The leading hiking app powering outdoor enthusiasts to explore hiking trails around the world, AllTrails, has launched a revamped feature that allows live sharing of an activity.
Formerly called Lifeline, Live Share is a new and improved feature incorporated into the Navigator tool. It pretty much does what it says on the tin – it allows premium members to share their activity in real time with a trusted friend or family member so they can follow along.
This feature offers enhanced peace of mind for the adventurer as they explore the outdoors, as well as their loved ones.
How it Works
AllTrails Live Share generates a unique URL for each session, which can be shared with your chosen contacts via social media, SMS, email, Whatsapp and more. Contacts can follow the real-time location, as well as view interesting key stats, so long as the activity is being recorded.
The URL expires once the activity is concluded, ensuring your privacy and security.
Safety contacts will gain access to a wealth of information via the AllTrails Live Share link, including:
- Real-time whereabouts on the trail.
- The planned route, if preloaded into Navigator.
- Updates on the mileage, pace, and elapsed time.
- The estimated finish time, if set.
- Essential safety details, such as coordinate information and mobile signal strength.
Plus what we love is that your contacts can send encouragement your way as you progress on your route!
Why is This Such an Important Feature?
Beyond the obvious of sharing a precise location in case of emergencies, this new addition addresses a significant concern in the outdoor community: the safety of solo hikers – especially women – who often face unique challenges in the outdoors.
Safety is a primary concern that often deters many women from solo outdoor activities. A recent study by the Outdoor Foundation revealed that while over 50% of women participate in outdoor activities, a significant portion express concerns about personal safety, which can be a barrier to engaging in solo hikes or exploring unfamiliar trails.
Feeling secure and supported knowing a trusted person has eyes on your activity is a significant safety enhancement by AllTrails and could potentially encourage more women to undertake solo hikes, engage with nature, and enjoy the myriad benefits of outdoor activities.
Connectivity Requirements for Live Share
One thing to note is that a stable data connection is vital for the Live Share feature to function.
However AllTrails have handled this nicely, ensuring communication is still maintained at all times, even in these black spots.
Should you encounter areas with poor mobile reception, your contacts will be notified of the connectivity issue and will still have access to your last known location and coordinates.
They also have the option to receive alerts when you’re back online.
Pretty smooth!
Setting Up the AllTrails Live Share Feature:
Interested in giving it a go? Here are instructions how to set up live share in your AllTrails App:
- Open the AllTrails app and select ‘Navigate’ from the bottom navigation bar.
- Tap the ‘Live Share’ button and choose the contacts you wish to share your adventure with. You can either select an app to share through or copy a personal link to send directly via email/SMS/Whatsapp, etc.
- A flashing green beacon will appear on your screen indicating that Live Share is active. For added detail, you can input your estimated end time by tapping this beacon and setting the date and time.
- Your location will be shared once you start recording your hike.
Here’s a video shared by AllTrails about how it works:
AllTrails’ move is timely, reflecting a growing awareness within the outdoor community of the need to make nature accessible and safe for everyone, regardless of gender.
You can learn more about AllTrails Live Share in this support article or download AllTrails from your app store to explore its features.