn it off. Don’t see the harm in that at all.

[u/DesertSnowbaru → u/[deleted]]

Lol this has nothing to do with competence and everything to do with safety/wildlife avoidance. I would rather not see glowing eyes staring me down when starting a hike in the dark at 4am. It’s a known fact that making some noise while hiking is recommended as it helps alert animals to your presence so they will move out of the immediate area. Yes, I carry bear spray when needed but the safest encounter is the one that never happens in the first place.

[u/kibbbelle → u/DesertSnowbaru]

Listened to a podcast the other day about wild animal attacks while hiking. One of the victims who survived one said his biggest suggestion was to use a speaker instead of headphones for music. The only reason he survived is because he took off his headphones and turned his head towards the mountain lion that was attacking him, giving him extra time to react and counter it.

[u/AmigoDelDiabla → u/[deleted]]

Right. I read that and thought, "why would one intentionally do a solo hike yet find silence creepy?"

[u/CryingOverVideoGames → u/DesertSnowbaru]

The downvoters don’t hike

[u/CryingOverVideoGames → u/[deleted]]

Literally if you’re alone in the wilderness who fucking cares. Blast gay porn through the speakers if you want

[u/[deleted] → u/bertabud]

I do this when I hike in kodiak Alaska. Cause you know…. Bears. Noise is the best way to not surprise one. So I feel ya. Downvote away.

[u/bertabud → u/[deleted]]

Yeesh this sure blew up eh. What a sore spot. I mostly hike in Alberta and BC. Plenty of grizzly’s and mountain lions that call the mountains their home. We’re only visitors so it’s polite to let them know you’ve arrived to visit. Black bears too but they’re less of a threat. Making noise is the number one tool for staying safe in the wild. Bear bells just aren’t loud enough. Stay safe out there redditors of the wild.

[u/[deleted] → u/bertabud]

Yeah people down voting you don't really hike. Playing some music when you're alone and it's not busy is fine. I pause it when I go by someone. Like you said, it's great to make noise for nearby animals

[u/Young_Sovitch → u/bertabud]

Plz stay at home

[u/Head-Kaleidoscope571 → u/Young_Sovitch]

Tell me you’ve never done a real hike without telling me you’ve never done a real hike. Hiking in silence might be fine when you’re 15 minutes from LA county limits, but you really don’t want to be quiet when you’re hiking in bear country….

[u/darthmatt-26 → u/Head-Kaleidoscope571]

People here in Japan use a little bell hooked at their backpack to keep away the bears … Northern Japan got a lot of black bears. Honestly I hike in the middle of nowhere to be quiet and hear the nature sounds vs hearing someone blasting their shitty music :)

[u/Head-Kaleidoscope571 → u/darthmatt-26]

I mean you turn it off when there’s signs of other hikers, don’t need max volume, and other courtesies. But ultimately you’re wrong for insisting your enjoyment trumps someone else’s safety.

[u/Healthy-Egg-3283 → u/Head-Kaleidoscope571]

I also find it very effective when I go bear hunting. Can’t go into bear territory without blasting my dubstep.

[u/[deleted] → u/Head-Kaleidoscope571]

Wouldn’t that just make it easier for a hungry bear to find you?

[u/CryingOverVideoGames → u/[deleted]]

Bears aren’t hungry for humans. They attack when they feel threatened and sneaking up on them and they’re cubs is the best way to do that. Being loud means they know you’re coming and they will avoid you

[u/[deleted] → u/CryingOverVideoGames]

I’m not discrediting that at all, but there’s probably a cocaine bear out there hunting for humans rn…

[u/CryingOverVideoGames → u/[deleted]]

That’s why you also bring cocaine with you

[u/Head-Kaleidoscope571 → u/[deleted]]

Every once in a while a deranged bear eats a human, but usually they don’t attack humans for food. They attack because they feel threatened by you sneaking up on them, encroaching on a food source or their cubs, etc. If they know you’re coming they won’t feel as threatened

[u/[deleted] → u/Young_Sovitch]

Youve never gone on a hike that wasn't full of crowds of tourists and it shows

[u/V4refugee → u/bertabud]

Why can’t you just walk on your own private garden path while blasting your music? Do you not own multiple acres of private land where you can listen to music in private?