The real-world gear I wish someone had told me about before my first 10-mile Community Day.
Disclosure: This post may contain opportunities for me to earn compensation. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Who’s writing this: I’m Diego, Dandy In The Bronx. I’ve been playing Pokémon GO on and off since launch back in 2016, and I started streaming my walks around when Pokémon Legends: Arceus came out in early 2022. These days I’m out there walking two to five hours at a time, streaming the whole thing, usually around the Bronx and all over NYC. I’ve put enough miles on these sidewalks to know what works and what leaves you limping.
Everybody talks about the in-game stuff. The counters, the IVs, the perfect curveball technique. Nobody talks about the physical reality of playing this game in the real world. The overheating phone. The dead battery at hour four. The blisters at mile eight. The hand cramp from holding your phone for five hours straight. After enough Community Days and event weekends, I started thinking about my walking setup the same way I think about my streaming setup: every piece matters. So here are nine pieces of gear that solve real problems Pokémon GO players actually face, starting with the one I personally swear by and including insoles built for long days on your feet that I’m testing right now.
1. An Active Phone Cooler (I Use the Black Shark)
This is the number one problem nobody warns you about. Direct sunlight on your phone’s backplate causes thermal throttling. The screen dims to near zero, frame rates tank, and suddenly you can’t see the raid lobby you’re standing in. A regular case just traps the heat. I use a Black Shark magnetic phone cooler, which actively chills the phone chassis in seconds using semiconductor cooling. It is the difference between a smooth Community Day and squinting at a dim screen at 2pm in July. If you play outdoors in summer, this is not optional gear.
2. Insoles That Actually Support You
Your phone gets the cooler, your feet deserve the same energy. The factory insoles in most shoes are flat foam, never built for 15,000 to 25,000 steps on concrete. I’m testing the PowerStep Pinnacle Work right now, which is their insole built for work boots and hiking boots with a podiatrist-designed arch. The pitch is firm but flexible support for plantar fasciitis, overpronation, and plain tired feet. I wear a Men’s 9.5 and ordered size F. They drop into shoes I already own.
Full honesty: they arrived this week and I haven’t put real miles on them yet. What I’m watching for is hour eight versus hour one, whether they stay put with no sliding, and how I feel the morning after a long walking day. If you catch my Twitch streams, you’ll hear me talk through the test in real time.
3. 90-Degree Right-Angle Charging Cables
Straight charging cables are the enemy of a comfortable grip. They stick out, put leverage stress on your charging port, and get in the way when you’re holding the phone with two hands for curveballs. A short right-angle cable lets the bottom of the phone rest naturally in your palm. I like the UGREEN 100W right-angle USB-C cable, it is braided, fast charging, and the angled connector stays out of the way. This is a five-dollar fix for a problem that ruins a fifty-dollar phone port.
4. A Battery Pack That Won’t Quit Before You Do
Everyone knows to bring a charger. What people underestimate is how fast Pokémon GO drains a phone with the screen on, GPS locked, and camera open for six hours. A lipstick-sized charger dies by hour three. For a full Community Day you want serious capacity. I use the INIU 25000mAh 100W power bank, it is compact, has a digital display, and the built-in cable means one less thing to forget. The weight is worth it when your phone is still alive for the last hour of spawns.
5. A Phone Lanyard Tether (I Use the CACOE)
Drops happen when you’re juggling raid passes, drinks, and trade screens over a subway grate. I use the CACOE phone lanyard, a low-profile tether tab slides inside any phone case without blocking charging, keeping your device secured to a wrist or neck loop. Cheap insurance against the most expensive mistake on this list.
6. A Crossbody Bag, Not a Backpack
Backpacks swing around every time you stop to spin a stop. I use the L.L.Bean Wharf Street Expandable Crossbody Bag, it keeps your phone, battery, water, and snacks at your hip where you can grab them without breaking stride. For city walking days where I’m also filming, this is non-negotiable. One strap, everything accessible, nothing bouncing.
7. Anti-Chafing Balm
Fifteen thousand steps on asphalt and your thighs and feet will let you know about it. A pocket-sized anti-chafing stick like Body Glide prevents friction hot spots before they start. Apply before you leave, not after you’re already hurting. Your event-day self will thank you.
8. A UV Protection Umbrella
Low tech, wildly underestimated. A compact umbrella with UV protection does double duty on sunny Community Days: it keeps the sun off you and off your phone. Less direct heat on the screen means less thermal throttling, and shade on your skin means you last longer out there. People laugh until they’re the ones squinting at a dim screen at 2pm. Look for UPF 50+ rated ones, they’re light and fold down small enough for a crossbody.
9. An Insulated Water Bottle
Ten miles in the sun with no water is how a fun day turns into a headache. I use the Zojirushi SM-VH60 GoCafe insulated mug, 20 ounces, PFAS-free and BPA-free, keeps water cold for hours and fits in a crossbody side pocket. Simple, obvious, and somehow the thing most people forget.
The Details
Featured product: PowerStep Pinnacle Work insoles (#2 on the list)
My size: F (Men’s 9 to 9.5, I wear 9.5)
Status: arrived this week, testing now, this post updates after real walking days
Note: opinions are my own, brand link has no affiliate attached
Follow the Test
I’ll be talking through first impressions on Instagram as the miles add up, then updating this post with the verdict.
Follow AlongPokémon GO Walking Gear: FAQ
How many miles do Pokémon GO players actually walk?
It adds up fast. A regular Community Day can mean 5 to 8 miles on foot, and event weekends or city walking routes can push past 10, sometimes 15,000 to 25,000 steps. That is why gear that protects your feet and your phone matters as much as your throwing technique.
Why does my phone overheat playing Pokémon GO?
Direct sunlight on your phone’s backplate causes thermal throttling, which forces the screen to dim and frame rates to drop. An active phone cooler chills the chassis and keeps the game running smooth on hot Community Days.
Do insoles actually help for long walking days?
That is exactly what I’m testing. The idea is podiatrist-designed arch support that holds up over long hours on hard surfaces. I’ll update this post once I’ve put real miles on them.
What size PowerStep fits a Men’s 9.5?
I wear a Men’s 9.5 and ordered size F, which covers Men’s 9 to 9.5. Check the brand’s size chart against your own shoe size before ordering.
The game gets all the attention, but the real world does all the work. Take care of your gear, your feet, and your phone, and the miles get a lot more fun.
What’s the farthest you’ve ever walked for Pokémon GO in one day? Tell me over on Instagram.
– Diego
