Apps and Tech To Use When Hiking

The Best Tech!

Here are all the apps & technology that I recommend for hiking and walking. From Navigation, accommodation, travel blogging to tracking your stats. It’s all here. Technology moves fast, so visit this page often as I will keep the page updated.

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Apps for the outdoors

While hiking apps are great for navigation, you shouldn’t rely on them. You should know where you’re going before heading out on a hike and ideally be carrying a paper map with you. Phones are prone to running out of battery right when you need them!
Some hiking apps allow you to share your location with a friend, in addition to this you should always leave a trip plan with a friend or two before heading out. A trip plan should include: what trail you’re hiking, when you’re starting, what you’re wearing & taking with you, and when you’re expected back.
If you’re using your phone for navigation, and especially for recording your hike, you should consider taking an extra battery pack to charge your phone with while on trail. At the very least, use airplane mode!

I have several hiking apps on my iPhone and I use them for a variety of different things. From recording my route to finding routes to hike in the first place, and even learning about what I see during my hike!

Navigation: Many of the best hiking apps will help you navigate the trails when you’re exploring. The best ones do so without mobile phone service or a need for data.
Inspiration: I also use my hiking apps to find the best hikes near me, especially ones that I haven’t come across before. You can use the number of reviews to judge how busy you think it’s going to be before going, and read comments to find out current trail conditions too.
Safety: Some apps allow you to send messages and updates to your contacts to let them know you’re okay and that you’ve returned back home or to your car safely. This is great if you’re looking for apps for solo hikers!
Learning: Ever been out on the trail and wondered “what’s that mountain called?” Me too! Luckly for me, there’s an app for that! You can also learn the tree names, names of flowers and even constellations while you’re camping!
Tracking your fitness: Another reason I use hiking apps (like Strava) is to track my fitness and see where I’ve got faster. I love a bit of competition with myself.