Your cellphone is a powerful navigation and route planning device, with accurate GPS and, with the right app, detailed maps that can be used offline. Paper maps are still essential, but a good mapping app can provide accurate location, map reading and route planning as well as a recording of your progress.
These four popular premium apps, each with slightly different capabilities, can help you plan your next trip.
OSMAPS
$55 ANNUALLY / IOS AND ANDROID
Maps: OSMaps provides three different map types: Standard (Open Street Maps), Premium Topo (LINZ Topo50 maps) and aerial imagery. The Premium Topo maps can be downloaded for offline use. However, map data is also cached as you scroll around the maps. Maps render and scroll smoothly once loaded, but the Standard map is quite simplified and you have to zoom in to see details. There's a nifty augmented reality feature (online only) that overlays the names of land features on the screen as a scene is viewed with the phone camera.
Route plotting only works while you are online, but once a route has been created in-app you can follow it in the field. Route plotting is intuitive and simple and there's seamless switching between ‘snap’, which follows existing tracks,
