What Is The Best Topo Map App For iPad
- Thread starter surf110
- Start date
spressomon
Expedition Leader
I have several topo "off-road" map apps on my iPad, including MotionX HD. All of them are very "light" relative to my needs for off-road nav'ing. The biggest issue with all of them...without exception...is the shear amount of time it takes to download hi res map tiles.
Its not unusual, on a 2-week on/off road foray, to need 2-3 if not more western states. Just for most of Nevada, NorCal, southern Idaho and southern Oregon its a weeks worth of downloading 24x7 just to get the data (v 15.0).
Benchmark Map Co. is getting close to their beta test for their iPad topo map app; however based upon the discussion I had with them they too will be relying on the cloud and/or downloading maps...kinda futile for how I use an off-road nav/map system.
So far, like you, I am far from being impressed with the iPad apps being a home run for our needs. But to answer your question I'd say MotionX HD is the best of the lot. And FWIW they do have excellent customer support.
Its not unusual, on a 2-week on/off road foray, to need 2-3 if not more western states. Just for most of Nevada, NorCal, southern Idaho and southern Oregon its a weeks worth of downloading 24x7 just to get the data (v 15.0).
Benchmark Map Co. is getting close to their beta test for their iPad topo map app; however based upon the discussion I had with them they too will be relying on the cloud and/or downloading maps...kinda futile for how I use an off-road nav/map system.
So far, like you, I am far from being impressed with the iPad apps being a home run for our needs. But to answer your question I'd say MotionX HD is the best of the lot. And FWIW they do have excellent customer support.
Last edited:
Scott Brady
Founder
I use Topo Maps
mattmainster
Observer
I use Gaia and am thrilled with it. Offline topo maps are a breeze and it's full of slick features. Emailing your track after a trip is super easy too. Takes a little getting used to, but all in all I think its one of the best out there.
Jeep or Tacoma
Explorer
Lowrance
I used to have a baja lowrance gps it was fast had topo and more detail than any other unit i have ever come across. Sold it with my h-3 but man i wish i had it back now look into it for what you want to do.
I used to have a baja lowrance gps it was fast had topo and more detail than any other unit i have ever come across. Sold it with my h-3 but man i wish i had it back now look into it for what you want to do.
The BN Guy
Expedition Leader
Ok I'm not really knowledgable of the iPad but both Gaia and Topo Maps look good. I'm curious how this thing works though. There's no external GPS receiver? How does the iPad know where it is if you're in the middle of the desert with no wifi service?
I'm planning a trip in July and am thinking of letting my wife use my Garmin. I will be taking hardcopy maps but I'd like to get some of our money's worth out of the iPad..other than just playing games!
That Panoramascope app looks pretty cool too. Reminds me of the tool they used in the movie Red Planet!
I'm planning a trip in July and am thinking of letting my wife use my Garmin. I will be taking hardcopy maps but I'd like to get some of our money's worth out of the iPad..other than just playing games!
That Panoramascope app looks pretty cool too. Reminds me of the tool they used in the movie Red Planet!
off-roader
Expedition Leader
Either wifi or a GPS is required. wifi will only get you into the neighborhood while a GPS will be far more accurate depending on the unit. there are a few gps units that work for a non-jailbroken wifi ipad (bad elf, dual, etc.). There are many more that work if you jailbreak the ipad first.
Personally, I'm also still trying to decide which software I want to use. For a gps I'm going with one of the non-jailbroken ipad gps units. There's another thread that discusses which gps units will work for that.
Last edited:
CruiserMog
New member
To be clear, you only need an external GPS with the non-3G model. There has been extensive analysis on this forum regarding the viability of the built-in GPS in the 3G model. I've now used mine extensively in an area very unfriendly to GPS signal reception, dense tree cover in mountainous Vermont, and have enjoyed, according to my HEMA map app, 16' accuracy almost continuously. Don't know about you, but that's good enough for me.
Regarding apps, I've found HEMA to be superior to any of the other apps due mostly to additional features and data provided on the primary screen. Also, very large areas can be set to download automatically, I can't believe you'd spend more than an hour downloading topo coverage for a few states if you needed it.
Regarding apps, I've found HEMA to be superior to any of the other apps due mostly to additional features and data provided on the primary screen. Also, very large areas can be set to download automatically, I can't believe you'd spend more than an hour downloading topo coverage for a few states if you needed it.
off-roader
Expedition Leader
You're absolutely correct Seth.
I wish someone just came out with an app with the Topo tiles on an SD card that you could download via the Camera Connect Kit. At least the low res topo images. Better yet, instead of the USGS map scans, dynamically drawn topo lines. It would probably be a smaller file than the map scans.
I wish someone just came out with an app with the Topo tiles on an SD card that you could download via the Camera Connect Kit. At least the low res topo images. Better yet, instead of the USGS map scans, dynamically drawn topo lines. It would probably be a smaller file than the map scans.
The BN Guy
Expedition Leader
ok so I just had a thought...correct me if I'm wrong...
One could still use Topo Maps on a non-GPS iPad but use it just as a mapbook?
Apparently the one I bought Handbrake is not 3g (darn) so I'll probably just stick with my other methods.
One could still use Topo Maps on a non-GPS iPad but use it just as a mapbook?
Apparently the one I bought Handbrake is not 3g (darn) so I'll probably just stick with my other methods.
off-roader
Expedition Leader
Yes you can.
Alternatively you could also...
1) Use an apple approved gps for it. There are 3 that I know of but can only remember the Dual bluetooth unit right now. A search should yield more results for you though.
2) Jailbreak the ipad and use any of a number of bluetooth gps units with it.
Just a thought anyway...
I have been playing with this recently also as I upgraded from an Ipad wifi to an Ipad2 3G. Here is what I have found.
Apple Maps:
Works ok in town but not useful for driving and doesn't update the directions as you progress.
Motion HD:
So far not a fan. The problem I had with the motion HD app is when I lose cell service the map goes blank. The software is also not very user friendly for navigating around town and the routes are rarely the "fastest".
Topo Maps:
Topo maps works pretty well but not a lot of features and I haven't yet mastered the art of downloading enough maps before I head out. Would be nice if there were numbered sections that you could highlight so you visually see what you have downloaded or be able to download a whole state at one shot. It would also be nice to be able to download gpx files so you don't have to enter your own waypoints manually.
North America iGO primo Lite:
So far for street navigation I like it better than Motion HD. I just purchased the extra options and will be trying them out today. Updates for this app take a long time but it downloads maps that work offline. Not sure yet if the routing software works without internet connection or not. The advertisement of the updates make it seem more like my old garmin nuvi.
Apple Maps:
Works ok in town but not useful for driving and doesn't update the directions as you progress.
Motion HD:
So far not a fan. The problem I had with the motion HD app is when I lose cell service the map goes blank. The software is also not very user friendly for navigating around town and the routes are rarely the "fastest".
Topo Maps:
Topo maps works pretty well but not a lot of features and I haven't yet mastered the art of downloading enough maps before I head out. Would be nice if there were numbered sections that you could highlight so you visually see what you have downloaded or be able to download a whole state at one shot. It would also be nice to be able to download gpx files so you don't have to enter your own waypoints manually.
North America iGO primo Lite:
So far for street navigation I like it better than Motion HD. I just purchased the extra options and will be trying them out today. Updates for this app take a long time but it downloads maps that work offline. Not sure yet if the routing software works without internet connection or not. The advertisement of the updates make it seem more like my old garmin nuvi.