Top 10 Apps for Outdoor Enthusiast
Outdoor enthusiasts are involved in activities ranging from mountain biking and motorcycling to boating and hunting. Here’s a look at some useful smartphone and tablet apps for outdoor enthusiasts covering a wide range of activities.
Surfline iPhone App (FREE)
Surfing has long been one of the most favorite pastimes for outdoor enthusiasts fortunate enough to live along the coast. Surfline by Surfline/Wavetrack is the perfect tool for every surf report in Hawaii as well as the Continental United States.
Get live streaming HD video from more than 90 locations, as well as the most accurate surf reports for up to five days in advance. Get info from literally thousands of surf spots including wave height, wind speed and direction, tides, weather, sunrise and sunset, and many other valuable bits of data for the perfect surfing adventure.
ViewRanger ($4.99)
Knowing where you are at any given moment is of particular import when involved in some outdoor activities. Back country skiing, river kayaking, hiking, and sailing are just a few activities where precision coordinates could be very valuable.
At the press of a button, the ViewRanger app for Android and iOS devices will show you exactly where you are in the world. Outdoor enthusiasts can plan, plot, and navigate their route using the ViewRanger app.
One of its top features is how it handles maps. Any map can be stored on your mobile device, which means you’ll always have access to your maps and routes, even if you’re in a remote area of the world. Never again wonder where you are. Getting lost is easier than a lot of people realize, but a great GPS app like ViewRanger can guide you back to civilization.
Walk Tools ($1.99)
For the serious walker, climber, or hiker the Walk Tools app for iOS devices packs a serious punch. For starters, this is a highly precise measuring tool that includes a compass, elapsed time, distance, clock, pace, latitude, longitude, altimeter, course, and GPS. Just a few steps with the app launched, and it will be calibrated for your particular gait.
This app is ideal for the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 because they are compass and GPS-equipped devices. It is not recommended to be used with the iPod Touch, non-3G iPad, or first-generation iPhone.
MyNature Animal Tracks ($4.99)
Perfect for day hikers, scouts, and mountaineers alike, MyNature Animal Tracks for both Android and iOS devices help identify nearly 50 animals common in North America. App users will be able to identify tracks based on a host of criteria, including gait patterns, maps of habitats, and digital pictures of the animals. Listen to actual animal vocalizations and sounds to determine what you’re hearing in the distance.
Bike Repair ($3.99)
Repairs to expensive mountain bikes can be, well, expensive. However, if you’re mechanically inclined and have a good feel for you bike’s many parts, then Atomic Softwares’ Bike Repair app is the ticket for you.
In a pinch you’ll be able to adjust your derailleur, fix hydraulic brakes, remove the rear tire of a multi-gear bike, and around 40 other common problems mountain bikers can run into while tearing up the trails.
Step-by-step videos show every step in precise details and clarity. If you ride with a simple but complete tool kit for your mountain bike, you’ll be in the perfect position to make these minor fixes without the spelling an early end to your day in the mountains!
Go to Aid ($4.99)
With outdoor play come scrapes, cuts, bruises, stings, and bites. Most are minor, some are serious, and some need immediate attention.
The Go to Aid app for iOS devices is your complete compendium on respiratory trauma, emergencies, bites, stings, cuts, wounds, breaks/sprains, poisons, burns, weather related injuries, or existing medical conditions. In an instant get the exact information you need on any particular injury or emergency situation. This is an indispensable tool for any outdoor enthusiast, available in both a premium and free “lite” versions.
Trip Journal ($2.99)
Trip Journal for both Android and iOS devices is your perfect companion for all your travels and adventures. All of your destinations can be geo-tagged to include visited destinations, pictures, videos, comments, and blog entries.
Through Open Maps or Google Maps, your itinerary and current position are displayed, showing you exactly where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going.
Share all your adventures with your friends and family back home through instant connections to YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, and Picassa. The perfect way to document and share your journey!
Ski and Snow Report (FREE)
This valuable app gives skiers at both resorts and in the backcountry all the information they need on snowcaps, recent snowfall, and any warning in the area. With Ski and Snow Report, iOS device users can add up to 12 resorts via GPS, or can choose from a worldwide list. Setup alerts for fresh powder, trail closures, and any other pertinent information you’ll need for a fun and safe ski outing!
Army Survival for iPad and iPhone ($1.99)
No one ever plans on getting lost, but it happens, and when it does it’s serious. Every choice can literally be a matter of life or death.
The Army Survival app for iPad and iPhone is literally the U.S. Army Field Manual 21-76. Simply title “Survival”, this Army manual is the complete resource any outdoor enthusiast will need in the event of short- or long-term survival.
Get all the info you need on the psychology of survival, field weapons, shelters, dangerous animals, how to survive various weather conditions, and a host of other survival techniques perfected by the U.S. Army’s elite teams.
The perfect resource to use at home base to prepare for all your trips and treks!
Wild Mushrooms of North America and Europe (FREE)
Foraging for fruits, vegetables, and fungi has long been a favorite outdoor activity. Unfortunately, not everything growing in the wild is safe to eat. This is particularly true of wild mushrooms. For the serious outdoor foragers, the Wild Mushrooms of North America and Europe is the penultimate guide to mushrooms.
With detailed pictures and descriptions of 1,560 mushrooms native to North America and Europe, this app should be your only guide when it comes to looking for these delicious fungi. No internet connection is required as the entire database is installed with the app.
Zoom every picture for up-close details, ensuring what you’re about to pick or eat is safe for you!
No matter what you like to do outdoors, there an app for your iOS and Android devices to help you have a safer and more enjoyable outing!
About the Author: Porter is a writer and content specialist for CenturyLinkQuote.
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