There’s something so satisfying about zipping up a tent, turning off your notifications, and pretending – even if it’s just for a little while – that the rest of the world doesn’t exist. But the truth is that as much as we love the idea of a total digital detox, there’s a part of us that’s still going to want to enjoy listening to our favorite playlists, snap some photos, and check in with family now and then.

Of course, we’re not saying that you need to stay online the whole time and doom scroll when you should be looking at the nature that’s all around you, but you do need a little bit of a connection to make your trip smoother, safer, and perhaps a bit more fun when you need it. So with that in mind, keep reading to find out how to stay connected in the great outdoors.

You Don’t Need To Be Totally Off-Grid

The appeal of nature is perfectly clear – there’s peace, fresh air, and no emails or notifications to deal with. But that doesn’t mean you want to be unreachable – you’ll more than likely want to have the option of making calls if plans change or you’re in trouble, or pulling up a recipe when you’re cooking in your campsite, or maybe taking a photo and sending it to a friend right away rather than waiting until you get home. So what we’re talking about is little conveniences,

Being able to stay lightly tethered to your digital life isn’t just about comfort – it’s also about safety, of course, and that’s vital. And it’s about safety, and that’s perhaps the most important thing of all. If your hike takes longer than expected or your car battery dies in a remote spot – having even limited access to your phone can make all the difference.

Bring The Right Gear

The trick to staying connected in the great outdoors – in the right way – is to have the right stuff with you. Of course, it’s easy to get carried away and take too much, so it’s important to work out what it is you actually need, and make sure you’ve got all of that with you.

A portable charger can be a good idea, for example, but so are the small adapters and cables we so often forget. So if you want to plug into older audio equipment or make your gear work together properly, that’s where something like the TP-120 to 3.5mm mobile phone MP3 adapter can be so useful. And what’s great is that it doesn’t take up a lot of space but it’s going to help you in all kinds of situations.

Don’t Let Tech Ruin The Moment

Of course, it’s all about balance, and one of the biggest perks of being outdoors is getting away from all the tech and constant distractions it brings with it. So that’s why it’s important to keep things simple, and only use your tech to enhance the experience, not take it over so you’re not even enjoying it anymore. So you can do things like download your music before you leave, turn your phone onto airplane mode until you actually need it, and so on. Remember, it’s a tool, not a crutch.