Trail Mapping Apps Comparison! I'm comparing 6 apps, Maprika, OnX Offroad, Gaia GPS, BackCountry Nav

0:00 - Intro
1:49 - Google Maps
6:02 - Avenza Maps
9:35 - Gaia GPS
12:41 - OnX Offroad
17:34 - Backcountry Navigator XE
21:46 - Maprika
Do you use your smartphone for Trail maps? How about a Tablet? There are quite a few options for live mapping on a smart device! In this video I'm comparing a few apps that I felt were at the top of the list.
Avenza Maps - www.avenza.com/avenza-maps/
OnX Offroad - www.onxmaps.com/offroad-app
Maprika - maprika.com/
Gaia GPS - www.gaiagps.com/
Backcountry Navigator XE - www.backcountrynavigator.com/
And Google Maps - maps.google.com/
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[@claudenormandeau9211]

Wow you did a lot of work to show us all of these various mapping programs. Much appreciated.

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks! I'm glad you appreciate it!

[@dannyk105]

Good job on the review of each. I have to give a mention to the one I use which is Locus Map Pro. An interface that I can customize, plus the ability to read almost any map out there, with the capability to auto route on the trail has transformed how I explore off road.

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks for the suggestion! And thanks for watching!

[@HammerHed13]

This is the best comparison video I've seen so far. Great job. For me..OnX for the win.

[@SWBCrawler]

Thank you! And thanks for watching!

[@jeffriley2502]

Thanks for your input. I am favoring Gaia and Onx Offroad.

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikegonsalves3450]

Great vid! Just curious... the two apps that had trail names that you were unaware of, OnX and Backcountry I think, did the trail names coincide with each other? Interested to see if they’re official names or just user created names.

[@SWBCrawler]

You know.. I didn't look that close! Ha! I'll have to check and let you know.

[@honkymonkey9568]

Great job. Thanks

[@speedpig513]

thanks for the review!

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks for watching!

[@turbolag5107]

Hey where are you at? I see a lot of maps of my backyard right now 😂😂😂 I tried going up that switchback trail and I think I would have made it if my Jeep didn't start to do the overheat thing due to an air bubble. I'm always riding around up around the switchback trail and also around nesquehoning.

[@rayblakeman7228]

What tablet mount are you using? I have one in my cup holder and it's very unstable. Yours looks rock solid.

[@SWBCrawler]

It's a proclip. proclipusa.com They're not the cheapest around, but they are dang solid! The only thing I think that would be better, is if i had a dash-bar on a roll-cage, and used something like the 67D clamp mount, with the proclip holder at the end of it. 67D makes a pretty solid mount, and proclip makes great holders.

[@lelandmullennix167]

I think it was helpful to me save me time and money thank you

[@chadfox4097]

I use both Gaia and OnX. There are features I like about both. If someone could combine all the layers and off line map saving of Gaia and user ease of OnX. They would have in my opinion the best mapping/ Navigation platform for off-roading.

[@SWBCrawler]

Yea, it really is hard to find one app that does everything you love. I like Maprika, but it definitely doesnt have all of the features I'd like. It's a trade off. Thanks for watching!

[@lelandmullennix167]

You should try VV mapping and give a review of this mapping system.

[@Nashdmike]

You didn’t understand Avenza it does track your trip with details and maps are very easy to find

[@zorro70066]

Thank you, great video...For example, with the onx offroad app, will this app work while off road without cell service?

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks for watching! Onx will work without cell service, but youll be limited to whatever maps are on your device already. You may be able to pre-load the maps you need before you're out of service. You'd probably want to check with OnX for specifics.

[@zorro70066]

Thank you.

[@MaxUtter]

Download maps before you go

[@r.t.hannah9575]

You're a legend.

[@SWBCrawler]

Ok then. Thanks for watching!

[@MrMitchjos000]

Man… I wanted to know more about the layers and stuff of Gaia and onX. On to another video..

[@krishaw3172]

Avenza maps has downloadable Motor Vehicle Use Maps that are extremely useful when on the trail. They are also FREE.

