Suggest GPS App for Android

[HooKooDooKu]

I have a Garmin eTrex that I use for hiking trip. What I would like is a substitute for in town day hike or when I take the kids bicycle riding.

The primary purpose would be for creating track logs so I can see where I've been and how far I have gone.

I'm big on applications that don't require all access to my phone. As an example, a GPS App that requires access to my identity, contacts, device id, etc is out.

I don't mind paying for an app, especially if it means I don't get ads or requests for in app purchases.

[fredmugs]

I use MapMyHike. You can set it up for walking, hiking, running, bike riding, etc. Not sure about your rqmts for phone access. You can also create routes before you do them.

[Dochartaigh]

I've been using Gaia for iPhone ($20) and I know it's available for Android as well. Two trips later and it's completely replaced my Garmin eTrex Vista HCx GPS which feels like clunky 1990's technology know.

Super easy to work. You basically select if you want topo maps and/or satellite maps (can even choose between different satellite maps like Google's with road names and all), and draw a square of the area you want. It'll then download the map(s) which you can use even when you don't have cell phone data service.

[HooKooDooKu]

I use MapMyHike. You can set it up for walking, hiking, running, bike riding, etc. Not sure about your rqmts for phone access. You can also create routes before you do them.

Sorry, but 'Map My Hike' is the perfect example of an app I DO NOT WANT!!!
In-app purchases, Identity, Contact, Wi-Fi connection information, Bluetooth connection information, Device ID & call information, Other
I'm not willing to exchange a free app for full access to my phone (one of the reasons I'm more than happy to instead pay for a good app).

[HooKooDooKu]

I've been using Gaia for iPhone ($20) and I know it's available for Android as well.

Yes there appears to be an Android version.
It seems to be just a little more intrusive than it has to be (why does it need Device & app history as well as run from startup). But at least it's no where near as intrusive as the free 'MapMyHike'.

$20 seems pretty steep for an app that also includes In-app purchases? What are the In-app purchases?
(It will take a few days before I can try this one... I've got to move more money to my Google Wallet)

[upstream]

I use OSMtracker. But that's all it does, is record a track. It can also associate photos, voice recordings, and other information with the track. But, no maps. It's mostly for facilitating contribution on OSM. I use RMaps for maps.

[Dochartaigh]

Here's what they offer for pro (i.e. extra money): https://www.gaiagps.com/gaiapro/#/overview

I've needed none of those features as I just use mine to see where one the map I am. If you fully used the features of your Garmin GPS some of those "pro" features may come in handy...but it's not something I would personally pay for.

[Another Kevin]

I use BackCountry Navigator. I like it in part because it works fine in airplane mode without a network connection - so it surely is not phoning home while I'm hiking - and because it doesn't have heartburn over my making my own maps.

Permissions that it needs:

In-app purchases: There are several for-pay mapping services that it can access. I've never bought anything in-app, but Android doesn't really have the ability to control individual permissions for a purchased app, it's all or nothing. It hasn't caused anything unexpected on my bill.
Device and app history: This is mostly needed so that it can send crash logs home so that the developers can fix it.
Photos: It has a feature for taking pictures in-app and putting them on the map, (and an arrangement with EveryTrail to upload the map+pictures seamlessly.
WiFi connection information: There are some high-bandwidth functions (like map preloading) that it won't do over-the-air without approval, so it needs to look whether WiFi is functioning.
Bluetooth connection information: Frankly, I haven't asked the developers about this one. I don't have very many Bluetooth devices.
Read Google service configuration: The app needs to know details about Location Services, obviously.
Pair with Bluetooth devices: For a Bluetooth GPS, maybe? I haven't asked the developers.
Full network access: The thing downloads maps from third parties.
Prevent phone from sleeping: A sleeping phone won't record tracks. And the thing has a "leave the screen backlight on" function that the orienteers seem to like.
View network connections: Again, the thing doesn't do high-bandwidth downloads over the air without asking.

So, to me, the permission list looks consistent with the feature set.

