Backpacker App Reviews

Doesn’t not work well on new phones. Text is huge and there is a ton of wasted screen space. Appears to be optimized for the iPhone 5.

I’ve been trying to read an issue for 15 minutes now, and the app has crashed 4-5 times. I noticed many other comments about issues with the app, so it appears that Backpacker just doesn’t care.

Upon opening the app I get about two minutes of scrolling and reading and blink it just disappears! When I first subscribed I could read an entire article but it won’t stay open for a single product review or story of an epic hike. Don’t invest in this app until fixed!!!

Despite the fact that I am a print & digital subscriber for years, app wont recognize and download issues the last few months. BACKPAKER magazine wake up and understand that ZINO, as a 3rd party curator of your digital presence, is failing you and your subscribers! This reflects very poorly on the publisher and could cause me to cancel altogether. Fix? Help?

Subject says enough. Cancelling subscription for refund of remaining, ad-choked issues.

I love Backpacker. It’s the only magazine I really enjoy reading. Great articles, amazing photography, and advertising that actually appeals to me. Sadly, this electronic version is so bad. I’ve had issues with my subscription since day one (which was more than 2 years ago). The main problem is that no matter what, every single time I open the app, it prompts me to restore my purchases, and so, I click the “ok” button and it tells me that it’s restoring and will take a few minutes. Also, at the top of the app home screen, there is always a banner that says something like, “Want to read issues? Subscribe.” But, wait...I thought I had already subscribed? Hmm... I even canceled and resubscribed at one point, in an effort to “reset” the problem. I could go on, but I won’t. Simply put, I highly discourage anyone from downloading this app. Guess it’s time to go with the paper subscription (which kind of defeats the purpose for most of us nature-loving Backpackers, don’t you think?). Ugh.

Continues to crash on my iPad after a few pages. It won’t even work on my phone

Had a few issues a month ago but subscription services was able to fix it for me. I like being able to read issues on my phone whenever I get a free moment.

The app never works properly and it is extremely frustrating because I don’t always receive my magazine in the mail either, so having both a digital and paper subscription hasn’t proven to be that effective or worth it. Ugh!!!! PLEASE FIX THE APP!!!!!!

The most current version of this app crashes so it is useless. Update: it has been over a month since the app developer was notified of the crashes and they have not fixed it yet. Backpacker magazine should be ashamed of the workable support. They need to find a new app developer.

I love this magazine and prefer it to be digital Please fix it been missing out on 3month of magazines now It doesn’t work on my iPad which is where I read it. I have the subscription through iTunes.

Can't read my magazine because it crashes all the time.

I will not renew the subscription. The app has to restore every time it is opened. The continual crashing is very irritating when trying to read an article

Backpacker magazine is phenomenal! Stunning photos, great info, the works. The app, however, has been a heap of steaming garbage for ages and it seems to just get worse. I subscribe digitally, even though it’s a bit more expensive. I do this to try and cut down on waste and make the content easier to access (even while on the trail). The app is not optimized for current phones (and hasn’t been for sometime) it’s also buggy as all heck. Backpacker, please, oh please, update your app to be worthy of the content you put into it! If it doesn’t get updated soon, I’ll have to unsubscribe.

I have a brand new iPad Pro and this app cannot even stay open long enough for me to read an article.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A SUBSCRIPTION. After the problem below was briefly corrected, the app is now completely worthless again and showing only advertisements. Backpacker is such a great magazine, but this is an absolute ripoff. I expected so much more from this publication. ******* Have subscribed to Backpacker for years. No more. As others pointed out months ago (still with no fix) the app will only display ads; articles will not render and text never appears. Completely unusable and worthless.

I have always loved the magazine but now the app crashes every few pages and I’m losing my mind.

Active subscription. Have not been able to see any magazines for 4 months. Yes I follow the instructions.

The App keeps crashing. I get a few pages in, the App locks, then crashes. I’ve updated iOS and the App, but to no avail. Don’t waste your money!

I’m one of many that can’t download previously purchased magazine issues.

I believe a magazine app that features subscriptions is supposed to allow you to download magazines. The makers of this app disagree with me. Update: I received a response to my review from the developer stating that if I had troubles I should hit the "need help" button. Thanks for the response, I had done that, and thankfully after a week of emails I was able to download issues. That doesn't address my key point: the app should work from the start. I've updated my title to address the developers response and gave them an extra star for having worked with me to get my downloads working. Another issue with this app is that it used to be an interactive version of the magazine, now it's just a nice scan of the pages.

Please fix the app - it just does not work. Love the magazine.

The app is horrible. I purchased the digital version of the magazine but the app doesn't allow you to read the articles. Don't waste your money.

