Someone explain why GAIA gets so much love

[grizzlypath]

Thanks for the help, I have deleted the app and also re-downloaded the .gpx files to my computer. I'll try the sync route first and if that doesn't work I will try to download the files directly to my iPad.

I am of the mindset that if I do something as simple as change a route color on my computer it should also change the route color on my iPad when I sync it and it does not do that.

Generally that's how it should work, and how it normally works. However, sometimes it seems to get bogged down with it's inability to support syncing (maybe Outside defunded their servers? Or it got more popular?), and sometimes it'll say SYNC COMPLETE when it's actually not which is super annoying.

 

[nickw]

Can someone explain why Gaia gets so much love? I have tried using it and do not understand why people talk it up so and why they pay for essentially a lesser version of google maps or maps.me.

My use case is plan on the go, I don’t sit down and plan out “routes” in advance. I want to be able to find my way from the driver’s seat, not from a computer on WiFi. We are full time in the road and cannot always guarantee connectivity. On top of that, recording “trips” or “routes” is of no use to me. That is what the map is for, so I don’t have to keep track of all the roads I drive.

Gaia is difficult to find a useful map, I have to download blocks and hope I get it right. The maps are all about the same, and no routing. What am I missing that everyone thinks is so great?

I do a lot of big backcountry really remote motorcycle riding in WA/ID/MT - I've found GAIA is the easiest and slickest option, it of course is not faultless.

1) I stick with the Gaia Topo (feet) map which is the std. base map....generally speaking all the moto trails are shown. Private property maps are useful too in some areas.
2) Super easy to download offline maps for travel w/o service. You can download offline routing also. But it sounds like you don't need this since you are planning on go?
3) Auto push to phone
4) Easy to add waypoints / easy to color code them.

In all honestly there is not much I don't like. The file structure is not intuitive, but generally easy to work with after futzing around with it a bit.

It also has a 3D option for Computer / Samsung phone & tablets which is pretty neat:



With all this software, they all have pros and cons, I think the best option is to pick one, go all in and just learn it and it's workarounds.

 

[nickw]

Thanks for the help, I have deleted the app and also re-downloaded the .gpx files to my computer. I'll try the sync route first and if that doesn't work I will try to download the files directly to my iPad.

I am of the mindset that if I do something as simple as change a route color on my computer it should also change the route color on my iPad when I sync it and it does not do that.

It's how it is supposed to work. In the 3 years I've been using it I had the sync get out of sync once, I had to delete from phone and re-upload, all has been good since.

 

[ovʀʟxnᴅ]

Gaia is a great app with an amazing feature set, but the interface is completely unintuitive and the naming conventions increase confusion. Overlay/layer and route/track have similar enough meanings outside of Gaia that very different words should have been used. Being able to drop your own waypoints with notes and pictures is great, when it works right. Sometimes the photos won't upload or download, sometimes duplicate points are created without photos. It's annoying. Also, the route/track organization is just awful. We're all used to a simple drag and drop folder structure. After many years, I still have no idea how to really sort what I have created, added, deleted, archived, and saved in the app.

 

[DirtWhiskey]

Agree with above on Gaias folder organization. Hate it. Layer database is unreal. Even has the far superior ESRI satellite imagery database.

Switched to Gaia after being a power user of BCN. Then a very well known database erasure event ruined that garbage app for me. Lost ten years of crucial wilderness water beta on the Colorado Plateau. Was able to recreate most of it. Miss the trip database structure though.

A note on the Gaia Topo layer. This layer is similar to Garmins base map layer that is optimized and compressed for the all. Main advantage is much smaller and faster offline downloads. I've found massive issues with Gaias base layer in the wilds. Had multiple FUBAR inaccuracies. An example: 8 days in wandering on the Wind River Indian Res. Late night walk turns into a near survival experience because the base layer didn't show 5 medium unnamed lakes in the North Fork of the Little Wind River drainage. They simply showed up as flat land. Luckily I always have a paper map backup but in the pitch dark forest, we got all sorts of turned around. Ended up climbing a knoll and getting my bearings by the stars. Everybody was beat dead after 17 miles of gruesome bush thwacking through a massive tree blow-down event. Not a fun night. So now I am sure to download the "Gaia Plus US Topo".

Sat imagery is a massive space killer, so I save that for small, critical sections. For example when you really need to know which section of the canyon rims in Southern Utah "go or not".

On X is a toy. Gaia has been adding hunting units as of late too. Public routes function is useful. Snap to trail is buggy at best. Gaia Pro includes lots of goodies like Outside mag puns (Climbing mag etc) subscription included. Yes it has its ticks but it's the only thing that does what it does.

 

[Singler3360]

So now I am sure to download the "Gaia Plus US Topo".

Gaia newbie here with Premium. I could not find this layer name on my iPhone. Any chance it has a different name? Thanks!

 

[DirtWhiskey]

Gaia newbie here with Premium. I could not find this layer name on my iPhone. Any chance it has a different name? Thanks!

Sorry I misspoke. And I had a few beers. There are two layers in talking about "Gaia Topo". There are two versions, one just says Gaia GPS as a source and the other adsss open street map as an addition. Not sure what OSM adds. The plus of Gaia Topo is that they are constantly improving the basemaps. As of this writing the error I spoke of has been resolved. Support said it might have been some corrupted tiles. But I still download USGS topo for critical areas (much bigger download) to be safe.

 

[IdaSHO]

Yep. Having both is often useful. USGS Topo for old data, Gaia Topo for more up to date (but not always the old)