A TRAIL OF APPS LEADS TO HIKING OPPORTUNITIES
Whether you ’ re looking for a casual stroll down a paved trail or an adventure deep off the beaten path , there is now an app for that . As avid hikers and explorers , my wife and I are often on the hunt for places to see some scenery or get some exercise to keep in shape for our next trek .
Over time , I have experimented with several different apps , testing them for use as research platforms , journals of our hikes , and navigational aids while trekking . This has led me to realize there are some key things to keep in mind when considering which app might work best :
WHAT ’ S YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL ? Are you just interested in seeing what park trails are nearby ? Or are you headed into the woods where cellular signals are iffy or even nonexistent ? Because of this , some apps will be better suited to you than others .
WHAT ’ S YOUR FREQUENCY ? How often are you taking off on different kinds of treks ? This is important to know because most apps have free and paid versions . The paid versions offer features that are probably only worth the premium price if you use them often enough .
WHAT ’ S YOUR LEVEL OF COMMITMENT ? You ’ ll find that premium versions of apps generally come in two varieties : one-time payment or subscription-based . The subscription-based apps tend to stay updated more frequently in terms of maps and features , but if you ’ re not going to use it enough , paying a monthly or annual fee may be more than you want to take on .
ARE YOU EASILY FRUSTRATED ? As with apps in most categories , the interface can play a significant role in whether you ’ d give it 5 stars or lower your rating out of frustration . And the more powerful the app , the more likely it is that the interface can be more cumbersome .
Through trial and error , I have landed on two apps that earned their spot on my phone for very different reasons : AllTrails and Gaia GPS . Both of these are available for Android and Apple devices .
E3CAMPING . COM 69