With technology being integrated into almost everything we do, some believe life is becoming easier. These days, it seems that there is an app for everything, from music to news to cooking and more. Some of the most popular apps are the ones involving fitness and outdoor activities. Hiking is a sector that has many helpful apps to make your experience as rewarding as possible. The apps are continually updating and evolving, so we will focus on the best hiking apps for 2021, as noted on Green Belly.
All Trails
This app aims to provide users with trail maps, reviews, and much more for more than 100,000 different running, biking, and hiking trails. This way, wherever you are, you can locate a path to use. The app first provides a brief description of the hike, and then it gives options for you to see pictures, reviews, and trail details provided by other hikers who have experienced the trail themselves. You can also discover new hikes by searching different keys in the toolset, such as total elevation, skill level, location, and distance. There is a free version of this app for those who are participating in less technical hikes. However, if you will be hiking in the backcountry, you will likely want to sign up for a membership plan. One of the best safety features of this app is that the GPS works no matter if your phone is online or offline. One of the downsides is that people have noted the pro version can be relatively pricey.
Cairn
The purpose of this app is to provide safety and peace of mind for hikers and their loved ones. You can share your hiking plans with your friends and family, track your personal stats and find cell service. The app lets you share your hiking route with a “safety circle,” and if you have not returned by the time you were supposed to, the app sends automatic notifications with your GPS location to those in your safety circle. This feature still works even if your phone breaks or turns off. One of the downsides to this app that people have noted is that it uses a lot of battery power.
Offline Survival Manual
This app provides a fully accessible survival guide that covers 20 different categories of survival and wilderness. There is a thoroughly in-depth manual that teaches users how to build shelter, start a fire, tricks, and tips on obtaining food, and even packing survival kits, amongst other things. There is also a psychology session that offers strategies on how to deal with isolation, fatigue, and how to manage stress. The one downside to this app that people mentioned was the fact that it is currently not available on iOS.