5 ms·

Speaking of maps, is there a good app with offline maps to use with your GPS?

by chrisan 9y ago

jjawssd 9y ago
OSMand
- maxerickson 9y ago
  There's a whole range of OpenStreetMap based apps and even programs that will process OpenStreetMap data into the custom formats used by various dedicated GPS units.
maxerickson 9y ago
I don't know if the NPS pdfs are georeferenced, but Avenza Maps is a nice app for working with pdf maps on phones and tablets. (It's relatively low hanging fruit to georeference the maps, but they may not update them frequently and so wouldn't have responded to the popularity of smart phones yet)
- subpixel 9y ago
  Avenzamaps has a marketplace, so you can find georeferenced maps from all sorts of providers. For US hiking and trail running they are without peer. In Europe companies like outdooractive.com combine maps with data points like hotels and vendors.
codingdave 9y ago
I know this isn't directly an answer, but I live in Utah and find that mapping on a device is not reliable in some of the parks, and definitely not out in the wilderness. The cell network just isn't 100%, and unless your device has a satellite-based GPS, your mapping won't work anyway. I do agree that better apps are needed. I'm an avid explorer of Utah's western desert, and even with both paper maps and electronic, and prepping by looking at what Google maps thinks is correct and reviewing satellite imagery before I go, the patchwork of old abandoned dirt roads out there is still a maze much of the time. The point being... when going out into the wilderness, even with a good app, please don't rely on it 100%. Plan well and be safe.
- maxerickson 9y ago
  Maybe check https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFs https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFs for coverage. I expect the BLM maps would be at least as detailed as Google and probably better.
  - codingdave 9y ago
    Yes, IF you have an actual GPS device. My point is that most people's mapping on their cell phone is running off the cell network, not the actual GPS network, so will fail once you lose signal. Including mine. :) I primarily use paper maps and a compass, to be honest. It might be old-school, but it still works if my batteries die. EDIT: OK, I stand corrected! I just am the old guy who hasn't updated my phone in forever. My iphone 4 doesn't cut it apparently... But my paper and compass really does work.
    - maxerickson 9y ago
      Smart phones generally have a dedicated GPS receiver (with support for several satellite constellations). A smart phone dependent on the network for positioning would be an exception at this point (they certainly use the network to speed up location acquisition and improve precision, but they are not dependent on it).
      - sandworm101 9y ago
        But what can happen while traveling into new areas is that whej data link drops the mapping ap blanks, rendering the gps fix less than useful and giving the impression that the device is dependant on data coverage. Most phones have a facility to pre-download maps to cover this situation but you need to know to do it.
        ghaff 9y ago
        GPS receivers without maps are still perfectly useful if you have appropriate paper maps. And even if you have a dedicated GPS receiver with maps you need to pre-download maps as well.
ghaff 9y ago
As others have mentioned there are a range of OpenStreetMaps-based apps--I use maps.me on iOS--that have variously good or bad levels of trail detail. In the UK the digital versions of the Ordinance Survey maps are quite good in my (limited) experience.
caipre 9y ago
On iOS, I've used Pocket Earth for years and really like it. They added topographic maps awhile back, and also have integrations with Wikipedia/Wikivoyage. I have pins and stars of POIs from all my trips saved (and exported) through that app. https://pocketearth.com/ https://pocketearth.com/
bgaluszka 9y ago
http://osmand.net/ http://osmand.net/ is excellent plus you can install it from https://f-droid.org/ https://f-droid.org/.
sonar_un 9y ago
Maplets is a really good iOS app for searching and using maps. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maplets-the-offline-maps-app/id337841739?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maplets-the-offline-maps-app...
K2h 9y ago
I contribute to openstreetmaps when I visit an area and find the trails are missing. http://maps.me http://maps.me is available on mobil platforms and you can download map data by region for offline use. works very well in the backcountry with no cell service.
prawn 9y ago
I recently used Gaia GPS ($20ish on iOS) on a few Utah hikes. It was useful but I don't know that I'd want to be completely reliant on it. The cacheable maps it was using in The Maze district of Canyonlands, for example, were missing some trails and features. When the GPS was working (outside narrow canyons), I found the topography and accuracy quite good, but even basic routes were creative enough that you needed to know where the trail was or you wouldn't make it through.
agilebyte 9y ago
As an avid hiker I've been using https://www.alltrails.com https://www.alltrails.com app which lets me download just a segment of a map that a trail is on and is detailed enough for me to follow.
brightsize 9y ago
I use BackCountry Navigator on Android for hiking and four-wheeling. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crittermap.backcountrynavigator.license https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crittermap...
adrianN 9y ago
Get a Garmin etrex and put OSM maps on it.
tahon 9y ago
I've been using onXmaps Hunt. Their property and land data is pretty amazing, and have offline support. They have a lot of nice features geared towards hunters like tracking, drawing lines, shapes, but it is still useful for non-hunters like me.

