Topo Maps + app review: a great tool to plan and prepare for your hiking adventure 2021

Introduction

Topo Maps + by Stephen Johnson is an navigational iPhone maps app that helps you plan and experience your next big outdoor adventure. The maps app has a lot of different options for you to create your own route: just trace a line over a map and share this map with your friends. 

Within the top maps app for iPhone and iPad, you will need to upgrade to get access to the zoomed-in version of any map, as without subscribing to the services the app has to offer, you can only zoom in on country level.

This is by far not good enough to be able to trace a map and use it. There are plenty of different subscription offers for you to have enough choice to pick what you actually need. 

For more details on the features and functions of this maps app, keep reading our Topo Maps + app review below.

How Do I Prepare For My Next Outdoor Adventure?

First of all, you will need to pick a destination, with which the app will not be able to help you. After you know where you want to go and hike, you can trace a path on the map.

The app also allows you to add waypoints on this map, which will easily show you the different distances of your hike and between the waypoints. You can download this map straight away and make it available for you offline, in case you go into the wilderness where no signal is available.

In case you’re worried something might happen to your device, like the battery running out, this app allows you to easily print the map you just created as well.

Lastly, you can easily share the map you’ve made with email, Facebook and Twitter, as well as copy it for later use on your device. 

Different Subscriptions and Offerings

To use Topo Maps +, you will need to have a subscription. Regrettably, there is no way to test this app properly without subscribing, so it is very hard for me to say if you should or not.

There are four different ways to subscribe to the app. You can get the Base Maps Subscription, which is available for six months for $4.99 and for 12 months for $7.99. This contains both the basic US Topo map and the Thunderforest map.

The second pack is the All Maps Subscription, which contains a shaded version of the US Topo map, as well as a terrain and satellite map. This subscription will put you back $9.99 for six months and $14.99 for a year.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Create your own hike
• Print out your map
• Share your map with friends

Cons

• You must subscribe to use the app

Conclusion

This is a very hard one for me to suggest or not. It’s hard to say if this app is good for you. I suggest that you download and play around with the map, and if you feel comfortable, go with the cheapest subscription first and see if this works for you. The app works with both iPhone and iPad.