Here at Adventure Kings, we pride ourselves on providing quality gear at insanely low prices to allow more people to get out there and enjoy what Australia has to offer- no matter what their budget might be.  So if you are in the process of planning that trip of a lifetime that you’ll remember for the rest of your life- here are 5 tips that’ll make it the best trip you’ve ever been on.

Tip #1- Food and drinks:
Number 1 is of course keeping your food and drinks cold and easy to access on your road trip.
Running gear like a centre console fridge is a creature comfort that’ll make you feel right at home no matter where you are. These are great because you can either chuck them in the back seat, strap it down with a seatbelt or if you have enough space, rip out your factory centre console and replace the whole thing with a kings centre console fridge to have a nice cold drink  right at your fingertips. Plus, it’s a much cheaper and healthier option because you won’t need to stop at servos to buy snacks and it’ll keep the kids happy too.

Further on this point- for even bigger road trips where you might want to carry even more food and drinks for an overnight stay, a camping fridge freezer will be a go to for most cars and suv’s something around a 45l-50l fridge will fit pretty much anywhere and they are light enough that you can chuck it in and out of the car hassle free. These run off a 12v sig socket and they’re ideal to use on long drives or road trips and you can even run them overnight for multiple days at a time by adding a secondary battery and charger into your vehicle- which is easier and more affordable than you think. This brings me to tip #2.

Tip #2- Electrical Gear:
A couple of bits of 12v gear you should definitely consider for your next trip are things like a portable 12v jump starter pack, a dash-cam, or even a heads up display speedo.

A portable jump starter is one bit of gear I reckon everyone should keep in their car especially on a road trip. They’re super affordable and you can just about chuck them anywhere, including in most gloveboxes. They’ll easily start your car which can save you hours waiting for roadside assistance.

Dash-cams are another bit of gear you should definitely consider. Not only are they great for capturing vital footage that could save you big bucks in an insurance claim, but they can also capture some awesome memories, whether it’s footage of a hidden gem you come across, a breathtaking sunset while you’re cruising down the highway or some weird things you might come across in your travels.

A heads up display negates the need to take your eyes off the road to check your speed because it projects your speed up onto your windshield, it uses internal gps giving you an accurate speed reading every time. That keeps you safe, under the speed limit and help to avoid any fines.

Tip #3- Creature Comforts:
We all know the phrase ‘stop, revive survive’. I cannot stress how important this is when you’re driving long distances on a road trip.  This is when having your own gear makes taking a break on the side of the road so incredibly easy.

Side awnings can be installed on just about any car with a set of crossbars or a roofrack and they give you the ability to pull over and have shade and shelter for lunch just about anywhere you want. Take it even further by adding in a portable camping table and a couple of folding camp chairs and you’re almost fully equipped to have a picnic wherever you might be, plus, you’ll never have to fight the crowds or the local wildlife to snag a park table.

Tip #4- Storage:
Tip 4 is of course vehicle storage.
I’ve had a set of 4wd drawers in the back of pretty much every 4wd I’ve owned and trust me, the ability to find exactly what I’m looking for without digging through piles of gear makes every trip easier and run much more smoothly.

Twin rear drawers will fit most wagons and utes, but if you don’t have enough space for a set of twin drawers, then a single drawer setup might be what you’re after. They’re easy to install and they’re super affordable too.

And if you’re after something a bit more portable for your road trip, these storage boxes are definitely the go. They come in all different sizes, but the size I’d go for in most scenarios is something around the 75-80L mark. That way it’s big enough to carry most of your gear while still being portable enough to rip it out of the back of the car and find gear super easy. 

Tip #5- Vehicle Lighting:
To finish off, lets talk extra light output. A lightbar or a set of spotties play a huge role in reducing fatigue while you’re driving long distances after dark. The reason for this is at night your eyes are constantly straining to see more than what your factory headlights can offer.

If you don’t have a bull bar or nudge bar on the front of your car, a number plate lightbar like this one is definitely something you should consider. They come with a bracket that’ll easily fit just about any vehicle and they throw out way more light than your high beams from a low profile compact package.

So there you go. Five tips for the ultimate great Aussie road trip.