by Jason Abbott
Originally Published in the IAMC Newsletter, May 2016
“Hold up a sec’,” I yell through my helmet for the third Time. My GPS unit keeps locking up. I have to stop, unscrew the back and pull the batteries to get it working again.
That was a couple years ago, the last Time I used a purpose-built GPS unit. I’m sure you’ve noticed the same thing I did when I went to replace it: the speed, display quality and cost of a standard mobile device (Android or iOS) is now vastly better than the ruggedized GPS units we used to carry. Where before I had a grainy two inch screen that was cumbersome to navigate, I now see my trail opPons on a sharp and fluid seven inch screen.
So sold was I on the obvious superiority of the new technology that I’ve recently joined the company that creates the so[ware I’d been using, Gaia GPS. Some of you probably saw my post about it in our Facebook group. With that background, I hope I can offer tips to evaluate your existing phone or tablet as your adventure GPS device.
WILL IT WORK WITHOUT A CELL SIGNAL?
Yes. Gaia and other navigation apps use the GPS chip inside most every mobile device. You can put your phone into airplane mode if you wish to save battery. The Google tablet I use has no cellular connectivity but still tracks GPS just fine in Idaho’s backcountry.
WHAT ABOUT RAIN AND WRECKS?
I have had a few good tumbles on my KTM since mounPng the tablet. Only once did it go flying (I think a branch caught the mount) and even then it was fine. And rain is easily dealt with. These modern gadgets are already sealed preFy well. They can take some incidental splashes. But if I see rain coming I slip it into an almost purpose- fit Ziploc and pop it back into the holder. If you’re so inclined, you could instead get one of the many rugged cases available for mobile devices.
WHY NOT JUST USE GOOGLE MAPS OR SIMILAR ON MY PHONE?
Are you in the right club? Google’s maps don’t have dirt trails. Google Earth can be handy for route research but on the ride, you’re better served with maps that show trails, old roads and elevation lines, with aerial views as an option. Gaia has many maps to choose from. You can review them while your device is online then touch a button to download any you want for offline use on your ride. I was on the ridge above Fiddler Flat once and realized I didn’t have a map I wanted. I was able to get just enough signal to download the map. It was preFy neat to do that. Here are a few map examples:
If you choose Gaia Pro, enhancements, in the same view. I like to overlay a detailed topographic map on hill shading so I can understand the terrain at a glance but look closer to see exactly how steep a trail is.
HOW LONG DOES A CHARGE LAST?
I can go all day on the tablet battery but I don’t need to since wiring a plug to the motorcycle battery. I bet most of you have already done the same for your phones. If you’re also using your device for music or cell reception, you’d most likely want to wire a plug or carry an extra battery. If you’re just out for an afternoon, your battery should be plenty, as usual.
MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL GPS UNIT
Using a small computer as your GPS unit brings many advantages. Photos you take within Gaia and other map apps are automatically geocoded, which is to say, placed on your map. And those photos, along with tracks and you can, among other combine maps in layers waypoints you record, are optionally uploaded to the Gaia website as a backup or means of sharing with others — your choice.
Find me in the forums, a future article or out on the trails for more about creating and sharing routes. (We’re working on some cool team features right now.) Thanks to the Gaia Communications team, particularly Aileen Gardner & Ashli Baldwin, for supplying application images and text used in this article.