We love technology in the backcountry - GPS, satellite communicators, phones, headlamps, and watches. But there is one piece of technology we really don't recommend on the trail:
Noise-cancelling headphones.
As we move toward fall, bears are entering hyperphagia - the period when they dramatically increase their food intake in preparation for winter. A bear can consume up to 24,000 calories a day during this phase. They're spending a lot of time with their heads down,focused on food.
Which means, your situational awareness needs to be heightened and you need to be able to hear your environment. When you put on noise-cancelling headphones, you're deliberately removing one of your most important senses.
You may not hear an animal moving through the brush. You may not hear a bear huffing or moving nearby. You may not hear another hiker shouting a warning. You may not hear someone coming quickly down the trail, rockfall, a falling branch, or someone calling for help.
Furthermore, at times the environment is already working against you.
Creeks, rivers and waterfalls can be incredibly loud. Around moving water, you may already have difficulty hearing a bear — and the bear may have difficulty hearing you. The few times we've accidentally come upon bears, it's been near loud rivers. Now add noise-cancelling headphones and you've reduced that awareness even further.
If you really want music, a podcast or an audiobook while hiking, use one earbud and leave the other ear open. Better yet, pause it when travelling through dense vegetation, berry patches, areas with poor visibility, around loud water, or anywhere you're seeing fresh wildlife signs.
Carry bear spray somewhere you can reach it quickly, and know how to use it.
A portable speaker
On a busy trail, nobody really wants to listen to three different competing playlists. People head into the wilderness partly to get away from the noise of everyday life. Be courteous to the people around you. Blasting music from a Bluetooth speaker will create noise, but it's not very courteous to others.
Use your senses
Your eyes, ears and attention are some of your most important backcountry safety equipment. Use them - especially now, when bears are focused on feeding and preparing for winter.
If you choose to listen to something on the trail, leave one ear open to the mountain.