What Is The Best Topo Map App For iPad

[Root Moose]

Also, are there any more details about "topo maps"? I found no companies simply called topos maps.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=ATLOGIS+Geoinformatics+oHG

 

[Beowulf]

http://topomapsapp.com

 

[jerdog53]

Oh, sorry....

Forgot about this thread....

Have used this setup 3 or 4 times with great success!! Accuracy seams spot on and love the ability to zoom in or out for my old eyes. Only disparity is make sure the maps cover all the areas you will be traveling in. I have had to once hot spot my phone to the iPad as the iPad is a wifi only unit and pull a map needed because the route changed. The route changed because Tin Cup Pass wasn't yet open....

The Proclips mount snaps on and off in a snap leaving the dash plain when not needed and holds the iPad Mini properly while traversing rock and streams....

 

[DanMark]

Yes, most apps require internet connection or GPS signal to view maps. The best way is to pre-download maps and then read them when offline. I use Spyglass for off-road navigation, it's really accurate and works for me.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Question regarding map downloads

Newb questions follow...

• I'm using a Mini iPad with Motion X GPS app.
• The Mini iPad has cellular service.
• I go to Death Valley fairly often and we cover a lot of territory on our 3 day trips.

I'd like to have all of DV maps available on the iPad but I assume that's way too much storage.

What do you recommend - how does one know what to download before leaving home?

I assume the app will continually download the immediate area IF there's cell signal, right?

Note: I do plan on purchasing a Dual Electronics XGPS150A as I understand downloading maps won't be necessary with that unit, correct?

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[RobRed]

I have several ipads and ipad mini's. My dedicated nav Mini is 16GB and I have three map types with complete Death Valley coverage and room to spare.

Here is a video or two that might help you.

Caching Maps


Custom Maps option

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Thanks RobRed!

Thanks RobRed! Really appreciate your help - those videos are quite informative.

I'm using a 16GB Mini iPad so I need to make sure I download the resolution maps I need while not being "greedy" and downloading too much area. I understand I can download them and save them (back them up) to iTunes so I can move only the maps I need before I leave home. Can you give me an overview of how best to do that (back up the maps to iTunes and move only the maps I need)?

I'm planning on saving one map for all of DV and the adjacent area in NV (if that sounds reasonable in terms of map size), Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (with Ocotillo Wells), June Lake area, Mojave Trail, etc.

I welcome your suggestions and input (and thank you again for your help).

Thanks!

 

[RobRed]

All of DV in a topo or motion X terrain will be around 1GB of storage. Use 10 to 15 zoom range. This gets you everything you need.

So moving waypoints and tracks back in forth in itunes is not problem... Maps ugh. You can back up map files to itunes but you cannot manage them like tracks and Waypoints. You'll have to recache if you need to dump one map for another.

BTW see my trip thread in the CA/NV section for DV... I posted up some DV waypoints you might like.

 

[off-roader]

Sure wish Craig would finish the iOS project...

Me too. The longer it takes the more comfortable I'm getting with the available mapping solutions. Specifically Scenic Maps. It's not as detailed I thing and sometimes trails are missing but that's the exception and not the rule.

 

[concretejungle]

For you guys using motion ex are you having any issues with trying to back up your cached maps to your iTunes? I ended up picking up the large 120 GB iPad mostly to cache large amounts of maps. Whenever I have the setting set to back up maps in iTunes it never backs them up, it just tries forever and times out. Is anyone else noticing this?

 

[concretejungle]

RobRed, thanks for those videos.

When you are adding the custom maps, you said you entered a URL.... where did you get that? Is it a link to a file you have saved somewhere on the cloud?

 

[Jwestpro]

I have several ipads and ipad mini's. My dedicated nav Mini is 16GB and I have three map types with complete Death Valley coverage and room to spare.

Let's say I were fine with using these apps on my iphone 6, which has glossnas I think, as well as gps (or maybe my garmin wrist device is the one with glossnass ?) Anyway, my iphone 6 seems to work well for gps mapping in the Strava app, even where there is no cell service at all. So, does this suggest I could also then use Scenic Maps in the phone because it has the gps coming into it?

Now, could I use my iphone gps reception, somehow shared with the ipad so that I could use the ipad for the maps? Obviously the ipad is the preference being so much larger. My ipad is only wifi. I do have a wifi hotspot, but of course the iphone and ipad have bluetooth that ought to be connectable for gps purposes ?

I don't want to have to spend $150 on the new xgps160 is not necessary even though it looks cool. :http://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-lifestyle/car/xgps160-for-navigation-apps-new/

And now Garmin has something that seems similar: http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Portab...sim_422_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=137D6QRJ92DVFCX6E9TH

 

[jerdog53]

And now Garmin has something that seems similar: http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Portab...sim_422_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=137D6QRJ92DVFCX6E9TH

I have the Garmin Glo that runs GPS data to my iPad mini for no network mapping. Works great!

 

[cactusjk]

Is the overall consensus Motion X is a great way to go? I have given up on waiting for the iOS version of Overland Navigator.

 

[cactusjk]

I have a Gen 1 iPad with Motion X HD ver 21. Assume this is still a usable version?