Sanitas review: Peakfinder Earth app
I recognise the Eiger, the Kleiner Mythen and of course the Matterhorn. But what’s that mountain over there? The Wetterhorn, maybe? I’m not sure.
How it works
As I frequently go hiking in the mountains, I often find myself wondering which mountain I can see in the distance. To find out, all I have to do is get my smartphone and open PeakFinder. At the tap of a button, the app determines my location via my mobile’s GPS chip. Then peakFinder displays a 360° panorama with all the mountain summits. It’s the Wetterhorn!
The mountains are shown as contours, like the panorama boards posted on many popular mountain peaks. The data is downloaded when you first start the app and requires storage space of around 40 MB. You can then use Peakfinder offline with an internet connection – worldwide. Wherever you are.
Summary
For keen hikers, the app is a handy way of identifying all the nearby mountain summits.
My rating
Pros
- Quick and very easy to use
- Big database of over 650,000 mountains
- Displays 360 degree panorama over 300 km
- Can be used worldwide
- Easy offline use
Cons
- Compass function is practical but not always accurate
- Subject to charge. You have to pay CHF 5 to download the PeakFinder app
