This writeup is a basic list of considerations to think about when building a loadout of tools/gear for a trip. It was created based on my real-world experience and with the assumption that your daily driver is also the rig you’re taking to the trail. This list is for self-reliance when it comes to vehicle function and repair. I won’t address the full loadout here when it comes to calories, sleep gear, H2O, medical supplies…That will come later. Also, this shouldn’t be considered the end all be all, just a way to get you started or to help you adjust your current plan.
Considerations:
1. Time/Distance/Duration from home?
2. Route conditions? Route study.
3. Recovery Gear.
4. Solo or Group?
5. Time of year?
6. Common sizes of nuts and bolts of YOUR rig
6a. Condition of rig, what can repair/replace now?
7. Less is more.
1. How long and how far I’m going will give me an idea of what I need to pack. A weekend warrior trip 30 miles away is going to require far less considerations than a 10+ day multi state, back road expedition, obviously. No matter the distance or time, think about what is going to prevent you from getting back on the road should you run into issues. I’ve been 200 miles from home where literally a single fuse (Fuel pump) took me out and led to me needing a tow. I’m still Active Duty so naturally, I use acronyms for everything. It’s super corny but it helps. Conducting a “FEMC” check might also help you pick your gear.
F. FUEL – How much do I need to carry to get back to safety or home? You can limp to a road on certain broken metal components, you’re going nowhere without fuel. On any given trip I carry around 5 gallons of spare fuel. I also make sure to “top off” at the last fuel stop I can prior to hitting any long stretch of road before the next fuel stop.
E. ELECTRICAL – What electrical component(s) is necessary to the function of my vehicle? Like I said, I’ve been stranded because of a fuse before so naturally, I carry 2,464 fuses nowadays. Also, battery. No juice = no go. I carry a cheap Amazon jumper for each car. I’ve used it a few times already and it comes in handy. Just remember, it requires charge to work so add this to your pre-departure checklist.
M. MECHANICAL – I can limp for a bit if an axle craps out, but I can’t go anywhere if I lose a belt or if my tie rod ends give up the ghost. I’m not saying throw 500 pounds of spare parts in your rig but take some time to think what spares are vital. I’m either driving my 2019 Power Wagon or 20-year-old Land Cruiser. One of those has parts that are more worn than the other. I keep a serpentine belt, a small bag of bolts, tie rod ends and 10# hammer. You know, for when you have to beat something back into place. 😊 Another piece of cheap insurance is a tire repair kit.
C. COMMS – This can seem self-explanatory but, have a PACE plan (Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency). Your cell phone is typically your first line of comms but if that craps the bed or if there is no service, what do you do? I go with cell phone, some form of radio, then straight to Garmin InReach. If I’m solo, I like to keep my wife aware of my location, for peace of mind. Most of the time I go somewhere with little to no service, so the InReach becomes my Primary for when I need to get in contact with someone. I’d like to invest in Starlink but right now, I haven’t had a need for it.
2. What does my route of travel look like? More dirt or rock? Weather along the way? In any case, a quick “target study” of your planned route is going give you more confidence before you hit the road.
3. Getting stuck isn’t fun. Getting stuck by yourself without hope for getting yourself unstuck is way more not fun. Some basic recovery gear should almost always be in/on your rig. Some items to consider are ratchet straps, recovery ropes, a winch and a jack of some sort. If you really want to get fancy, an on-board air kit is a great piece of kit to consider investing in. I’ve used mine more than I thought I would.
4. I don’t go with a group very often so most of my planning has been with either myself or my small family in mind. But this is a good thing to keep in mind, especially if everyone plans together. Spreading the burden over everyone will enable the crew to have more “stuff” to go around. Especially if everyone is driving similar setups. If I were to go with a group, say 4-5 vehicles, I’d want to discuss the plan well in advance so we can nug out who’s bringing what, that way we’re not all overloading our sh*t with a bunch of crap.
5. Am I going to freeze to death or burn to death? That’s pretty much what I think about when I consider the time of year. Study the historicals and weather for places as well. Getting stuck in a snowstorm or monsoon sucks.
6. This pretty much falls under the “M” in FEMC but, I wanted to dive in a little more. Naturally we feel like we need to pack the whole garage before going out, but that also comes with weight. Pro tip, check your field service manual or just do a walk around of your rig to determine the most common size nuts/bolts/tabs/tubes…that you run. Also consider those sizes that are oddballs, like the comically large ones that don’t typically come in your average tool kit. Think about the most common to brake parts too and especially consider what nut or bolt or tube is going to leave you unable to move or get back home. I have a larger tool kit but I’ve never taken the whole thing with me. Shameless plug here, but I can fit 1-2 wrenches in each slot of our light duty gear roll, as well as 1-2 crescent wrenches if I need something adjustable. A handful of Allen wrenches, zip ties, pliers and some nuts and bolts fit in the zip pocket. Outside of that, I don’t typically carry much more and if I do it’s because I have room.
6a. Preventative maintenance is headache prevention. Do yourself a huge favor and conduct a quick inspection of your rig. Google any point inspection mechanics use and get under your hood. Physically put hands on wires, tubes, connection points. Push buttons and “kick the tires”, if you will. Identifying a soon to fail part BEFORE you leave will save you hours of off trail time.
7. When I first started getting REALLY into OvErLaNdInG I fell into the scam that every (ok not every but damn near most I guess) youtuber was selling. That I needed the most Gucci sh*t and that I needed to fill every nook and cranny of my truck in order to have a good time. My Gladiator was so full, we couldn’t see out of the rear windows most of the time. That doesn’t even include the drawer system and bed/roof racks. The point here is, consider the essentials first then work up. Granted, I’m coming from a place of minimalism but going from where we were 5 years ago to now, I think my wife and I can agree, we’re having a better time when we do get to go on a trip.
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