 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Quick question here. Haven't got the cash to fork up for some fancy GPS tracking device but would love to keep track of my speed distance etc.
I've downloaded a couple of apps (Iphone4)
1) Alpine Replay
2) Ski Tracks
Does anyone have any experience using these?
My main worry is that the Iphone battery probably won't last all day whilst running these?
Thanks,
Maybe run into some of you in 2 Alpes this week.
Sn0wSt0rm
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sn0wst0rm, I used Ski Tracks on last season's trips, and my iPhone (3GS) battery lasted all day, no problem. The data seemed fairly accurate as well.
Lapcat
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I used ski tracks on an iphone 4, it drained the battery by 2pm.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Keep the phone inside your coat close to your body heat, batteries die quickly in the cold so external pockets or back-packs are a nightmare.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Make sure you phone is fully charged before you go out, and keep it in somewhere warm like your internal chest pocket. My iPhone 4 runs Ski Tracks fine without draining the battery that much - think it used about 60% but it will be more if it's colder.
Also, there's a setting to disable the app when the battery level gets to a set point e.g. 20% to enable you to still use your phone.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Presumably it only needs the location settings to be turned on?
i.e. I can turn off 3G / Wifi to save on battery?
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sn0wst0rm, we used ski tracks, the battery still lasted all day, it doesn't need wifi or data roaming to be switched on, it's a bit of fun, I got my fastest speed on the bus back to the chalet, I forgot to pause it 
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sn0wst0rm, definitely. It will also save you ££££ in data roaming charges from all your other apps pinging away.
feefee, you're not the only one. I was rather surprised to clock up 60MPH on a day in the Hidden Valley/Lagazuoi, especially as we were taking it easy... until I realised that was in the taxi on the way over!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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homers double, I used ski tracks on my iphone 4 and it didn't drain the battery at all. Lasted all day every day of skiing. However this is only true if you leave it alone and don;t keepo getting it out for photos, GPSing, phone calls, texts etc etc.
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ski tracks- excellent
turn off wifi and blue tooth- lasted all day no probe great maps and data!
ed
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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+1 for ski tracks on a iphone 4s. I have been using tracking apps for many years on a variety of 'smart' phones (Nokia had a sports tracker years ago). Battery lasted all day, including taking photos en-route.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I use Alpine replay, works fine, no problems with battery.
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Ski tracks works fine all day on iPhone 5 as well but I'd echo Scarlet's advice and ensure its fully charged before each days skiing
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You know it makes sense.
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Another +1 for ski tracks. No issue with battery despite using pics etc too and as others said would definitely turn of cellular data!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ski Tracks gets my vote. Switch off roaming to save problem bills. I paused it at lunch break and keep it in an inside pocket. Great App for 
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Poster: A snowHead
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So after a week's worth of testing here's my verdict.
Alpine Replay works fine - however I find it a little annoying that you can't view your stats as you go. You have to upload the runs at the end of the day to get all your stats together whilst SkiTracks provides them all for you right away.
Generally settled on using SkiTracks for most of the week. Battery life wasn't an issue at all (iphone 4 at least 2 years old). Made sure to charge up the night before and closed all other apps / switched off Wifi etc and still the battery rarely dipped below 50% after using it for an entire day. Would recommend keeping in an inside pocket though as iphone died once or twice exposed to the air (although it was -20).
Had an issue on 2 of the days where the stats were totally incorrect - it recorded less than half of what was actually done that day - They were however 2 exceptionally cloudy days so I have put this down to a lack of GPS signal. Not a problem on any of the other days.
The distances skiied (vertical and horizontal) seem to be about what I would have expected. As are the no. of runs and slope angle (although according to the instructions the app records your position every 10m - so not sure this takes into account short steep sections on some of the slopes)
As for speed I have no clue if it is correct or not. Average speed is pretty unreliable to use as a stat as if you're skiing in a group it doesn't take into account waiting times.
As for max speed does anyone have any insight into the sorts of speeds you get up to whilst skiing??
Ski Tracks has me down multiple times for 57mph, the odd 63mph, as well as a one off 71mph - Happy to accept these for bragging rights but seems a bit quick to me???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ski tracks is awesome.
Top speed stay has created some great banter...and fun skiing; if not a little dangerous too
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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We use iPhones here the Uni of bath for a wide range of applications (that's uses, not apps  )
The Security office asked us to look into keeping track of their officers and when we asked our Apple technical contacts they said the iPhone5 and 4S COULD be as accurate as plus or minus 1m, or as out as much as plus or minus 25 metres, depending on the surrounding terrain, height, topography, weather conditions, trees, lack of trees.
We didn't ask them about snow, but I guess the real answer is stuff like Snow Tracks could be used comparatively say between friends skiing the same runs on the same day around the same times, but you wouldn't want to use it as scientific or legal data
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Speaking of vertical accuracy - phones with barometric altimeter are way more accurate on relative altitude change than phones with just a GPS for altitude. I believe barometrical sensor is in all starting from iphone 5 or 5s. Problem with barometrical sensor is - it still relies on GPS for initial altitude (e.g. it can be accurate on delta, but cannot be accurate on absolute altitude value since pressure is always changing...).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just for the sake of transparency... are you a representative of Downhill Smart or did you join the forum and dig up a 5 year old post just out of genuine interest?
The information about the barometric sensor in iPhones is interesting though. I have a 6S and had no idea it had such a thing.
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