need gps app recomendation

[VegasF6]

Hi all, new member, looking forward to some help.
I want/need a gps app that I can run on my phone for OHV motorsports. I want to be able to simply start the app, look at the map and see where I am, and then put it in my backpack and ride for awhile. If I get it back out, I want to see a line where i have been. I don't always want to enter a destination to do this. It would be nice if I could enter waypoints and somehow enter data from .kml or .kmz files, but I could live without those features.

First I tried Telenav GPS plus. While a nice app, it isn't suited for what I want to do at all.
From what little experience I have with GPS I know this is sometimes called a tracking gps. So, I installed instamappers GPS tracker. Now it is entirely possible that I didn't fully understand the interface, but from what I could tell there is no way to view a map or anything like what I want from the phone. Once you get home, you can view it from the website on your computer.
Oh yah, also I will quite often be riding in areas with no cell service but I am pretty sure there will still be satellite reception for GPS. At least a stand alone GPS, I really don't know if the iphone will work that way without 3G or something.
Today I tried to install the free app Garmin tracker but I had no luck. The app installed but it asks you to register your devices from a computer.

So I go to "my garmin" as asked and it says to plug in your phone via a USB cable, set it to mass storage mode, and click here to run the garmin extension on your computer. Which I did, but after multiple tries it simply says it can not detect my phone. Whats up with that? User error?
It's entirely possible searching for a "tracking app" isn't quite what I want anyhow, it seems more like something to find a stolen phone, see where your kids or your horrible cheating wife are, etc etc, not what I am after.

Suggestions? I know it's a lot of dang questions for a newb

*edit* tried to post link to my introduction thread, but forums software requires at least 3 posts, which I haven't met yet.

 

[Rachel_Green]

Try Tracesaver, it might not be exactly what you are looking for, but its pretty much similar....I use it for various reasons - to see where I am at the moment and see where I travelled troughout the day, I also like to look at how fast i was travelling (since i travel on the motorways a lot). I also like to look at the times and whereabouts I received calls.... All togeteher I love this app, its very useful, so thats why I'm recommending it....

 

[jen724]

....these two: MotionX GPS (not "Drive", just GPS), or AllSport LE. If I understood your requirements correctly either will do what you want. MotionX requires more of a learning curve, but then it does more.

 

[iJeff]

Try using the app called WAZE, it work well.

 

[VegasF6]

Thanks! I've been using motion x for about a month now and it does do pretty much everything I want. Don't love the interface but I can live with it. Never heard of allsport or waze I will look into those too.

Appreciate the recommendations.

 

[glittergirl]

I absolutely love Waze. It grows on you. The road goodies and game elements make it more fun. I've been using it daily for over a year now. (Use it when I don't need to bc it sucks you in with wanting to earn points!) As a nav system it's ok but not perfect. It's really best for commuting or if you're generally familiar with the area already, as it's not always 100% with directions as it learns the area. Also check through all of the deep settings bc that can affect its routing.

Oddly enough the MapQuest iphone app, while not that pretty, is awesome in terms of routing, voice directions, points of interest and adding multiple stops. But without RetinaPad (even with) it is rather fugly to look at. MotionX isn't bad but I'm annoyed at how they redid what's included without a monthly subscription so I'm boycotting, and wasn't a heavy user anyway. Skobbler is ok but Waze is far better IMO.

I haven't tried any of the expensive ones; if I regularly drove unfamiliar cross-country routes I'd want one, but Waze and MapQuest pretty much do a great job for me.

 

[glittergirl]

Oops I thought I read everything in this thread but didn't scroll far enough up. I think I might have the perfect app for you -it's called You Need a Map and has the ugliest and rather baffling Uncle Sam icon, but it's really cool. Downside is that it's 2 Gb. Upside is that it's got an amazing variety of topographic and street grid views and needs no data connection to track you on a route and leave a line of where you've been.

I used it for fun on a boat cruise on Lake Superior with data turned off but location services on and forgot I had it running-when we get back the entire cruise around the islands was recorded in the water on the map. Sorry if I misunderstood you but you might want to check it out if it sounds interesting.

 

[loco]

honestly, i have not found a good gps system for the iphone. i have tried them all and am just not happy with them. a new dicks sporting goods store opened up in my area, about 2 months ago. yesterday, i was in the area and tried to find it. well, after using the built in google map, waze, mapquest and motion xgps drive, i was left with stoping and asking for directions.

i love my iphone, but i never had this problem with my droid. i wish the iphone would step up their game in the gps world.

 

[samstephan9]

Amaze App is a free turn-by-turn voice GPS app for the iPhone. You can view in 2D or 3D, and it offers many of the features of expensive GPS apps!

 

[kingnba6]

if you do a search you will find many threads about the best or most preferred gps app for the ios system

i personally use tomtom.

 

[VegasF6]

There are a great many GPS apps. Much fewer aimed at offroad and topical maps and apparently none that meet the criteria I outlined. Certainly nothing near as capable as the Garmin GPS62. the apps I have seen are little more than toys. MotionX seems to come the closest but I guess it won't save me the $500 of a decent stand alone

 

[loco]

like i said earlier in this thread. i have tried a bunch of iphone gps apps. i have not found one that i would consider satisfactory. i dont mind paying, but i dont want a monthly subscription charge. if i found a good one, they wanted additional charges for voice turn by turn. the ones that had voice turn by turn were not pleasing to me and seemed gimicky.

i know alot of people like waze and im trying to get use to it, but its to gamey for me. i need a straight forward, business like gps with voice recognition.

 

[kingnba6]

i say go with tomtom