Garmin? Hiking navigation device needed

[big ant]

I’m entered in a 30 mile hike over Exmoor, where organisers strongly recommend downloading “GPX files”... as much of route is off tracks.

I don’t have any devices, except iPhone & iPad, so any recommendations please what I should buy ?

I’d like to use it before and after, so if can track my walks or looks like OS maps, would be good.

Now off to diet & exercise :-)

[toohuge]

You can download a GPX viewer for your iphone, iirc it's 99p - would that be worth a try before spending big money on another device?

[Harpoon]

ViewRanger is a great mapping app and you can import a GPX file via the My ViewRanger website and then sync it to your phone.

https://www.viewranger.com/en-US/about-us/blog/201...

You can get a free 7 day trial and then it's £25 for a year subscription (which gets Explorer & Landranger maps for the UK)

https://www.viewranger.com/en-GB/world-of-maps/os-...

Downside of using your phone is when it's hammering it down and you need to check the route, so a waterproof case is handy, along with a powerbank to keep it charged.

As ever, take a paper map and compass as backup...

{Edit}

You don't have to pay the annual subscription for maps. You can also buy blocks of credits and then download maps on a per tile basis. So if you wanted just maps for Exmoor, you can pay £5.99 for 400 credits (the smallest pack). A full 1:25k tile is 20 credits.

Edited by Harpoon on Monday 13th January 17:02

[DoctorX]

+1 For ViewRanger, excellent mapping. Just take a power bank. I’ve got a Garmin and it only has the 1:50000 scale whereas the app has 1:25000. The Garmin is a lot more robust though.

[big ant]

Thanks all, suggestions appreciated, will have a look. Cheers

[Bill]

The OS maps app works with gpx.