the boring overlanding gear is usually what actually saves the trip
Posted by Acceptable_Tax_7976@reddit | overlanding | View on Reddit | 90 comments
everyone loves talking about rooftop tents, high-clearance bumpers, chase lights, and custom drawer setups, but honestly my current shopping list is way less exciting. i am buying a dual-channel dash cam, a 4000a jump starter, a 12v fridge, a pocket flashlight, and a basic tool kit.
none of this stuff is fun or glamorous until your battery dies on a remote trail, a semi truck kicks a rock into your windshield with zero footage, or your soggy sandwich bread is floating in melted cooler ice. it is the unsexy support gear that keeps the truck moving when things go wrong hours away from a store.
TheDude-Esquire@reddit
A jump starter is as critical as a spare tire imo. Wild to me that people go out beyond cell range without one.
stomper4x4@reddit
Imagine when us old dudes would go out before jump packs and cell phones existed š¤£
Chemical-Fish5597@reddit
Yes, we did go out in simpler times. But when the decision to purchase a jump pack was made I took into consideration the time I walked then hitched a ride to a pay phone, called a buddy, waited 4 hours at a gas station, then drove with him to my dead Jeep to have home jump start me in 1 minute. A $70 jump pack that fits under the seat is a no-brainer. But yeah, those days of throwing a sleeping bag in the back and heading out with basically nothing was a great time.
12beatkick@reddit
I had some overlander come up with these things saying they will jump my dead bat, both times they got it out it was dead. āSo can I try my jumper cables now?ā
IMO unless you really plan to be solo solo, jumper cables are better.
RickySlayer9@reddit
Jumper cables are a must have 100%, but also, why not both?
ChadHahn@reddit
Or you put a reminder in your calender to check your jump back every couple of months to make sure the charge is still there.
Chemical-Fish5597@reddit
The thing is the jumper boxes are quick and convenient. You donāt have to move your vehicle into position with theirs, no connecting your car to theirs, your vehicle stays unbothered. Itās also a safety issue in some areas. I used to camp a lot in the hills of Mendocino County in CA. Lots of illegal weed farms with well-armed people. You may stop to be helpful and find out the shit heads have different plans. On and on, there are plenty of reasons jump boxes are handy.
windsostrange@reddit
Hey, are those jumper batteries safe at hot car in summer temperatures?
Ok_Difficulty6224@reddit
Buy a quality brand like Noco and itās fine. Mine lives in my truck.Ā
Chemical-Fish5597@reddit
Yes. I leave mine under the seat of all my vehicles in Florida summers. When I go on longer trips Iāll pull it out to make sure itās fully charged.
OneManApocalypse@reddit
I've had mine in 100f plus summers for years and it's been fine. Just don't leave it in the direct sunlight.
AZEngie@reddit
I store mine in a back compartment and never take it out to check if it's charged. I go 4+ months without ever using it. The last time it was used, it was still fully charged. If I go camping, I check and charge while I drive if needed
Capital-Ad-4463@reddit
Us āold dudesā were also driving less-complicated vehicles and know how to work on them, too.
IdRatherBeDriving@reddit
A hammer, a crescent wrench and a screwdriver solved 90% of our issues back then.
clauderbaugh@reddit
You forgot the uga-duga which is applied to each of those tools in a scientific manner of course.
IdRatherBeDriving@reddit
Yes of course. Through a carefully calibrated elbow that clicks.
The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit
In some real pieces of shit, too! Man, we rode around in some jalopies.
JCDU@reddit
You'll be telling us next you didn't have Maxtrax and a $700 power pack to run the espresso machine...
RickySlayer9@reddit
Honestly my friends clown on me because I have a roof box full of bullshit. Iāve got a whole kit of fluids for a car. They laugh till they need oil, or coolant.
Everyone thought my 12v fridge was dumb until they pulled out cold food from it.
Iāve used a shovel literally every trip.
āYouāre packing too much, you donāt need a cast iron panā
āCan I use your cast iron pan?ā
outdoorsauce@reddit
Jump starter, air compressor, tire plug kit, breaker bar with a 1/2ā 21mm bit for lugs have saved my ass and my friends asses more times than I can count.
