As a bare minimum in the expeditioner’s arsenal, the following items should be included as standard. Naturally it’s a matter of opinion, but I wouldn’t find myself without any of these items if venturing further afield off road. A two ton vehicle won’t much listen to a single human being unless he has some tools up his sleeve.
Hi-Lift Jack
Further to using ladders, a jack can be used in conjunction to lift a stricken vehicle from the mud/sand/water to enable placement of a ladder underneath. Effectively creating a roadway to support the wheel. Land Rovers have the pillar jack shipped as standard, but is limited in only four lift points on the vehicle. A Hi-Lift jack will allow jacking from any position, ideal for the situations where the front is sunk so deep that you can’t get the jack low enough to slot it in the bumper.
Ladders/Waffles
Whether you call them ladders, tank tracks or sand waffles (depending on terrain), they effectively do the same job – creating a makeshift road under your wheels to support and add grip in the stick situations. They can be used preemptively to mask a devlish rut or hole in the road, or to place next to the spinning wheels mired in mud. Their function can be mimicked with wood, branches and other natural materials, however a good solid metal ladder, combined with a shovel, will see you through many situations.
Shovel
You’ll really find it to be a godsend when you’re up to your ruts in sloppy mud, although sometimes, you just can’t beat scraping it away with your hands. Although, it goes quicker with a shovel.
GPS
Invariably, going on expedition means going off the beaten track, and a GPS can really put at ease any map reading woes. And that’s to say that you do need a map, otherwise what actual use would it be?!? A basic handheld GPS unit sat on the dashboard or hanging from the rear view mirror will more than suffice for this purpose.
Tow Rope
When out and about on the more demanding roads, I have frequently come across people driving in vehicles, which aren’t Land Rovers and have gotten themselves stuck. Usually tourists out and about with a 4×4 rental, whose eyes gleam at the site of a machine bearing down on them that looks like it knows what to do.
Nylon tow straps with hooks are good; a lot less heavy than chains, but essentially any piece of sturdy rope can be used. If you’re worried it might snap, you can rethread the rope a few times between the vehicles. Take care join vehicles with no twists in the straps as it drastically reduces the strength of the nylon webbing.
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