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[Closed] Best Android app for offline OS maps?

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 DeeW
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Tried search but didn't come up with much.

I've used Alpinequest with Mobile Atlas Creator 1.8 to generate offline OS maps, but recently found MOBAC restricting me to very small download areas. Going up to Scotland at Easter with no wifi when i'm up there, and would like maps for a large area.

What's the best app for downloading OS maps to use offline. Had a look at Backcountry Navigator, but don't want to spend £12 on the full version if there is something better out there.

Any advice please?


 
Posted : 24/03/2015 11:30 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50352
 

ViewRanger.

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/map-apps-that-use-os


 
Posted : 24/03/2015 11:43 pm
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If you don't mind OSM maps, Maps.me seems to work just fine (I'm using the iOS version, but they do Android, too.)

http://maps.me/en/home

Seems to be genuinely free.


 
Posted : 24/03/2015 11:51 pm
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+1 Viewranger. A well put together app


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 6:27 am
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Scotland does have wifi 😐

View ranger


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 6:39 am
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Backcountry Navigator - brilliant


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 7:07 am
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Viewranger, best app i have tried.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 7:13 am
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I've used Maverick for years and it's been great, lot's of choice for other map types too.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 7:15 am
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+1 more for Viewranger


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 7:54 am
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Backcountry Navigator.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 8:21 am
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I used to be a Maverick fan but map uploads is so slow.

I have switched to Backcountry Navigator, a.

Both are excellent apps, offerring 1:25,000 OS maps or Open Cycle Maps.

BN is a more all singing all dancing app with a lot more features, but also a lot more complex.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 8:31 am
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viewranger


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 8:54 am
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MMTracker using Memory Map data used to be the best, but its not available anymore officially as it "bypassed" Memory Map's licensing.

I already owned the old versions of the MM maps when I got it though, and its flawless. 🙂


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 8:55 am
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ir- bandito,
Ive set the MMtracker directories but if I have 4 routes in that directory I have to choose the 'load all routes at start up' & I cant load them individually. I've tried the overlay- load route but nothing happens. Any ideas?


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 8:59 am
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+ 1 for ViewRanger.

While its not free, it seems good value & is by far and away my used app. I'm on iOS but imagine that the Android version will be just as fantastic. Their customer support is excellent as well - email queries are answered extremely quickly.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:00 am
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If you can get hold of a complete set of the 1:25000 qct Memory Maps of the UK from about 2005 (MM version 5) then you can store them on the PC and copy which ever areas you want onto the Ext SD card of your phone and use Alpine Quest. I have been successfully doing this for a few years with no issue at all. I keep the whole of the UK at 1:50K and the whole of Wales at 1:25K on the card at all times and upload other areas if I need to. Also store areas of OSM and aerial images on there if going somewhere new or foreign. AQ has a nice feature that allows you to overlay the OS maps and the aerial images and fade them into one another. I have not used Strava for years either. I just record my ride using AQ and save it as a gpx file at the end of the ride and upload direct to the PC at home. Not lost a single ride since doing this, whereas I had no end of issues using the Strava app on my phone.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:05 am
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For the latest (hacked) MM Tracker, go [url= http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=816407&page=59 ]HERE[/url] and go back through the pages for a version which works on Lollipop except for the compass.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:09 am
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Another happy Back Country Navigator user here.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:10 am
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So with ViewRanger, how much does it end up costing for the app and all of the 1:25000 maps to cover the peak district?


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:15 am
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if I have 4 routes in that directory I have to choose the 'load all routes at start up' & I cant load them individually

Not sure to be honest. I seem to remember having a similar problem, so I save all routes as gpx tracks and load them in that way. I can certainly load them individually or all at once. Reassuringly loaded tracks seem to come up as dark blue by default and recorded tracks are cyan, so you can tell the difference.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:15 am
 Drac
Posts: 50352
 

So with ViewRanger, how much does it end up costing for the app and all of the 1:25000 maps to cover the peak district?

£19


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:28 am
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It's a lot cheaper for 1:50k


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:32 am
 Drac
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£10 for the National Parks pack.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:33 am
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Sounds pretty good that Drac. Cheers!


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 9:53 am
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Maverick all the way. Cache the area on wifi before you head out. Great right down to 1:25000 and uploads/follows gpx uploads really well. No data required once out and about. One of the main reasons I have an Android phone.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 12:48 pm
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Orux maps for me. Tried view ranger and back country Nav and although good does not quite offer functionality of Orux.

Orux interface takes a bit of getting used to but it's free. You can select many open source maps to load...then save offline so no data needed.

Great for gpx mapping - upload gpx and use as a map.