[iAmKrzys]

I also have an Android phone and eTrex 30 and I am at least somewhat careful about app permissions. I use OsmAnd+ (https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...et.osmand.plus) which uses maps based on data from https://www.openstreetmap.org. While OSM may not be up to par with Google on streets, it has a couple of advantages that I simply love: 1) it has trails for many parks, 2) It has parking areas, 3) if something is not there yet, I can add it. The trail coverage is far from complete but it grows steadily as thousands of hikers like myself or upstream (in post #6) upload their gps traces and mark trails based on them. OSM appears to have (almost?) entire length of AT mapped as you can see on waymarkedtrails.org that leverages OSM data: http://waymarkedtrails.org/en/relati...8288&hill=0.5#

OsmAnd+ ($5.99) allows you to download maps for different regions (e.g. U.S. states) and these maps are updated monthly, so once you download a map you don't need a data connection once on a move. It has certain functionality available via plug-ins and these include Contour maps ($1.99), tracking when phone is sleeping (this is the feature you asked about) or live monitoring (OsMo) if you want to do live sharing of you location with friends & family (assuming that you have a data connection wherever you are.) You can see a full list of features in Help section of http://osmand.net/
I think the concerns about in-app purchases are overblown - here are instructions at Google Play as how to require a password for every in-app purchase that you make: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1626831
The app does not ask for permissions to phone state & identity, phone book etc. It does support video recording, so it asks for permissions to camera & microphone which frankly I find useless (at least for now) but I see how that could be a sore point for privacy concerns.

On a separate note, personally, I prefer to keep my phone batteries at maximum charge for emergencies and use my gps for recording tracks since my eTrex runs for about 25 hours on two AA batteries. I also put OSM maps pre-compiled in Gramin format on my gps. I get them from here: http://daveh.dev.openstreetmap.org/g...t/kml/kml.html which I got from a bigger list of maps at http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/O...armin/Download The process is fairly simple: 1) download selected map, 2) copy it to /Garmin folder on your device (I use memory card on my eTrex for this purpose) and 3) enable the map for display via map options -> Select Map menu.

[Fredt4]

Sorry, but 'Map My Hike' is the perfect example of an app I DO NOT WANT!!!
In-app purchases, Identity, Contact, Wi-Fi connection information, Bluetooth connection information, Device ID & call information, Other
I'm not willing to exchange a free app for full access to my phone (one of the reasons I'm more than happy to instead pay for a good app).

Many of the permissions that apps seek may seem intrusive but people want the app to perform various functions, so there's the need for permissions. If you wish to "share" a map, trail or location, the app will need contact access. Want the app to use WiFi instead of a more expensive data plan, so it goes. Yes, full access is a problem, but those features need access to work. Instead of worrying about the permissions it might be more productive to check out the developer and their privacy disclosure and EULA. Unfortunately in the end it's still about trusting the app developer with your data, there's no way around that, unless you're willing to write your own app.

Bluetooth is probably for the wearable watches.

I also use Backcountry Navigator and I highly recommend it. There's a free 30 day version (full access) you can try out.

[Another Kevin]

I use OSMtracker. But that's all it does, is record a track. It can also associate photos, voice recordings, and other information with the track. But, no maps. It's mostly for facilitating contribution on OSM. I use RMaps for maps.

I also have an Android phone and eTrex 30 and I am at least somewhat careful about app permissions. I use OsmAnd+ (https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...et.osmand.plus) which uses maps based on data from https://www.openstreetmap.org. While OSM may not be up to par with Google on streets, it has a couple of advantages that I simply love: 1) it has trails for many parks, 2) It has parking areas, 3) if something is not there yet, I can add it.

Thanks, guys, for getting your tracks on OSM. If everyone who shares their tracks around did that, we'd have the most incredibly great hiking map around! (FWIW, my project last weekend was Huyck Preserve in Rensselaerville, NY, and its trails.) I already find that combining OSM with government data yields a map that's more useful to me than anything I can buy. http://kbk.is-a-geek.net/catskills/t...=-73.8365&z=13 gives an idea of what's possible. Trails shown there in magenta are from a government map that isn't license-compatible with OSM, and unverified - and that map is of variable quality. If there's a 'trailer camping' icon anywhere, it's a bug that I'll fix the next time I roll the map, which I do about twice a year. So many projects, so little time.

