Maps.me + BadElf GPS on WiFi only iPad Mini, a mini review

Little Product review:

I'm in no way affiliated with either of these companies just like em' and figured I'd share my experience with y'all.

Bad Elf GPS(~$100) and Maps.me(free app) on a WiFi only iPad.

I'm sure plenty of us use Maps.me which is an awesome free app for Android and Apple(I have it installed on my S7 as well)

With Maps.Me you can upload any KMZ file and save them as bookmarks, also has turn by turn voice nav and is a powerful offline maps application. You can download areas of map and the files are relatively small which is nice. Also export Google Maps route files with checkpoints as a KMZ and load it straight to Maps.Me.

With the Bad Elf GPS plugin device you can use any "iDevice" that doesn't have cellular or GPS built in. Even the voice nav works without any WiFi connectivity. I highly recommend this setup to anyone that has an iPad that's just WiFi only or any iPod or whatever you want to use. The GPS Plugin also works with many other apps from Marine, Aviation, to general Mapping Apps as well as their own Bad Elf App which is quite powerful with Speed, Altitude, Lat and Long, etc..

Also they have two plugin options, one for the Lightning cable and also one for the 30-pin connector as well as other Standalone GPS units. Little something for everyone. You can also still charge your device via MicroUSB cable into the Plugin.

You can score the GPS plugin on Amazon for $99.99 on Amazon with Prime.
Maps.Me is free

In my opinion it's worth every penny.

Bad Elf
Maps.Me

 

Thanks for sharing. A similar setup was brought up on the Explores of the Mojave Desert Facebook page and it turned into a fairly animated comment thread. I was surprised at all the different solutions folks have used.

 

I absolutely love it. Just got the chance to really put it through its paces in the Ouachita National Forest. Used it in conjuction with a nice KMZ file I got from a friend of the forest with some great POI's. Kept me goin as I had zero cell service.

 

Nice review!

I considered getting the Bad Elf, but wanted to see how my iPad mini with its internal GPS receiver. My iPad is a carrier model, but I dont use it for that. To my surprised the internal GPS did just fine, even mounted lower on the the dash of the truck.

iPad Mini + Scosche Mount + Gaia GPS software makes getting lost VERY difficult and can help finding new trails/adventures

REALLY bad picture but the setup is really simple and works well. On the trail I mount the iPad. Day to day my phone goes on. Im really surprised how strong the little scosche magnets are. iPad never dropped off once.

 

How do you have the Scosche mount connected to the truck?

 

I stuck it to the small instrument panel below the stereo. I actually have 2. On the road both me and the gf can have a place for our phones.

On the trail one is for the iPad mini the other is for the SPOT GPS device

 

@Chux