How to Prepare for Overlanding
Overlanding is a self-reliant adventure that takes you to remote places without any resources except for the ones that you bring with you. In order to have a safe and successful overlanding experience, you have to be well prepared. Here are some overlanding tips that will help!
Your Vehicle
It’s very important that you have a reliable vehicle that will be able to handle the adventure. That means it should be well-maintained, large enough to sleep in, and have the bells and whistles to keep you comfortable.
Most vehicles will have power sources so you can keep things like your phone, laptop, and GPS charged. However, this can seriously affect your battery and you don’t want to be caught in a remote location with no way of getting home. Bring a source of portable power with you so you don’t have to worry about your car’s battery.
Make sure you have proper tires that can handle off-roading. You might want to get a new set of tires that have deeper treads that all-terrain tires.
You’ll likely want to bring a new spare parts and tools so you can fix up minor issues as they arrive (like changing a tire)
- Tire iron
- Car jack
- Emergency equipment
- Recovery strap
- Winch
- Battery pack to jump-start the vehicle
- Flares
- Spare tire
- Window breaker
- Flashlight
Personal Care
A well-stocked first aid kit is absolutely essential. You’ll want to have at least the following items in your first aid kit:
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibacterial ointment
- Gauze
- Bandages of various shapes and sizes
- Medical tape
- Burn cream
- Ibuprofen
- Antihistamine
- Blister treatment
Don’t forget to pack all of your personal essentials like any prescription medication!
You should also be aware of where the closest hospital is, at all times.
Food & Beverage
You’ll be relying on yourself for most of your food and water, so you’ll have to have a way of storing and preparing everything you bring.
As far as coolers go, standard coolers are fine if you know that you will be able to access fresh ice when you need to. It’s recommended to bring an injection molded cooler because they are able to keep contents cooler for much longer.
If you have the space in your vehicle, you should bring a 12-volt mini refrigerator that you can run with portable power. You will likely be able to find an off-road or camping fridge that is roughly the size of a decent cooler.
Bring enough water to sustain yourself for the entire trip – you never know when you will be without access to clean water. If you’re traveling in high temperatures, you should pack one gallon per person, per day.
Extra Fuel
Bring extra gas for your vehicle in a durable steel can. Keep your vehicle’s gas tank as full as possible and reserve the extra fuel for emergencies only!
Know How to Get Around
Bring a GPS that can be recharged or powered by batteries. Your cell phone relies on cellular towers which might not always be available.
It’s always good to have paper maps, atlases, and guidebooks just in case your electronic devices fail.
Bring a Generator
The PowerSource Gasless Generator by Duracell will allow you to bring portable power on your trip so you can have the necessary technology for a successful overlanding trip. Don’t plan your overlanding adventure without it!