The best handheld GPS is the best friend for any hiking beginner in the world. Many of the favorite hiking recording apps have partner websites, so you’re not limited to the app’s interface on your phone. Tracking your hikes gives you a lot of benefits such as maintaining motivation and watching your improvement as time pass by.
RunKeeper
My favorite, as well as one of the most well-known apps, is RunKeeper. It’s primarily used by athletes but could provide many different types of activities such as hiking, biking, walking, running, and more. You can also include stationary aerobic activities, such as treadmill workouts.
A map of speed and altitude information is recorded as it increases. Other marks are calculated from these values. You can choose to have the tracking data uploaded only at the end of your increment, or automatically as you run (although this drains the battery more quickly). Photos can be taken from within RunKeeper, uploaded to the website, and pasted onto the map.
The RunKeeper website has built-in social features: you can form a motivational team with your friends, run races, automatically post your activities to Facebook or perhaps Twitter for accountability. You can set your profile along with all actions to be private, just for the running team or individuals. You don’t have to talk to any of your channels unless you choose to. Both the program and website are updated regularly.
TrailGuru
TrailGuru tracks speed and elevation gain, but not across the board. The site is much easier to use than other movement logs because it has less information. You can manually include activities without an associated map. All activities are based on collecting successes, which helps members stay motivated.
MapMyFitness
MapMyFitness is a website that has data from many tracking programs and direct input through the website to track your nutrition and fitness. By setting privacy settings, you can show your profile with your activities only to those you want. Through the website, you can see your completed movements with their information such as speed, altitude, and more.
Photos taken with the app while driving are pinned to the map. This makes it easier to find your way to elevators in less convenient regions. However, an active repeater and an internet connection are required to upload stations within the app. MapMyFitness is designed to be a regular tracking tool that records all exercise (not movement), also tracks meals, mood, sleep, and weight, and offers a journal feature.