ToeJamR1@reddit
A 3/8 high torque Milwaukee a set of impact rated sockets and TWO batteries. Never trust a single Milwaukee battery as they will fail you if you donāt use them enough.
Worldly-Pair3164@reddit
I like my current setup. Took out 2/5 seats, built a folding bed platform from scrap with two 35x18x10 cubbys underneath. Hid a 100Ah battery and terminal behind the drawers. Used a free 100W solar panel and recycled wire to build out an aux power system, then plug in my ecoflow to the 12v out and run my fridge and bed lights off it. Also put a compressor in the engine bay and plan to do one of those cheap showers to keep the dog clean. Really the only thing I bought and haven't built was the wheels and LFD rack. I figure I can always charge the cranking battery off the aux battery but it'll potentially kill one or the other.
num3r0logist@reddit
As we all know, youāre screwed without the little ladder
Chemical-Fish5597@reddit
Well, how else are they supposed to get onto their GOBI rack to grab their Pelican case dedicated to coffee accessories? You want people to stand on their tire or bumper like a poser?
Extreme-Okra6209@reddit
Whoa there buddy, why is coffee catching strays here? That's a major portion is of my enjoyment when overlanding. A good morning coffee in the woods comes in a solid second to a glass of whiskey at the campfire.
symmetryhawk@reddit
Me and my all metal French press are so offended :(
Aartus@reddit
The mighty little ladder! (Saw this on a car in a parking lot not mine sadly)
RangerHikes@reddit
The thing I don't get is the sheer amount of additional lighting dudes put on their cars, especially modern vehicles with great headlights. Like I see how a lot of cars could benefit from a light bar, but guys will put on like, 3 light bars, and ditch lights, and chase lights, and side lighting. Like where are you going that there is no visible light??
DEADB33F@reddit
I mean personally by the time it gets dark I want to have had camp set up, a fire going and be sitting around sharing a few beers.
I certainly don't want to be pushing on off-roading through the night.
...I'm out to have fun, I'm not delivering organs to orphans in Namibia.
Emotional-Economy-66@reddit
I use extra lights more in the winter here in Canada, it's only light from around 9am - 4pm at the worst of winter. On the other hand, summer sun until 11pm! I don't know how people in the South go with no extra lights when it's dark by 7pm. We can grab Supper in the nearest town and then go set up camp after wheeling for a couple hrs lol
clauderbaugh@reddit
But what if, SOME DAY, you find yourself in that situation and you're not prepared?!?!? There you go driving through dense trail with a fresh organ slowly expiring, cursing this very post because you can't see in the dark very well and are forced to drive at half the speed you would if you had two more light bars. Are you willing to risk that!??!?!
IdRatherBeDriving@reddit
If I could do 100% of my wheeling at night, I would. I absolutely love night wheeling.
Our group wheels all day and then finds camp. I think weāve setup camp 3 times in daylight over the last ten years. We just end up screwing around or taking too long in one spot or somebody gets stuck or breaks, so we pretty much always find camp at night.
And by finding camp, I donāt mean pulling up to a numbered stake in the ground. More like āyeah I think we can fit five trucks in here. How many rtt and how many ground tents?ā āNah, looks like thereās more room further up the canyon, letās go look.ā Rinse and repeat. LoL. Then pack everything up in the morning and start over driving around. Side lights help that kind of finding camp, but none of us drive around with them on until weāre actually looking for something out the side windows.
ghetto_headache@reddit
We get to camp late every time since our vehicle is camping and we often stop at a local brewery or something, so I personally see the value - and want to add a lot more haha. I really want rock lights to illuminate camp when we setting up..
What donāt understand is the need to run them during the day to show everyone how bright your lights are where theyāre pointing at you from the other side of a stop light
Emotional-Economy-66@reddit
Rock lights!!! I didn't know what these wheel well or undercarriage lights were called. Glad someone mentioned them though. I have seen how well they work at night on technical trails on YouTube.
