Taking Your Music Outdoors – A Good Idea Or Not?

There are not a lot of things more exhilarating than spending time in the great outdoors. Whether you love to go hiking, fishing, camping or cycling, there is no denying that there are huge benefits to having a pastime involving being outdoors.

There is no need to give up all of your home comforts when you go on an outdoor trip, though. People are finding ways to bring more of their devices with them on adventures. There has been a huge amount of advancement when it comes to battery and other technology. Ten years ago, taking a device to play music might have been difficult, but nowadays, there is every chance you have access to masses of music via a phone or tablet. You can also get portable speakers with many days of battery life to blast out your favorite songs.

Playing Music Outdoors

Depending on how you want to listen to your music, taking it on your trip with you can mean you have more to carry. Hiking and camping can mean carrying heavy loads. If you go fishing you will also need a tackle box, and more. You only have to browse a website like MO Tackle & Outdoors to see how many different things that campers, hikers and fisherfolk take with them these days.

 If you are traveling by car, a boombox or speaker can be taken for playing music, but they can take up a lot of space and aren’t viable if you need to travel light. Playing music can be done easily from smaller devices. You may already be taking a phone, and a small Bluetooth speaker which can clip onto your bag and will therefore not be much of an inconvenience.

 If you’re spending a lot of time solo, you may want to opt for some headphones or earbuds. These can be great to help you get the legs pumping if walking, hiking or cycling, but can also mean you don’t take in all of the outdoors. People download recordings of the sounds of nature to help them to relax. Enjoying this first hand when you are outside can be one of the many benefits of being outdoors and close to nature.

 Playing it loud? You might be disruptive to other people. Even in open outdoor spaces, we have to share hiking trails and campsites. This means we should consider the needs of other people. Many people love to go on these sort of trips to enjoy peace and quiet. If you are playing heavy metal albums then you will not endear yourself to others. If you’ve ever been on a trip like this and experienced noisy camping neighbors, then you will know exactly why it can be so annoying.

On top of that, in open spaces with not as much to absorb the sound, it can reach deceptively far. You may think you’re not disrupting anyone, but actually people hundreds of yards away might be hearing your favorite music mix, whether they like it or not.

Taking Your Music With You

If you are doing anything physically challenging, you will know what a huge help music can be. Not only can it assist you with a more intense workout, but music can also add to your enjoyment when times get hard. Those last hundred yards on an uphill climb are much easier with the right music, which can distract you from the aches and pains.

 Music isn’t just a solo pursuit, though. If you are going on a trip with others, music can come into its own as the social activity it is. The romantic image many of us have of a camping trip with music involves an acoustic guitar around the fire, but taking an instrument isn’t easy. Sharing your music can be a wonderful and sociable way to add to the atmosphere and unwind at any time during the trip.

 Portable music is easier than ever, as we’ve already said. Phones have bigger storage capacities, networks can provide signal (and internet connectivity) in even some remote locations, and many apps can provide access to virtually every song produced. On top of this, some small speakers can really pump out the volume, as well as being waterproof, and can therefore be taken pretty much anywhere.

 As well as the social benefits and the fact it can help you to perform better on the trail or on the bicycle, music can help to rid you of boredom. Perhaps this may not sound like something you would have to deal with. Why would you go on a trip if you’re going to be bored? Realistically, though, these sorts of trips aren’t always 100% fun and exciting. For instance, you might be hiking for hours to get to a view or just to challenge yourself. This article from an experienced hiker even goes so far as to say that the hobby can be boring. This is from someone who loves hiking. The article also discusses the etiquette of music and hiking, and the fact that there has been some criticism in the community of those who love to blare out their tunes.

 Soundtracking your trip is another great argument for taking music with you. It may sound like more of an ‘obscure’ benefit, but people who obsess over music choices and tie their music to activities and memories will know what this means. Just like some people like to choose a certain album to listen to while reading a book, a favorite soundtrack can definitely add a lot to your outdoor experience.

 The visually stunning environments many of us seek for when we go camping, hiking or cycling can be enhanced by listening to certain types of music. If you’ve ever had a song or album which can take you back to a road trip, a destination or even a whole summer, you will know how impactful music can be for outdoor pursuits and trips.