MapZest
GPS Tracking, Field Surveys & Hiking Maps
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MapZest - GPS Tracking, Field Surveys & Hiking Maps

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MapZest is a versatile mobile GPS tracking and GIS survey app for Android. Perfect for GIS mapping, hiking, and tracking travel routes. Key Features: • Background GPS: Battery-efficient path tracking even with the screen off. • Geotagged Media: Stamp coordinates & timestamps on photos (saved in EXIF tags). • Offline Maps: Cache up to 10,000 tiles (satellite/terrain) for offline navigation. • GIS Exports: Save paths in GeoJSON, KML, and ESRI Shapefile formats.

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Hi Product Hunt! I'm the maker of MapZest. We built this app to tackle common mobile GPS tracking issues—like severe battery drain, coordinate drift on budget devices, and losing maps when off-the-grid. By implementing smart GPS noise filtering, MapZest keeps path tracking smooth and lightweight. We have packed it with useful features for outdoor, travel, and field work: • Geotagged Photos: Embed coordinates and project details directly on your photos. • Live Location Sharing: Broadcast your real-time position to your team or family. • Offline Work: Cache satellite/terrain maps and queue data when off-the-grid. • Workspaces & Follow Track: Organize your surveys and follow pre-planned routes. • Map Measurements: Calculate distance, path length, and use the crosshair map tool. I would love to hear your feedback, thoughts, or any features you'd like to see next!

The offline caching is great for trail use, but it would be super helpful to have a way to record voice notes pinned to specific GPS points during a survey. Sometimes you spot something interesting while walking and pulling out the phone to type feels clunky when your hands are cold or dirty.

Have been looking for something like this, the offline tile cache is a nice touch. One thing that would really help me out though, add GPX export alongside the GeoJSON and KML. A lot of the hiking and cycling apps I use still default to GPX, so being able to drop a route straight into those would save a lot of converting.

The offline tile caching is a lifesaver when hiking in spotty coverage areas, and the GeoJSON export saved me from manually reformatting data for QGIS later. Nice to see battery use stays reasonable too.