# What is the best GPS app on the iphone



## jabba69 (Oct 15, 2008)

What is the best GPS app for trails on the iphone as there seems to be a lot of them any feedback on ones people have bought


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## old_goat (Mar 5, 2010)

I have been using Motionx, it works well for me. You can email your trip to yourself (or anyone else) and it appears in a google map format. You can add photos and waypoints to your maps, you get stats like average speed fastest speed etc.. try it out.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

run a search in this forum (as well as the General forum). The topic is brought up frequently.


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## damy1987 (Nov 26, 2010)

There are loads of GPS iPhone apps out there. You can choose from for example: AmAze GPS, Automilez, Free GPS, GPS Logbooks, GPS-Logger, GPS-R, GPS Tracker, iWant, Waze and many more. These are just some popular ones. With the iPhone's poor battery life though, it may not be such a good idea. Depending on what you want to use it for I guess. I think if you are serious, it's probably better to go for an actual GPS device, rather than just an app on your smart phone.


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## damy1987 (Nov 26, 2010)

There are loads of GPS iPhone apps out there. You can choose from for example: AmAze GPS, Automilez, Free GPS, GPS Logbooks, GPS-Logger, GPS-R, GPS Tracker, iWant, Waze and many more. These are just some popular ones. With the iPhone's poor battery life though, it may not be such a good idea. Depending on what you want to use it for I guess. I think if you are serious, it's probably better to go for an actual GPS device, rather than just an app on your smart phone.


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## Gabe3 (Mar 13, 2009)

depends on what you want to do, everytrail good for following trails. if you want to know your distance, the iphone's gps isn't that great, since the gps doesn't record often. for example, if your on a trail with a lot of corners. the gps can't track every corner, so it takes shortcuts, which leads to a incorrect distance. if your on a 7.5 mile trail with corners, the gps will record it as being 6 miles. if your on a trail that is fairly straight, it should be pretty accurate. I can only speak for the 3GS, the 4 might be better. some apps you can change the tracking time, but they only go so low, to the limit of the gps's hardware. the lower the number=the more frequent it will track, giving a more accurate distance.


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## Eville140 (Nov 26, 2010)

Downloaded one called cyctastic, and seems to work pretty well. I also just ordered the digifit connect and a garmin heart rate monitor to try and sync with it. 
Should have it all early this coming week.


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## CCSS (Apr 6, 2004)

Cool -- keep us posted on progress/success. I've been using Trail Guru for a couple of years and really like it *except* for when it stops recording part of the way through my ride. This happens relatively frequently when someone calls or texts, or sometimes for no apparent reason. Looking for something just like Trail Guru, but better at staying connected...


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## Gabe3 (Mar 13, 2009)

CCSS said:


> Cool -- keep us posted on progress/success. I've been using Trail Guru for a couple of years and really like it *except* for when it stops recording part of the way through my ride. This happens relatively frequently when someone calls or texts, or sometimes for no apparent reason. Looking for something just like Trail Guru, but better at staying connected...


it might stop recording due to trees, bridges, and other things that will be in the way of the satellite.


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## CCSS (Apr 6, 2004)

Makes sense, and I'd be ok with a few missing pieces of a track, but the app simply stops recording and shuts off. It can be really frustrating when finishing a great ride on a new trail or road, pulling the iphone out of the camelbak and seeing the iphone screen shut off...


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## Gabe3 (Mar 13, 2009)

CCSS said:


> Makes sense, and I'd be ok with a few missing pieces of a track, but the app simply stops recording and shuts off. It can be really frustrating when finishing a great ride on a new trail or road, pulling the iphone out of the camelbak and seeing the iphone screen shut off...


hmm, you might need to go into the iphone settings>general>auto-lock, set it to never.

you can also check out this: http://www.trailguru.com/wiki/index.php/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Trailguru_for_the_iPhone_3G


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## mattsavage (Sep 3, 2003)

Gabe3 said:


> hmm, you might need to go into the iphone settings>general>auto-lock, set it to never.
> 
> you can also check out this: http://www.trailguru.com/wiki/index.php/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Trailguru_for_the_iPhone_3G


i use Trail Guru the most often, mostly because it's the simplest and user friendly. I haven't had it stop recording randomly since the 2nd release of the app. It works great. The only time it stops is when you leave the app by replying to a text, invite, phone call, etc. I usually just turn off most of my alerts before I leave for a ride.