[iAmKrzys]

http://kbk.is-a-geek.net/catskills/t...=-73.8365&z=13 gives an idea of what's possible.

Kevin - your map looks really impressive! I smell a combination of Cloudmade & OpenLayers under the hood!

[Another Kevin]

Kevin - your map looks really impressive! I smell a combination of Cloudmade & OpenLayers under the hood!

CloudMade - well, the Leaflet user interface is from there.
OpenLayers - nope, not using it.

I'm rolling my own map using Mapnik. Landcover is NLCD, topography is NED, hydrography is NHD, the rest is OSM plus a couple of dozen government databases giving things like park boundaries and trail alignments. I started from Lars Ahlzen's TopOSM, but he wouldn't recognize either the code or the map any more.

[HooKooDooKu]

On a separate note, personally, I prefer to keep my phone batteries at maximum charge for emergencies and use my gps for recording tracks since my eTrex runs for about 25 hours on two AA batteries.

I whole heartedly agree... but I just knew a day like today would soon happen...
Planing on taking my 6yo daughter to LeConte Lodge this year (5 to 8 mile hike, one way with at least a 2,500' elevation change). She needs to get some practice in before we go in September. While I didn't plan on it today, we found ourselves at Red Mountain Park today and decided to do a hike. I downloaded OsmAnd+ during lunch just before we went. looks like there's lots to learn about using it, but I did manage to get some tracking turned on and it let me know that we hiked about 6 miles today. That's pretty much what I was looking for, something I could use as an odometer when I found myself without my eTrex.

[Buttercup01]

I tried a lot of different apps. My favorite app has been Maverick Pro. It gives you the option of using many popular background maps. You can import and export any GPX or KML file. It has the capability of downloading maps before you take your trip. Because of this, you will not need network access to download the map tiles while you're on the trail. I find this extremely handy in remote areas of the trail. I use ExpertGPS Pro on my laptop to prepare for my trips.

[theeulogy]

I use Locus Pro, and have for a few years now. It gives you the ability to download various maps for offline use. I use it typically in conjunction with my Qstars bluetooth GPS reciever to save battery on the phone. There is a free version for trying it.

[LeafChiefer]

I use the Florida Trail app here for the Florida Trail and it's pretty spot on. Haven't used all the features but it has tons. I just like seeing how far water and the next tent area is. Gets really hot and humid down here so water can go rather quickly.

[iAmKrzys]

... it let me know that we hiked about 6 miles today.

6 years old doing 6 miles at the beginning of the season is quite an achievement!

I'm curious as to how you will like OsmAmd+ over time. I have been using it for a while, but I still don't use all the features.

[HooKooDooKu]

6 years old doing 6 miles at the beginning of the season is quite an achievement!

I'm curious as to how you will like OsmAmd+ over time. I have been using it for a while, but I still don't use all the features.

I was quite proud of her... even if there's not much of an elevation change at Red Mountain Park. There's only a 300' elevation difference from the lowest point to the highest point in the park, and several trails are old railroad grades. Not much of a challenge for getting her ready to hike up to Mt. LeConte in GSMNP later this year.

As for OsmAnd+, I downloaded it during lunch strictly on the recommendations from here (and overall good reviews in the play store). I was in the parking lot of Red Mtn Park trying to figure out how to turn on tracking. Never did see the path we had hike on the screen, but it showed an odometer... that was good enough. However, I'm not sure what I did that I apparently turned it off for about a 1/2 mile... so she really did well over 6 miles.

As a word of warning... I tried to save battery power by turning the screen way down (didn't have time to see if Osm had a battery save option that wouldn't keep the screen on). I turned it so far down, the screen was virtually black when trying to see it outdoors. I'm sure trying to brighten back up the screen is where I did something that disabled tracking for a while.

And yes, it did a good job of sucking down the batteries. I didn't have a 100% full charge when I started, but the phone shut down due to lack of battery power after hiking for 3-1/2 hours with it running.

[Southeast]

Was your phone in airplane mode? I don't see that big of a drain with just tracking (different app but still should be close).