App Review: Footpath Route Planner

Every once in a while, Strava will offer a free trial its paid app—with all of the bells and whistles.  Personally, I find that Strava is great for tracking miles and keeping an eye on how many miles I’ve put on my favorite shoes, but I’m not connected to a whole lot of users, so I don’t really use it as a social media app.  But there was one extra feature that I loved on the paid version: the routes feature.  I loved that I could pull up a map of any area and create my own path.  When I had my free trial, I played around with it and saved a few routes, but I didn’t think it was something I’d use enough to make it worth the extra monthly fee.

And then I found Footpath. 

Footpath Route Planner is a free app that, like the Routes feature in Strava, allows you to explore different routes. You can draw and erase and edit your route, and the app will tell you the distance and also an overview of the elevation of your route. You can then play it back, so you can follow along on your walk. And if you find a route that you like, you can save it for later (the free version allows users to save up to 5 routes).

I happen to have a huge, maze-like neighborhood not far from me, so I was eager to give it a try to create a route through the jumble of random streets and cul-de-sacs. I tried different paths down different streets until I came up with a decent distance—a little over 4.5 miles, without any crazy elevation changes (because that neighborhood is called The Hills for a reason!)—and decided to give it a try.  I didn’t save the route—I figured I’d try a test-walk first. Even without saving the path, though, I could watch my little dot move along the route, preparing me for the next turn.

I would have loved more step-by-step directions, but that, of course, is a paid feature—as is the ability to download maps and view them offline, which would be helpful for some out-of-the-way places I know. If you would use those features regularly, though, the Elite subscription isn’t ridiculously expensive. Currently, the Elite membership is $24 annually or $4/month.

Still, I have to say that I was absolutely thrilled to find this app. Whether you’ve got a big, confusing neighborhood nearby or you travel a lot or you just want to keep changing it up with new paths, this is a great way to explore new routes. You can definitely go more in-depth with the app—especially if you’re ready to pay for the Elite service—but I was pretty happy with just the basic features. 

Pros:
– Allows you to draw, erase, and edit your route
– Shows distance (and is pretty accurate, too)
– Shows elevation, so you won’t end up with any hilly surprises
– Uses GPS to follow your route while you walk
– Allows you to save up to 5 routes for free, so you can use them again later
– Allows you to follow the path in reverse, too, if you want to change it up
– When saving, you can choose a variety of different activities—including biking, hiking, and skiing—so you can use it for all of your favorite activities
– Allows users to record their path as they go, using GPS
– Can connect to Apple Watch, if you happen to have one

Cons:
– Things like downloading routes and step-by-step playback are only available for Elite members
– Limited connection options for other types of smart watches (can use third-party software to share paths with apps like Strava, though I haven’t tried)

You can download Footpath in your app store, and you can find more information at Footpathapp.com.