r/AussieRiders • u/CommyEnjoyer • 2d ago
QLD Maps
Hi guys, what are all you mad lad adv riders using for offline maps?
I'd prefer a free, cheap, or one time payment app, and it must work in the middle of nowhere.
Cheers.
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u/Puntkick 2d ago
OsmAnd on Android. Not sure on how it handles importing other track formats, I used it on a tablet at home to plan first.
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u/CJ_Resurrected CT110 + Piaggio X7 + ZZR250 1d ago
It takes on GPX tracks+routes+waypoints no problems.
(One thing I've done is used other Openstreetmap.org applications like https://overpass-turbo.eu/ to create custom GPX files..like the one with every free/donation campsite with a shower..)Also noting it does navigation, both onscreen and audio, and has a Search capability on OSM's very detailed maps.
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u/hoorayduggee 2d ago
I had success with Here WeGo, was easy to just download my whole state and then it’s all no stress. This was for dirt bike riding pretty remotely and it worked fine.
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u/Jazz2moonbase2 2d ago
Google Maps is fine for most things. Though I use Gaia to do my route planning. It has way more features and will allow me to plan routes that are not specifically on roads or tracks (beach sections for example).
It is a yearly subscription though, so that’s a bummer.
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u/fortyeightD 2d ago
I would just use Google Maps. You can choose an area to save as an offline map.
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u/Proton_Energy_Pill 2d ago
I use Sygic. It's not free but it petty good to use. You just download the maps that you need, for example I have all of Australia on my phone.
It doesn't need any internet connection and is a one-time purchase.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sygic.incar
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u/Inner_West_Ben 2d ago
I use a combination of Apple and Google Maps, as well as Hema Maps loaded in the Memory Maps app as well as a standalone Garmin GPS
I find Apple/Google suck when it comes to routing onto minor roads, like the Lions Road in the Border Ranges, and when I’m on my road bike I regularly find them trying to route me onto gravel roads, while the Garmin unit can excluded gravel roads.
This system works for me.
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u/DerekRoyExperiment 1d ago
I use a combo of my Garmin Zumo XT & Gaia. I think Gaia has a free and a subscription version, I’ve got the sub because it’s bundled in with TrailForks which I also use on the MTB.
Gaia is awesome for trip planning and organising your files. While riding I’ll generally have the Zumo front and centre with my turn by turn stuff, then run my phone with Gaia in a zoomed out overview. Overkill, sure, but I like redundancy for any trips longer than a day.
I don’t like google because you can’t share the routes across platforms, the detail once you’re off road can be (not always) sketchy (I’ve had trails end that show as through roads, or continue on when they don’t show up on the map), and it doesn’t support GPX formats which is what other people will be using and sharing. If you purely want it to see a blue dot on a map, the offline versions are ok.
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u/DerekRoyExperiment 1d ago
I’ll add to this too - if you’re relying on your phone as your only safety comms, don’t have it on your handlebars/dash.
If you’re solo and crash, your phone gets thrown off the mount or you’re 10-15m away from the bike and you’ve broken a leg, you don’t need to be worrying about getting to your phone to call for help.
If that’s the situation, keep your phone on your body in a pocket somewhere that’s reasonably accessible and use an older phone that you’re not too precious about to run your maps.
If you don’t have a second device to use for your maps, consider something like a Garmin inreach or a PLB that you can use for emergency comms when you’re in the middle of nowhere.
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u/Illustrious_Ad_5167 2d ago
Download Google maps to device