Many people like off-roading because it gives us a lot of fun. However, you should do a lot of research before your trip, especially when you have the first time enjoying it.
Off-roading will be more enjoyable and safer if you have experience and some following tips. By reading 5 tips for equipping for your first off-road trip, you will get some knowledge to prepare well for your incoming experience.
What’s Necessary for Your Off-Road Trip?
Recovery gear
There is some equipment that you should prepare for your recovery gear such as traction pads, snatch straps, a patch kit, and a shovel. Besides, you had better have the jump starter to come over a faulty or dead battery.
Emergency gear
An emergency can happen at any time even if you do not expect that. Hence, it is important to pack essentials including warm clothes, waterproof clothes, and a first-aid kit.
Tires
Different tires are produced to serve different environments and road conditions. To ensure you will not damage your car tires, you should choose the tires carefully before setting off.
For instance, to eject sand or mud and get through the mucky stuff, you should use off-road tires. Accordingly, you can refer to the types of off-road tires at Tireer.com to be able to handle them on many different surfaces.
Some Tips to Equip Your First Off-Road Trip Well
1. Make use of the size window
Sharp angles, descents, and steep climbs might cause some trouble for drivers to see ahead. Also, you may find it hard to keep the bearings if you use only one front windshield.
Thus, you can use the side windows to widen your vision of surrounding things and places. Besides, it is a good way to keep eyes on other cues or the horizon to stay on the right track.
2. Start easily
It means you should navigate obstacles on your way. Particularly, when you go on trails or go in the wood, you should start steady and slow. Your driving experience will be greater and smoother if you detect obstacles successfully.
Also, you should prevent the brakes, steering, and throttle from getting stuck. However, when accessing steeper climbs, you should still employ the throttle if needed.
3. Prepare well and keep planning
About this trip, it is simple that you must plan the place you are about to go, the time and the duration as well. Some people can say that they prefer a journey without a planned itinerary. Yet, it will be better if you have a clear plan and careful preparation.
By doing that, you can concentrate more on where you would like to visit or the terrain you will drive. Mapping the route out is also on the must-do list. You cannot drive without making sure how the tracks are and predicting some problems that your vehicle can tackle during the driving.
Except for these tips above, you should think about the accommodation as well. It is advised to book rooms, pay other fees, and entry in advance, if necessary, even if it is a cabin, caravan park, or a campsite.
You may not want to have the first off-roading trip with a bad experience. Nothing is worse than your chosen night’s lodging is booked, or you forget to pay the camp fees.
4. Pack with basics
For an off-roading trip, everything you pack should reach the standard level of self-sufficiency, safety, and comfort. First, about the shelter, determine the form of tents based on the number of members during the trip. Besides, think about the accompanying things such as a teepee, sleeping bags, single and double swag.
Secondly, cooking tools are also essential. If you tend to bring a camp stove, think about the one that is portable, easy to put up and pack away. You should prioritize a stove using the disposable gas canister. Remember to take cutlery, bowls, and plates.
Thirdly, you should take some camp lightings such as the LED lantern or LED head torch. These LED lightings are useful to hang up on the trees to brighten up the camping place. Additionally, you can prepare some cool torches for children.
Finally, you cannot lack camp tables and chairs. The tables and chairs should be sturdy and fold-out. It will be much better if you can fold them to put in a skinny bag without taking many slots in the cargo space.
5. Search about different road conditions
Rock
If you drive on a road full of rocks, you should keep precise with each movement, the vehicle’s traction, and the power. Thus, it is crucial to keep your speed low to avoid the damaging vehicle.
Snow, sand, and mud
Although they are different conditions, you still can handle them similarly regarding traction. Among three conditions, mud seems to be the trickiest.
So, when you encounter this condition, you should inspect the mud’s depth and predict how far you need to go over it. Usually, for an off-roading trip, you had better go in high gear, four high for example. By doing that, you can toss mud away and let your tires self-clean.
For sand, you just need to manage the horsepower. Specifically, you push your car with the maximum horsepower so that you can go through this tacky stuff.
Water fording
This road condition is the most dangerous so you should be careful with it. In this situation, you should measure its depth and what is at the bottom. Then, you can plan to cross it effectively.
Verdict
Above are 5 Tips for equipping for your first off-road trip. Besides these tips, you should also need to understand and know your car well. By driving your car daily, you will get to know its characteristics such as fuel economy or turning radius.
Yet, an off-roading trip needs a deeper knowledge so that you get prepared and keep alert all the time on the way. Hopefully, you will have an exciting and enjoyable trip with your companions soon!
