BackCountry Navigator is one of the best GPS navigation apps on Android. It ranked reasonably high in our best list and for good reason. While it is not the best one in town for, well traveling in town, it does shine off-road.
The Good
The offline access of this app is incredible. All you need to do is select an area you want to download, and the app will do it. Accessing the maps offline is a great feature if you are traveling to a particular area and need only minor information. The selective map download shrinks the size of the download, making the app perfect for budget smartphones as well.
The Bad
If you are a new user, you will definitely need to read the tutorials the app displays. The app can be confusing at times. The app has a lot of features, and they are not explained well at all. You can play around with the app to get to know them, but that can result in a lot of work and wasted time.
The Bottom Line
The download map option is the ideal feature to use while trekking or mountain climbing as well.
Installation and Welcome Screen
The initial app is of a small size as there are no maps bundled with it. Due to the small size, it can is downloaded in mere seconds. After the app is installed, you can launch it from the app drawer or the notification bar. Although the app does come with a good welcoming tutorial, the layout is just an eye sore. Here is an example of how the app looks right when you boot it up.
The text is way too much cramped for my taste and the checkbox is not correctly displayed. I mean it’s not that hard to code scalable pop-ups for different screens. It’s not like I’m using a small screened Smartphone, the app was tested on my Galaxy Note III. It’s not like I’m using a small screened Smartphone, the app was tested on my Galaxy Note III.
After the cramped welcome screen, you’ll be asked to select map source. Here you can select the region you want the app to display. A point to be noted is that you will need to select the topographical maps if you need that data from BackCountry Navigator. That will be all for the initial setup. The app can provide you help if you subscribe to their newsletter. I fully condemn this shady act to enlist your email and giving you scraps of important information.
Interface
Apart from the omnipresent ad bar at the bottom of the screen, the app works and looks great. The ads are only displayed in the free testing version of the app and are removed once you purchase the pro version.
Once the map is loaded, the app looks very pleasant. You can magnify the map by gestures as well as the handily placed buttons on right side of the screen. The top of the screen shows the taskbar that is now a standard for most of the apps. On the left side of the taskbar, there is the side menu button, the search button, the GPS button, the layers button, folder icon and menu button.
The app keeps everything well organized and manageable. You can change the layer settings easily from the layer menu. This loads maps relatively fast and uses little data while loading topographical ones.
Features
Unfortunately, you will have to do all the real world and in-app exploration by yourself.
The app comes with a trip database that is powered by adventurers like you. You will need to download said data though, as it’s not readily available offline.
The app also comes with a very functional compass. The compass is almost of the same quality as the dedicated compass apps for Android. I really liked this whole package deal BackCountry Navigator has going for it.
One of my favorite features in this app is the waypoint measurement system. While it can take a little getting used to, the waypoint function measures the distance between two points. You will be easily able to plot two points on the map and immediately know the shortest distance between them.
Usage
Thanks to the map download feature of this app, I was able to, at least, navigate easily through the woods. The compass also comes in handy when you don’t know your way back to the camp.
Permissions
Conclusion
BackCountry Navigator is a great app, but it’s steep premium pricing as well as unoptimized tutorial windows keep it from becoming amazing. However, if you need topographical maps that are easily downloaded, this app works wonders. What are the features you need most in a navigation app when you’re off the beaten path? Let us know in the comments below. Featured Image Credit
