Route planning and navigation (Free Gaia alternative)

[GeoCampers #4771]

So I finally found a free (or almost free) alternative to Gaia for route planning at home and navigation on the trail.
Thought it might be of interest to someone, so here it is.

What do I use? Garmin Basecamp with free OSM maps and Google earth integration and on the route, a tablet (android) with Locus maps PRO (but the free version will do just fine)

At home I can create a route in Basecamp on my laptop tweak it, double check in Google earth, set waypoints for possible camp spots and POI's. All from the comfort of offline working on a big screen.
Once finished, safe the route as a track and export as a GPX file, place the GPX in the cloud (google drive or Microsoft OneDrive, ...) . Import it in Locus and just follow the track.

Simple and free.
I bought the Locus Pro version (€10) just because it is only €10 and a one time fee and to get rid of the adds.

Once on the road, while following the track prepared at home, I also record my actual track and add waypoints along the way. Waypoints of nice potential camp spots (for next time), blocked roads, attention points, picnic spots,...

Back home import the actual track back to Basecamp and if necessary adjust the original track to the changes in the driven one.
Simple as that. It works like a charm.

Enjoy your trips.

 

[mmssierra]

Thanks for the information! For the actual trail navigation I use Back Country Navigator. But, I want something so that during planning I can map it out and create a GPX file. I like your solution.

 

[El-Dracho]

I use Basecamp for planning and OruxMaps on a tablet and of course my old but mighty Garmin 278 for navigation.

 

[GeoCampers #4771]

Thanks for the information! For the actual trail navigation I use Back Country Navigator. But, I want something so that during planning I can map it out and create a GPX file. I like your solution.

I used to use BAckcountry navigator as well.
But i've found that Locus maps (pro) for me was more intuitve to use and are still improving the product.

The new Backcountry navigator I did not like that much and the payed version did not do exaltly what I wanted so that is why i switched to Locus.

 

[1Louder]

Do the OSM map layers show MVUM data? Have you compared this free source to others to check for accuracy? Are you getting the OSM maps from this source, Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap I don't see any level of detail for trails.

 

[NotGumby]

I’m doing something similar. Basecamp with openstreetmaps or maps that I’ve purchased from Garmin over the years. I plot the routes and POIs and export in KML. I import to maps.me. I used Garmin devices for many years but have switched to maps.me on the phone and pad.

 

[GeoCampers #4771]

Do the OSM map layers show MVUM data? Have you compared this free source to others to check for accuracy? Are you getting the OSM maps from this source, Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap I don't see any level of detail for trails.

Sorry what is MVUM data?

Yes I get it from that source.
Yes there is great detail in those maps, even the smallest paths are on there.
and since they are open source, they are more up to date than most commercial maps. And if you notice some changes, you can report them for update.

 

[El-Dracho]

Yes I get it from that source.
Yes there is great detail in those maps, even the smallest paths are on there.
and since they are open source, they are more up to date than most commercial maps. And if you notice some changes, you can report them for update.

What you are talking about here is exactly one of the porblems of these free maps in general. Many details get added over the years, so the maps have great details. But many people do not report changes, so if sites are closed they get not removed. Thus the map just seem to be very detailled at that point.

This issue might be a smaller one only in regions which do not develop much and fast. But if you are overlanding in regions and countries with a fast development this might cause problems. I sometimes observe this when having collected a bunch of good waypoints in a country and go there again some years later. Quite often these waypoints are just useless then.

There is a quite similar topic with regard to apps which offer details for overlanders and campers such as places to stay and much more. These - indeed good sources of information - live from the contribution of their users and a certain quality assurance.

By the way, maybe it makes sense to move this topic to the "Overland Navigation" forum as it contains useful infromation which might be interesting for all the OB members, not just Europe?

 

[1Louder]

Sorry what is MVUM data?

Something specific to the USA. Motor Vehicle Use Maps. National forests list what trails are legal to use and which are not.

 

[1Louder]

I took a look. OSM wasn't showing details for me. Probably user error. With that said I find paid solutions with more map layers for more valuable. Portable and ready to go whenever I am. Basecamp seems very dated. It's an opinion. Take it or leave it.

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

I use Locusmap pro a longer time. Very accurate maps, like today, we followed my gpx track and some tracks were now illegal. No problem, found my way around.
I have a chrome android laptop which runs Locusmap as well, and and editing on the laptop is piece of cake.
I can add gpx tracks, combine tracks and extend them.
Can add favourite points and POI from other systems.
I basicly can use all the garmin tracks and poi's.

And the offline maps are so incredible cheap that they are basicly for free.
Like the Netherlans is around 3 euro's. And is very very good. Same for the rest of Europe.
Till now never had a problem.

 

[GeoCampers #4771]

What you are talking about here is exactly one of the porblems of these free maps in general. Many details get added over the years, so the maps have great details. But many people do not report changes, so if sites are closed they get not removed. Thus the map just seem to be very detailled at that point.

This issue might be a smaller one only in regions which do not develop much and fast. But if you are overlanding in regions and countries with a fast development this might cause problems. I sometimes observe this when having collected a bunch of good waypoints in a country and go there again some years later. Quite often these waypoints are just useless then.

There is a quite similar topic with regard to apps which offer details for overlanders and campers such as places to stay and much more. These - indeed good sources of information - live from the contribution of their users and a certain quality assurance.

By the way, maybe it makes sense to move this topic to the "Overland Navigation" forum as it contains useful infromation which might be interesting for all the OB members, not just Europe?

Do you have the experiance the paid map sources do a better job in updating the maps? I personally found it the other way around, but it also might depend on the area maybe as you said. And open sourse is indeed more dependent on the user imput. If people are only use but not contribute, well, that usually is the end of any open source.
Either way a map, digital or print will never ever be 100% upto date. That is why i always double check on the google satelite images, they tend to be very often updated.

 

[GeoCampers #4771]

I took a look. OSM wasn't showing details for me. Probably user error. With that said I find paid solutions with more map layers for more valuable. Portable and ready to go whenever I am. Basecamp seems very dated. It's an opinion. Take it or leave it.

Keep in mind you need to choose the "zoom" level of the map before you download it. Maybe that was the problem? I don't know. Maybe you just need a less "developed" part of the maps?
At least for EU and surroundings the maps usualy give a very detailed view.
But the overlays are not there that is correct, they only provide topo data, the map overlays depend on the app you use. And I guess for US that is the strong point of Gaia. I think they offer a great value for US travel. But as for EU all these overlays simply does not exist (as far as i know) We do not like it simple here