RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary, in 360 degrees and virtual reality

Yet another cool hike around the area is the Ramshorn-Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill, a pleasant hike with neat sights and sounds and a marsh overlook that's fantastic (and shakes a bit on top, which makes it better in my view).

As with previous tours posted here, The Street View map below constitutes many 360-degree images, all connected so that you can 'walk' around the trails. I did a big loop so I ended up touching on all trails. There are more than 30 images, all taken on June 3.

Let's take a virtual reality hike around Louisa Pond at Shaupeneak Ridge

One of my favorite hikes around the area is located at Shaupeneak Ridge in the town of Esopus, an amazing park kept by Scenic Hudson. The tour you see below is the park's easy blue trail, a 1.18-mile trek around the pond.


The Street View map below constitutes more than 30 360-degree images from May 14, all connected, so that you can 'walk' around the pond.

Virtual reality viewers test: Homido Mini Vs. Google Cardboard (Knox viewer)

Homido mini
Pros
* Incredibly portable; it folds and fits in your pocket.
* Works with most phones (iPhone 5 and up and most Android phones)
* Great for quick sharing or videos or panoramas. I've shared some quick panoramas on the street and the reaction is priceless. This makes accessibility a big plus. Sharing was very cumbersome to do with cardboard, and created unnecessary awkwardness. With the mini, sharing is a breeze.
* You don't have to take the phone off its protective case.


Cons
* No button (you'll have to hit the screen for those); and this means some games or apps won't work properly.
* You'll likely have to cup your hands to see a lot of stuff, especially outside.
*  Not as well constructed. The glue on one lens started to come off after 10 days. Duct tape did the trick, but you lose cool point if you have to duct-tape your glasses.

Price: $14.99 in Amazon. (It's more at Homido's own site.)

Verdict: I carry this with me whenever I want to show virtual reality to others. As such, it's become invaluable. This portability carries its own limitations, however, so I still would want to have another viewer for more immersive experiences.

Knox viewer V2.

Pros
* Quick immersive experience. Easy to assemble.
* Button.
* Works with most phones (iPhone 5 and up and most Android phones)


Cons
* It's made of cardboard. It will start to deteriorate with use, especially in the forehead and nose areas.
* Bulky so a bit cumbersome for casual sharing, It's not like anybody's going around town with your Google Cardboard.
* You have to take the phone off its protective case.

Verdict: A great introduction to virtual reality. This should be your first choice.

Price: $23.95 via Knoxlab.