Gabe, about the Digifit... Have you used it yet? Any data on it for us? I'm about to buy this system myself. Also getting the Wahoo system to compare.


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## nbwallace (Oct 8, 2007)

*The digifit is $10 at amazon*

Is this thing for real?


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## mattsavage (Sep 3, 2003)

nbwallace said:


> Is this thing for real?


yeah, I just bought one. along with the HR strap and cadence/speed sensor, for Garmin, from Digifit. They're cheaper through the Digifit store. The app to use the Digifit is $14 and is required. Unlike the Wahoo fisica, you cant use the Digifit sensor with other apps, its proprietary.


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## Carraig042 (Nov 12, 2009)

I do not think they have it for the iphone, but I am about to try the MyTracks app for my Android phone. Looks promising.

-Brett


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## mattsavage (Sep 3, 2003)

nbwallace said:


> Is this thing for real?


I didn't notice the deal they're running right now, but if you download the free version of the app and upgrade to the paid for versions through the app you can get the sensor for free!


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## kavel (Jan 25, 2011)

I think I agree with him because it s a good idea / i would like to test it myself soon


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## Eville140 (Nov 26, 2010)

I have the digifit one also, works pretty good but the app itself is lacking compared to others. Really wish the sensor worked with other apps as Cyctastic is a much nicer app. 
But it does give me calories which is nice, was depressing going for a short/hard ride averaging 4mph and having it guestimate your Cals at 125
With the heart strap and working hard you find out you burn 500 calories pretty quick. 

Digifit needs to add better maps, zooming, and elevation logging.


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## mattsavage (Sep 3, 2003)

Eville140 said:


> Digifit needs to add better maps, zooming, and elevation logging.


Yeah, I find the iBiker app pretty lacking as well. It'd be nice if it showed your elevation on the dashboard. It's annoying that you can't exit out of the dashboard without cancelling your workout. And the HRM was constantly cutting out. It took me awhile to figure out how to view the ride on the Training Peaks website, but I do like the interface there. The Digifit dongle is enormous too...

I think I'm gonna give the Wahoo Fisica a try next. At least it has 3rd party apps you can use as well as the case that is a builit in bar mount.


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## FM (Apr 30, 2003)

It depends on how you want to use a GPS, but GPS Kit is by far the best GPS app I've tried. My two favorite things about it are:

It can import KML files- so I can trace/draw maps in google earth, then transfer entire trail network maps (not just tracks) to my phone. I can view these while recording a track with the map as a "background".
Within a "set" (imported KML file), you can change the color of each line string. So for instance I'm using red for singletrack, blue for fire roads, etc.
It's very flexible about caching maps, so you don't really need cell coverage while riding.

I used this app thursday night for a 6hr ride and was within 200' of the trail shown on the map the entire time, with no loss of GPS satellite reception. Funny since last year on the same ride, my iPhone 3gs had many drop-outs. My hardware has not changed, but somehow the reception has improved greatly since then. Also, for battery life, consider a mophie juicepack- makes battery life a non-issue.


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## jackcoul (Dec 10, 2011)

Has anyone used the single tracks app?? I know the upgrade version cost $25.00 and I'm wondering if its worth it. I'm looking for an iphone6 app that I can use while riding new trails, some thing that will keep me on the trail so I don't get lost.
Jack


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## Lou Z. Ryder (Sep 9, 2014)

Late response, but try View Ranger. It's good, with good maps (and free)


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