Phone applications which record GPX tracks, which can then be exported?

[alanymarce]

One of the reasons we use a GPS unit is to record GPX files which we download for sharing and future reference.

I've learned that there are now phone applications which record GPX tracks which can be exported, so I’m looking into whether one of these could replace the GPS unit on an upcoming trip on which we need to reduce kit to an absolute minimum. It’s neither practical nor affordable to take our own vehicle, and some of the time we’ll essentially be backpacking, but we’ll rent vehicles for some areas and would like to capture the tracks.

I'd appreciate advice from anyone who is using one of these applications: easy to use? Captures tracks efficiently? Easy to download GPX files? Any other thoughts?

 

[pcstockton]

GAIA

 

[DirtWhiskey]

All major phone based apps can export. Every one has its own flavor of stupid to do so.

 

[epyonxero]

GAIA is the obvious answer but I usually avoid using my phone for GPS logging because of the battery drain, especially when Im on foot and cant charge easily. I personally use a Garmin watch when I backpack to log location but before that I was using a standalone GPS logger like this: amazon.com/GlobalSat-DG-388A-Data-Logger/dp/B0CP8H1YP5/

 

[DirtWhiskey]

GAIA is the obvious answer but I usually avoid using my phone for GPS logging because of the battery drain, especially when Im on foot and cant charge easily. I personally use a Garmin watch when I backpack to log location but before that I was using a standalone GPS logger like this: amazon.com/GlobalSat-DG-388A-Data-Logger/dp/B0CP8H1YP5/

Same. I never record tracks just waypoints. Mostly critical water and technical route beta. Small sections at most. I know where I went. Track recording is almost useless IMHO.

 

[DaveInDenver]

On iOS I have an app that does I think what you want. It's called Trail Tracker. It does display a map but if you're out of service or in airplane mode it doesn't need it.

For Android I have one called GPS Logger that seems to do the same thing but I don't have much experience using it yet. It has a simple display of coordinates and a few related values, no map is shown.

I have it for the same reason as you, a simple start and stop recording of a GPS track. For that they work well. Getting GPX files off will be as easy as getting any other file off your phone, e.g. Airdrop, Bluetooth or USB file sharing, etc. Accuracy will be at the limit of the phone itself. That may or may not be better than a dedicated GPS receiver, too many variables to say. For casual use a phone with assisted GPS off (e.g. no cell, no WiFi location due to airplane mode or just lack of coverage) should perform reasonably similar to a single band GPS receiver overall but in difficult conditions (like inside buildings or vehicles) you may get slightly more error than a proper handheld.

Doing this will eat up battery life but allowing the screen to turn off and using airplane mode it's not bad. A phone will likely try to save power by turning off the GPS receiver or sleeping the CPU normally, which these apps will prevent. Still, a possible advantage to an app such as this is a some lower power consumption than a full mapping app but I have not done any comparison to test if so or how much.

‎GPX Trail Tracker

‎GPX Tracker is a simple to use but powerful tool that helps you to track your ways. If you drive a car, biking or even outdoor on a walking or hiking tour, GPX Tracker will be tracing your geo data. Once developed as a creator for XCode compatible GPX formatted files, the feature list is...

apps.apple.com

GPS Logger - Apps on Google Play

A simple and lightweight app for recording your position and your path

play.google.com

 

[alanymarce]

GAIA is the obvious answer but I usually avoid using my phone for GPS logging because of the battery drain, especially when Im on foot and cant charge easily. I personally use a Garmin watch when I backpack to log location but before that I was using a standalone GPS logger like this: amazon.com/GlobalSat-DG-388A-Data-Logger/dp/B0CP8H1YP5/

Good points - thank you. I may end up as you say tracking with the Garmin watch and downloading automatically to the laptop (or iPad, maybe). Carrying a big external battery would work but then I'm simply adding weight and volume which is not the purpose.

Same. I never record tracks just waypoints. Mostly critical water and technical route beta. Small sections at most. I know where I went. Track recording is almost useless IMHO.

Thanks for this. My intention is mainly to be able to share tracks with others for areas where maps don't provided needed information, and also to share GPX files with mapping companies. So, I need the continuous track.

On iOS I have an app that does I think what you want. It's called Trail Tracker. It does display a map but if you're out of service or in airplane mode it doesn't need it.

For Android I have one called GPS Logger that seems to do the same thing but I don't have much experience using it yet. It has a simple display of coordinates and a few related values, no map is shown.

I have it for the same reason as you, a simple start and stop recording of a GPS track. For that they work well. Getting GPX files off will be as easy as getting any other file off your phone, e.g. Airdrop, Bluetooth or USB file sharing, etc. Accuracy will be at the limit of the phone itself. That may or may not be better than a dedicated GPS receiver, too many variables to say. For casual use a phone with assisted GPS off (e.g. no cell, no WiFi location due to airplane mode or just lack of coverage) should perform reasonably similar to a single band GPS receiver overall but in difficult conditions (like inside buildings or vehicles) you may get slightly more error than a proper handheld.

Doing this will eat up battery life but allowing the screen to turn off and using airplane mode it's not bad. A phone will likely try to save power by turning off the GPS receiver or sleeping the CPU normally, which these apps will prevent. Still, a possible advantage to an app such as this is a some lower power consumption than a full mapping app but I have not done any comparison to test if so or how much.

‎GPX Trail Tracker

‎GPX Tracker is a simple to use but powerful tool that helps you to track your ways. If you drive a car, biking or even outdoor on a walking or hiking tour, GPX Tracker will be tracing your geo data. Once developed as a creator for XCode compatible GPX formatted files, the feature list is...

apps.apple.com

GPS Logger - Apps on Google Play

A simple and lightweight app for recording your position and your path

play.google.com

Excellent! Thank you. Trail Tracker is now on my checklist.

 

[epyonxero]

Same. I never record tracks just waypoints. Mostly critical water and technical route beta. Small sections at most. I know where I went. Track recording is almost useless IMHO.

I use the tracks to geotag my photos after I get home, no need to remember to start and stop your recorder when its always on.

 

[Howard70]

We record & use tracks all of the time. Three devices for recording - Apple Watch (via GAIA and Apple's activity maps) for hikes. iPhone and iPad for vehicle based tracking (CalTopo, GAIA, Pocket Earth, AllTrails depending on features needed). Haven't had any problems with battery drain in years. When vehicle tracking the iPhone and iPad are getting power from the truck. When hiking I can get two days on the Apple Watch if careful, but I usually just charge it from a small battery at night. On hikes where I need maps, I also track on the iPhone within whatever mapper I'm using that day. Easily get a day as long as I keep screen time low, sometimes two (shut iPhone off at night). Low power mode on phone and watch sometimes help, but not as much as I thought they would.

Howard

 

[alanymarce]

We record & use tracks all of the time. Three devices for recording - Apple Watch (via GAIA and Apple's activity maps) for hikes. iPhone and iPad for vehicle based tracking (CalTopo, GAIA, Pocket Earth, AllTrails depending on features needed). Haven't had any problems with battery drain in years. When vehicle tracking the iPhone and iPad are getting power from the truck. When hiking I can get two days on the Apple Watch if careful, but I usually just charge it from a small battery at night. On hikes where I need maps, I also track on the iPhone within whatever mapper I'm using that day. Easily get a day as long as I keep screen time low, sometimes two (shut iPhone off at night). Low power mode on phone and watch sometimes help, but not as much as I thought they would.

Howard

Excellent ! Thanks for the insight. We use AllTrails for walking; need to try the others for vehicle-based tracks.