onX and Somewear Labs Partner to Develop an Industry-First Integration

Inspiring outdoor recreationists to share a new kind of off-grid communication

onX, a pioneer in outdoor digital navigation, has partnered with Somewear Labs, a leader in off-grid communication technology, to launch the industry’s first integration between a GPS mapping app and satellite communications device. Through this and future integrations, onX and Somewear Labs aim to inspire recreationists to stay connected off-grid so they can confidently explore off the beaten path.  

Today, onX and Somewear Labs are releasing the ability to share onX’s custom Waypoints while off-grid through satellite connectivity. Waypoints are contextual markers created by users within onX apps that can indicate where users are going, where they’ve been, and any point of interest along the way. For example, Waypoints may indicate a summited peak, a proposed route, a trail taken, a water source, a place to set up camp, where the truck is parked, and where wildlife was spotted. Now, users can share Waypoints with friends and family back at home or with adventure partners in the field.

Through an integration with Somewear, onX users can share these Waypoints via a Somewear Global Hotspot. This satellite communicator enables two-way communication through Iridium’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, reliably and quickly transmitting adventure-critical information. The Somewear Global Hotspot supports a range of features to increase situational awareness including two-way messaging, automated location sharing, on-demand weather reporting and SOS beaconing.

“We’re excited to partner with such a future-focused organization that is rethinking the way we communicate off-grid. Until now, off-grid functionality was limited to the capabilities of one platform. This collaboration brings two best-in-class tools together, greatly expanding communications possibilities,” said onX VP of Business Development Christopher Sledz. “By sharing onX Waypoints through a Somewear hotspot, users can add timely and relevant context to their messages–telling loved ones where they are during their adventure, bragging about a peak they skied, or inviting them to join a remote campsite.”

“Over the last few years, we noticed that many of our users were juggling different mapping apps and manually bringing that map data into Somewear,” explained Somewear Labs CEO James Kubik. “We knew an integration with a world-class mapping app would bring immense value to the outdoor community. onX was the clear choice—they have set such a high bar for the product they deliver, and their passion for bringing useful technology to the outdoor community perfectly aligns with our values at Somewear Labs.”

The initial integration between onX and Somewear is currently available for all onX Backcountry Members and requires a Somewear Global Hotspot and data package. onX Backcountry is offering 30% off app Memberships for Somewear Labs customers. onX Backcountry Members can also enjoy 10% off Somewear hardware. Find more details here: https://www.onxmaps.com/backcountry/somewear-labs-partnership

Future integrations between onX and Somewear Labs will be unveiled to onX users across the onX Hunt, onX Offroad, and onX Backcountry apps throughout 2021.