How do I Plan for a Year-Long Roadtrip?!

[Michael]

I was just asked how to plan for a yearlong road trip and I thought I would answer publicly so the community could also offer some good advice.

I think there are some good basics in this video:

It is often hard to get a specific response to the question and you may hear, "it doesn't matter what you drive", just get out there. That's because people tend to get that backwards. Our community generally does not. It really doesn't matter what you drive. It matters where you drive it! Nothing is going to make a Renault a Rubicon, so you have to stay safe and travel within the limits of your vehicle.

The possibilities are really endless, and without knowing what you want - its impossible to give good advice. Go into the trip planning forum and say, "I plan to navigate the Rubicon Trail. What do I need?" and you will likely get a ton of responses because that trail requires specific gear, and it is a specific question. Ask a specific question, get a specific answer.

All that said - you will define the needs. For a year long trip, I would start with less, and change as you go. Your kit is going to change.

1. Be sure your truck is in good working order.
2. Have the basic kit of water, shelter, food.
3. A good book.

Go sleep outside. Go to town. Change it up.

This is what I bring for a 3 Day Packout:

Even for a year-long trip I would start there. Also, go to meetups! Look at what other people bring. Talk to other overlanders who are full-timers: Get a nation-wide gym membership so you can take a shower!

I hope this is helpful - you will have an excellent, life-changing journey!

M

 

[Coreymol]

Great info! thanks for sharing.

 

[DRAX]

If I were going to do a year-long trip or go full-time then I would form a rough plan for where I want to go, the time of year for each area, etc and then figure out the gear I need to be comfortable for the typical climates but also be able to handle extreme cold snaps or heat (survival mode). Basic recovery gear is unlikely to change if you're going for 1 week or 1 year, however I would think about what could wear out or break and bring spares that make sense. You don't need a year's worth of spares, but spares to get you through until you're back in civilization again and can get replacements shipped. Wheel bearings, tire repair/plug kits, fluids (oil, coolant, transmission), accessory drive belts, hoses and/or hose repair tape. Tools. Think about what field repairs you're likely to encounter and plan for them.

Vehicle maintenance is something that will also have to be dealt with. Think about what you do before you leave for shorter trips in terms of maintenance and vehicle checks and figure out how you'll do these on the road. Plan out where you're likely to need oil changes and, if you're starting with fresh fluids, I would also plan to have diff and transmission fluids replaced halfway through. This will be vehicle/condition dependent, of course, but if your transmission cooling isn't all that great then you could see some higher temps, especially in the summer, and you don't want to trash your trans due to cooked fluid.

Survival and safety gear; First aid, self-defense (people, bears, etc), communications. Redundancy where possible and stored in different locations. I'd argue a PLB is a must, they're relatively cheap, no subscription required, and could save your life. A Garmin inReach to check in is also good to have. A sat phone would also be nice. At least one of these items should always be within reach of your common seating/sleeping areas as you may be unable to get to them in an emergency if you have to try and extricate yourself in order to get an SOS out. The inReach Mini is small enough to keep with you or within reach without getting in the way, just make sure it stays charged. Do not rely on a single piece of gear to save you. That inReach may die/fail, so always have at least one other backup like a PLB.

Most of us are going to be limited by cargo space or weight, so pack light and pack smart. Plan to wear clothing in layers so that you have the same clothes that will get you through multiple seasons.

It's daunting to think about going on such a trip, so think of it as a bunch of smaller trips stitched together and rather than going home between trips you just start as fresh as possible before heading out again; Get laundry done, resupply, address any maintenance or minor repair items "in town" before they become big problems, etc.

If you don't already have some of the more specialized gear, like bear spray or similar, then don't worry about it. Mark it on your list/route and pick it up before you head into grizzly territory. Avoiding packing things like this in an attempt to have all the gear you'll need for a year will save weight and could also prevent loss or damage before you even get to where you need it, best case you discover you need to replace it before you get where you need it, worst case you assume it's still ready to use only to discover the can or nozzle were damaged somewhere along the way and now it's unusable when you really need it the most. Which ties into the next suggestion; Reorganize your gear based on need. If you pack and label smart then you can keep unnecessary gear packed away and the gear you're likely to need easy to get to, as you change seasons or regions you can move things around, assuming you're using totes/bins and can't easily get to every piece of gear you're bringing.

A lot of this assumes you're being fully self-reliant on everything. I mean everything. Here's what I mean. Do you have friends or family relatively close to your planned route? Can you use them as checkpoints for gear resupply or swap-out? If you can ship things to them (clothing, gear, parts) ahead of time or use them for Amazon or other shipments then that is one way you can help reduce what you bring. If you're planning on starting in the summer in the south where it's warm and don't want to pack jackets, blankets, etc then put them in a box and ship them to a friend or family member where you can pick them up as the seasons/weather starts to shift to cold. Pack up your summer clothes in the same box and have your friend/family hold onto the box until you're back home and then pay them to ship it back to you.

Having these kinds of checkpoints/gear stashes/shipment drop locations along the way can be a big help if your space is really limited.

Planning ahead and packing smart will go a long way. A year is a long time, but if you plan it well then you don't have to worry about bringing a whole year's worth of gear with you from day 1.

At least, this is how I would go about starting to plan a year-long trip. Curious to learn about what other folks do.

 

[ZombieCat]

A year long trip? That’s pretty general…Here are a few questions to answer before you begin compiling your gear list and itinerary:
1) Where will you go? Location will dictate everything from how you outfit your vehicle to what toys you’ll bring. Weather and changing seasons are should be considered, especially as it pertains to your route, shelter and clothing.
2) What do you plan to do on your trip? A lot of off-road travel? Sports such as kayaking, hiking, biking, diving? Other activities - photography, working remotely, filming for social media? This will dictate not only where you go, but what extra gear you’ll need.
3) Will you be solo or with family or a friend? Are you taking a pet? Again, these factors will determine what you bring and may limit/expand your options as to where you go and what you do.
4) Will you require reservations or permits? OHV permits, camping in highly desirable areas, even planning for vehicle maintenance, take some forethought.
Once you’ve answered some of these questions, build a written framework and start filling it in. You’ll likely have certain times/places/activities at the top of your list, so list them first and work from there.
At the same time, start making a list of stuff to bring. Break it down into categories: Rig related gear, shelter, kitchen, personal items, clothing, toys and their accessories, food, etc. Lay it all out and practice packing as soon as possible so you can see how much crap you’ll need to cram into your vehicle. Believe me, it’s more than you think!
Also…$$$$. This is one of the most important factors, as it may limit how long you can travel. What will be your source of your income while traveling? Set a realistic budget and be financially prepared for emergencies.
Finally, be realistic in your goals. A year very ambitious. If you reach a point where you’re burned out, admit it. If you aren’t having fun anymore, pack your toys and go home (I speak from experience on that subject). You may want to start with several shorter trips - 30 to 90 days - unless you already have experience in extended travel.
Just my 2 cents and the advice is worth what you pay for it!

 

[FishinCrzy]

Staying in the bush isn't half the problem as all the things at home that need to be looked after. I have to enlist help to check on a list of things that could go south. Like, lightening knocking the power off, pipes breaking, trees, falling, beavers wreaking havoc, trespassers, wees taking over, mail, etc., etc. Now that I think about it staying on the trail is the easy part. I'm good for a couple of months at a time. I like my little home as much as I like a good campsite on a good fishing water! Camping can be hard work. Fishing too. Need a rest in between. Since I am fairly old I can more clearly see the benefits of pacing oneself!