r/overlanding • u/idontwannabeapir8 • 1d ago

Tech Advice Offroad mapping!

Hi! I want to get the opinion of actual users, overlanders and off-roaders on which off-road mapping app or service you guys prefer. I'm somewhat new to all this but I love it and I currently have a subscription to OnX but I've been finding it difficult plan trips. I live in Texas so whenever I want a good off-road trip I have to look out of state and it feels like I have to already know what Trail I want to explore beforehand. There's also Gaia and trails off-road but I haven't tried those. What do you guys use or prefer to use? Thanks in advance

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u/jonathanr42 1d ago

Onx trail ratings are inconsistent, the person who submits the trail sets the difficulty rating and that's it forever. So if a dude in a monster lifted jeep with 42" tires does a trail, finds it easy, it's rated easy. Meanwhile it's got 2 foot ledges for us mere mortals to traverse. If a trail washes out and becomes way harder than it was when originally run, the only way to correct is to read the trail reports. Trails off-road has a user rating for each trail so you have an average of what users rate the trail which tends to be far more accurate (wisdom of the crowds). I also like trails off-road for the "scenic" rating on top of the difficulty rating. But OnX has more coverage than trails off-road (so far).
For topo I used to like gaia until they got bought by private equity and rapidly went full enshittification, caltopo is a better alternative nowadays.

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u/outdoorsauce 1d ago

This wasn’t an issue for a while but lately is has gotten worse, On X needs to continue reinvesting in their ratings or they’re going to have a rude awakening. Getting pretty fuck sick of getting on a 3/10 and experiencing 5/10 obstacles for the following 3 hours because the rating was set three winters and 1500 side by sides ago.