GPS/Map suggestions for beginning hikers?
Answered
My wife, son and I hiked the Iron Bear trail on Teanaway Ridge in Washington this past weekend. Our son has discovered many hikes and has taken us on a few now. He mentioned that there are some hikes he'd like to take but he needs a GPS before he attempts them--and I agree, for all of us. Well, that sent me down the wormhole. Even the most expensive Garmin units seem to have some serious flaws and I'm trying to figure out how hikers use the devices. Do you upload maps from GAIA to a Garmin? Do you use only the GAIA app on your phone or tablet? If the latter, what about battery power? FWIW, I have an Android phone.
I have run a handful of marathons in the past and am currently in really shoddy physical condition and I think more than running, I'd really like to do more hiking. We want to stay safe and not get lost! Please help a beginner out.
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Official comment
Hey @amadariaga101197,
With Gaia GPS, you do not need a separate hardware unit, such as a Garmin device, to view your maps. Your phone acts as the GPS unit.
The app allows you to download maps of your travel area in advance since you won't be able to retrieve map data from the server without an internet connection.
You will be able to follow your location on a pre-downloaded map as long as your phone has a GPS chip.
You can use Gaia GPS on the web, on your phone, and on your tablet. Your Gaia GPS account will sync across all your devices to keep your maps, routes, and tracks up to date.
Download the app by following this link on your phone:
Here's some information to get you started:
And since you mentioned it, you can learn more about battery life on Android devices here:
I have applied a free 1-month trial of our Premium Membership to your account so you can try out downloading maps.
If you have any other questions, please contact Support here.Comment actions
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