Gaia Questions

Photobug

Well-known member
I am just starting to play with the app, to determine how best to use it. I have watched a few youtube videos and they all claim not to be experts. I saw this video that I liked but he was only doing it on his IPAD. I would like an expert tutorial that starts with planning from a home computer that then downloads to the pad for navigation. What are the best Gaia tutorials out there? Also when saving maps are all the maps chosen downloaded to the database or just the visible ones?
 
Would love to be able to select ares to download via PC but don't think that's possible. You can build routes etc. Once you download on one mobile device though, it will update on all your other mobile devices signed in to the account (no matter how long that takes...)
 

roving1

Well-known member
All you have to do is "do stuff" on the online version and it will sync to any of your devices. To select the maps for those areas you can just manually select the areas and layers you want on the individual device or select download map along route on the device. That's it.

The auto route thingy where you can build routes quickly by selecting two points on a mapped road/trail only works on the Gaia topo layer.

I know I have watched browser Gaia use somewhere before. If I find the video I will add it.
 

Photobug

Well-known member
Would love to be able to select ares to download via PC but don't think that's possible. You can build routes etc. Once you download on one mobile device though, it will update on all your other mobile devices signed in to the account (no matter how long that takes...)

Pretty sure you can create areas routes and waypoints, on a home PC and then share or export to other devices. Given the choice of working on any pad or a laptop, I'd always chose the laptop. Then this morning I fired up the home computer with dual monitors, way better than even the laptop.

The one vid I linked, i liked his presentation but did not like the fact he was not showing the computer interface.
 

GlenStanley

Active member
GAIA's website has some good tutorials as well. A while back I found a 173 page PDF titled "GAIA GPS Users Manual" from 2017. I've tried making it available on a couple of forums, but it's 14 MB size is too big. An internet search with that exact title should find it for you. I'd be happy to share it if someone knew how...
 

Photobug

Well-known member
So I got carried away and added all the maps I thought were cool. My map selection includes lots that are useless to overlanding. So with 14 maps chosen I am downloading ridiculously large files. I have done a few searches and it looks like the app is only designed to add maps not remove them.
 

Photobug

Well-known member
So I got carried away and added all the maps I thought were cool. My map selection includes lots that are useless to overlanding. So with 14 maps chosen I am downloading ridiculously large files. I have done a few searches and it looks like the app is only designed to add maps not remove them.

Never mind. I read the first few pages of the manual and found the answer on how to remove layers. Only 170 more pages to go to become an expert.


The previous person said 173 pages. This new manual is only 85 pages I was able to read-skim through it in a little over an hour. A lot of it is redundant(once you know how to add an area, edit one, add notes, change color and add it to a folder, the same applies to other things like routes, waypoints, etc) and some of he features were not applicable. It is a quick worthwhile read.
 
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Photobug

Well-known member
I read most of that manual and now know my way around the software pretty well. I still have two questions.

What is the best map or way to find dispersed camping?

I was planning on using my laptop as backup to my Android pad but realize I am using the web version on my laptop, which will require a hotspot on the road as well as Cell phone reception to get a signal. Is there an equivalent for an app for a PC so I can use the PC offgrid?
 

GlenStanley

Active member
This guy gives a pretty good tutorial on how to use the BLM website to find legal places to boondock. I'm fairly new to all this and learning as I go. The very first time I used GAIA, I didn't even know you had to pre-load the maps. I thought it just worked like a TomTom or Magellan, but for off-road trails. Kinda like the Garmin Overlander does now... I drove out to Mojave to try it out, fired it up & nothing :oops:

There might be a better/easier way, but his method seems to work.

 
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Photobug

Well-known member
This guy gives a pretty good tutorial on how to use the BLM website to find legal places to boondock. I'm fairly new to all this and learning as I go. The very first time I used GAIA, I didn't even know you had to pre-load the maps. I thought it just worked like a TomTom or Magellan, but for off-road trails. Kinda like the Garmin Overlander does now... I drove out to Mojave to try it out, fired it up & nothing :oops:

There might be a better/easier way, but his method seems to work.


I like his technique of using Google maps to evaluate the quality of the road and seeing berms to indicate the road is maintained and graded. I have a 4wd truck but our new rig is a Class C so need to re-evaluate the roads I choose. I have no interest in getting stuck. I just played with the BLM map and it took me a few hours of coming back and trying to get it to load. This from my home with good wifi and internet speeds. I can't imagine trying this from the road without a solid connection.

The GAIA has a 'Public Lands' map that has almost the same layout with private and the different public lands all lined out. The bonus of the GAIA is it can be downloaded and accessed from the road but not google maps. I have not downloaded or looked at any satellite images from the GAIA maps but feel it might come in handy.
 

Photobug

Well-known member
I just went back and tried to utilize the GAIA based satellite maps. One showed a zoom from 7-12 and the other showed a zoom from 0-19. The one that had the 7-12 image was useless except for someone who has not clue on how to read a topo map. The map that showed the 0-19 zoom was much better but good enough as it did not show the detail level of Google maps which when zoomed in shows the quality of the road unlike any other satellite image or map.

For now I am not sure it is worth keeping a satellite map downloaded, I wish the zoom levels were better. Google maps with satellite is very powerful, but don't think I will be able to get coverage when needed on the road to use it.

I hate the idea of either having to plan each and every option of where to explore for dispersed camping before I leave my home or having to ensure internet on the road.
 

pluton

Adventurer
I downloaded several western states worth of the HEMA USA Atlas onto my smartphone( via my $20/year Gaia subscription). When I visited a remote area near Needles, CA recently, I was pleasantly surprised that HEMA displayed the dirt roads I was travelling on.
 

Photobug

Well-known member
I downloaded several western states worth of the HEMA USA Atlas onto my smartphone( via my $20/year Gaia subscription). When I visited a remote area near Needles, CA recently, I was pleasantly surprised that HEMA displayed the dirt roads I was travelling on.

Have you compared the HEMA Atlas with any of the GAIA maps? If so how do they compare?
 

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