My preferred method of navigation is using a smartphone due to the fact they are so easy and intuitive. I can quickly download detailed maps of any country in the world that are easy to move, zoom in and out, and create points of interest on.
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My go-to app for navigation with my Apple iPhone 5S is Maps.me. It’s maps are used with no Internet connection, it’s super straight forward, it includes points of interest and even has offline routing.
In order to save my battery, I never use turn-by-turn navigation or leave the screen on for long periods of time. I like to use KML files which show my routes as lines on maps. I tend to use my smartphone more like a paper map, switching it on/off whenever I need to check if I’m still en route and heading the right way. I can sometimes go for days without a battery charge if I use it in this manner!
I design my routes in various ways (HERE is my tutorial using RideWithGPS), then go about the following process to get the routes into the app.
1. Email the KML/KMX file that I’ve created to myself.
2. Press and hold the KML file for one second, until I can choose which app to launch it from. I select Maps.me.
3. Maps.me opens up and the bookmark loads.
4. I can now view my KML route in my app.
5. If I need to turn the KML route layer on or off, I click the star at the bottom of the screen and that takes me to my bookmarks. This is where my routes live.
