Also watch my list of the top 10 best iPhone hiking apps here: ruclips.net/video/7lIrfxPxoWk/видео.html Don't forget to reply below with any of your favorite apps that I missed!
I love my AW for daily life, but honestly it just sucks for hiking and camping for a long list of reasons.. I've tried them all and you're right, the Workoutdoors is by far the best.. except it doesn't show distance to end or eta because it doesnt fully "process" the loaded course/route. I still use Gaia, Viewranger and Footpath on my phone for planning and occasional big-picture map reference, but I gave up on the AW, bought a Fenix 6 sapphire and never looked back. The difference in off-road capability is night and day, the Fenix is a legitimate "outdoors watch" that is equal to a Garmin etrex 32 handheld, complete with TopoActive routable mapping. The *only* adavantage my AW cellular has is on a urban'ish trail (w/ good cell coverage) due to its ability to communicate without the phone.. but alas, the phone usually goes anyway, so now too does the Garmin. If you're a fitness person jogging local paths/trails and already have an AW stick with it. If you're a true off-roader, a hunter, go to demanding environments, self-navigate areas without established trails, or head out for several days then the Garmin is for you.
glad it was helpful! yeah, i'll probably do an update when the apple watch 7 comes. i'm also working on a hiking smartphone app video which should be fun.
In other review it says, after testing this, that the charge time is almost the same with SE and 6. He has video to prove it. Just search for Apple watch 6 battery life. For GPS in hiking I always use Garmin handheld device (used go for 80€), it can run for days and has topomaps with all the rocks and wet places. Some maps just have elevations but not the small data.
*Gaia Update:* Previous versions of this watch app would. Mirror the smartphone app, meaning that the recording was done on the phone, not on the watch. The version used in October 2021 uses the GPS data from the watch leaving you to use the Gaia GPS app on your phone to lookup maps, create routes and other things. Once you are done recording your hike the Apple Watch will transfer the track data to your phone pretty much within a few seconds. You can then review the track under the saved tab and edit accordingly.
All topo map solutions look beautiful e.g. in the USA. Using in Poland is practically useless. The databases do not contain most topographic names, eg mountain peaks, mountain passes, etc. You cannot plan a route between manually marked points. Even if some map file contains drawn hiking trails, it is not possible to plan a route. The plan does not stick to the trail. Leads to the cross-country. Try to search for names in Poland such as: Wołowiec, Rakoń, Grześ, Kasprowy Wierch, Tarnica in our country. The programs you mentioned, even in the paid versions, do not offer good maps for my region. I have been using Mac and Iphone for a long time. However, Apple sucks for hiking in Poland. Shame. Interesting material!
Great review. Did you find distance accuracy to be an issue with an any of them? I prefer Workoutdoors as well, but wish the bigger companies would put more effort into their watch apps. It seems like a no brainer to me!
Thanks, glad you liked it! GPS distance never seems to exactly match the signs on most trails, I think because the distance calculation algorithms vary so much. But I didn’t do individual testing of each app on long trails (some apps I tested for shorter distances) so it’s hard to say for sure.
What a great video! What is your experience of the Apple Watch GPS accuracy and sample rate of the different models? I have a series 3 which I use all the time for trail running and mountain biking. I’m curious if the series 6 will have any better GPS accuracy than the series 3.
Glad you found the video helpful. I really haven't done enough GPS-focused comparative testing of the various models to answer your question in a personal way. The most I can say is that I've used both the Series 4 and Series 6 extensively on many multi-day backpacking trips, and never found accuracy to be a significant issue for me. Basically it seems to work great. But my testing is also complicated by the fact that sometimes my watch is using my iPhone GPS, and sometimes the watch is using its own chip. I will say that I have read multiple reviews of the Series 6 by people who care much more about accuracy than me (short-distance runners, for example), and there seems to be unanimous feedback that the Series 6 is more accurate than every previous model -- because it no longer over-smooths the details of GPS tracks it records. This guy discusses it in great detail, and his conclusion is basically the same as mine -- it works great, especially the Series 6: www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/09/apple-watch-series-6-first-run-accuracy-spo2-sensor-data.html
so what’s the difference using the online and offline for the gps cuz I could still see my route on my map which I was on which not subscribe to it on my phone
Anyone any issues getting the AllTrails Apple watch to point the direction you're facing? Mine is stuck at North constantly so can't be used to navigate at all unless I look at my phone. Defeats the purpose!
