ViewRanger

[Jack Bounder]

We've been using this app for a while now. It's really useful for recording (and sharing) your walks and for navigation too. I find the maps to be excellent (in the New Forest). Anyone else use this? I think it's worth a look.

It's free (with limitations). You have to pay to get the full functionality of the app. We use the free version.

View Ranger Home Page

 

[rickwhite]

Yes, I use Viewranger on my phone. Its quick and easy to find exactly where you are on a hike.
You can buy the individual squares for any area that you need quite cheaply and I've gone for quite a few sections at 1:25000 scale for the areas I go walking a lot (Peak and Lake districts).
I do always try and carry a proper map with me too but whipping your phone out and relying on the GPS to tell you exactly where you are is generally a lot quicker than unfolding a massive map and I hate carrying the map case i have.

 

[janso]

Used viewranger for a few years now and bonus, got a good collection of areas for free! I've used other software but viewranger wins for me and can't rate it enough. As above, cracking for confirmatory nav queries plus 10 fig grid when needed on the hill. I'd recommend it to anyone as the platform of choice. To the point of semi retiring my SatMap gps on the hill


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[Nohoval_Turrets]

Great app. I got the whole of Ireland at 1:50000, and it's great for nav or just browsing. They allow you to have the maps on up to 4 devices, so I have them on my phone and tablet.

 

[Jack Bounder]

We've just noticed and are interested in the Beacon Buddy feature (where you can track friends, offspring, etc) in real time. Has anyone used this? Any good?

 

[janso]

Works great depending on reception; the other party has to agree in advance though so they and you ping up on screen. Great in action though


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[dennydrewcook]

I prefer map my hike myself less mapping but gives you a good indication of where your heading,calories seem to be accurate and shows you how far you've gone tried view ranger but I couldn't get on with it was too confusing for me.


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[petrochemicals]

What's the cost ?, as it sounds useful for the pieces of land that you don't really want to buy a map for, such as the walk off the side of the map.

 

[ADz-1983]

I use Viewranger and it's excellent. Much better than any dedicated GPS device for many reasons.

 

[Jack Bounder]

What's the cost ?, as it sounds useful for the pieces of land that you don't really want to buy a map for, such as the walk off the side of the map.

So far, the cost to us has been nothing! It provides basic (adequate?) mapping for free. It you want to add OS maps, that's when you have to pay. For the New Forest and South Downs Way OS map at 1:25,000 it costs £33.

 

[petrochemicals]

So far, the cost to us has been nothing! It provides basic (adequate?) mapping for free. It you want to add OS maps, that's when you have to pay. For the New Forest and South Downs Way OS map at 1:25,000 it costs £33.

Blimey, off the edge of the map will have to stay off the edge of the map.

 

[Jack Bounder]

Blimey, off the edge of the map will have to stay off the edge of the map.

You can get the whole mainland UK at 1:25,000 for £200 or you can buy self selected areas for £20 for 2000 sqkm. I believe you can buy these using your mobile so, if you go off the edge, you can buy additional maps as required.

As I say, currently we haven't bought any maps but still find the app useful. We don't use it for navigation but do use it to record our routes and to confirm our location if the features on the ground don't match the hard copy map.

 

[ADz-1983]

You can also buy individual squares.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Yes, Viewranger is a really useful app. I've found the most useful feature of all is the buddy beacon. I've tested it with a friend using the buddy beacon to find my camo tarp (with me under it) in the woods in the dark. Great app, highly recommended.

Julia

 

[Dave]

Does view ranger work, when you are in a wilderness area, with no phone signal?
Does it work off GPS sattelites the same as your garmin would?

 

[ADz-1983]

Does view ranger work, when you are in a wilderness area, with no phone signal?
Does it work off GPS sattelites the same as your garmin would?

Yes of course it does. It's a GPS app. All you need is an offline map. You dont need phone signal for anything other then downloading maps or extra location services.

Just download a map of area before you go out. I have OS maps of national parks etc. The GPS signal shows your position on map as well as can track your routes etc.

 

[Dave]

Just wondered if it was better than Gaia GPS, which I've been using on my iphone.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Yes, tho it's not as obvious as you might think to get it to do it. You have to download custom map (tap screen, then tap the button bottom right, that should give you six buttons, select create, then custom map). This allows you to create maps for offline use. Note if you are using OSM free mapping, there is a limit to the number of tiles you can download as a custom map. If you use the Open Cycle Map instead, it's still free, but you can download more tiles (I've yet to hit a limit), and the mapping is more useful for outdoors use.

You can use the GPS, or what ever other location services your phone offers. If no phone signal, then it'll just use GPS. You don't have to have a gps to use it, you can just use it as a map viewer.

HTH.

J