Gaia webapp is super buggy

[janders]

Let me start by saying I seriously love Gaia. I have a love affair with maps and Gaia unlocks that obsession. However, I'm a software developer and cloud architect by trade so I'm a bit persnickety when it comes to software usability and reliability.

I use their web app for all my research and planning and then run Gaia on an iPad on the trail for navigation. Lately, I've been planning for a big trip and Gaia's web app is just absolutely sh**ting the bed left and right. Here's a list of bugs I've been dealing with THIS MORNING. Just this morning I've had these problems:

• I get 502 Bad Gateway errors trying to load the main map page.
• The map controls will load but not the map tiles.
• They have eventual consistency errors all over the place. I'll rename a folder then reload the page and the old name is there. Or the old name of a waypoint is still showing on the map.
• I've been uploading GPX files and most of the time, the upload hangs 99% of the way through. And the last part of the import is where they take the hundreds of waypoints you just uploaded and put them all into one folder. And when that fails, I have to go in an manually clean it up.
• I'll load the details page for a waypoint or route and about 20% of the time, the photos and text notes I put in don't load. I reload the page until they feel like showing up.
• If I upload a large GPX (>100 items), it has never once returned successfully. Not once in the 8 months I've used this software. It just hangs and I have to go in and reload the page and then manually clean up after it.
• When I assign a waypoint to a folder, about 30% of the time, the folder modal box hangs and never actually assigns the object to a folder.
• I get CloudFront errors all the time. Can't connect to the origin. Or, capacity exceeded. Try again later.

I love this software but if Gaia doesn't investing some resources into their quality assurance, I'm going to cancel my subscription and move over to OnX. This is getting pretty ridiculous.

Wondering if anyone else is having this same level of frustration with Gaia?

 

[janders]

• Now the 'Delete' button doesn't work on the Routes page so I can't cleanup the GPX import that's failed dozens of times this morning. It just does.... nothing. Clickity click click. Nothing. <sigh>....

Is there anyone that works for Gaia on this forum?

 

[1Louder]

Your concerns should be sent to support@gaiagps.com and not here. If you want official support go to the source. OB is great for tips on how to use apps like Gaia but not to fix potential issues in said app. I would also try a different browser. I would say Gaia has the largest team of developers and support people of any comparable app.

 

[kwill]

I agree with you, OP. I use Gaia but it is frustrating--on the web and on my iPad.

 

[Rath]

can't say I've ever had any of these problems. just hopped on now myself and again, no issues you mentioned for me. I even deleted a 25000+ waypoint and track folder, and re-uploaded it just fine, no issues.

Very odd, what map layer are you using? maybe thats taking up a lot of your computers resources and causing things to fail?

 

[1Louder]

I checked and agree there are some server issues this AM. I also emailed support.

 

[janders]

Your concerns should be sent to support@gaiagps.com and not here. If you want official support go to the source. OB is great for tips on how to use apps like Gaia but not to fix potential issues in said app. I would also try a different browser. I would say Gaia has the largest team of developers and support people of any comparable app.

Yeah, I wasn't look for solutions to these problems. I'm pretty aware that an Overland forum is not going to solve 502 BAD GATEWAY errors on a cloud-based webapp. I'm trying to understand if these problems are of my own making or if others in this forum have the same frustrations.

 

[janders]

can't say I've ever had any of these problems. just hopped on now myself and again, no issues you mentioned for me. I even deleted a 25000+ waypoint and track folder, and re-uploaded it just fine, no issues.

Very odd, what map layer are you using? maybe thats taking up a lot of your computers resources and causing things to fail?

That's a good data point. I have suspicions that my browser and network setup isn't doing me any favors. I use Firefox with all the privacy controls ratcheted down and I also run a Pi-hole adblocking server on my network. Both of those things could be part of the problem. But I'm highly suspect that they would be the root cause of the intermittent non-deterministic failures and freezes that I'm running in to.

 

[1Louder]

Yeah, I wasn't look for solutions to these problems. I'm pretty aware that an Overland forum is not going to solve 502 BAD GATEWAY errors on a cloud-based webapp. I'm trying to understand if these problems are of my own making or if others in this forum have the same frustrations.

