Best GPS for hiking ap for my cell

[peakbagger]

Well my former bomb proof mill spec cell phone got to point where it was functionally obsolete. It was not a big screen (about the size of an old Garmin). The new phone is one of the Samsung Galaxy series not marketed by the big cell carriers, but is mil spec, waterproof and a replaceable battery since I tend to keep the phones a long time. Therefore a GPS ap is worthy ad, although I plan to stick to my "stoneage" navigational methods of map and compass. I usually stick to the Northeast. I did stick an additional memory chip in it

Gaia seems be popular, be it free or paid. So any other aps I should check out?.

 

[TEO]

Well my former bomb proof mill spec cell phone got to point where it was functionally obsolete. It was not a big screen (about the size of an old Garmin). The new phone is one of the Samsung Galaxy series not marketed by the big cell carriers, but is mil spec, waterproof and a replaceable battery since I tend to keep the phones a long time. Therefore a GPS ap is worthy ad, although I plan to stick to my "stoneage" navigational methods of map and compass. I usually stick to the Northeast. I did stick an additional memory chip in it

Gaia seems be popular, be it free or paid. So any other aps I should check out?.

I'm a comitted stone-age navigator, but I do know that Caltopo has an app. I'm not sure if it's designed for navigation or just mapping.

 

[Ramblings]

Although I prefer to use a map, compass and altimeter to actually navigate, I always plan and track my hikes digitally and have tried a bunch of different apps. In my opinion, Gaia is the best. The one thing it does not do is load GeoPDFs, which you can download from USGS or the Forest Service. If you want to do that, you can use Avenza Maps. I also use Guthook Guides because it has the best information about water source conditions. I don't like any of the more "social" apps.

 

[JToll]

I plot out my route in Caltopo, which makes a Geopdf map. I then load the map into Avenza Maps. I can then following my route on my phone. Avenza uses gps and does not need cell service and does not drain the battery. Both these apps are free.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Gaia works well for me.

Tim

 

[peakbagger]

Gaia works well for me.

Tim

Paid or free?

 

[JoshandBaron]

I have subscriptions to Gaia, Caltopo, and a bunch of Guthook apps. Each app has their strengths depending on where you are and what you're doing. Guthook is probably the best for on-trail applications in the Whites and Greens and you only pay once. The comment sections can be useful. Gaia and Caltopo provide access to more information and tracking but the accuracy of it is only as good as whatever layer you're using. I mostly use those apps for stuff outside the Whites, bushwhacking, and overlanding. None of these apps need cell service and Guthook's performance actually suffers if you try to use it with a weak cell signal, often refusing to open for me until I go into airplane mode.

 

[hikerbrian]

I've been using Gaia for a few years and like it a lot. I paid for the download but don't pay the yearly subscription. If I'm using it, I just want to know where I am and where trails and landmarks are. So I really can't comment on any advanced features.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Paid or free?

Happy with the free version thus far.

Tim

 

[iAmKrzys]

I use just two apps on my phone right now:

1) OsmAnd+ (it was a one-time purchase a while back for me) - this app has a number of features that I like:
a) offline car navigation with voice commands which is helpful in places where cell coverage is nonexistent (otherwise I use Google Maps for driving which IMHO has best real-time traffic data that I have tried to date)
b) it has contour & hillshade layers that can be turned on/off as needed
c) it allows for overlay & underlay maps to be displayed simultaneously with a bar to control transparency level. I use this feature to see WaymarkedTrails Hiking layer that can display trail symbols / colors in areas where they are marked properly
d) it can record tracks via a plugin
e) it supports monthly map updates
f) it can display routes and waypoints downloaded to phone

2) AllTrails - I purchased a subscription last year before going for a backpacking trip, so that I could download different map layers to my phone. AllTrails (computer version) also has a nice tool for drawing routes which auto selects marked trails if you are creating a route along already-marked path, which makes trip planning easier as you can see the mileage and elevation profile and then downloading the route to the phone is seamless. My kids also use this app, mostly for what I would call social features of the app - when they set out for a coast-to-coast car trip last summer they would pick already pre-defined hiking recommendations depending on where they ended up being, kind of spur-of-the-moment short hikes that happened to fit their driving schedule. The nice thing about it is that you can get a trail description, reviews and pictures, so you have a descent idea of what to expect on your hike w/o much planning.

I know that some people love Locus app. My friend uses Backcountry Navigator but I don't know much about it.

You may also check out this comparison of Android apps that can display OSM-based maps: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Android_applications

This is a screenshot from OsmAnd+:

 

[iAmKrzys]

I forgot to mention that I also have an app called "GSP Status & Toolbox" that has an option to calibrate electronic compass in my phone: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2&hl=en_US&gl=US

 

[Tom Rankin]

Back Country Navigator is what I use. It's free to start. No recurring fees unless you want to, but the paid version comes with multiple map sets. It has most of the features of a real GPS, and you can download maps ahead of time if there is no cell service.

 

[bignslow]

I plot out my route in Caltopo, which makes a Geopdf map. I then load the map into Avenza Maps. I can then following my route on my phone. Avenza uses gps and does not need cell service and does not drain the battery. Both these apps are free.

This is one of my two systems. The the other is a paid app (one time fee) called Backcountry Navigator Pro which allows me to download maps (24k topo equivalent) to my phone for offline use. Very happy with this combination.

 

[peakbagger]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085WTR7BJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Samsung galaxy Duo. Its a phone made for commercial use. Not a high performer but robust. In the past my mil spec phones have gone swimming in drains and have been dropped a story or two plus on occasion I work in hot humid steam plants. They held up and hope this one will for the next year or so before I retire. These conditions seem to line up with off trail hiking.

 

[bignslow]

FWIW, I've had really great success with the Galaxy S7 series for waterproofness, including one stint where it fell out of my pocket while jumping off rocks in the Green River where it spent at least 10 minutes submerged under 4-6' of water while we made repeated attempts to swim to it and grab it (strong currents made this way harder than it sounds). Down side is that the front/back glass aren't really drop resistant (I've killed 1 by breaking the back, which eventually succumbed to water ingress, and the other has a broken corner on the front which hasn't yet impacted usability)

 

[peakbagger]

Good feedback. I picked up an Otterbox for mine. Makes it clunky but expect it will protect it albeit a lot less sleek.

 

[briarpatch]

Does the Otterbox case have an attachment point for a lanyard? This winter I was looking at Gaia and snowshoeing and tripped and fell. Arms posthole into the powder. Get back up on my feet and then realize the phone is not in hand. Took some digging and time to locate the phone in the snow. Thought that with a brightly color lanyard the phone would be easier to find if I drop it next winter.

 

[peakbagger]

It will need to check I dont thinks so . Its good idea. I take a close look

 

[ChrisB]

Happy with the free version thus far.

Tim

Gaia users , how does the app do regarding battery drain?

Does it use more batt when in Track mode?

Can you run it continually all day without the phone dying? I am trying it on an iPhone 7.

 

[peakbagger]

BTW, for those who travel its can run dual sims.i dont need it but I know folks who travel who set up a temporary account in a foreign country and use the foreign account instead of their US account.