Since the broadcast of National Lampoon's Vacation, the recovery of off-road, land and camping has reached a level we have never seen before. Even Lamborghini wants to participate in cross-country activities. People just want to explore the city, breathe fresh air, drive on unpaved roads, and sleep under the stars. If this includes you, you will need to make sure you have the right equipment before you head to the wilderness on the nearest dirt road or challenging climbing route. The last thing you want is to get out of the car and find that you can't get in again because you are stuck or not prepared enough. 

Based on my own off-road experience and some professional knowledge of my colleagues, I came up with a checklist to help you equip your own gear or equip your loved one. This will get you started, when you make a few trips on your own, you will want to add some of your own. Are you ready for some ideas? Start here. 

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For many reasons, my first choice is the traction recovery belt from Gear America. Once out the door, it includes a storage bag and a lifetime warranty, which is hard to beat. In addition, part of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital every time I purchase it. I like this very much. 

The rated working load of these traction belts is limited to 10,000 pounds. In terms of scale, the Toyota Tundra in 2022 has a maximum weight of approximately 6,200 pounds, so even if you carry four sumo wrestlers, you can easily recover the truck and everything inside. The strap is 3 inches thick and 20 feet long, making it very strong. Gear America’s leash will not break the bank at all. It has double-reinforced looped ends that are bright orange and easy to find in your gear bag. 

You know if you have a leash, you also need fetters. One way is to pick up a set of soft handcuffs from Bubba Rope, just like I like. Gator-Jaw Pro synthetic soft shackles are designed with self-tightening loops, which makes them easy to use, and their breaking strength is between 11,000 pounds and an eye-popping 125,000 pounds. Need to restore the transformer? You are all ready.

Another way is to buy a kit that includes D-ring shackles and traction straps. Rhino USA provides a wise choice. The strap has a rated weight of 41,850 pounds before breaking, which is much more than most people need (but it's good to know). Rhino USA offers a 100% guarantee, so if you don't like it for any reason, the company will refund your money. 

You will need to wear gloves when you need to handle the said leashes, recovery belts, lift jacks or handcuffs. Believe me; when my team participated in the Land Rover Trek Tour, my thumb hit the door. If you can avoid it, you don't want to do this. Gloves help. The ones I chose to pack in your gear bag are Carhartt's Flex Tough II high dexterity gloves. They are made of textured, breathable spandex, with synthetic palm and foam padding, and are equipped with neoprene reinforced knuckles. 

Chances are, when you are out camping, you will find yourself stumbled at night, even if you just find the bathroom in the dark. There must be headlights to avoid tripping over tent lines or wrong logs, and to illuminate the road when repairs are needed after the sun has set (or before it rises).

Our review team checked a bunch of headlights and found that Foxelli LED rechargeable headlights had the best value. This headlight can be charged via USB within four hours, provides 40 hours of continuous lighting, and provides a beam of 180 lumens at 300 feet in front of you. Depending on where you are and the type of light you need (or split into groups and play Capture the Flag), choose between a red light and a white light. If you drop it into the water while kayaking or splashing in a puddle, it will not die on you because it is waterproof.

When it comes to lighting, nothing can significantly improve the visibility around you than a good light bar. When you need to drive off-road outside of the day, having a light bar will have a huge impact on the distance and speed you travel, which is essential for any off-road vehicle. 

I am a big fan of Rigid Industries’ light products. The company’s E-series Pro 20" Spot/Flood Combo LED strips are excellent. You can use it in a variety of ways. It provides multiple beam options: Spot, Flood, Driving, Hyperspot, Diffused, Driving/Spot combo, Spot/Flood combo, Spot/Hyperspot combo and Midnight version. Let's continue to put it there: this is not the cheapest light bar to date. But it is the same beam as the alien spacecraft Bright, and it may last a long time until the end of the world. If not, Rigid may still fulfill its warranty. If you are looking for something cheaper, Rigid’s Midnight Edition SR series LED light is an excellent light bar , The price is only one-third of it. 

You can do whatever you want, but when you often go off-road, you may encounter tire problems. With any luck, this is just a skin wound instead of a full bust, and you can repair it on the fly. In order to do this, you need a good tire plug kit, I recommend the Slime 50122 flat tire puncture emergency kit. It is equipped with a simulated inflator, 450ml sealant, inflatable accessories (such as football, football, basketball, etc.), instructions and a storage bag. 

This is the best part, all you have to do is press the button and it takes ten minutes to repair and fully inflate the tire. There is no need to remove the wheels or valve cores. This is very convenient if you are in a place where the jack cannot work normally (such as a beach or a rocky path). It can be directly plugged into your 12V charging socket, and has a tire pressure monitoring display and a pressure relief valve. 

No one plans to be stuck, but if you do, you will want to have everything in the Kosin Survival Kit. It includes 18 tools, including compass, saw, igniter, flashlight, heavy tactical pen, emergency blanket, folding saber, whistle, etc. The packaging is waterproof, which may be important if you are trapped in the rain.

Each project is very beautiful because it has multiple functions. For example, there is a miniature compass on the bracelet, the clasp is an igniter, and a scraper is hidden inside. This knife is also a bottle opener (in case you have a thirsty emergency), a glass breaker and a seat belt cutter. This is not a first aid kit, but if you need a way to cut your shirt to make a bandage, this is what you need. 

There are two types of jacks: bottle type and high-lift type. I think they are essential for really ready off-road equipment, and I can recommend one of them. The Powerbuilt Alltrade 640912 integrated 3 ton bottle jack and jack stand are priced competitively. It can be lifted and maintained by combining the bottle jack and the jack stand. It can support vehicles weighing up to 3 tons (6,000 pounds), with a lifting range of 11 inches to 21 inches, and is suitable for all-in-one and body frame trucks and SUVs. Its wide base provides you with more room for a soft surface, and the safety bar prevents it from lowering after being raised.

To get more features, you can't beat the 48-inch Hi-Lift jack. Designed for winches, lifting, hoisting, and clamping, the range is much higher than that of jacks; this one can lift at least one foot higher than the maximum height of the Powerbuilt Alltrade example I mentioned above. Please note that lifting a jack high requires some training and practice-if you don't know how to do it correctly, you may be hit by the handle directly on the face, and it will not feel good at all.

When you are off-road in sand, snow or mud, you need to restore the track. Of course, you can choose from several different brands, but my favorite is Maxtrax, no doubt. Maxtrax MKII acts as a traction board or shovel to get you out of trouble; strong teeth bite into your tire tread, unless you want to, do not loosen it. They are easy to install on your vehicle and easy to use: place, set up and drive. 

Although they come in 12 different colors, orange reminds me of all the strong women I saw in the Rebelle Rally this year. I always associate this color with great power. The kit is provided with a lifetime warranty from the Australian factory. G'Day, buddy.

The most important on my list is the Rugged Ridge Trekker Winch, which is equipped with a heavy-duty 6.6 hp tandem motor and a three-stage planetary gearbox. Pickup truck drivers will especially appreciate the 12,500-pound pull and durability of Rugged Ridge winches. You can choose a traditional steel cable with a wired remote control or a synthetic cable with a convenient wireless remote control, and comes with a five-year warranty.

If you are driving an SUV off-road, you may choose the Warn VR EVO 8 winch. This winch has a towline rating of 8,000 pounds, which is sufficient for almost all SUVs (unless it is armored). Either way, you need to ensure that you have the appropriate mounting plate and installation specialist to ensure that it is properly installed on your vehicle. It is worth the extra effort.

Are there any hints? Let us know: tips@thedrive.com

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