Friendly Competition: Shared GPS Tracking for Outdoor Adventures

Sometimes, going out may become boring and overly insipid, especially when one gets used to those activities that seem to be unchangeable. Nevertheless, the latest technologies may enhance and improve any experience with the use of the diverse tools and opportunities they present. The digital may revive what has already turned trite. 

Outdoor adventures, however different they may be, can be easily brought to a new level with location-sharing technologies by your side. So, how exactly can one open-air activity and why is it possible to employ tracking solutions “off-label”?

Why Is it Important to Use GPS Tracking in Outdoor Adventures? 

At first, it may seem obvious that location-tracking technologies may broaden the horizons of the game and offer new opportunities to explore. However, these may give you more than just a new experience but security, safety, and navigation not to mention. Let us quickly take a look at the most common reasons why GPS tracking may enhance your outdoor activities for good. 

Security and Safety: In general, GPS tracking may definitely improve security, since it is to provide location data in real time. If something goes wrong, emergency personnel can find people immediately, speeding up response times and possibly saving lives, too.

Planning and Navigation of Routes: Adventurers find it easier to explore new regions when they use GPS, for sure. Do not know how to find my phone location by number? It makes it possible to plan routes with a high level of accuracy, which helps to ensure a comfortable journey and prevent being lost in the end.

Progress Tracking and Motivation: Those involved in outdoor activities can be motivated as they see their progress in real time (which is actually possible with online tracking only). Thus, one might feel inspired to participate even more when they see the distance traveled and elevation achieved.

Coordination of Groups: What is relatively obvious is that GPS tracking makes group activities easier to coordinate and organize. Keeping in touch and knowing where each other is allows one to rearrange or alter plans as needed on time.

Community Engagement: Besides, those who like this type of lifestyle can share their trips and achievements with friends and online communities via GPS tracking platforms so as to demonstrate their own progress, uplift people, and promote unity.

Let’s Check: Strategies to Choose the Top GPS Tracking App

Step 1. Assess Your Needs

First of all, one should evaluate whether the app is necessary for multisport, bike, or hiking activities. Then, take into account features such as social sharing, trip planning, and offline mapping to make an informed decision that meets your personal requirements and expectations.

Step 2. Evaluate User Experience

Besides, it might be important to seek a user-friendly interface that is simple to comprehend and use. Make sure that the app is compatible with both your mobile and other devices to make this experience more advanced and pleasant.

Step 3. Review Community and Support

What might be also necessary usually involves a thorough analysis of the reviews and the community as a whole. Study reviews to learn about frequent problems and consumer happiness and seek out services with lively community forums and quick customer service only.

Step 4. Consider the Cost

Pricing Models are indeed important for commercial products, so examine and contrast subscription schemes and free vs. premium versions before you opt for a particular application. Do not forget to compare the price to the features that are provided and make sure they are worth the price.

Step 5. Test and Compare

Though location-tracking apps like Life 360 do not represent an extremely sophisticated system, we still recommend that you take advantage of free trials to assess the app's functionality directly and try out several apps to see which one best suits your requirements and expectations.

Quick Safety Tips for Using GPS Tracking When Outdoors

1. Make sure your device is fully charged and updated. 

2. Familiarize yourself with the app’s functions prior to your journey. 

3. Safeguard your personal data and modify the settings to control whom to share your location information with and whom to ignore.

4. Make an emergency plan by adding contacts that can be quickly accessed and bringing a hard copy map and compass with you.

5. Monitor weather conditions and adapt plans in accordance with what weather forecasts say.

6. Stay informed about the well-being of each participant and do not hesitate to help those in need.

Community Engagement: Ideas and Friendly Competition Options

As a bonus, we have decided to present a captivating game called “Adventure Geocaching Challenge” usually taken outdoors that can create stronger bonds between participants, teach them how to act in unusual situations, and check their empathy as well. Geocaching is a true treasure hunt in which players utilize GPS equipment to locate geocaches, i.e., hidden containers, at precise locations designated by coordinates and quick descriptions.

As such, the aim of this game consists in motivating people to go on adventures and find undiscovered places and encouraging exploration and outdoor fitness. Nevertheless, to make this activity more engaging and memorable, one should make sure everyone involved is informed of any possible risks, and pick areas that must be reachable by people of different ability levels. These are the major rules for the organizers to follow. 

So as to start the game, conceal tiny containers filled with souvenirs and logbooks in the pre-selected location, and exchange the coordinates via a website or location-tracking app. To find the geocaches, adventurers should utilize their smartphones and record every discovery by taking pictures and posting them on community forums or social media. So, let the game begin!