Comments on: Gear Review – Gaia GPS app

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 01:34:56 +0000

In reply to G Robson.

I need to update this seven year review, but the enshitification of Gaia since Outside bought it is palpable. The original devlopers no longer take a role in the app AFAIK.

OTOH, I’ve tried both the Oynx and CalTopo app and they don’t quite work for me, either.

By: G Robson

G Robson — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 22:43:45 +0000

I have been a Gaia GPS user since the app was first launched (using it for wildland fire fighting) and continue to use it to this day (for hiking and boondocking). While the app still has utility, each update and upgrade has made it more difficult to use, bloated and buggy. Downloading maps has always been a major downfall and is even worse now – often requiring multiple restarts of the app over extended periods of time. I just downloaded a map, checked it was fully cached (when offline), went to download another map and the first one started redownloading, thus slowing the second map download. It’s taken all morning for 4 maps (about 1.5 GB) to download on a 5G system clocked at around 120 mbps (no VPN – Gaia slows download speeds). If you switch to another app and come back to Gaia the map position you had been viewing will have changed to a seemingly random location and you’ll need to relocate it. The status bar in recent versions takes up 1/8 of the screen. The original version took up less than half of that. The map list on the web map has never been sorted and still contains maps that are no longer available. The app cannot search for DMS coordinates – only decimals. I’ve never been able to get the compass reading to read correct bearing. When plotting routes the route paths sometimes do not conform to roads and trails. Bottom line: if you are a hard core, outdoor map user it may be worth investing money in but beware – you will also be increasingly investing time getting the app to function like it used to and like it should. Also, they just increased the pro price despite the app working less well compared with previous versions. TrailBehind (developer): If you’re reading this: stop monkeying with the app, fix its faults (including the web map) and also bring back the old online user discussion and suggestion space!

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 16:46:32 +0000

In reply to Rick. I'd ping the folks at Gaia as they will have the specific price points.

By: Rick

Rick — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 12:55:23 +0000

Can I create a georeferenced map (of, for example a specific property/tract or a trail on an existing georeferenced map) and upload it into Gaia? If so, what level (subscription fee) do I need to do this?

Thanks in advance,

Rick

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 19:08:29 +0000

In reply to Keith. The disconnect is the word "trail"...that is a big difference. I used the Gaia app and the Gaia website to map, plot out, and hike my own routes. The review came out of from hiking a 600+ mile long undefined route that I put together with some input from other sources. A route through canyons, cross country, existing single track, and Jeep track. Other tools may be better to find info on existing trails. Don't know. But I do not use this, or similar apps, for routes using only defined trails. So why did I give Gaia such a good review? Because it worked very, very, very well for *me*, and apparently others, my intended use.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 17:38:24 +0000

I have tried this app and am shocked you gave it such a positive review. When searching and finding trails, the app does not identify the beginning and end of a trail, or does it show the mileage of a trail, nor does it show the elevation profile of a trail. Basically, when you search and find a trail, this app points to a somewhat random midpoint on the trail…that is it.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 07:09:36 +0000

I used Gaia in the Pyrenees, absolute life saver in Basque country in the fog/clouds with 20 – 200 ft visibility for days on end. Used the French and Spanish IGN base maps under the old Gaia subscription model. The printed maps were great and what was saved on my phone was critical in keeping me “found” in the fog.

By: MIKE SPALDING

MIKE SPALDING — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 22:11:48 +0000

In reply to Paul Mags. It includes a MotionX Terrain, NOAA Marine and a MotionX Road layer. I’ve climbed all the 14ers and hiked the Colorado Trail with it and it has always had the detail I needed. But I’m not doing the mostly undocumented trail hiking that you do. You can add any layers you want by entering the URL for a map server. Also the correct name is MotionX-GPS

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 16:33:00 +0000

In reply to MIKE SPALDING. Yeah. Those topos would be missed. Good to know about another tool for sure, though.

By: Doug K

Doug K — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 00:02:57 +0000

I bought the $20 version based on Andrew Skurka’s recommendation on his weblog..

It is so much better than my old Garmin handheld, interface and display, and with much better maps too. The only problem is it’s a battery hog on my cheap Android phone, so carry a 6oz backup battery as well. That’s only an ounce more than the Garmin, a price happily paid.

The Garmin was mostly used on hunting trips where it was possible to get blacked out (snow/fog/night) somewhere way off trail, figured it would be a good safety net. It’s also helpful when nearing the borders of public land, to stay legal. However it is obsolete now, I am happy to say – ended up shouting at it quite often 😉