UKH

This ViewRanger thread brought to light the news that ViewRanger has been bought by OutdoorActive, and will eventually be phased out. 

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/hill_talk/viewranger_or_os_maps_is_there_...

That means ViewRanger users are faced with sooner or later having to find a replacement. if anyone has any suggestions or reviews for mapping apps that offer similar functionality I, and I'm sure others, would be interested to hear them. There is some discussion of the options in the earlier thread, and various aspects of mapping apps have been discussed before on UKC but it would be useful to gather up to date and relevant discussion in one place here.

I've been using MemoryMap for years. I'm not sure of the Viewranger functionality, but MemoryMap seems to have all I've needed. 

https://memory-map.com/

Just get Osmand+. If you're prepared to go to the trouble of installing Fdroid, the full-featured "+" version is free.

I can see some benefits, but this doesn't have OS maps does it?

No. If you're wedded to OS mapping I think Alpinequest might be an option but I haven't really tried.
I've gone all-in on OSM and haven't looked back. It's got a lot better recently and is more than adequate for anything I'll need. Especially when there's a big blue dot showing where I am.

Gets even better when you realise you can switch from cycle map to opentopomap to etc. depending on what you're doing.

Here's a really good answer to your OP:
http://www.cumbriasoaringclub.co.uk/kb/osm.php#osmand

Thanks- that's really useful. I think the lack of OS maps is a problem for me but as it's a free app it could be a handy addition. 

I looked at the OA app and thought it pants. As I had OS mapping on my desktop I just got the OS app for the phone. It fine for the UK but I had lots of overseas maps on viewranger which I can't get on OS app. Don't need them at the moment but has anyone got any recommendations for Sweden,  Norway and Wyoming/Montana?

At least it brought the issue of map licensing into light. Better read the fine print before paying a hundred quid for a map license tied to one app in the future...

BTW, Swiss Topo just released all of their datasets under Open Government Data policy, free for any use, including commercial. Once travel to the Alps is again a thing, keep that in mind if some outdated app still requires you to buy Swiss tiles. One can only wish OS would do the same with the Leisure maps.

I'm watching this thread with interest. Viewranger is excellent and it's pretty tragic that it's being replaced with something apparently inferior. 

My requirements:

- Reliable

- Fast

- Offline maps

- OS

- Reliable

- Tracking

- Plotting

- The ability to easily share and import gpx points and tracks

- Reliable

And it'd be nice to have the option of Harveys maps as well.

If there's an app that covers all the above I expect our MRT will switch across to it.

If you are fine with OSM maps, Windy maps (of the windy.com weather forecast service) have offline OSM maps of the whole world, downloadable by entire country (no stupid "select a rectangle to download"). And it's free.

Although I find OSM maps somewhat lacking in any craggy terrain myself, unless you stick to a path. Their topography and contours often rely on old less accurate free datasets in most of the world, even if the paths and points are very up to date thanks to users. I certainly wouldn't use OSM in the Alps!

I’ve used Memory-Map for something like 15 years now.

Currently on three devices (five permitted unless they have changed the limit) and still use it at least weekly. On mobile is usually just when out on bike rides, etc., but tablet and pc for recording and planning.

I’ve also a Garmin gps with OS mapping and this links to MM software on pc for transfer of waypoints and routes, printing OS maps, etc.

Has worked well for me, so I have never compared it to any of the others available. 

OSM no thanks.  It may be OK for urban areas but it's hopeless in the wilderness. 

No, it's OpenStreetMap.  Personally I find this better than OS in urban areas (because it shows things like permissive footpaths which OS doesn't in built-up areas), but far inferior in the countryside.

In essence the space it is in is competing with Google and Apple Maps, and it's clearly superior to both - but not so much "proper" OS maps, though it does have some features like them.

Even set to opentopo??
https://opentopomap.org/#map=15/53.07630/-4.04979

Yes. OpenTopo unfortunately uses severely old and inaccurate satellite elevation data with many artefacts (they probably have to, it's likely the only global one publicly released with a compatible license).

My favourite bad example is Matterhorn. Most people here don't remember a giant sinkhole at the summit!

https://opentopomap.org/#map=16/45.97638/7.66129

And if you need stuff like slope angle for planning ski tours in avalanche terrain, inaccurate elevation data can be very dangerous (thankfully there are better free options for Alps).

Yep.  It's just not quite got the accuracy and clarity of OS.  I certainly use it outside the UK though.

Another vote for Memory Map. Had it for years on the PC. Only started using on my phone last year. I've got the UK road atlas, 1:50k and 1:25k which I can zoom in and out off. Works well.👍🏻 Bought the whole of the UK 1:25k for £100 during the first lockdown last year. You can have the maps on three different devices. My partner has the maps on her phone.

Doesn't look bad, although I'd prefer if they included at least OSM as an option. With the 1:250K default basemap, I can't really assess the app's speed and usability with something detailed like 1:25K vector maps without buying a license first. And their map store selection is very limited outside UK, sadly. Not much Alps - no Swiss, no Austria, just IGN.  

But I was quite surprised to see they charge money for map licenses that were released by governments for free use long ago. For example Norway and the US. Charging $30 for a map you can download for free seems a bit excessive. Sure, there is some overhead in collating the data together, but $30? The free OS OpenData maps are missing as well (although I am not sure about their license terms).

What I do like is that I can import custom data in GeoTIFF or other formats (as a paid upgrade). Could be a nice option for using these digitised Soviet secret military maps (which are still surprisingly accurate for some more remote regions) or other sources. But again, can't demo the usability of that, unfortunately, without paying (big detailed GeoTIFF scans can be quite taxing on phones). A trial time-limited version of the paid features would be nice.

Seriously, I am now considering using Locus. It's Android only, which is a big hurdle for me, but at least they seem to stay up to date with open data releases (they just added the free Swiss detailed dataset) and seem to be community minded developers.

After getting ripped off by the OS Maps app being deprecated I asked on here for advice and was recommended Backcountry Navigator Pro. OS mapping for free, although I paid about £12 for the full version. The tiles are from Bing, so not quite as high res as Viewranger. But perfectly adequate, and free.

Yes! The CSC article is very good.

http://www.cumbriasoaringclub.co.uk/kb/osm.php

After reading it i started using Locus a few years ago. I love it. It handles external maps so i use my own OS 1:25 in it.

https://www.locusmap.app/

Geoff Moss who wrote the article is currently writing a book on the subject.

That's an excellent article.

I've been using OruxMaps since I got my Hudl. I've also used Locus and Galileo, but I find Orux easier to use: probably familiarity. Interesting to read that the Spanish mapping agency has adopted it (it's a lot better than the OS app...). The only thing it lacks for me is route edit; entry is good, but there's no way to edit once entered.

I do need to play with vector maps more with it. I downloaded OpenTopoMaps of the Mont Blanc massif area for a TMB trip a few years ago. In GB, I have an OS map set to use.

Orux easyer than Locus!? Il have to give it a try as i already find Locus easy. Its good at adding shading to OS and switching to cached Open Street Map for those paths that OS misses.

My fav OSM rendering available in Locus is 4UMaps https://www.4umaps.com/

Anquet mapping

excellent on Pc and iOS

OK on Mac

subscription model

RouteBuddy also seems to be a thing of the past!

As I said, quite possibly just familiarity. I dont get on with Locus' menu system.