I have also used it on my kayak as it has marine maps.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 1:07 pm
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I've found a disc with a load of Memory Map files on it. Whats the best way to get these to work on my android phone? I'm running linux on my laptop so installing the proper program is a no go.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:08 pm
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Back country Nav is £6.99 one off charge (might be £7.99 now), you get OS maps down to 1.25K and lots of other countries (IGN 1.25k Spain for example). Free trial in Play store, easy to use.
View ranger is very expensive by comparison.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:20 pm
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thepodge - MM tracker - you won't find it in the play store but you can find places to download it online.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:28 pm
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I have been using viewranger for years now and it keeps getting better. Mapping is cheap, just download which tiles you want. Runs on my phones and ipad and Samsung tablet and on the PC. So easy to plan routes on tablet then upload to the phone and follow! The navigation bit shows the profile of the terrain coming up, which is useful. Records your tracks as well, and imports .gpx etc.
I find that 1-50000 mapping is best for cycling, 1-25000 can have a bit too much info.
I have downloaded maps for it in switzerland as well.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:39 pm
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+1 for BCN. I have most of England stored on my phone as a zoomable map which can be viewed offline. And I'll be adding parts of Scotland this summer too. The best value app I've ever bought by a long way.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:43 pm
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I have been using viewranger for years now and it keeps getting better. Mapping is cheap,

No, it's expensive.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:45 pm
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[url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand&hl=en_GB ]Ive got this one, its free and it shows all bike tracks etc...[/url]


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 2:48 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50352
 

Back country Nav is £6.99 one off charge (might be £7.99 now

£11.99


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 3:05 pm
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Back country Nav is £6.99 one off charge (might be £7.99 now)

£11.99

OK so it's gone up a bit in the last 3 years. However, £11.99 for the whole of the UK @ OS 1:25k and many other countries. £11.99 on ViewRanger will get you two thirds of the Peak District @ 1:25k (source:Drac) or not very much if you're buying individual tiles.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 3:37 pm
 Drac
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So it comes with the licensed full OS 1:25k for the UK? That is good.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 3:53 pm
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Another happy Back Country Navigator user here.
And here although I don't use it that often as I've got a SatMap as well.


 
Posted : 25/03/2015 4:13 pm
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Locus Maps is excellent, but somehow never seems to get mentioned in threads like this.
There's a free and premium version, and it does offline maps brilliantly.

http://www.locusmap.eu


 
Posted : 26/03/2015 10:20 am
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deadhead1971 - Member
Locus Maps is excellent, but somehow never seems to get mentioned in threads like this.
There's a free and premium version, and it does offline maps brilliantly.

Looks ok, but not that great. Doesn't appear to do 1:25k scale for starters, I didn't even bother looking any further into it after that.

These maps are based on real Ordnance Survey mapping at a scale of 1:40 000 enhanced with additional data including footpaths and points of interest from Open Street Maps.

Don't even appear to be OS maps, says they're based on them.


 
Posted : 26/03/2015 4:29 pm
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Dang, it appears to me that MOBAC 1.8 finally stopped working in terms of downloading OS maps. Disaster! Perhaps the source of the OS mapping has been closed out. I believe that multimap which I think was the OS source has been bought by Microsoft so maybe they have switched it off now.

If anyone has worked out how to point MOBAC to another working OS source, please share!


 
Posted : 09/04/2015 8:33 am
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Backcountry Navigator. The one off payment will let you have locally stored maps of the entire UK at 1:25 & 1:50 and the equivalent for just about anywhere in the world. Give free trial a go. You get full functionality for 30 days.

Recent updates have included Android Wear compatibility :mrgreen:


 
Posted : 09/04/2015 8:42 am
 tomd
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Need to give that Backcountry Navigator a shot. I have been using ViewRanger with the full UK OS maps at 1:50k for the last couple of years. It was about £60 for the whole of the UK and I use it a lot on multiple devices so has been good value, but not prepared to pay more to get the 1:25k which are expensive.

The ViewRanger app is really good and works reliably. The route planning stuff on their website is also useful.


 
Posted : 09/04/2015 8:49 am
Posts: 0
 

I use back Country Navigator and have just come across the problem highlighted above due to Bing buying multimap.

Any new / previously not downloaded area I can now only view in multimap street. The OS maps seem to be no longer available.
I may have to try View Ranger unless I am being stupid and missing the obvious.
Has anyone else found this problem / could someone please try a new area on their devices and check for me.

Cheers


 
Posted : 11/04/2015 11:16 am
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Yep same issue on mine, However, I thought Bing bought multimap years ago, also OS maps to 1:25k are still showing on Bing/Multimap webite. don't know the issue at the moment, I guess time will tell. You can switch to OSM (HikeBikeMap.org) in the mean time which is useable but not ideal.


 
Posted : 11/04/2015 12:29 pm
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[url= http://support.crittermap.com/entries/66110494-OS-Explorer-Map-Issues ]http://support.crittermap.com/entries/66110494-OS-Explorer-Map-Issues[/url]


 
Posted : 11/04/2015 12:42 pm
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I have MM Tracker installed but not had a proper play with it as yet.


 
Posted : 11/04/2015 1:05 pm
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I took advantage of a recent sale by Anquet and bought a bundle of maps for the whole of the UK, as I use Anquet on the PC and think it is one of the better ones for managing multiple routes.

So I have 1:50k and 1:25k HD OS maps, the OS GB Overview maps, the OS Road maps and the OS Street view maps for the whole of the UK on my phone and PC.

Takes up nearly 57Gb on the phone !


 
Posted : 11/04/2015 2:07 pm
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Cheers B.A.Nana, nice to know it wasn't just operator error (me).


 
Posted : 11/04/2015 6:06 pm

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