MOST WALKERS now carry smartphones and use them for many purposes, the main ones being navigation and photography. There are many apps for both these and other useful information. Choosing from the vast array available is difficult, and apps are generally complex with many functions. Here are a few I like and use most, concentrating on the features I find most practical.
Two aspects of app use in the hills need to be considered. Firstly, although modern smartphones are tough and reliable and have good battery life, they are not infallible. They can also be difficult to use in some conditions, such as bitter cold or heavy snow and rain. Gloves with touchscreen compatibility can help; I use The North Face Etip ones. Having a power pack for recharging the battery or even a second phone (I carry both plus a spare battery for one phone – the Samsung XCover Pro, which has a replaceable battery) is sensible, especially on trips of more than one day. To conserve battery life, putting the phone in Airplane mode is wise too, especially when there is no phone connection anyway. This doesn’t affect GPS reception, and therefore the app should still be able to locate.
The second thing to consider carefully is whether information can be downloaded directly to the device, for use offline without a phone or data signal. With mapping and route apps it’s essential to download the information needed so you can access it anywhere. I test this ahead of time by putting the phone in Airplane mode and checking if the maps have been downloaded – missing part of the mapping is an easy mistake to make.
Despite the above precautions, phones
