As much as we love letting the open road lead the way, we’ll also admit that we would get nowhere without a bit of help from our beloved GPS and some of the best Overlanding apps. Yes, there is an art to getting lost, but no one enjoys staying lost. And that’s why we often need a few tools to help us out when we venture off into the wilderness.
With so much advanced technology and as dependent on it as we’ve become these days, we can hardly resist mixing ‘roughing it’ and modern amenities into one adventure. Read below as we list the best overland apps you’ll want to be using in your Land Rover Defender this year.
The Top 6 Overlanding Apps in 2021
1. onX offroad Maps
This app highlights your trails into two categories: general trails and featured trails.
General Trails: These trails provide all the necessary information you need, like; what type of vehicle you need to drive on the trail, what the fee/permit requirements are, and the open and close dates.
Featured Trails: These trails provide more detailed information like; estimated travel times, route difficulty, detailed descriptions of hazards, and directions.
This data comes from an elite group of trusted guides, making the app extremely useful for an overlander looking for a detailed digital map.
2. Memory Maps
Also referred to as ‘MM,’ Memory-Maps allows a user to purchase large-scale maps. Once you buy a map, you obtain a license key for the MM software program, and your future map purchases are related to this license.
The price you pay will also depend on what scale map you need and how much of the software program you will be using. This app is an excellent investment for off-roaders traveling across borders.
3. Avenza Maps
This app is available as a free download on both Android and iOS devices. Avenza Maps serves as a portal to the Avenza Map store, filled with hundreds of preloaded maps available at a certain fee.
The maps were created by professional cartographers, surveyors, and groups like the U.S. Forest Service and National Geographic. Many of the maps can be even be used within recreational regions across the world, national parks, and hiking trails.
The app uses your location and device’s GPS competencies to provide maps that are relevant to where you currently are.
4. Hema Explorer App
With the Hema Explorer app, you can create a route before your trip and track the path you end up driving. Its pro-membership subscription gives you advanced zoom detail as well as access to more maps created by Hema.
You can also plan your route on your computer and simply sync it to your phone when you head off. You can track your journey, geotag photos and share your trip with friends and family on your way back home. This is all done through the Hema Explorer Cloud. Please note that it’s only available in North America and Australia.
5. GAIA Maps
Known as a popular go-to for most off-roaders, it allows you to search for off-road trails within your area, set waypoints, create routes and save routes for offline use. It features a compass, your elevation, and can track the distance you have travelled.
The best thing about the app is that it can be used both online and offline. It provides weather reports, hunting restrictions, and you can import all this data from one device to another. This makes accessing the information more convenient for traveling.
6. Maps 3D Pro:
Topographical maps aren’t always the easiest to read or interpret. However, Maps 3D Pro brings every feature on your route to life, so you always know where you’re headed. The app shows you the terrain by rising and lowering off things like mountains, hills, and valleys, creating visuals that are easier to understand.
It will also indicate where you are on the map, allowing you to know your exact elevation and how far you’ve traveled. This app is perfect for the beginner off-roader as it will help you keep track of where you are and where you’re going.
Get Lost, But Always Know Where You’re Going
There’s no better feeling than hopping into your Defender, starting the engine, and letting the road be your guide. As fellow off-roaders, we live for the unknown and for discovering new locations. However, we also know that ‘getting lost’ is a more stress-free experience when you have a slight idea of where you are.
There are so many navigational tools out there to help guide, while you still let the beaten track lead the way. Don’t be afraid to use them —you’re still an off-roader through and through!
Contact us today, and we’ll build you a Defender that makes you feel like you always know where you’re headed.