But everyone around here run them 24/7 on low profile mud tired, lifted trucks with colorful suspensions that probably never see dirt. I would use them, rarely thought as I'd be so embarrassed to have them noticed by regular friends š
ghetto_headache@reddit
Haha I hear you. When I see things like that on a beef cakes rig thats covered in dirt and got some scratches and dents, I always assume they do really cool unique things that require such niche equipment lol
WeissMISFIT@reddit
I only have stock lights and itās definitely nerve wracking if weāre doing a beach mission at night.
We need speed to maintain float but we also want to see where weāre going. Itās a hard balance that can only be solved with more lights.
The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit
āA beach missionā? WTF are you doing out there that you consider a camping trip a āmissionā?
Dude, this shit aināt a āmissionā. Weāre grown-ass adults dickinā around with our toy trucks and playing outside.
IdRatherBeDriving@reddit
Thatās the mission, man.
Luka_Don2109@reddit
My pillar mount ditch LEDs on my previous rig saved my *SS multiple times during non off-road trips. Driving the highway in North Central Nebraska up into South Dakota at night, it's pitch black. No other cars around. No city lights. During the winter the snow comes down sideways, snow banks form over the road...or even worse black ice. Almost rolled my Jeep during one trip through there.
With that weather sometimes the highway turns into a forced overlanding situation.
Outside-Season-5602@reddit
chase lights can and should be used during the day if you are driving in dirt roads.
where is live, southern california, most local trails are loose dirt and have a huge dust cloud with less than 1 car length visibility even going 10 mph. even stock subarus can easily do 25 mph on many.
Hey_cool_username@reddit
I like the side lights and cargo area lights I added. I have had a light bar on front for maybe 8 years and only needed it once. Going to our remote cabin, arriving after dark for the first time that winter, I got to the 1/2 mile long driveway to find it blocked by 5 downed trees and had to bust out the chainsaw and winch in the dark to clear the road. Headlights werenāt enough light where I needed it and the light bar came in clutch. If I got out more, it might be more worthwhile.
whit3lightning@reddit
Have youā¦ever been out in the middle of nowhere on a cloudy, new moon night? I agree most guys that have more than necessary are dorks going overboard, but those dudes that whip around Baja California definitely need as much as they can get.
RangerHikes@reddit
Yes, I have. That's what I don't get. Like, use a headlamp ? Dudes invest ungodly sums of money in basically creating a portable star.
whit3lightning@reddit
Headlamps donāt scare away the bad guys
TheIncarnated@reddit
Uhhh... Neither does large pools of light? You end up being a beacon in the night. That's not the argument you think it is.
There are others that can be made but that's not it
AloneDoughnut@reddit
Ditch lights have saved my ass before. Saw a moose lurking in the woods before the bastard decided to run up onto the road. Slowed down and didn't end up wrecked.
Good_With_Tools@reddit
I totally agree but for a different reason. I'm a weekend warrior, like most of us. I head out Friday at noon. My goal is to have camp set up before dusk. If I can get to a cool spot by then, that's where camp is for the weekend. If not, I break down in the morning, have some more fun on the trails on Saturday, and again set up camp before dusk. Then, I break down camp Sunday morning and enjoy a slow trip home.
Basically, I'm never wheeling at night. So, all those lights are useless to me.
PonyThug@reddit
I drive SLC to Moab or Zion area after work Friday pretty often. Even leaving at 2pm itās dark by the time I arrive where I want to camp half the year.
$350 in some lights really makes finding camp spots easier, or not clipping things when making 3 point turns etc.
PonyThug@reddit
I have road legal fog lights that I use on the street. Ditch lights for making tight turns in my long bed double cab truck. And then a light bar to fill the opening in my roof rack. That on I hardly use, but itās fun to romp around in the desert at night some times.
Chillywhale21@reddit
it is pretty ridiculous for someone thatās just hitting dirt roads and camping, but if youāre out in the desert or in the mountains doing some rock crawling at night, itās very useful. i almost exclusively use my lights when iām doing serious off-roading at night (relatively often).
2eaver@reddit
On top of that, folks that spend top dollar on name brand lights. They have their place, that's for sure, but for weekend warriors going 5-20 mph, you don't need lights that reach out half a mile.
