Best Cell Phone GIS Map Program?

[martyg]

Finding paper topo maps is getting tougher and tougher. Often times an outdoor store will have a wooden file case full of them, but no map key, and all maps in a state of disarray. I guess that I will have to evolve from my roots.

 

[charlier]

Please give us more information. Are you looking for a GIS app for hiking or skiing? Do you want to plan your routes, online tracking of your excursions, ability to download different base maps, or costs.

 

[Sibhusky]

First question. Do you own a smartphone? (Serious. My husband has only owned one for 6 months)

If so, the app you chose needs to allow downloads of maps for offline use. I actually use a slew of apps, not all free. Outdooractive was nice in Europe. Fatmap good all over, near as I can tell. I also use Alltrails, Powder Project, Google Maps, on and on. If I hunted, I'd use onXhunt. For mountain biking, I'd use Trailforks. There is probably no one app that is best at everything.

 

[martyg]

Good questions. Just route finding in the field. 99% summer based. Backpacking. Trails and overland travel (overland as in by foot - no trails). US only. No cell signal exists.

Most of my trips are in areas that I know from memory, but am branching out.

I wrote a review for OnX in GearJunkie. I liked it and would consider purchasing that. Curious what others have used.

 

[davjr96]

Caltopo. The web interface is fantastic although the mobile could use improvements depending on your use case. It is the most heavily used by professionals out of all the options for SAR and other things.

I use it for everything: ski touring planning, mountain biking, summer hiking, off trail.

 

[Sibhusky]

I'd download Outdooractive, Fat Map, etc. They all have free versions and one user interface might be easier than others for you or the area you hike in might be more detailed in one app than another. Then invest ($) in the one you prefer.

I certainly would emphasize that, like a camera, the best map is the one you have with you when you need it, not the one that works best on your PC.

Edit: Caltopo requires you to set up a user ID before you do ANYTHING. A huge issue, IMO.

I took a look at onX Backcountry and I like the maps, but unless I pay I can't see if the paid version outclasses Outdooractive or FatMaps, which have quite an assortment of topo maps when you cough up roughly equivalent money. I can get a discount for onX, but at the moment don't have a use for any of them. I had both FatMaps and Outdooractive for a year. onX is nice that you can see trail slope angles even though you haven't coughed up the $ yet, I'll give them that.

Full disclosure: My daughter works for onX.