When it comes to bikepacking, it’s easy to make it tough or simple for yourself. Unlike years ago, when we followed paper maps on cycle tours, most of us now have the option to take a smartphone and use bikepacking applications. 

In this article, we will discuss some of the best bikepacking applications on the market and tell you how they will help you when on your adventures. Here’s everything that you need to know!

Why Use Bikepacking Applications

Many people out there like being old school and not using applications, but they can offer more safety, help find shelter, and even let others track you when you are in remote places. 

I have tried using both applications and rode without, and I don’t think I ever want to give up my phone on an adventure now. Anyway, moving on, let’s speak about these amazing bikepacking applications!

Navigation And Tracking

Let’s start with navigation. These applications can help you plan routes on the go and can help you get out of a mess when you might get lost.

Komoot

• Best for: Route planning and navigation (on-road and off-road).
• Features: Custom routes based on terrain (road, gravel, mountain), turn-by-turn voice navigation, and offline maps.

Komoot is not just an application to find new routes but is also excellent at helping you plan them. With a huge amount of capabilities when it comes to making routes for the type of bike you are using, you also get elevation profiles and even terrain information.

The offline maps are such a great feature, and you can get a lot out of the application, even on the free version. Turn-by-turn navigation is great to use and makes for an excellent sat nav. There’s also a great social aspect to it, where you can see other people’s rides in the area, which is cool.

RideWithGPS

• Best for: Detailed route planning and GPS tracking.
• Features: It offers turn-by-turn navigation, offline maps, and the ability to create custom routes. It’s a popular app among bikepackers because of its detailed metrics and compatibility with various GPS devices.

RideWithGPS has capabilities that are very similar to Komoot. The route planning is very good, and you can tailor it to the adventure you want. You get terrain information and elevation profiles and can perfect finer details easily. 

One thing that RideWithGPS does amazingly is the navigation side of it. It’s really easy to use and does keep it simple when there’s so much else going on around you on the trail or the road. 

Strava

• Best for: Social networking and tracking.
• Features: While Strava is mainly known for tracking performance and sharing rides with friends, its segment-based system can help you find popular bikepacking routes and trails. The route planner feature is also useful, although it’s more geared towards road cyclists.

Strava, who can forget it when it comes to cycling applications? It’s not just an excellent way to see how you are improving over time, but it is also great for looking back at those epic rides you go on and storing them for a later adventure. 

It works as a tracking application, and you can also plan routes on this bikepacking application. They use an amazing feature called heat mapping, where you can see where other people are riding and how popular certain routes are. 

Accommodation And Services

Moving on to accommodation and services. These applications are going to help you when it comes to finding services such as hotels, hostels, campsites, and food.

iOverlander

• Best for: Finding campsites and wild camping spots.
• Features: User-generated database of campsites, wild camping areas, water sources, and other useful locations. It’s great for off-the-grid camping.

iOverlander is an application that can help you find not only a campsite or wild camping sport but also water sources and much more. It’s a simple application and can get you the information you need when finding a place to get your head down. 

Although good, it is limited compared to other applications, but there’s good information about looking for a decent campsite.

Google Maps

• Best for: Finding nearby food and accommodation.
• Features: Search for restaurants, grocery stores, and lodging along your route. Download maps for offline use.

Google Maps is an incredible tool when it comes to bikepacking applications. It can tell you where the closest towns are and what’s in them quickly and easily. You can also have hotspot locations to know where you need to stop when passing.

You also get information such as telephone numbers to call places ahead for bookings and even opening and closing times. I often use Google Maps so that I know exactly what to expect on the road ahead and where my resupply and rest will be. Very helpful when riding at night.

Booking.com

• Best for: Booking accommodation.
• Features: Offers a wide range of lodging options with filters for price, type, and amenities.

Booking.com allows you to book hostels and hotels quickly and easily. It’s a great application similar to Trivago, where you can quickly search areas for accommodation and book ahead without worrying about getting somewhere without a room.

If you book ahead in advance, you can even cancel without charge for many accommodation places and even pick the kind of room you would like for anyone extra to stay with you.

Warmshowers And Couchsurfing

• Best for: Free, bike-friendly accommodations.
• Features: A cyclist community offers free stays, often with meals or kitchen access. It’s an excellent way to connect with fellow bike enthusiasts and reduce costs.

If you are on a budget and want to find some accommodation or love the idea of staying with local people, then Warmshowers or Couchsurfing are two good options as far as bikepacking applications go. 

Safety

Safety is the most important thing when it comes to bikepacking, and I can’t stress how much it needs to be considered. Here are the applications I personally use. 

First Aid by British Red Cross

• Best for: Emergency first aid information.
• Features: Provides essential first-aid tips and step-by-step guides for various medical situations. You can access the info offline.

Safety is vital when it comes to bikepacking, and so many people end up having accidents on trails or roads. It’s just a part of it, but understanding what to do after an accident is important to ensure a quick recovery. 

This application from the British Red Cross will aid you in what to do in certain situations where you might not know. It’s a very handy application, but hopefully, you won’t need to use it. 

Find My Device / Phone

• Best for: Locating a lost or misplaced phone.
• Features: Tracks your phone’s location on a map, can remotely lock the device, play a sound to help you find it, or erase data if it’s lost.

Years ago, trackers for adventure would cost a fortune but would be excellent to keep you safe in case something happened in a remote area. If you are looking for something similar, then going down the Find My Device route can help.

Providing you have a reception, this application lets you share your location with loved ones in real time so they can see where you are, and if there are any issues, they know where they can find you easily. 

Weather

Keeping an eye on the weather can make a bikepacking trip much easier. Ensuring you check the forecast and pack for the right conditions is an excellent skill to learn. Here’s what you need to know. 

BBC Weather

• Best for: Reliable weather forecasts.
• Features: Provides accurate weather forecasts, including temperature, wind speed, precipitation, and long-range forecasts.

When it comes to weather applications, I like to keep it simple, and for me, that’s BBC Weather. Not only does it give me the information I need quickly, but it works hour by hour. It means I know when to push on and also when to hold back and do a longer day later. 

MyWindsock

• Best for: Analyzing wind impact on your ride.
• Features: Predicts how wind will affect your speed and effort based on your route.

MyWindsock is an application that can help you evaluate the wind and how it will affect your bikepacking route. It will help you give yourself realistic figures regarding how far you can travel in a day. Helps in winter with high winds a lot.

Bikepacking Applications: A Final Note

Smartphones are an incredible tool to help you go bikepacking. With the right bikepacking applications, you can transform a trip from being hard work to a well-planned and maintained ride. Thanks for taking the time to enjoy this article. If you enjoyed this, you might have liked Bikepacking’s Full Kit List, Dealing With Dogs When Bikepacking, and Aerobars For Bikepacking.