I've needed mine on the trail 4 times. I have two spots on the bumper, and a light bar on the roof. I also have some side lights, and strobes/backup lights in the rear. The strobes and side lights get more use than the front lights, as they're also very useful in dust so the vehicle behind me can stop me easier.
Both my vehicles headlights SUCK, so the extra lights are extremely useful, but certainly not really a requirement. I also typically buy cheaper lights, because they work just fine, for what I'm using them for.
JCDU@reddit
We've run a few night events (which totally changes things) and the standout to me is just how useless it is to have a bajillion watts of LED lights on the front pointed forwards and then almost nothing above the standard reverse light on the back / nothing on the sides...
First off, that death star grade light bar is absolutely screwing your night vision in every other direction, and then the moment you need to manoeuvre or turn around you have ZERO illumination to see all the trees / rocks / holes / etc. behind and around you.
The single best setup I've seen had as many lights on the other 3 sides as the front, including inside the load area so you can see & find / stow all your recovery gear and work all around the truck in a very decent pool of light but without being blinded.
Charming-Delivery710@reddit
I found out when I was already in the soup how critical it can be to have extra lights to see (and be seen) when I crossed a curvy mountain pass with zero visibility. My OEM headlights did nothing to cut the fog. Same when I was routed on an off-road path to get to a dispersed campsite and the need for sidelights to see the edge or jutting rocks made me a believer. Dust can be as bad sometimes as well. It convinced me not to get back on trails until properly outfitted. Though I will admit accessorizing just for looks can get excessive and costly.
lunaoreomiel@reddit
Recovery strap, a shovel, hand tools, plenty of fuel and water.. not much else you really need.
tbone1004@reddit
jump packs are IMO mandatory gear for EVERY vehicle, the ability to self recover is well worth it. This is that much more important these days where the modern vehicles don't like jump duty so it's cheap insurance.
I would add a plug kit and a compressor though.....
MDub72@reddit
I have plenty of trendy stuff, but nothing more important than a spare tire. How many lifted vehicles do you see with no spare tire?
NoIdea4u@reddit
Lockers before light-bars.
BetweenInkandPaper@reddit
Try driving around in the Australian outback without a bull bar and hitting a kangaroo, thatāll ruin your whole trip, or in your case a deer? Or getting bogged or stuck mid river crossing without a winch.
M-fz@reddit
Yeah, Iām lapping Aus and we try and free / remote camp when we can. Currently in remote WA, no way Iād do it without a Bullbar. Coming home tonight I passed 2 kangaroos just standing on the sandy road, they didnāt bother to move either.
conicalconehead@reddit
I ended up getting a winch after twice almost getting stuck 50+ km down forest service roads.
Capital-Ad-4463@reddit
Letās be honest; the closest most of the people who post here get to exploring the Australian Outback is perusing the menu at Outback Steakhouse.
Hell-Yea-Brother@reddit
Oh naurr!
genuinecve@reddit
RangerHikes@reddit
That's my point guys handle lighting on their rigs the same way the average American who "might need to tow one day" looks at pickups. They don't buy for their use case, they buy for worst / most extreme case scenario
pfwolfs@reddit
Or a Subaru Outback
NeedCaffine78@reddit
Itās both. Iām about to head away for 7 weeks. RTT is comfortable and lets me get a good nights sleep, under 5 minutes to setup. Awning gives shelter from sun and rain, along with light at night. Big electrical systems runs my cooking and fridges. Fridges keep my food for a few weeks in meat, about a weeks worth of eggs and fresh produce. Pantry slide is not sexy but makes accessing stuff so much easier. It all works as a system.
Couldnāt care less if itās sexy or boring, but makes it possible and easy, comfortable for long trips. Previous iterations I grew to resent after a few weeks of full time use because they werenāt easy, werenāt comfortable. And some of those could be called āsexyā items, form over function
mikeysaid@reddit
You sir, have the ultimate in overlanding accessories: Time. For most of us, more than a couple of weeks is nigh impossible.