Great review! makes me want to get a watch to do hikes . its really not handy to always have your phone out of your pocket :D Workoutdoors seems to fit what i was looking for :-)
If the phone no signal service at the Mountains or some area for hiking how it’s GPS work? I think the Garmin GPS is better because the Garmin is work with Satellite!
Phones don't require phone service to receive GPS data via satellite. They work the same way as headheld GPS's do. Having said that, you do need to download map data offline in advance if there's no phone service (in the same way that you have to load map data into a Garmin handheld before it will work).
i looked at the new version of their watch app at the beginning of january, and though it does work without being connected to the watch, it's not much of an improvement... so far. workoutdoors is MUCH better and more mature. but maybe as they continue to improve, the gap will start to close? i do plan to update the video sometime soon, but the change will be minor.
Hey! Could you please suggest me what to choose, Apple Watch series 6 or Garmin 6x Pro Solar. I need for outdoor activities... Like hiking, mountaineering and a few more activities... Thank u!
i haven't used the Garmin Pro Solar, so I can't really compare. But I do know that the Garmin Fenix is well respected due to its great battery life and rugged construction.
Workoutdoors elevation accuracy is sooooooo baddddd!!!! How nobody is talking about this??? After you export to strava, elevation is 20-30% less in starva then workoutdoors.
For day hikes on known trails, I think WorkOutDoors’s watch-only-needed nav and tracking is better than the Garmin in terms of convenience. But battery life just isn’t up to par, and if you need good topo maps, Garmin devices look a lot better.
To get unlimited offline USGS topo maps of the US, you need to pay $20/year to ViewRanger. That said, it's true that ViewRanger can do lots of good stuff without the topo and offline maps -- but those features require paying for the app.
@@HankLeukart I’m from Belgium 😉. I have 2 kind of maps. But perhaps it’s different in the USA? 1 is called vieuwranger landscape. And this one has the lines that indicate the height and have almost all little hiking tracks. The other is called openstreetmap, this one doesn’t indicate the height but also has all hiking tracks, but this one isn’t available offline for me. But when I’m plotting my tracks I sometimes use this map because it does show interesting things as castles and stuff on the map. So for an app that is free this one does the job for most hikers, I think. But I like your video. And that workoutdoor looks really good. Perhaps I will buy this on... also because this one can sinc with Strava. I really hate vieuwranger doesn’t do that... i use Strava for running, but that is always on tracks I know, here in my area... And I use vieuwranger for my hikes further form home for navigation. But I would love that those were also uploaded to Strava afterwards.
My conclusion is that none of these apps are worth buying an Apple Watch for lol. If workoutdoors had contour lines it would be nice but otherwise it seems pretty useless
Also watch my list of the top 10 best iPhone hiking apps here: ruclips.net/video/7lIrfxPxoWk/видео.html
Don't forget to reply below with any of your favorite apps that I missed!
Why doesn't this vid have more views?? Such an exhaustive review, well done Hank!
thank you! the algorithm is a mystery, but glad you like the video. feel free to share with your apple watch friends 😃
I love my AW for daily life, but honestly it just sucks for hiking and camping for a long list of reasons..
I've tried them all and you're right, the Workoutdoors is by far the best.. except it doesn't show distance to end or eta because it doesnt fully "process" the loaded course/route.
I still use Gaia, Viewranger and Footpath on my phone for planning and occasional big-picture map reference, but I gave up on the AW, bought a Fenix 6 sapphire and never looked back.
The difference in off-road capability is night and day, the Fenix is a legitimate "outdoors watch" that is equal to a Garmin etrex 32 handheld, complete with TopoActive routable mapping.
The *only* adavantage my AW cellular has is on a urban'ish trail (w/ good cell coverage) due to its ability to communicate without the phone.. but alas, the phone usually goes anyway, so now too does the Garmin.
If you're a fitness person jogging local paths/trails and already have an AW stick with it.
If you're a true off-roader, a hunter, go to demanding environments, self-navigate areas without established trails, or head out for several days then the Garmin is for you.
Very few watch app reviews as detailed and informative as this on RUclips. Thanks!
Dude, ive just watched your video of el camino the santiago and ive got to say that you made the best video ive ever seen
Wow, thanks! So glad you liked it!
Thank you so much for this video. Finally somebody answered all my questions. I hope you will do a follow up video in the future.
glad it was helpful! yeah, i'll probably do an update when the apple watch 7 comes. i'm also working on a hiking smartphone app video which should be fun.
