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Post by flyinion on Oct 19, 2015 14:50:14 GMT -8
Hi guys, so I was following the Android GPS app thread and eventually picked up BackCountry Navigator, however I recently just jumped ship to Apple after almost 6 years of being on Android so now I need to start all over again it seems. (I may still be able to use BCN on my tablet if I get it sent off for RMA but that means lugging around a 7" tablet) What do you guys suggest as the best app for use on an iPhone for offline topo maps like BackCountry Navigator? I've heard both Gaia and MotionX names tossed around in various forums and it sounds like Gaia might be the sure bet, but I've heard MotionX has a number of downloadable maps for a $5 charge (one time charge?).
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Oct 19, 2015 18:25:53 GMT -8
I've only used Gaia, like it well enough though truth be told for backcountry things of any seriousness I take a handheld, a Garmin 60csx, so I'm not dialed in to its nuances.
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BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 12,994 
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Post by BigLoad on Oct 19, 2015 18:46:51 GMT -8
Route Scout and HAZ Tracks, both from contributors to HikeArizona.com work on iOS as well as Android. It is possible to pre-load maps in those apps, although I haven't used that feature a lot. HAZ Tracks is a bit more mature, but it is being supplanted by Route Scout.
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Post by flyinion on Oct 24, 2015 21:56:36 GMT -8
Thanks guys, I ended up picking up MotionX because it was cheap and I've heard a lot about, and also Gaia. I had some rewards from a credit card so I just cashed those out into iTunes credit. Softened the blow of buying Gaia. Glad I did, I like it so far. MotionX is ok, but the Gaia interface just seems a lot cleaner. Plus it has a ton of maps available. I know I could have paid $5 to unlock custom map URL's for MotionX but then you have to figure out what the URL is and it just seemed overly complicated. MotionX also seemed to have a very clunky and ugly interface.
Since I'm new to all this, I probably won't try a dedicated GPS for a while, and more than likely would learn paper maps/compass instead anyway. I have a ZeroLemon SolarJuice 20,000mAh battery pack that can be used to charge my phone and it's also shock/rain resistant and has solar charging cells on it. So the chances of having the phone die completely are pretty low even if the worst case scenario happened and I got lost/stuck for days.
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Post by k9education on Nov 22, 2015 21:41:25 GMT -8
I use a Garmin 60csx for big trips, but Gaia for my everyday local/semi-local hikes. What I really love about Gaia is that it shows old trails/buildings. This has made for some fun hikes, including one trip in which I encountered some 1950s cars hidden deep in the woods along with an abandoned farm.
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tigger
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,547
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Post by tigger on Nov 23, 2015 7:21:16 GMT -8
I've been using Gaia app for my primary GPS for quite a few years now. I also use map and compass as well. When visibility goes out the window, sometimes a GPS is the only way for me to determine my location. I've had a map blow away so I now carry one map on my person and a backup in my pack. Map and Compass work great for the most part and my preference but getting some quick coordinates makes route finding so much easier.
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