Jeep vehicles dominate the aftermarket parts and accessories industry with all types of Jeep parts, from lift kits to soft tops to dog collars. What about the mobile phone industry, though? Sure, you need a good set of tires and the right armor, but your phone is also a valuable off-roading tool. With the right apps, that is.
Jeep Vehicle Info App
Seller: Jeep
Price: Free
Compatibility: Apple and Android
This app is full of useful handbook information on any Jeep model between 2011 and 2014. The “vehicle information” section has everything from information on driving controls and towing capacity to vehicle maintenance schedules. If you have an older vehicle, this aspect of the app isn’t of much use. However, it has plenty of other useful gadgets, like a News section so you can keep up with all of Jeep’s updates via social media and news feeds.
My personal favorite is the Parking Reminder, a portion of the app which will record the location of your vehicle when you park so you can find it later. It even has options to set a timer to remind you to feed the meter and a “details” section where you can take a photo on your phone to remind you of where you left your Jeep.
The app runs smoothly, doesn’t take up too much space and is packed with information. It’s something every Jeeper should have in their smartphone.
Smittybilt Clinometer
Seller: Sean Flanagan
Price: $0.99
Compatibility: Apple
If you do any off-roading, there is no reason Smittybilt’s Clinometer app should not be in your phone. The app is loaded with useful tools, all based on your phone’s built-in accelerometers. For it to work accurately, you will also need a vehicle mount.
The clinometer is an app which could literally save your life. It reads the angle of your Jeep (which is why you need the mount) and sets off a warning if you begin to tilt too far into dangerous territory, risking a roll. The display is easy to read at a glance, despite being a tad crowded. It also has a nifty compass and can display your GPS coordinates, so you can easily find your way or let someone know exactly where you are.
The entire app is easily personalize-able, from the colors of the background and the Jeep JK in the display to the alarm length and sound. If you’re taking your Jeep off the road, don’t do it without this handy app.
Android alternative: RollMeOver – Inclinometer by DriveHard.
Aha Radio
Seller: Aha Mobile, inc.
Price: Free
Compatibility: Apple and Android
Not only for a free app, but for any app, Aha is spectacular. It has plenty of content: 100,000+ music stations and a plentiful cache of audio books, for instance. It will also link to your social media feeds and read them out loud to you while you drive.
One of Aha’s other useful features is its ability to search for places near you. Unlike most apps which do this, it doesn’t limit itself only to gas stations, restaurants and hotels but also includes traffic jams, parks and weather conditions. Oh, and it will read all of the above to you out loud, so there are no more fervent glances between your phone and the road.
While free, it will require an FM adapter or similar connector to work with your Jeep’s radio, unless you have a model with Uconnect. It is completely and entirely worth that price.
Jeep Badge of Honor
Seller: Chrysler Group LLC
Price: Free
Compatibility: Apple and Android
The Jeep Badge of Honor app is a treasure trove of information for Jeepers. It features an “Off-Roading 101” segment with short blurbs on how to drive in different types of terrain, a safety checklist and even a segment of Jeep history. Perhaps its best feature is its ability to provide trail-specific information to Jeepers.
By allowing Jeep owners to check into trails and share images with others who use the app, Jeep Badge of Honor has created quite a database of trail information. It will direct you to a specific trail and provide trail ratings, so you have an idea of what you’re getting into before you even leave the house. Each trail lists the number of check-ins already there as well.
The featured trails on the Jeep Badge of Honor homepage allow you to browse some of the best and most popular trails around, so you can start planning your next trip. Plus, if you earn enough Trail Points you can get special Hard Badge Jeep decals.
Bear Grylls – Bear Essentials
Seller: Chillingo Ltd
Price: $2.99
Compatibility: Apple
Bear Grylls survival guide may take wilderness survival much farther than you ever intend to need on your trips, but that’s the point. You generally don’t intend to put yourself in a true wilderness survival situation, but it does happen, which is why you need to be prepared for the worst.
This app not only goes over vital basics like starting a fire and first aid, but also delves into how to construct shelter, catch food, tie knots and a great many other things. It is extremely easy to navigate as the information is broken into slides with videos, images and tips scattered throughout.
You can turn to this handbook for advice and inspiration in almost any survival situation, but you should look through before you hit the trail or keep a few spare phone batteries in your glove compartment.
Android alternative: Survival Guide by SusaSoftX
Viewranger
Seller: Augmentra
Price: Free or $14.99 Premium
Compatibility: Apple, Android and Kindle Fire
There are two versions of this app: the free version and the $14.99 Premium version. Both offer a spectacular array of options, with maps from all across the globe. What makes this app so great for the outdoors is that it gives you options to download maps for use while offline as well as track your ride to create your own maps.
This app truly has too many useful features to name, but on the top of my list are the buddy beacon, which lets you share your map location with friends, and route planning, a feature that allows you to create your own map route before you go.
Finally, an app which allows you to navigate while you’re off the grid. The screen is a bit complex to navigate, but once you know where all the buttons are, it’s an invaluable tool.
Rachel Bowes is a copywriter with 4WD
Thanks for mentioning RollMeOver. I encourage you to check out the trial version; you’d quickly see it far out performs in features and functionality everything the Smittybilt app has to offer.
Thanks
DriveHard