The most complete review (s) regarding navigation with the Apple Watch. Thank you so much
Glad it was helpful. Thanks!
In other review it says, after testing this, that the charge time is almost the same with SE and 6. He has video to prove it. Just search for Apple watch 6 battery life. For GPS in hiking I always use Garmin handheld device (used go for 80€), it can run for days and has topomaps with all the rocks and wet places. Some maps just have elevations but not the small data.
Buen video, ahora sé que ningún Apple Watch Series me servirá para realizar trekking con el GPS activo todo el tiempo ✌🏽
Great video. So in depth, answered my questions and helped me decide. You rock!
glad you enjoyed it!
This is best video I have ever seen. You are awesome!
thank you!
*Gaia Update:*
Previous versions of this watch app would. Mirror the smartphone app, meaning that the recording was done on the phone, not on the watch. The version used in October 2021 uses the GPS data from the watch leaving you to use the Gaia GPS app on your phone to lookup maps, create routes and other things.
Once you are done recording your hike the Apple Watch will transfer the track data to your phone pretty much within a few seconds. You can then review the track under the saved tab and edit accordingly.
Awesome comparison, exactly what i was looking :). thanks Hank, awesome video.
Glad it was helpful Maciej!
Bought. Installed. Good staff. Thanks man.
Enjoy!
Great work! Thank you! I’ll probably end up getting a GPS dedicated watch. My Iwatch 4 doesn’t support all those good features like the compass.
Great info! Thanks for the video
I am a new apple watch hiker and I find your video soo informative. Thank you!
so glad you found it helpful!
Nice and informative video, thanks!
thanks!
Thanks! Perfect video on the matter. Subscribed!
Awesome, thank you!
Fantastic review. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great review. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Great information ℹ️ All those apps charging monthly subscription and can’t even work without the phone. 😂
yeah, software subscription model only makes sense when you're getting many regular updated and the software is top of the market
This is a very good review! 😱
thanks!
All topo map solutions look beautiful e.g. in the USA. Using in Poland is practically useless. The databases do not contain most topographic names, eg mountain peaks, mountain passes, etc. You cannot plan a route between manually marked points. Even if some map file contains drawn hiking trails, it is not possible to plan a route. The plan does not stick to the trail. Leads to the cross-country. Try to search for names in Poland such as: Wołowiec, Rakoń, Grześ, Kasprowy Wierch, Tarnica in our country. The programs you mentioned, even in the paid versions, do not offer good maps for my region. I have been using Mac and Iphone for a long time. However, Apple sucks for hiking in Poland. Shame. Interesting material!
Great review. Did you find distance accuracy to be an issue with an any of them? I prefer Workoutdoors as well, but wish the bigger companies would put more effort into their watch apps. It seems like a no brainer to me!
Thanks, glad you liked it! GPS distance never seems to exactly match the signs on most trails, I think because the distance calculation algorithms vary so much. But I didn’t do individual testing of each app on long trails (some apps I tested for shorter distances) so it’s hard to say for sure.
Super helpful. About to buy workoutdoors, cheers.
Enjoy!
Good review Hank. While using work outdoors, Is there a way to set a waypoint on the watch while hiking?
yes, you can do this with tap-and-hold
What a great video! What is your experience of the Apple Watch GPS accuracy and sample rate of the different models? I have a series 3 which I use all the time for trail running and mountain biking. I’m curious if the series 6 will have any better GPS accuracy than the series 3.
Glad you found the video helpful. I really haven't done enough GPS-focused comparative testing of the various models to answer your question in a personal way. The most I can say is that I've used both the Series 4 and Series 6 extensively on many multi-day backpacking trips, and never found accuracy to be a significant issue for me. Basically it seems to work great. But my testing is also complicated by the fact that sometimes my watch is using my iPhone GPS, and sometimes the watch is using its own chip. I will say that I have read multiple reviews of the Series 6 by people who care much more about accuracy than me (short-distance runners, for example), and there seems to be unanimous feedback that the Series 6 is more accurate than every previous model -- because it no longer over-smooths the details of GPS tracks it records. This guy discusses it in great detail, and his conclusion is basically the same as mine -- it works great, especially the Series 6: www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/09/apple-watch-series-6-first-run-accuracy-spo2-sensor-data.html
@@HankLeukart thanks for the link, I’ll check it out! 😃
so what’s the difference using the online and offline for the gps cuz I could still see my route on my map which I was on which not subscribe to it on my phone
Anyone any issues getting the AllTrails Apple watch to point the direction you're facing? Mine is stuck at North constantly so can't be used to navigate at all unless I look at my phone. Defeats the purpose!