Well you asked if someone from Gaia was on these forums. You had a detailed list that sure looked like you wanted some help.

502 Bad Gateway is not a local issue. That is a server issue.

Up to you but I would send it to Gaia GPS.

 

[janders]

Well you asked if someone from Gaia was on these forums. You had a detailed list that sure looked like you wanted some help.

502 Bad Gateway is not a local issue. That is a server issue.

Up to you but I would send it to Gaia GPS.

Fair point. And I did send it to them directly.

I'm hoping someone from Gaia is on this forum not to get support for these issues but to try and hammer home the fact that they need to invest more in quality engineering and automated cloud infrastructure practices. I'm trying to reach their Product Management level to let them know they have a bad ass product that I recommend to everyone. But their quality is crap and getting worse. I don't want to move over to another product. I don't want to stop recommending them. But they need to get their house in order.

 

[M Rose]

Fair point. And I did send it to them directly.

I'm hoping someone from Gaia is on this forum not to get support for these issues but to try and hammer home the fact that they need to invest more in quality engineering and automated cloud infrastructure practices. I'm trying to reach their Product Management level to let them know they have a bad ass product that I recommend to everyone. But their quality is crap and getting worse. I don't want to move over to another product. I don't want to stop recommending them. But they need to get their house in order.

This is the reason I moved over to CalTopo. Almost instant response 7 days a week from the team.

 

[Autism Family Travels]

I find Gaia really really good. I have no issues with the webapp or my android app right now. I plan my routes on the webapp and then download the maps onto the SD card on my galaxy tablet. Easy peasy. You delete the routes by going into routes under your user name, select routes and select the route you want to delete. You don't use the delete button on your computer/device.

 

[1Louder]

This is the reason I moved over to CalTopo. Almost instant response 7 days a week from the team.

There was an issue and Gaia fixed it yesterday. It happens. How many times has OB gone down?

The issue could have been with 3rd party cloud hosting for all we know.

Gaia has an excellent support team. To imply they don’t simply is not accurate.

 

[M Rose]

There was an issue and Gaia fixed it yesterday. It happens. How many times has OB gone down?

The issue could have been with 3rd party cloud hosting for all we know.

Gaia has an excellent support team. To imply they don’t simply is not accurate.

I have waited six months for their support team to fix an issue I was having with my premium account... not one response from them until I canceled my subscription and put a complaint in with Apple to get my refund back. Then my issue became top priority.

As for OB going down? The app barely came out of Beta testing, and is still getting updates no-weekly. each New update includes bug fixes along with implementation of the next part of the app features. For an app as complex as OB1 to work right out the gate without a hiccup is impossible.

Also you quoted me then jump right in on OB, when I clearly stated I switched to CalTopo for the time being. Once OB1 gets to where @Michael is projecting to go, I will be using OB1 exclusively. The app just isn’t there yet.

 

[1Louder]

I have waited six months for their support team to fix an issue I was having with my premium account... not one response from them until I canceled my subscription and put a complaint in with Apple to get my refund back. Then my issue became top priority.

As for OB going down? The app barely came out of Beta testing, and is still getting updates no-weekly. each New update includes bug fixes along with implementation of the next part of the app features. For an app as complex as OB1 to work right out the gate without a hiccup is impossible.

Also you quoted me then jump right in on OB, when I clearly stated I switched to CalTopo for the time being. Once OB1 gets to where @Michael is projecting to go, I will be using OB1 exclusively. The app just isn’t there yet.

I was talking about the website and not the new app. The point is things happen in the IT world. I didn’t jump in on OB1. I replied to your opinion on what it will become. Premium users of Gaia GPS also get a 800# to call for support.

No company is perfect. You seem to love to discredit Gaia at every opportunity. That is your prerogative. Just as it is mine to reply.

I had a customer service issue with a totally unrelated company.

I too had to make some noise to get my issue resolved. All good now. They refunded my money on the accessory that was junk. The main product is great. We live in an imperfect world.

All I can tell people is that if you contact Gaia GPS support at support@gaiagps.com and receive an automated reply your ticket is in the support system. It will be tracked. People above the general support level look at these things to ensure resolutions take place. Sorry you had a bad experience. That does not globally make Gaia a bad app.