I'm a relatively new subscriber and love the material as well as the app. I use it on my phone and my iPad and seems fine. My only complaint in the month that I've been a subscriber is that it would be nice for the app not to refresh to the main screen and lose my place when I need to close it to do something else for just a few minutes.

App crashes and closes repeatedly. App description should also clarify that a subscription to the paper copy does not grant you access to digital reading, but this information isn't mentioned.

This app is not optimized for the iPhone Plus, and thus it's content is enlarged and blurry. I assumed apps like Backpacker would be better on the larger screen of the iPhone plus, but instead they are worse. Instead of being able to view more content, the buttons take up much more of the screen and everything is pixelated.

I love this magazine and used to love the app. Then after November my issues stopped coming, and then the latest update doesn't even allow me to open the app any more. The "app support" button just takes you to a general webpage without any app support listed. I want to love it again. Please get it fixed. Just wanted you to know I cancelled my subscription until you get this fixed (if you do)

The magazine is fine, however, a recent app update wiped out my library and I am still attempting to restore. I believe paper subscription is a more reliable delivery at this point.

This app used to work fine but not anymore. I will cancel my subscription and get the issues free by borrowing from my local library.

The app is buggy, takes forever to load, and loses your place when you exit. It makes the reading experience a lot less enjoyable. Too bad.

Love the magazine. App requires restoring purchases but doesn’t recognize your subscription.

As others have noted the app is a total waste. I have both the print and digital subscription. The app doesn’t allow me to read a digital magazine. I have called and texted technical support numerous times without ANY response. As far as I can tell, there is no technical support for the digital subscription - at least no one has responded to my emails. Such a shame that a great magazine like Backpacker allows this to occur. Really damages their brand!

As stated by others there are definitely bugs with downloading issues. Currently working with customer service to figure things out. I will be switching to print once the subscription runs out.

Ever since I renewed this app opens for Apple products with difficulty. Always wondering if it will open when I want to read. If this is not fixed by the time my subscription is up I will not renew.

Every month there a new issue and a new problem with the app. It’s always has to restore on every open and this month nothing is restoring. Very disappointed I give it till the end till I cancel

I love the magazine, but the app is horrible. It always wants me to restore my purchases, even though I don’t need to. The only way to stop it is to delete the app and redownload it. After the app is updated or iOS is updated, it starts all over again.

The most current version of this app crashes so it is useless.

The app crashes every time I try to open it. I have not been able to enjoy my subscription. This is the worst experience I have ever had with a digital magazine I have not been able to get new issues since November. I feel that I have my money stolen when I purchased this.

especially when trying to update account info

This app is complete garbage. I can't believe it took them 5 months to "fix" the previous version, and this new version is worse than the previous version. It crashes. It crashes. Wait for it....CRASHED! Now I have to wait another 5 months before they fix it, which means my subscription will be finished. What the h*** happened to product testing? No, just put the c*** out. It's not App Development's problem to deal with customer feedback so no skin of their backs. You know what, I'll just wipe my b*** with the Nov issue of Backpacker Magazine since they care about the c*** they expect me to take.

My iPad crashes each time I attempt to open it...the previous version wouldn't allow me to view issues after Nov 2016.

After last update your issues are gone and it will ask to restore purchases. Never happens.

Can not get the app to work. I love Backpacker, but between this and their poor performing website, it is frustrating.

I have been a Backpacker subscriber for a couple of decades, started with the print issue. Was excited when the mag went digital. This new app is terrible! Purchases will not restore and the app crashes constantly. Do us all a favor and either fix the app or pull it entirely to end the needless frustration.

The magazine was great!!! But the app quit working and I could not download the new issue. Tried working thru the app developer but it turned into a dead end. I don’t want to pay for something I enjoy but can’t download...so I’m cancelling my subscription. If you can update the app and fix the problem I’ll start up the subscription again. Until then I suppose...

App will not open. I cannot get to the subscription that I paid for. Not even worth 1 star. When will this be fixed?

I’ve been on Backpacker subscriber for several years now. The magazine has great content, and I love reading it. However, the app is now having major issues. I can no longer access any of the previous magazines that I’ve purchased. Even though I have a current subscription, the app always tells me I need to buy each individual issue. Used to love this app, now it is a big rip off.

New update is totally unusable. Crashes continually. Reinstall doesn't work. It's totally messed up. PLEASE FIX QUICKLY! Thank you.

Love the magazine but the app still has issues - always have to restore my purchases. Not sure if this is a developer app issue or an Apple issue. Great articles and insight to hiking, survival and places to go. Considering doing both the app & print version next subscription renewal.

