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We have all heard the argument about cell phones on the trail. Some for it, others expressively opposed. But cant the same thing be said about portable electronic devices? I have a Gameboy Advance and I know many people will scoff at the notion of playing racecar games around the campfire. But what if its muggy outside and youre confined to your tentquarters? Is it absolutely unfair to bring parts of the "outside world" into the serenity and beauty of the backcountry? Or, on the other hand, could it possibly be the greatest thing for the time spent lying restfully in your hammock, updating your skills at such old school games as Donkey Kong and Ms. Pacman (and I KNOW you ALL played those!) What do you think?

Works for me. Just be sure to turn the sound off so you don't drive the people around you nuts.
It's no different from someone bringing a book or a crossword puzzel with them...

I think they should be allowed. People can do whatever they want with their outdoor experiences, as long as it doesn't tear up the backcountry or make too much noise.

Though if you bring a Gameboy on a hike with me, expect to be made fun of.

Same here. Seems like a waste of time, but hell, it's your time!
(And no, I've never played those. I have a life.)

In response to mikeinFHAZ's reply:

Speaking of cell phones on the trail...the user must be a very important person if they can't leave their phones turned off long enough to enjoy nature. Sad that they are slaves to an electronic device. I encounter much of this on the city trails in PHX. I guess the call MUST be important. Perhaps they are doctors or something :

I often carry my work cell with me hiking, but that's in case I'm in an area where a bird might need someone to pop in and check on it, make sure its okay, etc.
If I worked in an office or something, though, I would not bring a work phone with me at all.

Ok, I'm probably getting too nit-picky, but the word "allowed" to me implies that someone is going to make them illegal or against the rules somehow. I'm pretty sure you can bring whatever you darn well please on the trail in your backpack as long as you don't bother anyone else nor hurt the environment, and (just in case a cop looks through your pack for some reason) it's a lawful, legal item.

I have been on the tops of mtns. when someone used a cell phone to call home (Humphrey's Peak especially). Other hikers "looked down" on them, made fun of them, etc. I don't see what the big deal is. You're up there, talking to your hiking companions. Other people are there, too, talking to their hiking companions. And someone else is talking on his phone. It's not like you're in church or at the library. Talking is allowed, after all, on the top of that mtn. So I think it's just a snobby, holier-than-thou attitude that some people take regarding cell phone use. (I don't own a cell phone but wouldn't presume to regulate someone else's choice.) Same goes for your Gameboy, but I agree, it would be good manners to turn the sound off.

Lifestyle choices really aren't for me to judge....if you want to bring your game-boy, I-pod, or cell phone on a hike or a backpack, then that's your choice. I bring my cell phone on every outing (not that I get any reception) and bring my I-pod too (I only listen to it when everyone is asleep) but also bring a deck of cards and try to remember to bring my cribbage board too....and a good book!

I listen to the I-Pod once in a while on a hike....the music gets me moving! Never talk on the cell phone and refrain from playing cribbage when I'm hiking.

I see there is a poll now. I voted yes, of course, although I wasn't sure of the meaning of it. Are gameboys aloud--is that a misspelling of allowed, or did you mean should they have the sound turned on? I assumed you meant "allowed" as in the title of the post.

People who voted "no" need to wake up as to the meaning of the word, "allowed." This is a free country, last time I checked. If gameboys are not allowed, that means there would HAVE to be a law against bringing them. Think! A park ranger comes up to you and says: "Do you have a gameboy in your pack? Let me inspect it right now!" He opens your pack, finds gameboy, confiscates it, writes you a ticket. Get real, people!

If you don't like gameboys on a hike, don't bring one. I don't like them, so I don't bring one. If you don't like guns, don't bring one. I like guns, so I bring one. Don't presume to regulate other people's behavior. Especially if it is perfectly legal and harmless behavior! Good manners is another topic, but we have already established that the sound can be turned off. (And I don't need to pull out my gun and wave it around.)

We all need to work on our critical thinking skills from time to time, myself included. Examine a topic from different perspectives. Don't just have a knee-jerk, yes/no, right/wrong, good/bad, black/white reaction to a subject.

"Aloud"-no, for the sake of anyone within earshot; "allowed"- who are we to judge anyone for what they do?

man, talk about resurrection from the dead
for the record, i never did bring a gameboy and pro'lly only used it 2x in 5 years.
on the other hand, Im still enjoying my hammock
*and by allowed, I meant to put forth the idea of taboo, or critisizm as opposed to "hey, can i play it too?"
fotogirl: so whats a cute squirrel like you doing in a place like this, come here often?

azbackpackr wrote:AAARGH!

wrong forum, i think youre looking for "talk like a pirate day" ;)

My hiking buddy in Tennessee takes a lot of electronic crap with him when we go backpacking... last trip he had a DVD PLAYER (I kid you not). He's not worried about weight, he expects me to carry all the "important" stuff.

I don't think electronics are a bad thing - at least out east. The noise keeps bears and other critters away. And I've had a few hikes where we were stuck in the tent due to storms, so it gave us something to do (while we had battery strength)

Crazy people I'd never... wait a minute, oh yeah I took a laptop to Reavis once
http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=1454
You should have seen the other two guys (err, I can't find the photos) that carried these huge video cameras. We were filming a Blair Witch spoof

ROFL

Ipod goes everywhere with me. Whenever I'm about to pass a group I'll pull out an earphone in case someone has a question or just wants to say hello.

I've never owned a camera (unless I bought a disposable once or twice)
&
I've never brought any electronics to the outdoors (usually leave cell phone under driver's seat of car)

but,

now I own an iphone which includes a camera & I felt it was a Huge Privilege to take pictures on the trail! What a luxury!

but,

i also felt very awkward & conspicuous carrying around this 'foreign" piece of electronics into nature.

azpride wrote:Ipod goes everywhere with me. Whenever I'm about to pass a group I'll pull out an earphone in case someone has a question or just wants to say hello.

Just the opposite for me. Sure the iPod goes everywhere, but I don't always listen to it. BUT I do put IN the earphones if I encounter somebody else, just so I have the option to pretend I can't hear their stupid question and ignore them. I'm a nice guy, huh? ;) (Unless you have a HAZ patch, of course, in which case we can have a pleasant conversation).

right.. there are people who - even though i have told them "i cant hear you" while listening to something on the trail, continue to talk. I just ignore them and keep listening.
I usually bring an Mp3 for just those people...