5 Tips for Taking Your Phone Into the Outdoors

A phone can be a camera, a map, and a way to contact someone while you are outdoors. A little preparation helps protect it and keeps its useful features available when you need them.

1. Protect it against knocks

Carry your phone in a secure pocket or pouch where it cannot easily fall out. A protective case and screen protector can reduce everyday damage, but they do not make the phone indestructible. Check that you can reach it without unpacking your bag, and put it away before a scramble or a slippery crossing.

2. Keep water out

Check the water-resistance guidance for your particular phone. A water-resistance rating is not a promise that a device can withstand every wet outing. Apple explains that resistance can decrease with normal wear.

Use a suitable protective pouch for wet conditions and check its closure before heading out. A loose plastic bag can offer some protection from rain, but should not be treated as a waterproof case for immersion. Follow the manufacturer’s drying instructions before charging a wet phone.

3. Plan your battery use

Charge the phone before leaving and bring a charged power bank and the correct cable for longer outings. Test the combination at home so that you know it works.

Reduce unnecessary screen use and use your phone’s power-saving settings when appropriate. Download the information you need before leaving rather than repeatedly searching for it on the trail. Apple’s battery guidance offers device-specific advice. A solar charger depends on sunlight, so plan your power supply around the conditions you expect.

4. Make use of the camera

A phone is a convenient way to record a route, landscape, or small detail you might otherwise pass by. Keep the lens clean, pause before taking a photograph, and check your footing. Save editing and sharing for a break if battery life is limited. Photographs of signs and trail junctions can also help you remember an outing.

5. Prepare for gaps in coverage

Download offline maps before a mountain trip and practice using them. Carry a paper map and compass as a backup, and learn how to use them. Fjällsäkerhetsrådet’s map advice stresses both preparation and the limits of mobile coverage.

Tell someone your intended route and expected return time before setting off. Agree when you will check in and what they should do if you are overdue. The Swedish Mountain Safety Council explains how to leave a trip plan. A phone is useful equipment, but your plan should still work if its battery runs out or there is no signal.