Navigation

First and foremost, you shouldn’t head out on a long journey without knowing where you are going. If you want to find your way to and from some of Australia’s most beautiful, ancient and iconic landscapes you are wise to think about a GPS navigator, like the VMS Touring 700HDX with the most reliable turn by turn navigation available priced near enough to half of what many others are charging for devices with less versatility.

The VMS Touring 700HDX offers unrivalled on and off-road navigations and with a built-in battery, you have up to 4 hours at camp to plan the next days travels. With a 7” touch screen display, you can intuitively inspect the various routes to your next destination trouble free and without reception.

Self-Recovery

When travelling far and wide in a 4WD, particularly through remote areas, it is almost inevitable that you will find a section of track that will get you seriously stuck, far away from help. So the art of self-recovery is a very important skill to learn, and to keep practiced in. There are many methods of self-recovery you could learn but one of the most vital pieces of gear you can carry is a Kwiky Tyre Deflator, and a set of MAXTRAX recovery boards.  By lowering your tyre pressures, you can gain more than double the contact area of a tyre inflated to highway pressures, this will decrease the pressure on the surface and resist your tyres from digging into soft surfaces, this can also help your tyres grip onto your MAXTRAX recovery boards meaning that even deep soft sand and mud are no problem for a solo traveler.

Another helpful but less necessary self-recovery tool is a powerful and reliable 12,000lb winch like the Domin8r X 7.2HP winch. With many fancy features, a solid winch is known for one thing, the ability to easily yank your 4WD free from tricky situations when coupled with a fully kitted out recovery kit.

Pack More Efficiently

This one doesn’t just apply for long distance trips away, it is particularly relevant for anyone who chooses to hit the tracks. Whilst there are no hard and fast rules for packing more efficiently, cargo organisers like the Titan Rear Drawers allow you to access your gear after it has been packed. Being able to easily find gear located at the bottom of your vehicle when you need it most is quite important.

By thinking about how you pack, means that you should be able to get to most of your gear fairly quickly without unpacking all of your equipment from the back of your 4WD.

Another way you can pack your gear more efficiently is by installing a Roof Rack to your vehicle. A rated Steel Roof Rack like the type found at 4WD Supacentre, allow you to store bulky and space consuming gear, onto your roof. This clears up the internal space within your vehicle making visibility clearer and makes accessing smaller items in the back of your 4WD much easier.

Be Prepared

This is more than just an old boy scout’s motto. If you are prepared it means you have thought about all of the possible problems you may face and equipping yourself  with the tools and knowledge to get yourself out!

Bringing a fully equipped tool kit like the Adventure Kings Bush Mechanic Tool Kit and enough spare parts, fencing wire, sticky tape, and water dispersant spray you should be able to fix just about anything mechanical that may go wrong.

By including a First Aid Kit in your gear list, and learning how to use it at an approved first aid training course, you will be equipped for nearly any medical emergency you may encounter in your long journeys on the tracks. simply having a first aid kit isn’t enough.
Enjoy yourself!

This part is too easily forgotten, some people are overcome with the frustrations of not having all of the modern conveniences at hand all the time. So this instantly becomes our most important rule of all! DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

Long trips like those undertaken in a 4WD become memories for that you’ll remember for a lifetime, so take more photos than you think you’ll need and enjoy every moment!