[@Slyder695]

Do you need cell service to see friends on maprika or does it use the gps in the unit. My tablet does not have data. You do purchase BC XE, there are different tiers

[@SWBCrawler]

Yes, Maprika is at its best when it has a connection to the internet. If you download the map ahead of time, and just want to track yourself on the map, you dont need cell, but for the location sharing feature you need a data connection. I used to tether the tablet to my phone before I started paying for a cell plan for the tablet. I've found it very helpful. I use it for all of my trip navigation in the jeep. The trip to New Hampshire (see my latest video) all the navigation, and most of the music for the trip, was done on my tablet instead of my phone. The larger screen is something You find you have trouble living without once you have it. :D This tablet wasnt all that expensive, and IIRC the verizon data plan for it is $10 a month on the plan I'm on. And thanks for the info on back country nav. With so many apps running through my head in that video, i was bound to get something wrong. :P Thanks for watching!

[@Slyder695]

@@SWBCrawler try the polaris ride command app. It also has friend location, you can create groups as well. It has satellite view and topo. Also has trails, aoaa is in along with many many others.it only works on data which would be great for you. No property lines. Great thing is...it's free! The satellite and topo imagery is really good and you stay centered. You can track as well. I run BC navigator pro on tablet and RIDE command on phone for group location. Oh and a Montana lol

[@Unleashed_Wickedness]

very awesome video my dude!!! last week when I was at AOAA I couldn't get Marika to work!!! it would follow me!! but it said I was making a trail ..... can you please do a video just on Marika at AOAA so I can what I was doin wrong?? unless you already have a video of it... please let me know how to find it !!!! thanks for your time Carlo

[@SWBCrawler]

Hey thanks for watching! On android or apple? I've never had an issue with it working at AOAA, i can probably do a short video on just getting it installed and setup though.

[@Unleashed_Wickedness]

@@SWBCrawler sorry for late response!! it's on an Android, note 20 ultra. every time I try to download a map.. it says this.... Cannot load map data invalid stream or encoding: java.io.IOException: invalid stored blocked lengths - Wrong Password? (position: START_DOCUMENT null@1:1) caused by: java.io.IOException: invalid stored blocked lengths - Wrong Password? do you have any idea what this could mean??? thanks again for your time!!

[@snowdiann]

ONX, I using a iPad 10.2 and it shows the information and portrait mode, and it also shows compass.

[@SWBCrawler]

this video is becoming a bit dated. it's from a few years ago. all of the apps involved have changed a bit.

[@poughquagpops3379]

Quick question: I have an iPhone 12 Pro. I've used Maprika for many years. All of a sudden it has stopped working. When I open the app, all looks good, as usual. The moment i hit the upper left button to "select map" the app blows out and closes. I've deleted/re-installed the app and I get nowhere. My son installed the app on his iPhone and it works flawlessly. I'm wondering if I have changed a setting buried somewhere in my iPhone that may be conflicting with Maprika. Any ideas? Thanks. I haven't tried any other apps you reviewed. I enjoy Maprika since I'm able to find maps on line and calibrate/publish them on Maprika. Some have detailed property lines/boundaries (Appilachian Trail maps) USGS maps, planimetric maps, historic maps (difficult to calibrate due to lack of landmarks etc.) etc. etc.

[@SWBCrawler]

i’m not sure what to say. sounds like you already did what i’d try, deleting the app and reinstall. try logging into your maprika account on another device maybe and see if it breaks there too? could be your account?

[@poughquagpops3379]

@@SWBCrawler Thanks for responding. I will hook up with my son ASAP and verify using his iPhone (since I know it works on his phone). Good idea.....rule something else out.

[@steveblankenship2413]

what kind of seats do you have ? they dont look stock, my wifes 2001 TJ needs seats

[@SWBCrawler]

These are stock 05 tj seats. The previous owner had them reupholstered though. They're leather now.

[@PowerSportsGarage]

Just FYI, Nice video, but just so you know, Gaia has everything that you said you wish you could get and then some, including private property lines, what trails are open what trails are closed, MVUM maps that it feeds direct from US forestry and even groups/teams so you can see where everybody is at in your group. Its all in the premium subscription.

[@SWBCrawler]

Yes, ive heard this from others. The bottom line is, i couldnt afford to pay the $5, $10, or in some cases $20 or more to unlock every single one of these apps for the test. Looking back i should not have compared the pay version of onx to the free versions of everything else, but i can't change that now. Judging from the responses to this video, I am considering a follow-up where I cover some of the more popular ones again. Thanks for watching! and thanks for the feedback!

