This little cool app is designed for classical orienteering and provides various features to help users find the direction and distance to their desired destinations. It is a versatile tool for orienteering enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers who need a digital solution for navigation. It combines traditional map and compass techniques with modern technology to assist users in finding their way to a specific location.
This is the first app I use when I need a quick insight of the direction and aerial distance to a geographical mark. It's also great for figuring out what village, river, lake or mountain you're looking at in the distance, and how far it actually is. I find this to be a very satisfying and nice tool. But there's a caveat - it only works if you have an internet connection as it relies on online Google maps. It would be fantastic if it could work with offline Google maps, but currently it does not.
Platform
Orienteering Compass & Map is available on Android and iOS.
Main Features
The main features of Orienteering Compass & Map are:
Compass and Google Maps Integration
The app combines a compass with Google Maps and GPS functionality to facilitate classical orienteering. This means you can use it for navigation in outdoor activities where traditional map and compass skills are required.
Compass Guidance
The app includes a compass feature that assists in pointing you in the direction of your destination. You'll need to turn your phone or tablet until the compass needle aligns with the compass orienting arrow. This helps you maintain the correct course.
Map Locking
There's a button that, when clicked, locks the map to the compass. This means the map stays oriented as the landscape, even if you turn your phone or tablet. This feature can be handy when you're on the move and need to keep the map aligned with your direction of travel.
Locking GPS Position
You have the option to lock the GPS position either to the middle of the screen or the middle of the compass. This can be useful for keeping track of your position relative to your destination.
Ruler Feature
The app includes a ruler on the direction of travel arrow, which can help you measure distances on the map. You can toggle this feature on or off as needed.
Using the App
When the app is launched, you have the option to calibrate the compass:
This is an example of using the app in action on the mountain, we can clearly locate the lake and the village in the distance and the aerial distance to them:
The control buttons are explained on the apps website.
Rating
As of October 2023, the app has been downloaded 100K+ times on Google Play, but the user rating is not available. It has a rating of 4.4 on the Apple App Store.
Pricing
Orienteering Compass & Map is free on both platforms, without ads.
