Hikingbook: Hike, Bike & Run

A trail planner for hikes, bike rides and runs

Hikingbook is a route planning and tracking app for outdoor activities, according to its Google Play listing. The developer says it covers hiking, cycling and running, and that it is built for people who plan trips in advance and want to record them afterwards.

The listing describes a trail database of more than 1,900 trails and 1,000,000 activity records from other users. Route search, navigation, weather and trail conditions are all presented in the same app, the developer says.

The app is rated Everyone by Google Play. Its listing describes a free core with some features reserved for Pro members, which the developer says come with a first week free.

Planning a route and comparing trails

The planner calculates distance, elevation change and expected time for a route. The listing says these settings can be adjusted to suit the user, which is aimed at challenging hikes where effort matters as much as length.

Trail elevation charts are colour-coded by slope and surface, so steep stretches and rough ground can be seen at a glance. Pro members can display up to 3 routes at once to compare options.

A 3D map view shows the terrain in relief. The developer also offers 3D flyover videos that move over a route, which the listing presents as a way to understand how the land rises and falls before setting out.

Navigating offline and staying on route

Offline maps are free, according to the listing, and let the app show the user's position when there is no mobile signal. The developer says the maps cover the world.

Pro members get extra layers on the offline map. These show cellular coverage spots, water sources and difficult trail sections, so a walker can check where signal and water are before or during a route.

When the user strays from the planned route, the app sends an instant notification and a voice reminder. The developer says this is intended to keep trail use safer. The app also records activities, shows how far the user has come and what lies ahead, and is meant to help with pacing.

Sharing location with contacts and safety alerts

Automatic location sharing sends the user's real-time position to friends or to designated safety contacts. The listing says these contacts receive an alert if the user is overdue.

Overdue alerts depend on the user having set a route and a time to finish, so the contacts know when to expect them back. The developer presents the feature as a safety measure for solo or remote outings.

Keeping and replaying activities after a trip

Recorded activities can be replayed as 3D flyovers. The developer says this lets users revisit a completed route from the same viewpoint used for planning.

Activities are stored in the cloud, according to the listing. The developer says they can be moved to a new device when switching phones, so the record is not tied to one handset.

The app connects to Garmin, COROS and Fitbit accounts, so data from those devices can join the Hikingbook record. Once Health Connect is authorised, Hikingbook activity can be viewed in fitness apps such as Google Fit and Samsung Health. For users in Taiwan, the listing says the app supports the WGS84, TWD67 and TWD97 datums and the TM2, DD and DMS grid formats.

Battery use and the limits of GPS

The developer says background GPS tracking can drain the battery and shorten battery life when the tracking function is switched on. Users who plan long routes may want to account for this, the listing says.

The listing states that GPS cannot fully replace a compass and paper maps. It says positioning errors or no signal can occur because of vegetation, terrain and weather, and that users should understand GPS and its limits before relying on it.