Love the print edition. The app will only load adds, none of the other content shows up, just a s***** spinning circles Backapcker, higher a new developer, yours stinks.

This app took a hike and has never come back to what it use to be. Won't open!! Can't do anything. Please fix it!!!

App has always been pretty glitchy. But for the last year I have still been able to get the issues to download after enough opening and closing of the app, and restoring purchases. But the last update, (new user login) finally killed that ability. No amount of fiddling around seems to be able to get it to download. The next thing I'm doing after writing this is to cancel my subscription. It's just too much a waste of my time to be with it anymore.

Previous issue has been resolved. Happy to be reading again. Thanks to the fine Customer Service folks! -------- Cannot download Oct 2017 magazine. Customer Service is poor. Standard re-download app, restore purchases response. Older issues can be downloaded. New issue can NOT. Wished the app was never updated. Suggest paper version of magazine only.

Have subscribed to Backpacker for years. No more. As others pointed out months ago (still with no fix) the app will only display ads; articles will not render and text never appears. Completely unusable and worthless.

Just subscribed, excellent articles, reviews, and stunning photography! Runs without a hitch on both my iPad mini and iPhone 6 Plus. Runs perfect on the iPad Pro I have now also!

Got this app and purchased 5 single issues, starting in March of this year. Have been trying for over a week now to read the issues I have, and there is nothing there! I have restored purchases at least 3 dozen times. I have turned my computer on and off. I have been in touch with Apple, they can’t help! Don’t get this app, or spend your money buying a subscription, because you’re just throwing your money away!!!!

This used be a great app/magazine. It had tons of features that the print version didn’t, extra pictures, video reviews, etc. I really felt like I was getting a great product. I recently found that I couldn’t download the latest issue. When I contacted support they were able to get it working again but that is when I realized that this now just a scanned magazine. All the features I felt I was paying for are gone. No more videos or features like being able to tap on the cover and it would take you to that feature. They basically just have Zinio scanning the magazine and pasting it into the app. Going back to the print version.

I have been a Backpacker Magazine subscriber for many years and had no issues with the previous versions of the app or the print copies. However, this latest iteration of the app is in dire need of immediate repair. I cannot access any of my issues, either past or current. When I try to restore, nothing happens... at all... ever. Maybe I should go back to the print version. At least it always shows up at my door, is viewable anytime I want to read it, and if a past issue is desired you just grab from a shelf.

I have been unable to obtain the January edition and now we have an updated app. Unfortunately this app version crashes after 3 seconds and is useless! What is the problem? Please get your act together!

As others have mentioned the app is absolutely worthless...can’t read articles (only ads) and doesn’t recognize active subscriptions.

After the upgrade I had to delete the app and reinstall to be able to download and restore my purchases. Hope this helps others.

I buy a year subscription and now it’s telling me to purchase this month’s magazine. What???

***Update: Just received an email asking if I wanted to update this review. No. As I said, I am done with Backpacker.*** Perfectly good app. Until update(s) resulted in app not recognizing valid paid iTunes subscription. Unable to resolve conflict, support comp’d a subscription, which lasted for the entirety of one log-on. Screw it: Backpacker is just not worth the time or aggravation. Maybe I’ll take up Trainspotting, instead. I told support that I no longer cared and was canceling my subscription, they thanked me and marked my complaint as “resolved“. So I guess everyone wins.

Been a loyal reader for many years. Moved to e-version over a year ago and only Ben able to read 1 issue. Never able to load or recognize my subscription. Guess I’ll go back to print but probably won’t subscribe and will only get a couple of issues here and there based on interest in specific content.

If there is anything your unsatisfied with on this app just ask then received amazing customer service. Thanks guys happy trails 😁🏕🏔🗻⛺️

First review I have ever written of an app. Complete garbage. Currently on hold for over 20 minutes because I bought a digital subscription and cannot view the current issue. I bought my subscription hours ago but it is still asking me to buy issues. Based on these reviews I already plan on cancelling the digital subscription and sticking to the print version. Terrible app. Terrible customer service.

The update literally won't load. Don't bother with this until they fix it

Perfectly good app. Until update(s) resulted in app not recognizing valid paid iTunes subscription. Unable to resolve conflict, support comp’d a subscription, which lasted for the entirety of one log-on. Screw it: Backpacker is just not with the time or aggravation. Maybe I’ll take up Trainspotting, instead. I told support that I no longer cared and was canceling my subscription, they thanked me and marked my complaint as “resolved“. So I guess everyone wins.

Can't ever download current issue.

App worked great in the past. Now just gets worst with every upgrade. Long time subscriber too the printed. When the green version came out was happy to help preserve nature. But app doesn't work. Will describe if not fixed soon.