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Review: Komoot’s app based route planner claims to be world’s best

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Based in Berlin and first launched in 2010, Komoot was created to provide cyclists and hikers with an advanced route planning and navigational tool. In the years since, their iOS and Android based platform has added features and greatly expanded the coverage area to now include North America. The multi-layered system has steadily gained usefulness in large part to open-source data collection and a growing community of users.

The Komoots app can help plan mountain or road rides.

Whereas many mapping systems only indicate roads and trails, Komoot goes a step further and suggests ideal courses based on a number of user-specific variables. The route selector can factor in fitness level, road surface, and it can accommodate custom inputs like scenic views, points of interest, restaurants, or other mid-route waypoints. One unique attribute is the ability to incorporate a mix of paved and unpaved roads, as well as fold in pathways, bike lanes, and trails. Each suggested route is accompanied by an elevation profile and can be viewed in a number of different map formats from topographical charts to satellite imagery overlays.

Once a course has been chosen the navigation and recording features are activated which include clear and audible voice commands for turn-by-turn directions, and a large readout to display time, distance, and other real-time metrics.

In order to make the platform as robust and useful as possible, users can also import existing GPX files, or share recorded tracks with other members of the Komoot community. Users of Garmin devices can connect to the Komoot app for added accuracy and additional data gathering. For riders pushing further afield, the regional maps can be downloaded for use offline. The app and the first regional download are free with additional segments available for only $3.99. If you want to purchase the entire Komoots inventory of maps, that can be had for $29.99.

Initial Impressions

Komoots offers map views with multiple layers and viewing options

I am fortunate to live in a part of the United States where our mountain bike trail system grows by the week. As such, many mapping systems are slow to keep up. I was shocked to see the Komoots database included trails added to our network in just the last few months. On the downside, most of the trails visible on the Komoots map are not labeled by name or number, listed only as a line designating a trail.

For road or mountain bike riders headed off to an unknown area, the route suggestion features are impressive and advanced enough as to recommend rides with low traffic and high fun factor, but there isn’t much additional information provided. Another quibble was the lack of specificity with well-known route and trail system names. If you’re looking to find the Lunch Loop trails on the edge of Grand Junction, Komoots won’t likely know it by name. For those applications apps like MTB Project might be the better solution.

Users can add waypoints and specific destinations on the Komoots app.

Komoot is an impressive system with an easy-to-use interface and a great deal of functionality. To get maximum utility out of the route planning features some practice is required, but even the most reluctant technophobes will take to it quickly. As good as Komoots is, it isn’t perfect, but when used in conjunction with other apps like MTB Project and ROAM, I find I can quickly plot my next ride with no concerns of getting lost—unless that’s the plan.

komoot.com

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stef
stef
6 years ago

link to the site at the end is miss-typed 😉

Paul
Paul
6 years ago

It uses Open Street Maps, not Google, so no Street View, and crummy Satellite imagery. This makes RideWithGPS.com vastly superior. I’ve tried both… there is no competition, RWGPS is much better.

Sam
Sam
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul

maybe for roads, OSM is vastly superior for trails

O. Tan
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul

There’s an option to use Google but it’s still in Beta and I find it interesting that OSM and Google Map has slightly different maps.

Spanholz
Spanholz
6 years ago
Reply to  O. Tan

Why? OSM data is completly open-source and often crowd-sourced. Google is closed-source there is really no reason to contribute. OSM is so much better for cyclists.

Luzandro
Luzandro
6 years ago
Reply to  Paul

I’m afraid you have to blame Google for the crummy satellite imagery, as they are the source in this case. The main focus of komoot is hiking and leisure cycling where OSM typically has much more map data than google

O. Tan
6 years ago

I use Komoot and for the most part it works, though they’re certain sections where I am unable to get it to route properly due to the road on OSM seems to be updated wrongly/messed up cause if I were to use Google Maps, it’ll route those road perfectly.

Thomas
6 years ago

Komoot works mostly perfect. I plan all new rides with it and love the integration with my Wahoo Elemnt.

Art
Art
6 years ago

I just tried it, and it routed me on a dirt road bypassing all the best trails. MTB Project doesn’t even have a route builder and their data here is worse than an old National Geographic paper map. I can create the best route on singletrack using Trailforks with trail info and a route builder all in one interface. Load it on my Garmin as an overlay with the entire trail system in the background. I can even build a route using the heatmap showing me the most often ridden trails to include in my route. As a mountain biker I just dont see much use for this tool or those pintrest style project sites.

Nick
5 years ago

You can’t use the app offline and that is a HUGE flaw. Let’s say you go on a bike trip and you don’t know where you will end up that day. If there is no internet it’s impossible to plan the next route. You can’t plan a route from point A to B if you don’t have an internet connection. Other apps like OsmAnd+ can do this with ease, I don’t see why Komoot can’t do this. I have all the regions downloaded on my device. Just bought the full package and I’m pretty disappointed with it.

Frans Ton Van den Dungen Haas
Frans Ton Van den Dungen Haas
4 years ago
Reply to  Nick

So am I . Very disapointed.

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