Many people were drawn to nature. And this has a lot to offer in our region. Whether lush green meadows, dense coniferous forests, or mountains – German nature is extremely diverse. So it is always worth taking a step outside the door. Your smartphone can prove to be a practical helper for outdoor activities. So you can use it not only as a route planner but also as a mobile weather frog or an almanac for flora and fauna. Which practical best outdoor apps and best hiking app the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store have in store for you. we want to shed light on the following.
The winter now only has its very last convulsions. As soon as the sun appears in the sky, we can enjoy its warm rays. Spring is just around the corner! The longer the days get, the more you want to do physical activity outdoors. However, festivals, open-airs, and other outdoor festivities were out of the question in summer 2020. We don’t yet know whether a similar scenario awaits us in 2021, but regardless of that, the Corona crisis taught us one thing. It also works without it! Get the latest updates about corona while traveling through the Corona Warning app.
The best outdoor apps for iPhone and Android
Nature always calls (Best outdoor Apps)
But who actually says that you can only venture into the countryside in spring and summer? Every season has its own charm. So you can let the sunshine on your fur in summer, but winter scores with beautiful snow panoramas. An excursion is usually only fun if you have the right equipment with you. In addition to hiking boots, food, and drink, maps are of course also included. While you used to have real battles with the hiking map that was much too large, today you can easily pull out your smartphone. This acts as a navigation device and takes you comfortably from A to B. Of course, this not only works when hiking, but also for all activities that you do in nature. The following apps can prove to be practical helpers outdoors.
Alpenvereinaktiv App ( iOS / Android )
Our first app is aimed at mountain lovers among you. The alpenvereinaktiv app is the tour planner for the major German-speaking alpine clubs. In particular, these are the Alpine clubs of Germany, Austria, and South Tyrol. People who want to hike in the Alpine region of one of these countries should take a closer look at the app. The gigantic database that can be accessed here is particularly praiseworthy. As a user, you have access to a large number of different mountain tours. The provider covers all difficulties so that beginners and advanced users alike have their fun. A big advantage over other hiking apps is the good overview. In this way, you can display the individual hiking routes as marked paths on the map.
Thanks to the good structure of the topographical maps and a detailed zoom function, you never lose track of things when you are out and about. This is also the case when you are out of range of a radio mast. After all, the offline maps also work without the Internet. We also love the many different options for creating tours. For example, you have the choice between a mountain tour and via Ferrata. But the app is also perfect for ski tours or a route on a mountain bike. So that you don’t lose track of the thousands of different tours, you can conveniently filter them. Criteria such as degree of difficulty, region, and duration are used here.
A map is indispensable for a mountain tour – it doesn’t matter whether it is analog or digital. With Maps 3D you get a virtual map that is not only comfortable and clear but also saves a lot of space. Some of the images within the application are really impressive. Here you get photorealistic 3D images that give you a very good feeling for the mountainous surroundings.
This factor should prove to be extremely practical, especially in the planning phase of a hike. Finally, the high-resolution three-dimensional satellite images ensure that you have a precise overview of the route. So you already know on the couch at home which obstacles await you on the mountain. The climbers among you will surely be familiar with the corresponding detailed planning phases. After all, there is nothing worse than unpleasant surprises on the mountain.
Another practical helper for any outdoor activity is probably Komoot. This application is one of the most popular on the outdoor apps market for a reason. In addition to route planning and access to existing routes, the app scores above all with its convenient navigation. This brings you clearly and, above all, reliably from A to B. On top of that, it is very easy to control. So you can easily find out where to go next with voice commands.
What may sound like a pointless feature to some, can be very practical for many others. Especially in mountainous terrain you often have to use your hands for other purposes. Instead of tapping the smartphone screen, holding onto a rocky wall is the order of the day. But cyclists will also be happy about the option of voice instructions. So you don’t have to take your hands off the handlebars, which mountain bikers in particular will appreciate.
Outdooractive. Hiking & Cycling ( iOS / Android )
The name says it all with this app. In contrast to the Alpine Club app presented above, Outdooractive relies on a global tour program. Globetrotters will be pleased that they can find a suitable hiking route at Outdooractive anywhere in the world. But just because the provider also offers suitable routes in the Rocky Mountains or even New Zealand does not mean that you cannot use them at home. Here you can find a lot of routes that are suitable for a tour in the wonderful summer as well as in the cozy winter.
Navigation takes place with the help of clear topographic maps. Thanks to a permanent recording of your GPS data, you always know at which point on your route you are and how much distance you still have to go. Should you run out of breath or pinch your shoe, you can also use the practical “Mountain Hut Directory” feature. Thanks to this function, hikes lasting several days can also be conveniently planned.
Map My Ride is an application that was launched by the sporting goods manufacturer Under Armor. This app was tailor-made for sporty cyclists. There is one point where this program differs significantly from the previous ones. So you don’t fall back on ready-made tours here, but go or drive your own way. This individual opportunity to explore makes Map My Ride a real asset on every cyclist’s smartphone. The principle of Map My Ride sounds very simple, but at the same time, it is ingenious.
The app simply records the distance you cover on your two-wheeler. Your smartphone’s GPS is used to record your tour. After your tour, you can view the statistics on the distance you have covered. Distance and duration are just two parameters that you can see. Ambitious athletes can use the statistics directly to work effectively on themselves. In this way, the data can be used conveniently as a basis for your own training plan. With the help of this you can improve yourself tour by tour.
It is particularly annoying when you have been working on the planning of a hiking route for days and the weather throws the bill. In the worst case, this will happen to you exactly in the middle of the distance covered. But you can prevent this problem. With the help of the rain radar, you can convert your smartphone into a real weather prophet. If a rainy area appears on the clear satellite map, you can use the time to look for a protective shelter.
You no longer have to fear any nasty surprises. Finally, the rain radar gives you a weather report for your region for the next 90 minutes. Thanks to an update every five minutes, the data is always up-to-date. Since you don’t always have your smartphone screen in view when you’re on the move, the push notification option is an extremely practical function. If there is a weather warning from the German weather service, the app will send you a message immediately.
Forest walkers in particular will enjoy and love the diverse and above all numerous bird songs in the dense forests of Germany. But do you always know the answer to the question of which bird you have just heard or seen? With the help of the NABU bird world, you can easily find out which feathered creature is currently singing so beautifully on the treetop.
Ambitious ornithologists in particular and those who want to become one will have fun using the app to find out which bird it is. The application of the Nature Conservation Union (NABU) gives you distinctive physical characteristics with the help of which you quickly know which species it is. Afterward, the app proves to be a real source of exciting bird knowledge. This will give you a lot of valuable information about the bird you have found. This will keep you not only physically but also mentally fit on your hikes.
Conclusion
As you can see, your smartphone can prove to be a real asset for any outdoor activity. It is precisely the interplay of several applications that makes a hiking or cycling tour a real experience for all the senses. Before you decide on an app, however, you should make sure that the functions offered also work offline. In this way, you make yourself independent of the Internet and can experience great tours even in the most remote regions.
