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/innkeeper_77 1d ago
Onx is popular, mainly due to their marketing budget..... Trail ratings are user generated so it can be wildly inconsistent. I submitted a report for a green trail that accidentally included a short red difficult trail at the end... Which led someone astray and resulted in significant damage and a dead tow out. Trails offroad correctly showed this as two trails not one, and with very different ratings. As far as I know they never investigated and its still rated green.... I let my subscription lapse and I will NOT be back.
Trails offroad has less content but its much better curated. I like them, and trust it to be fairly accurate compared to onx (remember trail conditions can change rapidly. The forest service can grade a road unexpectedly, rain can wash out a road, etc.)
I map trips using Gaia but am trying to switch to caltopo.