Absolute bare essential gear for overlanding

[OverlandCamService]

A shovel. If nothing else, bring a shovel. Sounds like you are good on camping gear and know how to live outdoors. The great thing about overlanding is weight is not an issue anymore and neither is space most of the time. A shovel is a useful fire tool and can be the first step in getting unstuck. Other super easy add-ons are a tow strap and a plan to attach it to your vehicle (I carry two soft shackles).

Shade is key, too. It's cheap and easy to take a tarp and attach the short side to your roof rack on either end, then take the long end and put the outboard corner grommets over two tent poles on either then and use guy lines to tent stakes to pull that end out. Instant shade for about $30. You can spend a little more on a canvas tarp and it'll be more robust. Check out the pic below. The nice thing about this system is that you can easily switch sides depending on the sun/how you're parked. You're locked into one side with a pull-out system.

Don't know where you are in the land nav dept., but I'd say Gaia GPS on a tablet is the best system out there. Very flexible, inexpensive, easy to share tracks and you're not locked into hardware like Garmin (I used to swear by Garmin as a sailor).

Have fun out there!

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Paper Maps
GPS Maps (GAIA or the like)
Tire Repair Kit
1st Aid Kit
Cash (many campsites only take cash)
Recovery Gear (type of gear matters on whether or not you have a winch)
Traction Boards (if no winch)
Basic Tools
Zip Ties
Fire Extinguisher (Element and Standard)
Axe
Shovel
Toilet Paper
Jack

Plus 1 for the paper maps. Gazetteers.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

A shovel. If nothing else, bring a shovel. Sounds like you are good on camping gear and know how to live outdoors. The great thing about overlanding is weight is not an issue anymore and neither is space most of the time. A shovel is a useful fire tool and can be the first step in getting unstuck. Other super easy add-ons are a tow strap and a plan to attach it to your vehicle (I carry two soft shackles).

Shade is key, too. It's cheap and easy to take a tarp and attach the short side to your roof rack on either end, then take the long end and put the outboard corner grommets over two tent poles on either then and use guy lines to tent stakes to pull that end out. Instant shade for about $30. You can spend a little more on a canvas tarp and it'll be more robust. Check out the pic below. The nice thing about this system is that you can easily switch sides depending on the sun/how you're parked. You're locked into one side with a pull-out system.

Don't know where you are in the land nav dept., but I'd say Gaia GPS on a tablet is the best system out there. Very flexible, inexpensive, easy to share tracks and you're not locked into hardware like Garmin (I used to swear by Garmin as a sailor).

Have fun out there!

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I also just use a tarp for a shade. I usually carry 2 or 3 cheapo blue ones. I use one for ground cover, one over the tent if I'm renting, and one a an awning from the truck or Jeep to a couple of trees. But I like the idea of a canvass one set aside for an awning