Best Smartphone Survival Apps

[Michael Strahan]

I don't remember if this has been posted before, but I thought a thread on survival apps for smartphones would be a good discussion here. Some parameters:

1. Let's not hijack the thread into a lament over the erosion of our woodsmanship skills and the need for survival apps. It's one more tool in the shed, and it has a use. Discuss the pros and cons in another thread.

2. The apps must work without Internet connectivity, as most of Alaska is out of the reach of cell service. Until that changes, we need apps that are pretty much completely downloaded into the device and functional without Internet access.

3. Power is an issue, so for sake of discussion, let's assume you only have whatever charge is left in your phone, or that you have a spare power supply along, or that you are charging via solar, thermal or other means. It would be helpful if you know how much juice the app is likely to take though...

If you can post a link and what devices it works on, that would be great!

Thanks!

-Mike

[GrassLakeRon]

US Army survival guides. Red Cross first aide guide. Edible plant guide. I have three whole folders on survival/medical/edible plants.

Ron

[FamilyMan]

smartphone->gps

A 600 dollar smartphone can act as a fine hundred dollar GPS by adding a ten buck Android app (sorry iPhone) called Backcountry Navigator.

It allows multiple map sources and all the normal gps functions.

http://backcountrynavigator.com/

[iofthetaiga]

...I thought a thread on survival apps for smartphones would be a good discussion here. Some parameters:

1. ....Discuss the pros and cons in another thread.

Hmmmmm....:confused:

[FL2AK-Old Town]

iTriage. It's kind of like a web MD. Most of it works (I think-I don't have my ipod handy, I left it at the cabin last week lol) without web connectivity, although with connectivity, it will also find you the nearest medical facility.

Knots3d I like this one A LOT. Has a bazillion different knots and shows a video of how to run the ropes through to tie the knots. My son uses it to learn knots for scouting. It's really useful.

ibooks or pdf reader I use these to catalog and read the USAF Survival Manual (I have the Army one, too.) If you're in it pretty deep, it's probably too late to be reading a manual, but it's there to read if you need it or want to read it ahead of time. It sure doesn't hurt.

[soon2beinAK]

+1 for Knots3D

[Lowrider]

Air Force Aircrew Survival Manual...very comprehensive and much larger than it was in 1968 when I went thru Survival School.

[cod]

A 600 dollar smartphone can act as a fine hundred dollar GPS by adding a ten buck Android app (sorry iPhone) called Backcountry Navigator.
It allows multiple map sources and all the normal gps functions.
http://backcountrynavigator.com/

Avenza PDF Maps for iPhones. Download topo maps for your selected areas which allows you to use your iPhone as GPS unit and has useful tools like... Leaving tracking crumbs on your map..... Or, measuring tracks or distances. It gives you the topo map on your phone when you are out of cell tower range so that your blue 'location' dot is not on a blank screen.
Best of all, this app is F R E E !!
I use it often and have to thank the forum member on this site that gave me the tip on this. I can't recall who that was but I may have to look up that thread to pay him homage.

[FamilyMan]

free app on iPhone? gr8

Definitely do that. Its a chilly day down south when an iPhone app can be had cheaper than an Android one; great job shouting out Avenza. We need to talk well of those that bring us good apps for free; that's the only pay they get!

[cod]

Thanks to cjjeepers for the tip on Avenza PDF Maps. (Hopefully) here's a link to that thread discussing I phone GPS apps..... http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/...iPhone-GPS-App. ( looks like maybe link did not take?) Anyhow, the thread was in the snowmachine section and dated march of 2013 for those who are interested.