Yes, they still exist: the good old hiking map. A faithful companion with kinks and cracks, but its use is not intuitive. An alternative are hiking apps for smartphones, which outdoor fans are supposed to navigate unerringly. But how well does that work? And what should you pay attention to?
Stiftung Warentest looked at the five hiking apps that users downloaded most frequently from the Google Play Store: Alltrails, Bergfex, Komoot, Outdooractive and Wikiloc. The iOS and Android full versions were tested.
The offer ranges from card packages from four euros to premium versions for 60 euros a year. All providers also offer free versions that offer fewer functions. Navigation, for example, is then sometimes not possible.
How the apps work
The cell phone tells you where to go: hiking apps help with tour planning and navigation on the go.
Tours can be planned via the provider's website or with the respective app. A large computer screen offers a better overview, although the testers liked the route planning via the Komoot app better. The services can be used to search for other users' routes or create routes yourself, for example to avoid well-trodden paths. Filters help to find tailor-made tours, for example in terms of the difficulty of the hike.
To download: Komoot
Komoot – Bicycle, Hiking & Mountain Bike Navi – Android App 2022.13.2
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Komoot – Bicycle, Hiking & Mountain Bike Navi – Android App 2022.13.2
Version 1.2.39
Hikers, mountaineers and cyclists get a precise route planning and recording tool for Android phones with "Komoot – Fahrrad, Wander & Mountainbike Navi".
Komoot – Fahrrad & Wander Navi iPhone / iPad App 2022.13.0
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Komoot – Fahrrad & Wander Navi iPhone / iPad App 2022.13.0
Version 1.2.39
"Komoot – Fahrrad & Wander Navi" is a clever route planner for bicycle and hiking trails with a practical voice announcement feature.
The results: Two providers are convincing
Among other things, the testers put on their hiking boots themselves to test the apps: in the Lüneburg Heath, the Berchtesgaden Alps and in the Harz Mountains. They also checked the navigation on challenging sections and in the case of obstacles such as road closures.
Komoot and Outdooractive navigated the hikers best and received the grade "Good", according to the result in the magazine "test" (Issue 10/2021). Both apps were the only ones that showed arrows for the exact route. The testers also liked the voice prompts. So the mobile phone can stay in the pocket during the tour.
According to the Stiftung Warentest, the providers Alltrails and Bergfex are more suitable for experienced hikers, since arrows and the remaining distance and walking time were missing. With Wikilocs, the experts lacked orienting details of the standard maps.
At one point, each of the tested apps failed – at a road block in the Harz Mountains. All services directed the testers to a part of the Harzer Hexenstieg that had been closed for months. The only thing left was to turn back.
Tips for use on the go
The experts recommend downloading the maps before the tour and then using them offline. That goes with the full versions and is advisable in large parts of Germany. If you use voice navigation, minimize the display brightness and switch off other apps, you will also save battery. If in doubt, take a power bank with you.
Power banks in the test
Anker PowerCore III Elite 26K 60W & PowerPort III (A1290)
