Overlanding is the general process of traveling over land through various transportation modes. However, modern overlanding often refers to traveling in specialized vehicles with off-roading capabilities to withstand a variety of terrain conditions. As the practice grows in popularity, more people want to participate in it. However, there are some issues that beginners can run into. Here are four common mistakes to avoid when overlanding as a beginner.
Packing Too Much or Too Little
When you go on your first overlanding trips, it can be difficult to anticipate exactly what supplies, tools, and equipment you’ll need. This can lead to light or heavy packing before your trip. When you pack too lightly, you may find yourself missing items you wish you had packed. However, packing too much can be equally annoying while overlanding, as the access weight can impact your suspension and reduce your travel speeds.
Since you’ll be living out of your vehicle, you’ll want to find the sweet spot between packing too much and having everything you need. We recommend following a packing guide for your first couple of overland adventures.
Improperly Securing Your Items
Many veteran overlanders use roof racks, cargo carriers, and other exterior storage solutions for travel. However, without the proper safety accessories to secure your belongings, you can easily lose items with these storage methods. You’re sure to encounter lots of bumps and difficult terrain while overlanding, which can send objects flying if you’re not careful. Before strapping a tent to your roof or a portable stove on your cargo bed, make sure you have the proper security straps to hold them in place.
Choosing the Wrong Suspension
Every vehicle that you take on overlanding trips will have unique suspension needs. For example, if you plan to pack more and carry several passengers in your overlanding truck, you’ll need a suspension unit that can handle an increased weight load. As nice as a one-size-fits-all suspension system would be, every off-roading and overlanding vehicle has unique needs and parts. If you’re unsure whether your vehicle’s suspension is up to the task, feel free to talk to our experts at Trail Grid Pro for recommendations.
Forgetting Navigation and Communication
Many of the top overlanding and off-roading destinations are in remote areas with little or no access to Wi-Fi and phone signals. Don’t make the mistake of relying on your smartphone’s GPS because your go-to navigation app could become useless in some locations. Always be sure to pack a traditional map with directions to where you’re heading.
Now that you know these four common mistakes beginners make when overlanding, you can avoid them to improve your first adventures. And don’t forget to check out our selection of Toyota truck parts online here at Trail Grid Pro. We offer new suspension systems to get your truck ready for overlanding and off-roading.