[@PowerSportsGarage]

10-4. There is a guy in Arkansas that has some decent tutorials on Gaia and he has a discount code listed you can use for Gaia. That's what I did and got a year subscription for under 30 dollars if I remember correctly. His channel is Ozark Overland Adventures, and the video that he mentions the discount code is this one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3zOoHiteNKNptk

[@amydpnw]

Google maps will show *some* trails but it’s inconsistent. Nice thing is if it has the OHV trails, the turn by turn is great. I wouldn’t discount it outright. Track logging in Google maps is buried in the settings. I know iOS and that’s buried in the account settings.

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks for the comment! And thanks for watching!

[@amydpnw]

@@SWBCrawler Welcome. After watching the whole video, it really seems that there is a huge gap for an end to end,, cross platform system that supports enough for no- cell trail ready mapping (non-hardware based).

[@SWBCrawler]

@@amydpnw I would love to see something that truly gives every state a good land property/public land map. OnX gets pretty close.

[@steveblankenship2413]

very helpful now if I could only fi d good trails that isnt torn up so bad , .y jeep with 33s can go on, here in south west ohio

[@SWBCrawler]

I'm running on 33s. You'd be surprised how much you can do on a tj on 33s.

[@Miniscapes515]

I have a jeep lj. Was wondering what you are using for a dash mount for the tab A

[@SWBCrawler]

This is the pro clip dash mount with a pro clip tablet holder. they’ve got the dash clip and the holders listed separately so you can build a solution for whatever vehicle and tablet you’ve got. I will say though, it picks up a lot of vibration from the dash. it’s held up great! but it does shake and vibrate a lot. i’m hoping to upgrade to a dash bar when i build a cage. and put something like a 67 designs arm on there. we’ll see how that all pans out.

[@SWBCrawler]

i have a video on the pro clip install as well by the way.

[@Miniscapes515]

@@SWBCrawler thanks I will look for it.

[@chiplawrence7178]

I don't know what you were using for Back Country Navigator? The PRO version (Android) and XNE (IOS and Android) display satellite views readily. The rich map set also allows subscription maps (PRO) or in the case of XNE, all the maps. The trail names are from either USFS or contributed sources.

[@SWBCrawler]

I believe it was back country navigator xe on Android. I'd have to go back and look

[@chiplawrence7178]

@@SWBCrawler The basic version on Android was natively topo I am thinking, the Pro Version has Satellite View selected from map sources, USA Imagery. Maybe the basic version didn't have that option? The XE version is subscription and comes with all the maps and imagery.

[@SWBCrawler]

@@chiplawrence7178 well, I reached out to them to see if they wanted to work with me on the video, so I could show their app on the best light. The only answer I got was regarding what the different versions were. Based on that info, I chose xe for the review. So here we are.

[@chiplawrence7178]

@@SWBCrawler Very good, I would have done the same.

[@toddpamworkman4329]

We like the Lost Riders App

[@lsponeybarger1]

I can not find a link to a waterproof case. Please help.

[@SWBCrawler]

not sure i can help there. i don’t have a waterproof case. i’m just careful

[@navstar52]

ILS IS INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM for aircraft

[@toyotatrd5385]

Anyone know how I can get my current location to follow me when zoomed in on Gaia. I do SXS and I want to zoom in on my location when I ride so I can see upcoming hidden trails but I can’t get it to follow me?

[@SWBCrawler]

i don’t have it installed anymore to check, but usually there’s just a button on the map to recenter and follow.. i’ll check my tablet and see if i still have it on there.

[@toyotatrd5385]

@@SWBCrawler thanks so much bud!

[@SWBCrawler]

@@toyotatrd5385 ok. looks like on my tablet (same one in the video android) with gaiagps without any subscription, you just have to hit the little bullseye button at the top right. the one that centers the view on your location, then it’ll follow you and move the map with you. the button turns orange when it’s activated.

[@toyotatrd5385]

@@SWBCrawler you the man! Thanks bud for the help. I enjoy the content!

[@SWBCrawler]

@@toyotatrd5385 not a problem! glad you enjoy it! thanks for watching!

[@jr88brutus]

I was hoping you would’ve done lifetime trail maps.

[@SWBCrawler]

i’ve never even seen that one. i keep meaning to do a new revised video here. Maybe i’ll add it to the list!

[@jr88brutus]

@@SWBCrawlerI heard about it last fall. It's a paid service. $200 I believe for the maps and I believe this is also a yearly subscription if you want to get updates. From what I seen it looks really good. I ride sxs and I got a tablet with Back Country Navigtor pro was downloaded on it for me. I mostly trail ride Hatfield Mccoy trails in WV. It has all the local trails plus all of Hatfields trails on there as well.

