What are the most useful outdoor apps?

[Kevin Rooney]

A recent thread mentioned GPS apps for smartphones (Tim Seaver, IIRC), and Outside Magazine's online column published recommendations in this article.

It includes GPS apps for both the Droid and iPhone families. I bought the Droid version ($6.99), and from the comfort of my kitchen table is works just fine... will be interesting to see how it works on the trails.

Turning on the GPS function of the cell phone is a big battery drain. All the more reason to carry a spare battery (11th? 12th essential?).

 

[Tom Rankin]

A recent thread mentioned GPS apps for smartphones (Tim Seaver, IIRC), and Outside Magazine's online column published recommendations in this article.

It includes GPS apps for both the Droid and iPhone families. I bought the Droid version ($6.99), and from the comfort of my kitchen table is works just fine... will be interesting to see how it works on the trails.

Turning on the GPS function of the cell phone is a big battery drain. All the more reason to carry a spare battery (11th? 12th essential?).

I have c:geo, a geocaching app, backcountry navigator, and beermapping.com's app!

 

[Raven]

I have c:geo, a geocaching app, backcountry navigator, and beermapping.com's app!

"Peakfinder" has east and west versions to ID mountains from wherever you stand in a similar manner to the book White Mountain Viewing Guide

I did not see if it was listed in the attached article.

 

[JacobH]

I like "Maplets". I think it was like 3 bucks or something for the iPad. It's basically like a collection of state park maps, national park maps, bike trail maps, walking maps, subway maps, etc.

Like, all the stuff you wont find on acme mapper/mytopo.

*note that "offline topo" can be achieved on a droid phone by turning on the option to cache maps in the maps app, it does require that you actually view the area prior to losing service, which is something that one might not think about in terms of preparation