What alternative to FATMAP?
The news broke last June. FATMAP has shut down on October 1, 2024, becoming part of the Strava family. So, which mountain and outdoor app should you choose to replace it? We provide the answer in this article.
Are you eager to go hiking, climbing, ski touring, or mountaineering? Whympr offers all the information you need in one app to prepare and share your mountain and outdoor outings. Download the Whympr app for free now on the App Store and Google Play. ⛰️
⛰️ Thank You FATMAP, Hello Whympr
Whympr acknowledges the excellent work done by FATMAP over the years. The British app distinguished itself by its commitment to providing quality maps, particularly its exceptional 3D map. By meeting the needs of its users, the app won the hearts of many mountain enthusiasts. If you're on this page, you might also be using FATMAP. You can continue using it until the end of September because, starting October 1, the mountain app specializing in 3D will no longer exist.
Acquired by Strava, it will completely dissolve into the American company known for enhancing performance, especially in running and cycling. At Whympr, we know that many FATMAP users will be disappointed by this announcement. Besides losing their saved tracks (there's still a way to transfer them, more on that at the end of the article), they'll have to pay more. Indeed, you'll now have to shell out €60 for an annual Strava license to hope to use FATMAP like before. 😨
Is it time to try another mountain app?
Yes! Okay, we admit we’re not very objective. But maybe this is the opportunity for disappointed FATMAP users to try another app? A French mobile application born in Chamonix, for example. You can see where we're going with this... 😇
Why replace FATMAP with Whympr?
Because we’re a friendly little team that loves the mountains.
Okay, not just for that. Whympr is the app that gathers all the essential information to prepare and share your mountain and outdoor outings. It offers a ton of features, including 3D mapping, for hikers, ski tourers, climbers, and mountaineers.
For example, you can find:
- Over 100,000 routes and POIs
- The ability to create and visualize your tracks
- More than 11 map sources, including IGN, swisstopo, open topo map, and Italy...
- 3D mapping
- Offline mode: to use the app even when you have no network
- Weather updates in partnership with meteoblue
- Daily avalanche bulletins updated by official institutions
- Filters to choose your activity based on your level and location
- Professional topos available for purchase in packs or individually: digitized route descriptions created by professional guides
- A filter to protect wildlife and flora during your outings
- A community of enthusiasts sharing fresh condition updates
- And many other cool features found here
All for just €24.99 per year. Who can beat that? 🙏
Try Whympr today! It's free for 7 days so you can test everything before subscribing!
"BONUS and good to know: Léo Slemett uses it for his mountain outings. 😉"
How to retrieve your FATMAP tracks and import them into Whympr?
Yes, as mentioned in the introduction, you can retrieve your FATMAP tracks to import them into Whympr. Here’s what to do:
- Open your FATMAP app
- A pop-up will appear; tap on "Manage My Data"
- Then tap on "Download My Data." The creation of the file may take some time depending on the size of your FATMAP account data
- Once generated, a zip file will be downloaded
- Inside this zip file, you will find all the GPX tracks in the "activities" folder and the "route" folder
- You can then open them on your phone with the Whympr app to store them in your Whympr profile
P.S.: If you open the zip file from a computer, you can email the GPX tracks to yourself to open them later on your phone and upload them to Whympr as indicated above.
And that’s good news, right?
Learn more about the history of Whympr
“The thing to wish for is not that the mountain becomes easier, but that man becomes smarter and stronger.” — Edward Whymper
The practice of mountain sports began with shepherds, hunters, and crystal seekers. They used traditional techniques to navigate rugged terrain. In the 18th century, mountaineering emerged, and in the 19th century, pioneers like Edward Whymper made history, notably with the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. This period also saw technical innovations like hemp ropes, ice axes, and crampons.
Today, digital tools like Whympr continue this legacy by facilitating the preparation of mountain outings while upholding our values: love of the mountains, respect for the environment, democratization of sports practice, and a desire to push boundaries.
When Tim MacLean and Xavier Bougouin envisioned Whympr at the foot of Mont Blanc, the shadow of Edward Whymper's ascents was not far away. Hailing from Chamonix, the founders of Whympr are both passionate about the mountains and descendants of the Devouassoud family (six generations of guides and bell ringers in Chamonix).
“The idea behind Whympr came from our own frustration as mountain sports practitioners. Whether it’s trail running, hiking, ski mountaineering, or climbing in the summer or winter, it’s essential to prepare each outing with the most objective data to start under the best conditions. Practicing a mountain activity, where zero risk does not exist, is not something to improvise; it requires knowledge and experience.
Yet, we couldn’t find a mobile app that met our preparation needs. One had maps, another the weather, yet another had routes, and yet another had avalanche bulletins. Not very practical! As there was nothing on the market, we decided to create it ourselves!
We grew up understanding the vital importance of taking care of the mountains. With a deep admiration for alpine tradition and a desire to make the mountain experience safer and more accessible for all, we embarked on the journey of creating Whympr. Our goal was simple: to provide a practical and reliable solution to help outdoor enthusiasts like us better prepare for and share their mountain outings.” — Tim MacLean, co-founder of Whympr and CEO of the Pahada group.
Download the Whympr app for free now on the App Store and Google Play.