Dear_Chemical4826@reddit
Newb here, but this sounds about right. I'm going to try some midwest trails this summer near Twin Cities and just drive what I have (1st gen Highlander). I figure, especially as a flatlander, that driving some abandoned railroad grade trails will be slightly more challenging than a gravel road.
Appropriate-Gap34@reddit
Overlanding has become a slow drive down a maintained dirt road (meh). Recovery gear, purple K fire extinguishers mounted at the seat base, winch if alone, first aid where you can reach it from your seat (back of passenger seat), tools, impact wrench, light of course, higher end jack, starlink, radio, nav., air compressor (Desert race prep basically). Ive seen about 9 fridge failures over the years and various expeditions, of all brands and price points. Ice isnt that hard to keep or get since your getting fuel every 3 to 7 days.
desertSkateRatt@reddit
Toilet paper and BACKUP toilet paper.
Also, several emergency mylar blankets.
CrowRunnerORP@reddit
I dont know dude, a refrigerator in your SUV or truck IS kind of the very definition of glamorous and why they call it "glamping."
BTW if anyone doesnt want ice water in their cooler just freeze water bottles. Couple 2 liters last a long time. Lot of thermal mass.
No that fridge is very convenient and VERY glamorous the entire time. You save a lot of space and can have ice cream and endless beer cooling.
Shoot. This was a bait post huh?
stomper4x4@reddit
That's good for 3 days. But what about 2 weeks, or a month? Where do we refreeze the bottles?
CrowRunnerORP@reddit
I think everyone dies of food poisoning if you attempt that.
Or get some salt pork and hard tack
armchairracer@reddit
Yeah, the call out of a fridge being a basic thing made me feel old, and I'm not even 35 yet.
Alternative_Ad4265@reddit
Now I just need to find someone to freeze my water bottles..
CrowRunnerORP@reddit
Yeah its a lot of work
74omit@reddit
How does a dual-channel dash cam keep your truck moving? I understand it could be useful but it won't stop the rock from flying into your windscreen.
CrowRunnerORP@reddit
Semi kicks rocks on your windshield, he said. Hence dash cam
pfwolfs@reddit
Curious what a dashcam does for you when another vehicle kicks up a rock that smacks your windshield? I've had to replace several windshield over the years. Am I supposed to track these people down to demand they pay for randomly kicking up a rock?
CrowRunnerORP@reddit
Nothing.
Im just guessing OP meant for that to be the relevant part for the dash cam.
Perfect_Explorer_191@reddit
Not to be dense, butā¦ how does the dash cam help the windshield and save the trip?
stomper4x4@reddit
Look at you, getting down voted, for actually relaying a quote. I think reddit just loses it's mind sometimes.
JCDU@reddit
Look buddy, we're not here for facts, we're here to reinforce our prejudices!
The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit
Iām still uncomfortable with collecting incriminating evidence against myselfā¦
WeissMISFIT@reddit
Hi what is your mission profile?
I ask because what you need is dictated directly by what youāre doing.
A month long summer road trip, get that RTT.
2-3 day ski trips, insulate the fuck out of your car and sleep in it. You donāt even want to bother with a RTT because itāll get damp.
The over landing gear that saves the trip is the gear that the mission dictates.
The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit
Thereās your āmissionā again. Iām wishing you good luck infiltrating the state park this weekend.
beedubskyca@reddit
Basically all my stuff runs/can run off makita batteries. Lights, air pumps, 12v and 120v power, 12v fridge, starlink, even a coffee maker. I bring the little makita blower sometimes to do a quick leaf blow of my campsite.
Having a ton of batteries anyway means never having to worry about power for a few days or a week.
chris-za@reddit
I also have a bush saw and small ax on board. No, itās not for a fire (thatās just a side effect). Primarily itās to be able to get shrubs and stuff to put under the tyres for extra traction should i find out the ground i parked on in the middle of nowhere was a little too soft. That plus the 12V compressor to reinflate the tires after taking out air for better traction can be a life saver (or rather save wasting hours or days to find help to pull me our)
East_Swim1009@reddit
OVERGLAMPING! š š¤£
vomor_hudiskco@reddit
the online pricing on