GAIA (With Offroad Navigation) for CarPlay is finally live!

[MarkY3130]

I just signed up for the Gaia premium level. It has taken me a few hours of video and reading here and there and some hands-on operation to understand this program.....but now I am getting this. It will take a few hours to learn your way in.....but there is allot here to pick from. I can now look at hundreds of "overlay" maps. Select the map(s) I want to use and then use them up on my screen. I can even print a paper map in case things go south and I need to use a "real" map and a compass to find my way.

A couple of the overlay maps of value to us off-roaders are:
MVUM. (Motor Vehicle Use Maps)
USFS Classic
USFS Roads and Trails
USGS national Map
some of the state maps (deer hunting areas, moose, etc)
Shaded Relief areas (shows the elevation changes)
Satellite with Lables
Gaia Topo (feet) Base Map

With any or all of these maps.....I can determine when (and how much) detail I want added to my base map. Pretty phenomenal.

I still got allot to learn......but I think I am now at that "AHAH!" moment with this program. I think this is gonna be my new best friend. .

My advice.....do your homework. Watch some YouTube operational videos. Find the most recent content so as to not confuse yourself. Work with it........and you will like this mapping too! I am quickly becoming an old dinosaur......and I'm not very tech savvy.. So if I can do it......you young whipper-snappers are golden.

It took me a while to realize I could not use my iPad with this app. Maybe not all bad....as my iPhone is much smaller and will serve the same purpose. I think I can use my iPad for other purposes.....but may not need to clutter my dash with another screen as the Apple Car Play and Gaia solve that issue very nicely. Life is good.

Edit: Also have learned to use my Mac Book to make the trail paling maps.....and then save them. Once done....all my devices will have the maps of interest. Funny thing.....you cannot find all this information in one place......and it does not come easy. Spend some time with this.......it's worth it!

Remember to download maps for offline use. You likely figured it out, but when you download them it downloads that layer only, not all layers. So you have to select the one(s) you want.

I’ve never tried with my iPad, but I have one of those phablet sized iPhones and it works pretty good. Connected with CarPlay I have one zoomed in so it follows pretty tight to where I am on the trail, and I leave the other zoomed out showing my whole route so I can follow my progress. Everyone’s use case is different but that how I use it.

When downloading gpx files of trails/routes, I do all that on my phone. It’s a little confusing at first but pretty simple. I get my trails typically from trailsoffroad or funtreks4x4 websites. Click on the download gpx link and in the upper right hand corner a downward pointing arrow appears. Click on that and then click on the file you downloaded. It will open up as gibberish. At the top right is the square with the upward pointing arrow, click that and then click on the Gaia app icon (Gaia must be installed ahead of time).

Then it will show up in the Gaia app in the ‘saved’ folder. You can then work with it in the app and organize it from there.

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[Burt]

GAIA is great, but not perfect. Found several new off road trails with GAIA maps, that don’t all show on my JL nav scree or Garmin NUVI. Most are on my Garmin InReach, but having GAIA being Car Play ready makes it nice that I can use on my JL or FJ as they both have Car Play.

As previously said, it will take awhile to get up to speed with GAIA.

 

[Foggy47]

I have found a few good video's on the GAIA system. I'm still learning.....so I am watching some basic stuff on this. It's becoming more clear the more things I watch.

Heres a good intro with a guy driving a Honda (grin):

Not a bad video actually. He just has somewhat low clearance and traction ability....but know what he is doing with it. I do think the premium membership is worth it (which he discusses at the beginning) and I pay $35 / year for the premium membership. Do your own research here....but we are not talking huge sums of money for what you get.


And...if you like what you just say and are a bit more tech.....this video will tell you more:


As been said....this program is not the end all.....but it can improve on what we have for a modest cost. So far......I'm liking what I have seen / learned.

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