Navigation is one of those things that can often be overlooked, that is until you find yourself in the woods without maps or service. That’s where our good friends at onX come into play. While there are several mapping softwares out there, in this article we will touch on a few that we routinely use when planning trips. 

onX Off-Road is a fairly new player in the off-road mapping game having been founded in 2009. Stemming from a platform dedicated to providing hunters with up-to-date property boundaries and areas open to the public, onX Hunt developed into one of the most comprehensive hunting map applications available. With the touch of a button, one could track their hunt, view where they were in proximity to private land, download maps for offline use, and share their hunt with friends and family. 

Information proven to be privy to hunters overlapped data that outdoor enthusiasts and off-roaders were demanding in order to continue recreating responsibly and in permitted areas. With there being such a need for a mapping software that would highlight routes, trails, closures, property boundaries, and more, the team at onX took up the challenge and developed onX Off-Road. 

onX Off-Road is a comprehensive mapping application dedicated to simplifying your mapping experience. Its intuitive features like trail tracking, weather updates, online route planning, offline maps and more make it an all-in-one tool perfect for any outdoor enthusiast. OnX has taken the challenge of mapping your adventures out of the equation. No longer do you need to hunt for high-ground in order to get service and download map data. Their offline use mode allows for you to select the area where you’ll be recreating, download the map data, and use it when cell service has taken a vacation of its own. Trail data is available with the click of a button, providing users with information relative to closures, obstacles, camp spots, elevation change, weather forecasts, and overall trail difficulty. The need to drive to obstacles before making the decision on whether or not to pass them is no longer as teams of trail guides have done the work for you. 

Safety is paramount when adventuring the remote wilderness and mapping plays a key role in ensuring you arrive and return safely. OnX has included layers within their maps which don’t only include weather forecasts but also indicate where there are active forest fires or controlled burns. Living on the west coast has its advantages, but ending a trip early because of a forest fire could put a damper on your weekend, no pun intended. 

When searching for a reliable mapping software there are loads to choose from. Gaia, Garmin, CalTopo, and Google are quick to come to mind for having been players for years past. However, the team at onX continues to provide updates to their platform that improve its overall usability and functionality. As dedicated users of the platform, we’ve partnered with onX to provide you, our readers and customers, with a 20% off discount code so you can experience this revolutionary software for yourself! Just use the code “Summit4x4” at checkout and receive an automatic 20% off your annual subscription. The team at onX believes in their product and even offers a free trial if you’re still on the fence. Although, we’re confident that after using their product for your adventures, that you’ll be a member for life.   

This article was featured in November's The Summit, an off-road publication dedicated to inspiring and educating the off-road and overland community. If you're interested in receiving a copy each month, visit the following link and enter your email! Newsletter: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/152319173/