I believe way back when I also tried to help you with your very specific issue of a small trail not appearing on a map layer in Gaia GPS. As I have time I will continue to try to help others with it.

Based on your review of CalTopo I took the time to test the app. It is nowhere close to Gaia GPS but does have a feature you want/need. If it works for you and others great.

Much like to motto of it doesn’t matter what you drive on OB I don’t really care what apps people use. I simply don’t like people spreading inaccurate information. My opinion of Gaia GPS is just that, an opinion. Data is available for people to compare feature sets of all these apps. Then folks like us cast opinions

 

[Autism Family Travels]

I have been fighting with Rogers over my crappy internet for 7 months. I now have bell coming in on Wed to install fibe Internet and tell Rogers to hit the bricks.

 

[janders]

Gaia has an excellent support team. To imply they don’t simply is not accurate.

Their support team has been good everytime I've dealt with them. However, I'm less concerned with the quality of their support team and more concerned with how often I need their support team. The quality of the product is the problem, not the support behind it. I see them adding new features to their webapp and it's getting more usable but it seems like it's happening at the cost of reliability. I'd rather they slowed down their pace of developing new features and knuckled down on getting their code to work reliably. I'd like to see their infrastructure more reliable and resilient to failure. The fact that we're seeing Nginx error messages is kind of embarrassing.

(edited because I can't spell)

 

[1Louder]

Their support team has been good everytime I've dealt with them. However, I'm less concerned with the quality of their support team and more concerned with how often I need their support team. The quality of the product is the problem, not the support behind it. I see them adding new features to their webapp and it's getting more usable but it seems like it's happening at the cost of reliability. I'd rather they slowed down their pace of developing new features and knuckled down on getting their code to work reliably. I'd like to see their infrastructure more reliable and resilient to failure. The fact that we're seeing Nginx error messages is kind of embarrassing.

(edited because I can't spell)

Don’t know how much control Gaia has over that if an issue occurs at the hosting company. No idea. That is separate from any code issues written by Gaia.

We can agree to disagree. I simply have not experienced the issues you have. The 502 error yes but the user interface/experience, no.

As you did the best thing to do is express your feelings (positive or negative) to the software developer and not on a forum.

 

[Rath]

been using it a lot the past couple days to look at canoe trip routes, and still havent run into a single issue.

 

[M Rose]

I was talking about the website and not the new app. The point is things happen in the IT world. I didn’t jump in on OB1. I replied to your opinion on what it will become. Premium users of Gaia GPS also get a 800# to call for support.

No company is perfect. You seem to love to discredit Gaia at every opportunity. That is your prerogative. Just as it is mine to reply.

I had a customer service issue with a totally unrelated company.

I too had to make some noise to get my issue resolved. All good now. They refunded my money on the accessory that was junk. The main product is great. We live in an imperfect world.

All I can tell people is that if you contact Gaia GPS support at support@gaiagps.com and receive an automated reply your ticket is in the support system. It will be tracked. People above the general support level look at these things to ensure resolutions take place. Sorry you had a bad experience. That does not globally make Gaia a bad app.

I believe way back when I also tried to help you with your very specific issue of a small trail not appearing on a map layer in Gaia GPS. As I have time I will continue to try to help others with it.

Based on your review of CalTopo I took the time to test the app. It is nowhere close to Gaia GPS but does have a feature you want/need. If it works for you and others great.

Much like to motto of it doesn’t matter what you drive on OB I don’t really care what apps people use. I simply don’t like people spreading inaccurate information. My opinion of Gaia GPS is just that, an opinion. Data is available for people to compare feature sets of all these apps. Then folks like us cast opinions

No, CalTopo isn’t even close to GAIA... I really do like the app, but they have some serious hurdles they need to overcome for me. What won me over with CalTopo is I get to talk to someone right now, they offer APRS overlays on the web, and are working to make it into the mobile app. I do a lot of mobile APRS work and this is crucial for me.

@1Louder, I do appreciate your help in GIA, and I have (and will) continue to send members your way when they need help with the GAIA. I’m sorry I keep putting it down, but when a company accidentally charges my card 3 times and refuses to do anything about it and I have to file a dispute through a third party to get it fixed. That is not good customer service.