Australia is one of the largest countries on earth, and it’s absolutely stuffed full of amazing things to see and do. The best way of getting around this wide brown land of ours is in a 4WD, and if you’re heading away on an adventure, there are a few things you can’t leave home without.

A 4WD is great for a couple of reasons; first is obviously that they can get you further into the bush in more comfort than your average family sedan, and secondly – you can fit all your stuff in them!

Here’s a quick list of the essential gear I take on every trip, whether it’s a quick weekender to Sydney’s Blue Mountains, or a 6 week trek through the great Outback!

The first thing I do before heading away on any trip is make a list of the things I need to take, and the main categories I work through are; Camping Gear, Supplies, Clothes, and Emergency Gear.

Right, you’re going to need something to sleep in, and I always use my Adventure Kings Big Daddy Double Swag. Swags are great because they’re quick and easy to unroll and setup, so you can crawl straight inside after a long day behind the wheel, or a relaxing day down by the local creek with a few lemonades. The 400gsm heavy duty, ripstop canvas means you’ll stay dry even in the heaviest downpour, while the large storm flaps allow you to leave the end windows open for air circulation.

The next thing to add to your packing list is your 4X4 Awning – yeah I know, it’s permanently fixed to the roof racks, it doesn’t need to be ‘packed.’ But if you don’t have one, go out and get one right now! You can pick one up from 4WD Supacentre for well under $100, and it will change the way you camp with your 4WD! You can set it up in 2 minutes blindfolded, and have a shelter ready to cook under, sit under while you eat, or roll the swag out underneath. Plus, the 280gsm ripstop polyester Adventure Kings Awning is fully waterproof, and is UPF50+, so no matter if it’s pouring with rain, or you’re stopped for lunch under the harsh desert sun in the middle of the Simmo, you’ll be able to enjoy the view in comfort.

On the topic of comfort, I always make sure to pack my Adventure Kings Throne Camping Chair, to kick back in at the end of the day. With tough, steel supports and 600D PVC coated Oxford Weave seat fabric, this chair is rated to 300kg and will be the envy of all the other campers.

For years I’ve always relied on head torches for camp lighting, but last year I splashed out and bought a set of 12V camp lights from 4WD Supacentre, and these would have to be my pick of camping accessories. They easily attach to my awning with the included velcro strips, and the dimmer switch means I can turn them right up to see what I’m doing while camping, then down low for mood lighting later in the night.

Once you’ve got the swag, awning, chair and lights in your 4WD, you’re set with the basics for a quick, easy and comfortable set up. The next thing to look at is Supplies.

You’ll need the obvious things like water (about 5L per person per day is a good average), food (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, plus some extra for those late nights round the campfire), and beer, or your poison of choice. Once you’ve got all this organised, you’ll need something to store it properly.

Anything that comes from the long-life section of the shops can be stored in a  plastic tub, pick a size to fit your vehicle. Even better, you can keep them permanently in your vehicle by fitting a single or double set of Titan Rear Drawers.

But all the things that you’d normally keep in the fridge at home need to go somewhere, and here you’ve got two options; a portable 12V fridge or a portable icebox or esky. A portable ice box is a great option if you’re on a short trip or you’ve got a limited budget, as they’re filled with high-density CFC-free polyurethane insulation for excellent insulation & broad walls for added durability, as well as having thick EVA seals that prevent cold air from escaping, to keep your food and drinks ice cold for longer!

If you’re heading away on a longer trip, and have a dual battery system installed in your 4WD, you can instead pack your food into an Adventure Kings 60L Fridge/Freezer. These work just like your fridge at home, which means you’ll have cold beer and fresh food your whole trip, without worrying about having to drag soggy bacon from the bottom of an ice filled esky.

What clothing you pack will obviously depend on where you’re heading and when, but you should always grab a raincoat, and a jumper in case the weather changes. And don’t forget enough pairs of clean socks & jocks so that people will get back into your truck for the trip home without having to wind all the windows down.

Always remember to chuck your recovery kit in the back of the 4WD, and put it somewhere easily accessible, so you don’t have to unpack half the boot just to grab a snatch strap to escape the unexpectedly deep boghole you just got stuck in on the way into camp. Other important gear that should get packed with your recovery kit includes an air compressor, tyre deflator, and a shovel – these are great for digging those early morning holes, and putting coals on the camp oven, as well as getting your 4WD unstuck!

Now you’ve got all this gear ready, where is it all going to go? Well the best storage solution I’ve found is to install a set of Titan Rear Drawers. Built with a strong galvanised steel frame, heavy duty roller bearings and marine carpet inside and out mean these 4X4 drawers are super tough. There’s also heaps of space in the Titan Rear Drawers, so you’ll be able to fit pretty much all your gear in your 4WD drawer system. The right-hand drawer is where I store my Hercules Recovery Kit, and my Adventure Kings Bush Mechanic tool kit at the front so it’s easy to access if I need to tighten up anything after a long corrugated road. I also chuck my ratchet straps, a few ropes, some duct tape and cable ties, plus WD40 and silicon spray, in this drawer.

The left drawer (under the fridge slide) is where my camp kitchen gear lives – stove, billy, frying pan, chopping boards, Adventure Kings BBQ Plate, picnic set, rubbish bags (if you take it in, take it out), hand sanitiser, cutlery… all the comforts of home out on the tracks.

Storing all this gear inside my Titan Rear Drawers means that I have the rest of the boot free for my fridge or portable ice box, food box, chair, and a bag of clothes. And as an added bonus, I can still see out the back window!

Finally the 4X4 awning, swag and shovel all go up on the roof rack, and I’m ready to hit the tracks.

See you out there!

Scott

4WD Action Team