iPhone app for trekking, running,... sports!

[mario82]

Hi,
any ideas about the best GPS app for iPhone, I need it to do use as a Garmin device, in trekking, mountain running, and maybe also bike... I need also import/export of tracks, graphs of altitude/speed and so on, and real-time data when I'm out (altitude, speed, average speed,...),
...AND should't eat all my battery in 30min!!!

I've tried Easytrails GPS (http://www.easytrailsgps.com), and at the moment seems the best, but I want to hear from others too...

marione

[Ryku650]

I only have an iPod Touch so I can't use those kinds of applications unless there's Wi-Fi around.

I found some apps like that in Cydia.

[Cohen]

Using your iPhone for this wouldn't be the best choice.

1. - The GPS in the iPhone might not be as good as you think.
2. - The iPhone battery when using a lot of resources, like Wifi and the GPS, will drain and will not give you a long period of time
3. - There wouldn't be an app that is out, for what you are wanting to do.

[Klaus]

I'm using MotionX for my walks (and few runs), but as andry says, it's not perfect. It does what I need it to do, but due to the way it's built, you will always have backlighting turned on, on the iPhone, even though most of the screen could be black. It really drains battery. I'd say you have 70-90 minutes of battery time, if use iPod too - with MotionX, that is. Mileage might (hopefully) be better with other applications.

[Thor Erik]

to be quite honest, get yourself a decent gps that are standalone, much better battery, and much more accurate, especially on altitude(the iphone GPS dose not support WAAS)

I'd check out on Garmin's hand-held devices, you can get one for $80 and up

personally I'd reccomend
http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps_ga...smap-60csx
I got this one about a month ago, and really impressed
before I had http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps_ma...orist-100, which is very good as well

[mario82]

(Oct-31-2009 05:45 PM)Thor Erik Wrote:  to be quite honest, get yourself a decent gps that are standalone, much better battery, and much more accurate, especially on altitude(the iphone GPS dose not support WAAS)

I'd check out on Garmin's hand-held devices, you can get one for $80 and up

Hi Erik!
well, iPhone GPS is not the best, but... well, I've always with me, I don't have to think, get, get another piece of hardware with me... AND, I've checked with some friends that are Garmin fanatic, and the only device that was more accurate in position (lat/long) were some 300-400$ pieces (the REAL Garmin quality), while the 150-200$ are worst than iPhone (on lat/long)!
but yes, the altitude in the iPhone is TERRIBLE!

the good point about these piece of software is that they are (@Cohen : EasyTrails already does it! I'm just trying to compare others... with ET I can go few hours, I did a 3 day trekking, charging every night, and walking 5-6 hours every day!) on a piece of "customizable computer" always in your pocket....... I love this, with a camera that can geotag photos, for me it's a great mobile!

it will be wonderful if one day all the national parks and the tourism institutions will release the trails (trekking, mountain-bike,...) so that proper maps/tracks can be uploaded by phones and professional Garmins!

[Thor Erik]

the Magellan Explorist 100 is more accurate than the iphone (I know, cause I've used both, both in cities and forests) so even a cheap gps is better at accuracy, the main thing they sell on is features, not accuracy.

for an app, I doubt you can get any better than ET, since the gps chip dose not allow any better accuracy

[mario82]

well, I'm using just for fun, so I never compared the same track with both, but I've seen a review from a trekking team that reported iPhone to be more precise in certain situations (lat/long), and cheap Garmin/Magellan more precise in other situations, in average they say that it's better the iPhone in lat/long and Garmin/Magellan muuuch better in altitude....
don't know, maybe because they are more interested in professional Garmin ;-)

but for me iPhone precision is already great: with 2$ I can play with it, and have automatically my tracks uploaded on www.everytrail.com (seems this is the next feature just added to the AppStore, they say), record my stats in TrailRunner and follow a training session... if it has 30m error in one point, that make not so great difference to me!
...yes, there are some apps that last only 40-45min, this I see really different from Garmin/Magellan...

anyway, they are quite good, maybe I'll just stay with easytrails, and send some requests to their support website, if I need a new feature implemented

[76ohm]

(Oct-30-2009 08:47 PM)mario82 Wrote:  Hi,
any ideas about the best GPS app for iPhone, I need it to do use as a Garmin device, in trekking, mountain running, and maybe also bike... I need also import/export of tracks, graphs of altitude/speed and so on, and real-time data when I'm out (altitude, speed, average speed,...),
...AND should't eat all my battery in 30min!!!

I've tried Easytrails GPS (http://www.easytrailsgps.com), and at the moment seems the best, but I want to hear from others too...

marione

if you have experience of using professional hiking computer like garmin, I suggest HikeMateGPS for sub application as it support GPX file export/import, 3 kinds of map styles and record lots of data.

when I use some other app - can't mention here - which displayed "supporting GPX export" but, it's no use of exporting it as it doesn't record time data on each gps point datum. WTF.

and, hikemateGPS support e-mail, twitter and facebook posting which make us to share our record easily, rapidly and precisely. hope to test it once. but, it's not free. $2.99