App: Hiking

Re: the 5 data screens to be seen while recording

I just got my Garmin FR235 in January. I love it for many reasons, but am still struggling with why I wanted it in the first place: ie, I archery hunt and hike around in the woods and would like the GPS to show me somewhat where I am and how to get back via the breadcrumbs, at a quick glance. I do have a Rhino 530, but with all the gear, it's a pain to get out and use. Therefore, the "Hike" is what I'd generally like to use. But, I can't seem to get all these data screens you refer to. Can you step me through the processes to both record the trip on my FR235, see the different pages there, then upload to a file (I've yet to find) on the Galaxy tab S2 as well as desk windows computer, Garmin Express or Connect IQ, or ? But, mostly, just how to make the app work out in the woods. Can you help me? (All I see on my watch is the one screen that starts you off on the breadcrumb trail, with some long-lat numbers, and I can't really tell if the up-down buttons, then start button does anything at all, though I haven't tried it on a trip as yet.) Thanks for whatever help you can give a newby.

Thanks for whatever help you can give a newby.

Ok, he's how it works. (the basics)

When you start it up, in addition to the title, version and time at the top, you'll see "Waiting for GPS". This is when Hike's turned on GPS and is waiting for a "usable" GPS fix. You want to be outside for this to happen.

The screen will then change to "Press Start!". (this it the top right button) When you press start, the recording of your Hike beings.

The first screen you'll see shows the elapsed time, recorded time, distance, the number of waypoints you've marked of the 25 available, as well as the battery level. By pressing the up or down button (the two on the lower left), you'll move through the various screens. One shows pace and speed, one steps and calories, one cadence, and then there is one that lists the waypoints you marked with the direction and distance to each one, then a chart (I'll explain that one in a bit), then one with your elevation info, and then one with your current lat/lon, as well as the lat/lon where you started, and it's distance and direction.

To mark a waypoint, press the back button (lower right button). (you'll see it on the "waypoint list" page I mentioned above, and it will rotate through the list if you have more than one screens worth)

The chart page shows you graphically whats happening. There is a blue dot - this is where you started, and one or two letters with a green background. This is your current location and current heading (it's GPS based, so you have to be moving for it to show your heading correctly). Then there is a line. It will start out as a straight line, but then start "bending", as every minute (by default) I save the location you are at, and use that in drawing the chart. You will also see empty or full circles along the way. This is where you marked a waypoint. If it's empty, you marked it but haven't returned to it. If it's full, it's a waypoint you've returned to. (you also get a vibration and a message when you are approaching a waypoint). This screen consumes a lot of battery power with all the drawing, so after 5 minutes (the default), it will change back to the main screen to conserve battery.

All this time, your hike is being recorded.

If you press "start" again, you'll see a menu with three options - "Resume","Save", and "Discard". At this point the recording is paused, so if you stop to take a break, it won't record that. This is also why on the first screen there is "elapsed time" and "recorded time". You could have been hiking for an hour (elapsed time=1:00), but taken a 10 minute break (recorded time=0:50). If you select "resume", recording starts again and you're on your way.

If you select "save" after pressing start, the recording is stopped and hike is saved, and you get a summary screen with your time, distance, etc. If you select "discard", the recording is stopped and NOT saved.

This "recording" is a .fit file that gets uploaded to Garmin Connect when you sync. From Garmin Connect, your hike will show up as an activity, where you can view the map of were you went and look at your various numbers. Also, if when viewing the map in Garmin Connect, you turn on "laps", there are lap marks to indicate where you marked waypoints.

There are app setting for hike, where you can choose the format you want for lat/long, a black or white background screen, and various times and timeouts. You can also change between recording something as a hike to recording it as a walk from "hike" itself before you press "start" the first time. (using the up or down buttons) The only real difference is how the activity is labeled in Garmin Connect.

That's it in a nutshell!

Re: the 5 data screens to be seen while recording

Thank you so much! I printed out your procedures and will try them when the weather breaks enough to get out for a good trial. Thank you again for a comprehensive instruction. . .

Lock Buttons

Hello all....

I love this app, it works great and has all the info I need while hiking. Is there a way to lock the buttons on the watch while using this app, though? With cold weather gear on, the buttons always get pressed accidentally and result in the activity pausing or resetting. Usually, I'd press and hold the up arrow on my device (235) but that just scrolls through the screens on this app. Am I missing something?

Nope, there is nothing in the app to lock the keys, and the standard "lock" on the 235 can't be accessed with Connect IQ apps.

I have been using this great app a lot. So thanx again.
Is there a "take me home" button and a digi-conpass/arrow -function? Going on a trip to eastern europe and I can neither spell nor write the streets. But would be fun to explore the town and find back 2 hotel.

On the screen with your current lat/lon, there is also the lat/lon of where you started, along with it's direction and distance. And on the "chart" page, your starting location is the blue dot.

There is another app in the store called "find my car", that allows you to save a starting location and later get the distance and direction back to where you started, but I don't have plans to add that to hike. (I'm at the point where I have to start watching memory usage in the app)

Ok, fair enough 😊

Thanx for the tip...I will check out "find my car"

No new version of hike quite yet, but it's not the same!

behind the scenes, it's been changing.

First of all, I cleaned up a few things in the code, that you don't see, but I do! :)

I also removed a few app-settings that didn't make sense since hike started marking spots (crumbs), and also changed what happens after they run out (it can happen after a 10hr+ hike!)

But I added new app settings, so that you can hide screens you don't want to see (Users suggested this one)

I'm looking at supporting a couple other devices, but no promises!

I still have a couple of other user requests I'm looking into, but if you have something you really want that may not be on the list, please post it!