The Great Outdoors may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about downloading iPhone apps. But for rugged types that revel in all that is the outdoors, apps can make enjoying time off the beaten path a whole lot easier, safer and fun.
Whether it’s tying the perfect knot to secure your kayak or locating the best path down a mountain, we’ve found five essential apps to have when you trek and travel on your fresh air adventures.
The American Heart Association Pocket First Aid & CPR
Safety is no accident. Cliches aside, you can’t deny the importance of having safety information at the ready during crisis situations. Created by the American Heart Association, this app features 34 videos and 46 high-resolution illustrations designed to help you in the event of an emergency. From applying tourniquets to aiding choking victims, this app gives the latest American Heart Association approved techniques for administering aid to adults, children and infants. There is also an enhanced medical profile section that allows you to store, share and access your insurance, doctor, allergy and other information.
Price: $1.99
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All Trails Trail Maps
There is nothing more frustrating (and potentially dangerous) than following incomplete and inaccurate trail maps on your outdoor excursions. Offering an exhaustive online database of trails and trail reviews, the AllTrails app is invaluable if you are looking to make your way around the less beaten path. Think of it as Google maps for the off road set. Download it and you can access over 40,000 trail guides for everything from hiking and mountain biking to fly fishing and snowshoeing. The program also allows you to read reviews by others, share photos and keep a log of your latest adventure. The smartest feature of all? AllTrails’ mobile apps cache content on your device allowing you to access the maps even when you don’t have a signal.
Price: Free
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Bear Grylls – Bear Essentials
Described as the “ultimate, hands-on survival tool from the ultimate survivor” the Bear Essentials app is brought to you by the man who turned urine consumption into a cottage industry. It’s an entertaining blend of hands-on survival advice, interactive instruction manual and wilderness games and quizzes. Grylls takes all his survival training and know-how from the British Special Forces, the French Foreign Legion, the Scouts and countless expeditions into the wild and puts them together in this easy-to-use app. In addition to survival information, this multimedia app features mini-games, quizzes, quotes and interactive tools based on the Bear Grylls method of survival in the wild.
Price: $2.99
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What Knot To Do
Having trouble deciding between a Timber Hitch or Offshore Swivel Knot? What Knot to Do is an invaluable guide to creating the appropriate knot for individual situations. With 70 different knots in six categories, the app features step-by-step tying instructions for knots designed to meet every outdoor need imaginable. Each knot is referenced to the Ashley Book of Knots, long considered the bible of knotting. Knots can be viewed by category, in a single alphabetical list, or saved to a group of your own favorites for quick access. The illustrations and step by step written guides make it easy to learn to tie the perfect knot. Best of all, it’s free. What’s knot to like about that?
Price: Free
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My Nature Animal Tracks
From grizzly bear to gecko, My Nature Animal Tracks will help you identify what type of wildlife has recently passed through your vicinity. The app features a database with 7 search-able track categories, and 5 search-able categories for scat, fully illustrated by size
and shape for quick selection. It also includes illustrations of both fore and hind feet, with a complete description of track measurements, gait patterns used trail widths and animal life cycles.
Price: $6.99
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360 Panorama
Looking for a way to accurately catalog your adventures in a way that captures the beauty of your surroundings? The Panorama 360 app allows you to take stunning 360 panoramic images by turning your basic iPhone camera into a full featured 360 degree panoramic camera. The process is pretty simple. Pan the camera and the program stitches your scenery into a seamless 360 view. Easily capture impressive panoramas in seconds and instantly share the images with the world.
Price: $0.99
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