Best Real-Time GPS Tracking Apps

Knickter

Active member
What are the best real-time GPS tracking apps today that could be helpful while hiking or on a road trip? What are you using right now and what would you recommend?
 

axlesandantennas

Approved Vendor
To record points and tracks? I like Gaia. It seem to be the easiest to set up and get going. At least for the iphone, it is fairly accurate when compared to my Garmin 78 series with externally mounted antenna.
 

Cabrito

I come in Peace
Another vote for Gaia

I use it on hikes, dirt bike rides, and road trips on the bike or in the FJ. Mostly I use it to create the tracks as I go and then save them in specific files.

I really like using for hiking. Set it to record, then minimize it and put it in my pocket. It will record in the background for hours and doesn't drain the battery very quickly.
 

geoffff

Observer
Because I want to stick with Windows (on my Surface tablet) I use SAS.Planet. You need to be a bit of a hacker to get this free Russian software working, but it allows you to download maps from any web source and bring them with you offline for your trip. I have OpenStreetMaps, CalTopo USGS Topographic, Bing Satellite downloaded - and many others.



 

highwest

Well-known member
Avenza. It’s free, has free USGS maps, and it’s what the Forest Service uses for their maps (like MVUMs - also free). There are maps available that you can pay for too. iPad in the truck, iPhone for hikes.
 

hilgeg

Member
Another vote for Gaia - I like the fact I can plan it on my PC and the route shows up on my iPhone, Android tablet, and iPad. I can also do the reverse of that - track my route on my phone then look at it or share it from my PC when I'm back home. Plus the historical layer is really cool.
 

AntecTrek

New member
Gaia is the best, it helps you find a campsite on the road, or deep in the backcountry. It delivers public land data to help you stay legal, maps with campsites, parks, and forests, as well as weather overlays.
 

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