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GPS iPhone app
Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:21 pm
by longri
What are the best free or nearly-free iPhone apps for basic offline GPS/mapping?
I was all set to check out Gaia but discovered that it has recently become a subscription service.
Re: GPS iPhone app
Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:33 pm
by maverick
Re: GPS iPhone app
Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:09 pm
by longri
The first choice of apps in that link is "Google Maps".
I have that app and have used it many times in the past. It's great. But it doesn't satisfy the basic requirement that I laid out in my post, the one that I thought should have been obvious given the context of the primary focus of HST.
Is this the wrong website to ask this question?
Re: GPS iPhone app
Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:08 pm
by longri
Well I'm totally wrong about Google Maps. They do have capability for offline map storage. The next two apps in that link can also do that. Of all of the other threads on the internet about using smartphones for GPS while backpacking that I've looked at, not one person mentioned Google Maps. I wonder why?
Re: GPS iPhone app
Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 1:17 am
by dapperdave
Longri,
Google maps is fine for road navigation, but you can't view "proper" topo maps, they have a "terrain" layer, with contours, but trails, water features, peaks etc, are poorly and unreliably mapped.
I use offline USGS topo maps on Gaia, and I don't pay a subscription, I believe you can pay for some hunting related maps, but the prime functionality for hiking is free. Gaia support is also very good in my experience.
Dave
Re: GPS iPhone app
Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 5:30 pm
by longri
Yes, of course that makes sense. No proper topo maps in Google Maps.
Here's what I read on the Gaia website:
Gaia website wrote:On May 22 2017, we released a new iOS app, replacing the old version of Gaia GPS for iOS. This FAQ covers some questions for existing Gaia GPS users.
Can I keep using the old Gaia GPS app?
Yes, you can continue to use the old app with no interruption.
Do I get the new app for free if I bought the old app?
a) People who bought the old Gaia GPS can use the new Gaia GPS free for 2 years.
b) Existing GaiaPro users can use the new app at no additional cost, including newly added National Geographic Trails Illustrated and Neotreks maps.
What was the old pricing?
The old version of Gaia GPS cost $19.99 to download.
It also offered a $39.99/year GaiaPro add-on.
What is the new pricing?
The new version of Gaia GPS is free to download.
It costs $9.99/year to become a Member, which lets you use more that 57 map sources and download maps for offline use. For $29.99, you can become a Premium Member and access over 250 specialized map sources.
https://help.gaiagps.com/hc/en-us/artic ... ld-iOS-App
What this implies, and what the iTunes website says explicitly, is that you can't use offline maps unless you subscribe. Is it true? Or can you buy the old app for $20 and then download maps for offline use for free? That would be a weird loophole in their subscription scheme.
Re: GPS iPhone app
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
by Snowtrout
The app I have been using the last few years is topomaps+. it was suggested to me from someone on this site and has met my needs pretty well: free basic maps (like the updated FS 2016 map) and works well up in the Sierra when maps were downloaded on my iPhone 5c (yes it's an old one). Pretty sure the maps come from Caltopo.