Sticking to a trail is easy when said trail is clear and well-worn, but what if it’s overgrown, poorly marked, or not actually there at all? In these circumstances, onX Offroad may be able to help you out. It’s the only app that’s currently offering turn-by-turn navigation while its users are off road and well away from anything resembling a phone signal. As such, it might well make it onto the list of essential trail gear.
But I didn’t just take onX’s word for it. Instead of spending another day wandering around SEMA, I went rock crawling with nothing but a heavily modified Jeep, some expert guides, and the onX offroad app. This wasn’t an easy route either; I’d have struggled to pick it out on foot with all of the time in the world. It’s a little harder to spot the scrapes and patches of rubber when you’re bouncing around in a 4X4, wondering what that clunk was. So it’s a great way to work out if turn by turn is a waste of time, or a potential life saver.
Rock Crawling is pretty terrifying
Usually when you go on an off road-centric press trip, anything you encounter is heavily curated. Auto companies don’t really want their vehicles to break while journalists are looking at them, so naturally they try to find something that looks exciting in theory but isn’t going to absolutely destroy the stock vehicles.
OnX doesn’t make SUVs, and any mechanical failures aren’t their problem, so naturally they picked an actual, difficult, rock crawl for us to partake in and hired a company to guide us through it in some heavily modified Jeeps.
It’s also a great way to showcase their app, as we weren’t really on a “trail” in the classical sense. Instead, we were driving up slopes and over boulders that any sensible person would see as an almost impassable obstacle.
If you dumped me on my own there, in the admittedly very capable Jeep, and with no guidance system, then that would likely be the last anyone hears of me. I wouldn’t have any idea where to go next as driving up what initially seems to be a cliff face isn’t something I do very often.
You will still need a spotter or possibly something newer
While onX maps will guide you through the wilderness and ultimately back to civilization, or at least as close to civilization as Las Vegas has ever been, you do still need some degree of technical ability to make it along said trail. The more complex ones will either require you to be superb offroad, traveling with a spotter, or at least in possession of a vehicle with trail view cameras built in. There were large sections where all you can really see is the bit of ground you’ll be shocked you didn’t smash into or the sky. The app can’t drive for you.
However, the trails on the app are graded by difficulty, so it’s easy enough to find things that match your ability level. There will also be some circumstances where you can use the app to find an easier way out if you are having a rough time.
It works as long as your phone or tablet does
The app is available on both iOS and Android, though it does require the device you’re using to have built-in GPS if you want it to work properly. You’ll also have to pre-download your maps before you set off on your trip. The good news is, most if not all phones and a good number of tablets have built in GPS these days.
As the tracking is GPS-based, it will still work even if your phone loses signal completely, which it will on a lot of trails. The turn-by-turn tracking also means you won’t have to do anything complex to work out where you are. It just tells you with a high degree of accuracy. So spotting where you need to head is simple, and if you do somehow end up off-trail, you’ll be able to spot where you need to head if you want to get back on track.
This could be considered an off-roading essential
There are some areas, like New York State, where the off-roading areas are pretty sparse, and this is reflected in the onX app. Luckily, there is a trial available so you can see if the app actually works for you before handing any cash over.
If you live in an area of the country where there is a lot of off-roading potential, which seems to be most of it, or travel to an off-roading area a few times a year, then this app is pretty much an essential. It has the potential to bail you out if you end up stuck, which is absolutely invaluable, and when you’re not in danger of death it will guide you to some exciting trails you may not know exist.
