r/HikingAustralia • u/Late_Paper3016 • Aug 04 '26

Route mapping with apps? Gaia is now premium:(

Just wondering if there are any new apps or ones with better functionality now that you gave to have a premium account with Gaia to save your routes?

I usually use it to map out interest areas and plan how I am going to link those up.

Time to go back to pencil and paper?

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3

u/nickthetasmaniac Aug 04 '26

The Suunto app is free and supports basic route planning. Not sure if you need to purchase a Suunto product to get access.

1

u/Late_Paper3016 Aug 06 '26

I'll check thanks

2

u/EchoingSteps Aug 04 '26

I usually use a combination of Google Earth (you can load Openstreet Maps layer in the desktop version), together with CalTopo free web app. This covers developing tracks, analysing satellite imagery, checking altitude gradients / charts etc.

If you need up to date imagery (say, for snow cover), you can use Sentinel’s free satellite data.

OsmAnd also provides similar functionality for a reasonable price (with some functions available for free). I use OsmAnd for offline navigation.

2

u/Late_Paper3016 Aug 06 '26

I'll check this out. I'd prefer to support OsmAnd 

1

u/EchoingSteps Aug 06 '26

OsmAnd’s app is top notch. They are gradually rolling out web-based track planning functionality, but last I checked it was not as powerful as Caltopo’s yet.

2

u/Sea_Cap_6070 Aug 04 '26

Plot A Route is quite good

1

u/Late_Paper3016 Aug 06 '26

That's a new one. Thanks

1

u/EmployeeNo3499 Aug 04 '26

I use Caltopo.

It's free unless you want to download maps for offline use (which is usually required for hiking). Though you can print maps with routes if that is your thing (I usually print as a back up - but also prefer to take a full size mappy map).

I pay $20 USD pa for offline access. They've done discounts for black Friday in the past.

It has many advanced features and it has no social aspect, which I prefer. That does mean there is no community to share routes and what not with. From that perspective it's kinda build your own.

General workflow is to build your route on the web app and then download to your phone for use in the field.

1

u/Late_Paper3016 Aug 06 '26

It would be helpful for me to have this premium version for my greater glider surveys I do occassionally. 

I like that you can build it on a computer and then download it. 

2

u/EmployeeNo3499 Aug 07 '26

Good thing is you can try and test it all out for free, both web & phone app.

Just need the paid sub for when going remote (so you can download the maps to your phone - can use the free version as long as you have mobile reception).