Can you follow saved routes on Strava on the Apple Watch?
Great review! makes me want to get a watch to do hikes . its really not handy to always have your phone out of your pocket :D Workoutdoors seems to fit what i was looking for :-)
glad you liked it! let me know how it works.
@@HankLeukart looking to purchase the series 7 :-) LTE or no LTE? im not sure
If the phone no signal service at the Mountains or some area for hiking how it’s GPS work? I think the Garmin GPS is better because the Garmin is work with Satellite!
Phones don't require phone service to receive GPS data via satellite. They work the same way as headheld GPS's do. Having said that, you do need to download map data offline in advance if there's no phone service (in the same way that you have to load map data into a Garmin handheld before it will work).
can you please review the Garmin venu 2?
lol, i wish, i don't get products for free and i don't have money to try everything. wish i did!!
Hello. Got an email from Gaia today that watch app has been vastly improved as a stand alone hiking app. Any news on update or upcoming review?
i looked at the new version of their watch app at the beginning of january, and though it does work without being connected to the watch, it's not much of an improvement... so far. workoutdoors is MUCH better and more mature. but maybe as they continue to improve, the gap will start to close? i do plan to update the video sometime soon, but the change will be minor.
Hey! Could you please suggest me what to choose, Apple Watch series 6 or Garmin 6x Pro Solar. I need for outdoor activities... Like hiking, mountaineering and a few more activities... Thank u!
i haven't used the Garmin Pro Solar, so I can't really compare. But I do know that the Garmin Fenix is well respected due to its great battery life and rugged construction.
Hank Leukart thank u very much for ur reply! 🙏
Yes … but the battery Goes low…. Vero low with this App
Where do i get routes to download for workoutdoors?
Any GPX/KML file can be imported into WorkOutDoors
Workoutdoors elevation accuracy is sooooooo baddddd!!!! How nobody is talking about this???
After you export to strava, elevation is 20-30% less in starva then workoutdoors.
i think it works fine as long as it establishes a good baseline before you begin (?)
Update for the series 7?
on its way
@@HankLeukart looking forward to it since my series 7 is on its way to me too. 🙂
So...any better than a Garmin Fenix?
For day hikes on known trails, I think WorkOutDoors’s watch-only-needed nav and tracking is better than the Garmin in terms of convenience. But battery life just isn’t up to par, and if you need good topo maps, Garmin devices look a lot better.
@@HankLeukart How about durability? Have you had any trouble out on the trail with the Apple Watch? Great videos BTW!
Its better at texting than the Fenix, thats it, the Fenix blows away the AW in every other way outdoors, except maybe heartrate monitor accuracy.
why cant use gps from watch wtf its 2023 garmin better
of course you can use gps from the watch, it just increases battery usage
I have ViewRanger, and I don’t need to pay a annual fee 🤷♂️
To get unlimited offline USGS topo maps of the US, you need to pay $20/year to ViewRanger. That said, it's true that ViewRanger can do lots of good stuff without the topo and offline maps -- but those features require paying for the app.
@@HankLeukart I’m from Belgium 😉.
I have 2 kind of maps. But perhaps it’s different in the USA?
1 is called vieuwranger landscape. And this one has the lines that indicate the height and have almost all little hiking tracks.
The other is called openstreetmap, this one doesn’t indicate the height but also has all hiking tracks, but this one isn’t available offline for me. But when I’m plotting my tracks I sometimes use this map because it does show interesting things as castles and stuff on the map.
So for an app that is free this one does the job for most hikers, I think.
But I like your video. And that workoutdoor looks really good.
Perhaps I will buy this on... also because this one can sinc with Strava. I really hate vieuwranger doesn’t do that... i use Strava for running, but that is always on tracks I know, here in my area... And I use vieuwranger for my hikes further form home for navigation. But I would love that those were also uploaded to Strava afterwards.
My conclusion is that none of these apps are worth buying an Apple Watch for lol. If workoutdoors had contour lines it would be nice but otherwise it seems pretty useless
battery life sucks
gets better with every version, but yeah, i still wish it were better
It's amazing watch, but 3-4 hours in working with maps - it's inadequately disgusting, apple critters
try WorkOutDoors
Does workoutdoor app have “track back” feature?
yes, the app records your gps track and then you can easily follow it on the way back