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Three of the best cycling and outdoor apps for adventurous travellers, for local knowledge, the best trails and to find companions

  • Komoot is a custom route finder for bikers, runners, and hikers, Fatmap is a Google Maps for the mountains, and Guidify takes the randomness out of meet-ups
  • Looking for the best off-piste skiing, some expert local knowledge, or a bike trail for the family? These apps will point the way

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Three apps to help you get the most out of the outdoors: Guidify, Fatmap and komoot. Photo: komoot
Alf Alderson

Any outdoor enthusiast will be familiar with the dilemma of visiting a new area and wondering where the best action is, whether it’s a gentle bike ride or a gnarly off-piste ski line.

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At one time we would have used old-fashioned, bulky guidebooks and maps to find our way, or even better, picked the brains of a friendly local – if we could find one. Today, however, an ever increasing number of smartphone apps can help point you in the right direction.

A recent launch is Guidify (guidify.io; free), which aims to help everyone from cyclists and mountain bikers to surfers and skiers hook up with local riders to find the best routes and trails, as well as après-ride events, bars and restaurants.

Users can also contribute to Guidify themselves as “experts” on their own locality, whether it be to offer guiding or coaching, or to rent equipment; there is also the possibility to chat with fellow enthusiasts, create groups and share photos and favourite activity locations. The app also allows users to share their real time location with friends during their activities.
A screen grab from Guidify, which is available on Android phones and will soon be released for iOS. Photo: Guidify
A screen grab from Guidify, which is available on Android phones and will soon be released for iOS. Photo: Guidify
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“We developed Guidify on the back of real-life experiences and situations,” says Primoz Zajsek, one of the Slovenia-based founders of Guidify. “Often, we would ride our local trails and meet people and riders asking to be shown around. These random meet-ups would then turn into epic riding and sometimes coaching sessions, which would usually end with cold beers and unforgettable memories and friendships.”

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