Any time we’re getting ready to head out into the great outdoors, we’re sure to pack the essentials. We’ve got our tent, sleeping bags, day packs, fire starting gear, cooking essentials and more. But one item that we’ve noticed ourselves relying on more and more as we go adventuring with Mother Nature is our smart phone well-loaded with camping apps.
When we first started using smart phones, the options were pretty limited. Map apps helped us find our campsite and mediocre cameras were only good for grainy pictures, even in the best light. Even when we did find a use for our devices, holding a charge was a major limitation. However, with technology that seems to improve daily, we’ve found that our batteries now often last long enough to keep our phones going throughout most camping trips. If power does start to drop, we’ve had success using devices like the Solio Solar Battery Pack, the Goal Zero Venture 30 recharger and the Biolite Basecamp to recharge our batteries and keep going.
We’ve now filled our pocket-sized computers with a wide variety of apps that enhance our outdoor experience - from photo editing programs that allow us to get the best possible picture of our adventures to star mapping apps that have taught us how to decode the night sky - and whether you use an iPhone or Android device, we’ve brought a list of our favorite camping apps to you.