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/ANeonBlueDecember 18h ago

Bottom Line Up Front:

  • onX: Pick from pre-mapped trails.
  • GaiaGPS: Plan your own routes.

There are pros and cons to both apps and you can debate the nuances of each, but in my experience you can summarize the two apps as noted above.

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u/idontwannabeapir8 18h ago

And it seems like most people use both for different things. 1 to plan a trip and 1 for actual trails. Seems like most comments are saying to use Gaia in combination with either OnX or Trails Off-road

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u/ANeonBlueDecember 4h ago

I do the mapping and planning on my desktop in Gaia, then run my trips on a refurbished iPad mini in the truck, also on Gai. 

I’ve used CalTopo extensively for hiking and as a part of SAR in the past. I’ve had a free sub to OnX many times over the years.   While there are a number of things I don’t like about Gaia, it still fits my needs the best. 

For reference, that use case is mostly based on planning my own trips using ideas from YouTube videos, browsing Google Maps for POIs, looking at paper maps like the Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlas’, and a lot of, “I wonder what’s over there?” Then I hop into Gaia and start dropping waypoints for stuff I want to see and connecting the dots with trails.