Must Haves for the Trail?

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Guys—as a new Bronco owner, who last owned a capable truck in the 80s, I’m working on outfitting my vehicle and pack set up for modest-to-medium off-road adventures. My biggest problem at the moment is not having an experienced, local buddy to go out with, but I’m working on that. But in the meantime, let’s talk about gear. Note: Really talking just about day trips and/or one night camping excursions — not anything like covering 1000 miles over a week.

Please comment and tell me how you’d adjust and/or augment the list below:

Must haves? (Makes a solo day trip pretty safe):

Compressor, deflators, hoses,etc
Tire & sidewall repair kit
Fire extinguisher
Robust first aid kit
Minimal tool kit
Shovel
Gloves
Water & emergency snacks
Satellite communicator (Like inReach or Zoleo)

Nice to have, but likely not necessary if you plan your route well:

Recovery boards
Rotopax for gas
Bottle jack or other alt jack?
Additional trail lighting
Additional rear lighting

Good idea in general, but maybe not much help if you’re out there solo:

20’ Tow strap
30’ Kinetic rope
Tree strap
Soft shackles
Block Pulley

(Note: I don’t have a winch, and don’t plan on getting one at this point)

Expensive, but maybe worth it?

Satellite navigator (Garmin Tread)?
Portable generator?

Thanks in advance!

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[Brian_B]

What I consider absolutely essential and leave in the truck all the time

A towel
A shovel
A flashlight
A good knife


Everything else is more or less situational. I have got a bit more lax since I got mobile starlink and a winch I admit.

These aren’t all the things I keep in the truck, but they are the things that get used the most often by far, even when daily driving to some extent.

I have a bucket of various recovery stuff - logging chain, tow rope, kinetic road, soft shackles, come along, pruning saw, etc that I usually throw in the back, along with my portable compressor and a cooler when I’m going solo or going a ways up the trail. My hi-lift only gets mounted on the rack then too. I have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher since some trails require those, along with some various hand tools and parts to do some basic field repairs (tie rod inner, 1L bottles water, etc)

 

[Brian_B]

I will also say - most of this stuff I haven’t ever used on a trail for myself, and half the time I forget I’ve packed it. But I do come across others and am often able to lend a hand because I had some of this stuff. The four items though - almost every trip.

I hate packing too much - you could load up an entire garage and still not have exactly what you might need out on a trail. The trick, in my opinion, is having enough whatever to at least get back to home/camp/trail head. Preferably in the truck, but that isn’t always a possibility.

 

[CalvinT]

Not equipment but good policy: Tell someone reliable where you're going and when you expect to be back. Show them on a paper map and leave the map with them.

I don't think Rotopax hold enough gas to be worth the trouble. They just mean you won't walk as far when you run out. I have two Wavian cans.

I'm seriously considering a Hi-Lift jack with a Lift-Mate. Then you can safely lift one wheel without having to get under your Bronco. You need the Lift-Mate because a stock Bronco doesn't have jacking points for a Hi-Lift.

I'd take recovery boards for a one day if I expect sand.

Before you buy an extinguisher you should read these three threads. Pay attention to what BroncoSierra says about dry chemical extinguishers.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/ford-bronco-fire-lessons-learned-what-ive-improved-new-safety-gear.104361/

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...n-bad-fire-extinguisher-saves-the-day.101905/

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...d-electrical-parts-compilation-thread.102132/

You should include paper maps and a compass and know how to use them. The batteries will never go bad and you don't need cell coverage for them to work.

Regarding tire repair. Look at this thread: I suggest taking note of the safetyseal link and gluetread. They deal with two different problems. I think safetyseal is the gold standard for puncture repair. Gluetread can repair sidewalls.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/any-recommendations-for-a-tire-patch-kit.92666/

Water is always good, several gallons.

 

[Brian_B]

Yeah I always look at rotopax and think what’s the point. And most of them I see down in town are crushed in where people don’t realize that 9,000 ft of elevation change affects their non-vented cans. They probably nearly exploded at the top of the mountain.

 

[CalvinT]

I thought about a winch and decided it was too much weight and bother for something that would be seldom if ever used. Ask people who have a winch if they've used it and what the situation was. Most I talk to have never used it or used it to rescue others. Good planning and knowing your limits and the limits of your vehicle go a long way.

 

[CalvinT]

I thought about a winch and decided it was too much weight and bother for something that would be seldom if ever used. Ask people who have a winch if they've used it and what the situation was. Most I talk to have never used it or used it to rescue others. Good planning and knowing your limits and the limits of your vehicle go a long way.

I got a good deal at Overland Expo on a Winch2Go for $200. It's a 4000 lb winch in a tool box. It comes with a 8,000 lb snatch block, straps and battery cables. You carry it inside until you need a winch. I've extended the battery cables so I can use it at the front or rear of my Bronco.

 

[orion]

I thought about a winch and decided it was too much weight and bother for something that would be seldom if ever used. Ask people who have a winch if they've used it and what the situation was. Most I talk to have never used it or used it to rescue others. Good planning and knowing your limits and the limits of your vehicle go a long way.

Went from this, winch on capable bumper...

...to this, no winch and stuck and wishing I had it...

...to this, DIY winch bumper.

The only time I needed my winch was when I was building my winch bumper and had it off to get fitment!

 

[CalvinT]

What's that brown stuff surrounding your Bronco in the middle picture?

 

[Brian_B]

What's that brown stuff surrounding your Bronco in the middle picture?

Coffee grounds from the Starbucks

 

[orion]

What's that brown stuff surrounding your Bronco in the middle picture?

On that particular day, I had been through 3 or 4 of these and this one got me. It's on a down hill slope and that is a bar ditch that held too much water and got really muddy!

 

[Brian_B]

I used my winch quite a bit in the snow when my 4WD decided to crap out. And to pull a few other people out of the ditch or off the trail. Or to pull deadfall off the trail. Or get my tractor unstuck out of the mud or snow.

It’s been surprisingly handy.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

I thought about a winch and decided it was too much weight and bother for something that would be seldom if ever used. Ask people who have a winch if they've used it and what the situation was. Most I talk to have never used it or used it to rescue others. Good planning and knowing your limits and the limits of your vehicle go a long way.

Yeah, this is my logic. Go with a buddy (with a winch!) if possible. Going solo into a situation where a winch saves your bacon sounds like a situation one should have maybe avoided in the first place. Bury your nose in the mud out there alone and your winch isn’t going to help much.

 

[Brian_B]

Yeah, this is my logic. Go with a buddy (with a winch!) if possible. Going solo into a situation where a winch saves your bacon sounds like a situation one should have maybe avoided in the first place. Bury your nose in the mud out there alone and your winch isn’t going to help much.

That is where the shovel shines!

Just … shovel for days

 

[CalvinT]

Yeah, this is my logic. Go with a buddy (with a winch!) if possible. Going solo into a situation where a winch saves your bacon sounds like a situation one should have maybe avoided in the first place. Bury your nose in the mud out there alone and your winch isn’t going to help much.

It also helps if you have something to connect a winch to. A rarity where I am unless there's another vehicle with you. It's illegal to hook up to a cactus.

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