[@nahbruv3621]

On X took me to Google maps for navigation on the street 😂

[@aivarasmisikonis7686]

What Tablet do you use? How accuracy? I have smartphone with dual-band A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo. But needed larger screen, and I think having a separate device is much more convenient

[@SWBCrawler]

I have a samsung galaxy tab A. 2019 version iirc. It's decently accurate, i havent had any issues where it shows me off-trail or anything in mapriks. I believe you can add an external USB gps receiver if you really want it.

[@jajinfla]

What about lifetime trail maps?

[@SWBCrawler]

is that another app? i’ve never heard of it.

[@jajinfla]

@@SWBCrawler yeah. It’s pretty big with the sxs crowd but it’s pricey

[@071Tom]

It's not really unbiased if you pay for one service and not another. GIA is probably the most powerful app out there with over 400 map overlays, but you have to have a subscription to see them, its only 36 a year.

[@SWBCrawler]

That's valid. I did my best with what I had. I couldn't justify spending on every app. I reached out to many of these vendors for some manner of temporary license so I could compare them all apples to apples and did not get any cooperation there. So I worked with what I had access to. Yes I paid for onx, but that's mainly because I was trying onx for my own reasons and then thought about making this video for you all. Sorry for the unfair comparison.

[@genxiong2695]

You can't do a proper evaluation with the free apps. Get the paid subscription and review again. Gaia map will give you a better experience.

[@SWBCrawler]

I wasn't about to spend that kind of money on this video. I tried reaching out to several of these app developers and most of them never even responded. So this is the review I was able to do. Sorry if it's not what it could be. But registering all of these apps would have added up very quickly.

[@kowabungadude1391]

I also have read that Gaia is significantly better on iOS. OP has an android tablet, so it may not be a fair comparison either if you haven't bought a table yet.

[@johnmclaughlin3906]

I need to get lost at AOAA before the snow falls

[@SWBCrawler]

I should be up there this Saturday.

[@johnmclaughlin3906]

SWBCrawler we have a Jeep event for pet adoption this weekend.

[@johnmclaughlin3906]

SWBCrawler Famous Reading is having a scavenger hunt October 3rd?

[@CtPirate]

Maprika is out of the App Store Grrrrrr

[@SWBCrawler]

Really? I know on Android it shows up as "GPS On Ski Map" I hope it hasnt been taken down! Its currently my favorite mapping app.

[@CtPirate]

@@SWBCrawler Yeah the Ski map still shows in the app store too but nothing else, BUMMER it looked really good.

[@poughquagpops3379]

Are you guys implying there are two Maprika apps? I have always used the ski version (still in the app store). You can still search thru 1,000's of maps to load or add/publish your own.

[@VideosOffRoad]

Sir, you did a terrible disservice to Gaia by not buying a subscription ($40/year) like you did for OnX ($30/year). You get BREATHTAKINGLY better functionality from Gaia with a paid account, including overlays for public or private (with ownership info) land, MVUM maps, forest service maps, and many, many other map layers, plus the ability to download any of these map layers for offline use. It has a bigger learning curve than OnX, but is significantly more powerful.

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks for the feedback. I did reach out to many of these companies to see if I could get some sort of trial to properly demo their app. I did not get a response from gaia. I couldn't afford to buy them all. I had a personal interest in trying onx before I did this review which is why I had bought that one. Thanks for watching!

[@VideosOffRoad]

@@SWBCrawler Thanks for trying to give full blown Gaia a go. :-)

[@navstar52]

Not ils it’s IOS

[@SWBCrawler]

Hey, thanks for watching, but I'm confused. Did I say ILS somewhere in the video? I meant IOS, I do know the difference. Maybe just the way i say IOS sounds like ILS? Thanks!

[@matthewhalpin7302]

You should take this down cause you are giving reviews based off ignorance

[@SWBCrawler]

Thanks, ill take that under advisement.

[@SWBCrawler]

I actually do have plans to update this video with the current state of these (and other) apps. I am going to take a lot of the feedback I received on this video and try to improve the scope of the review. Thanks for watching!

[@beachboy4928]

Thanks for this! Check out "trailsoffroad." Theyre working on an app but their site has very detail info.

[@SWBCrawler]

Last time I checked them out they had almost nothing in my area. Thanks for watching though!