Nicolai Mountain using the Bronco Trail App

swooshdave

Using the Bronco Trail App we decide to explore Nicolai Mountain OHV just east of Astoria, Oregon. While it was mostly gravel roads there were a couple entertaining sections. There may be more 4x4 trails that we didn't take. The view was pretty nice at the top. The Bronco Trail App still need a little work and it's not always intuitive. But it shows some promise.

Love it! Way to get out and enjoy the great outdoors!

Seemed like a nice trail with some great views. Thanks for sharing.

I really wish I could get the app to pair to my Bronco. I've tried the directions over and over again, and can't get it to pair. I love the idea of it, and the app looks promising, but is just has so many bugs and is very unintuitive in the menus navigation.

Crusher

I really wish I could get the app to pair to my Bronco. I've tried the directions over and over again, and can't get it to pair. I love the idea of it, and the app looks promising, but is just has so many bugs and is very unintuitive in the menus navigation.

Make sure you have the latest version, also that your Bronco is also up to date.

Crusher

I really wish I could get the app to pair to my Bronco. I've tried the directions over and over again, and can't get it to pair. I love the idea of it, and the app looks promising, but is just has so many bugs and is very unintuitive in the menus navigation.

Are you iOS? Are you giving the app all the permissions when it asks for it?

In my experience, you have to give it permission to use the camera, mic, and photos at the first instance you get prompted, or else it never works. Even if you try to add the permissions later.

I agree that it still needs work. I tried to use it on a trip to the far northern part of Michigan's lower peninsula and it did not show me any trails anywhere nearby. Not one. Meanwhile, OnX shows 30+ and that's just on their free preview they give on their website.

nrlucas

I agree that it still needs work. I tried to use it on a trip to the far northern part of Michigan's lower peninsula and it did not show me any trails anywhere nearby. Not one. Meanwhile, OnX shows 30+ and that's just on their free preview they give on their website.

At no point does the Bronco App claim to have an extensive selection of trails. They use the term "curated" which to me means very few selected trails.

They never claimed to be an exhaustive source for all trails.

I tried the app. It's very weak. I still find GAIA to be better and faster.

MIGeezer

I tried the app. It's very weak. I still find GAIA to be better and faster.

While true there are some features that GAIA doesn't have. One is Bronco specific curated trails so you don't have to guess what the trail is like or if it's outside the capabilities of the Bronco. Two is the telemetry capture.

It's not meant as a replacement for GAIA.

swooshdave

While true there are some features that GAIA doesn't have. One is Bronco specific curated trails so you don't have to guess what the trail is like or if it's outside the capabilities of the Bronco. Two is the telemetry capture.

It's not meant as a replacement for GAIA.

Agree with @swooshdave here. I applaud the effort to deliver Bronco specific content. It's new and tied to a brand to support the brand community. If it gets long term investment (not that expensive from a corporate perspective) a little bit of staffing, and participation from the 6G community, it will be fine. It's not meant to be GAIA. Its for Bronco folks.

swooshdave

At no point does the Bronco App claim to have an extensive selection of trails. They use the term "curated" which to me means very few selected trails.

They never claimed to be an exhaustive source for all trails.

They can call it curated. They can call it whatever they want. I call it one more undelivered promise from Ford.

I haven’t read up on this in a while nor made any attempt to use it. But that being said, from what I recall it is an app that builds its information the more we use it and add information into it? I have been known to be wrong though….

nrlucas

They can call it curated. They can call it whatever they want. I call it one more undelivered promise from Ford.

And which promise was that?

swooshdave

While true there are some features that GAIA doesn't have. One is Bronco specific curated trails so you don't have to guess what the trail is like or if it's outside the capabilities of the Bronco. Two is the telemetry capture.

It's not meant as a replacement for GAIA.

There are many other apps that give you good trail info. The Ford app still needs a lot of work, and like a lot of other things from Ford, I'm tired of waiting. If you are going to Moab you can get detailed trail information from Red Rock club. Just one example.

I downloaded it in my phone today. I pick up my bronco from getting PPF this Friday. I am planning on making my first attempt to use it this weekend. I saw on the phone that it knows a trail, that I know. I hope it can function. I have GAIA too.

I’ve been trying the app off and on for the past year.

Ironically all of the curated trails around me have a ford ranger in all the photos.

The app still has issues. The UI is not intuitive. Requiring a sign-in to use nearly every time I want to use it doesn’t make sense for an app that gets used outside of mobile coverage. I regularly see “disconnect and start the app before using” message that is hard to do when connected wirelessly, but also unnecessary.

I’ve said this before elsewhere, but ford should consider doing these things:

• Fix the issues faster.
• Get feedback and implement fixes.
• Expand the app to include all fords.
• Expand the app to include any vehicle. Why exclude people that depends on community input?
• License gaia or onx. Honestly this makes the most sense to me.

After seeing minimal improvement in over a year I have little faith in Ford making this app work well.