What's the best phone for soloing alpine routes? I used to have an old Blackberry 8300 that I loved. I think the blackberries are a lot more rugged than the newschool touch display devices, while helps protect from the usual bumps you get while climbing. However, I find it very difficult to update Facebook, especially if the bivy is cold and my fingers aren't nimble. I've been considering upgrading to either an iPhone or Droid. Any input on favorites? I really like the 8mp camera on the droids, they'll make for some bitchin pics when soloing over exposed terrain!

Kinda makes me wonder... witch smert phone this sprayer uses?

Smart phones: Facilitating non-sponsored climbers in their pursuit of much deserved GLORY since 2002!

if a person who did a lot of alpine climbing really wanted a phone while climbing, they'd all ready know they need a sat phone..

I also hope your more worried about the decent than updating your facebook or 8a.nu status when your at the summit.

I went to bag a desert peak last year, a spur of the moment hike. I didn't have an adequate map, hehe. I did have some beta from a web site page covering the approach but damn if I didn't leave it at home.

This is situation normal, for me, for these kinds of objectives, to go with as little real information as possible. Hehe.

So anyway, I couldn't find the fucking mountain.

I mean it... 'where's the damn mountain?'

It was a problem, a hitch in my plans, not being able to find that mountain. So I whipped out the ole Blackberry, summoned up the page in question and bing bang boom I was back on track.

But once on the approach I was below the horizon and the cell no longer worked. So my subsequent confusion on the pediment of the peak was confounded by a lack of access...

I found the right peak but climbed its neighbor by accident!

Fucking cell phone let me down baby!

I bet an iPhone would have worked.

DMT

ps. Sadly for me, the above tale is all true and all too common, lol.

What's the best phone for soloing alpine routes? I used to have an old Blackberry 8300 that I loved. I think the blackberries are a lot more rugged than the newschool touch display devices, while helps protect from the usual bumps you get while climbing. However, I find it very difficult to update Facebook, especially if the bivy is cold and my fingers aren't nimble. I've been considering upgrading to either an iPhone or Droid. Any input on favorites? I really like the 8mp camera on the droids, they'll make for some bitchin pics when soloing over exposed terrain!

Also if you really want to do alpine stuff (as in the european alps) i would not worry to much about coverage. Unlike the vast wastelands wonderland that is northern america, the civilized overpopulated europe does have mountains with fairly decent cellphone coverage, via ferrata, and grid bolts.

qwert

If ur cell coverage is working ur not a real climber!!!1

Having a smart phone allows me to get last minute beta before heading back down.