Speaking of maps, is there a good app with offline maps to use with your GPS?

jjawssd 9y ago

OSMand

maxerickson 9y ago
There's a whole range of OpenStreetMap based apps and even programs that will process OpenStreetMap data into the custom formats used by various dedicated GPS units.

maxerickson 9y ago

I don't know if the NPS pdfs are georeferenced, but Avenza Maps is a nice app for working with pdf maps on phones and tablets. (It's relatively low hanging fruit to georeference the maps, but they may not update them frequently and so wouldn't have responded to the popularity of smart phones yet)

subpixel 9y ago
Avenzamaps has a marketplace, so you can find georeferenced maps from all sorts of providers. For US hiking and trail running they are without peer. In Europe companies like outdooractive.com combine maps with data points like hotels and vendors.

codingdave 9y ago

I know this isn't directly an answer, but I live in Utah and find that mapping on a device is not reliable in some of the parks, and definitely not out in the wilderness. The cell network just isn't 100%, and unless your device has a satellite-based GPS, your mapping won't work anyway. I do agree that better apps are needed. I'm an avid explorer of Utah's western desert, and even with both paper maps and electronic, and prepping by looking at what Google maps thinks is correct and reviewing satellite imagery before I go, the patchwork of old abandoned dirt roads out there is still a maze much of the time. The point being... when going out into the wilderness, even with a good app, please don't rely on it 100%. Plan well and be safe.

maxerickson 9y ago
Maybe check https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFs https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFs for coverage. I expect the BLM maps would be at least as detailed as Google and probably better.
- codingdave 9y ago
  Yes, IF you have an actual GPS device. My point is that most people's mapping on their cell phone is running off the cell network, not the actual GPS network, so will fail once you lose signal. Including mine. :) I primarily use paper maps and a compass, to be honest. It might be old-school, but it still works if my batteries die. EDIT: OK, I stand corrected! I just am the old guy who hasn't updated my phone in forever. My iphone 4 doesn't cut it apparently... But my paper and compass really does work.
  - maxerickson 9y ago
    Smart phones generally have a dedicated GPS receiver (with support for several satellite constellations). A smart phone dependent on the network for positioning would be an exception at this point (they certainly use the network to speed up location acquisition and improve precision, but they are not dependent on it).
    - sandworm101 9y ago
      But what can happen while traveling into new areas is that whej data link drops the mapping ap blanks, rendering the gps fix less than useful and giving the impression that the device is dependant on data coverage. Most phones have a facility to pre-download maps to cover this situation but you need to know to do it.
      - ghaff 9y ago
        GPS receivers without maps are still perfectly useful if you have appropriate paper maps. And even if you have a dedicated GPS receiver with maps you need to pre-download maps as well.

ghaff 9y ago

As others have mentioned there are a range of OpenStreetMaps-based apps--I use maps.me on iOS--that have variously good or bad levels of trail detail. In the UK the digital versions of the Ordinance Survey maps are quite good in my (limited) experience.

caipre 9y ago

On iOS, I've used Pocket Earth for years and really like it. They added topographic maps awhile back, and also have integrations with Wikipedia/Wikivoyage. I have pins and stars of POIs from all my trips saved (and exported) through that app. https://pocketearth.com/ https://pocketearth.com/

bgaluszka 9y ago

http://osmand.net/ http://osmand.net/ is excellent plus you can install it from https://f-droid.org/ https://f-droid.org/.

sonar_un 9y ago

Maplets is a really good iOS app for searching and using maps. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maplets-the-offline-maps-app/id337841739?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maplets-the-offline-maps-app...

K2h 9y ago

I contribute to openstreetmaps when I visit an area and find the trails are missing. http://maps.me http://maps.me is available on mobil platforms and you can download map data by region for offline use. works very well in the backcountry with no cell service.

prawn 9y ago

I recently used Gaia GPS ($20ish on iOS) on a few Utah hikes. It was useful but I don't know that I'd want to be completely reliant on it. The cacheable maps it was using in The Maze district of Canyonlands, for example, were missing some trails and features. When the GPS was working (outside narrow canyons), I found the topography and accuracy quite good, but even basic routes were creative enough that you needed to know where the trail was or you wouldn't make it through.

agilebyte 9y ago

As an avid hiker I've been using https://www.alltrails.com https://www.alltrails.com app which lets me download just a segment of a map that a trail is on and is detailed enough for me to follow.

brightsize 9y ago

I use BackCountry Navigator on Android for hiking and four-wheeling. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crittermap.backcountrynavigator.license https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crittermap...

adrianN 9y ago

Get a Garmin etrex and put OSM maps on it.

tahon 9y ago

I've been using onXmaps Hunt. Their property and land data is pretty amazing, and have offline support. They have a lot of nice features geared towards hunters like tracking, drawing lines, shapes, but it is still useful for non-hunters like me.