Agendas
A Check List for 4x4 Enthusiasts
The excitement in planning and undertaking a well-deserved 4x4 holiday, far away from the everyday rat race, can only rate as a highlight on any 4x4 enthusiast's calendar. The success or failure of your trip may be influenced by many factors. Nobody can predict the unforeseen, although you do have control over the majority of influencing factors.
Many hours will be allocated to the planning of your route, servicing of your vehicle and checking your camping equipment, with very little time spent on planning your packing for the trip. This seemingly unimportant point may have a major influence on the success of your trip.
One of the biggest mistakes folk make is packing in so many unnecessary things. You think that it will make your life easier having luxury items on trips, but in the long run it just complicates your life, packing in and packing out.
Don't start packing without first downloading and printing our
.. Packing List for Long Trips
.. Basic Check List
Here are a few hints and tips, which should help with your packing, ensuring maximum enjoyment and minimum stress on your trip:
Compile a personalized packing list for the following items, camping equipment, cutlery/crockery, gas equipment, food and water requirements, clothes and personal items, recovery equipment, vehicle spares and first-aid kit to satisfy your requirements. Once completed this list can be used for all your future trips and can be updated from time to time.
- Decide on a packing system to suite your needs i.e. Ammo boxes or a draw system fitted to your vehicle.
- When purchasing any item, make sure they are practical, multipurpose and easy to pack.
- Square or rectangular items pack much easier and use less space.
- Pack only what is needed, don't pack for perhaps.
- Pack all heavy items as low as possible to lower the centre of gravity of your load.
- Always pack recovery equipment and first-aid kit where they are easily accessible to everyone.
- Pack your table and chairs where they are easy to unpack for that lunch stop along the road.
- Use tie-down straps to secure all items packed. Most vehicles are not fitted with adequate tie-down points. Contact the nearest fitment centre in this regard.
- Securing all items packed is very important from a safety point of view. Loose items become missiles in the event of an accident.
- When visiting coastal areas, make sure you have spare jets for all your gas equipment, as they have a tendency in blocking due to the high moisture and salt content in the air.
- Replace an item in the same place after use.
- Vacuum pack all meat and other food where possible.
- Pre-plan your menu for each trip.
- Pack your fridge/freezer according your pre-planned menu in day order. This will eliminate the fridge/freezer being open for long periods at a time and will extend your battery life.
- Always take the spare and master keys of your vehicle on any trip, to reset the management system in the event of a malfunction.
- Try as far as possible to leave your keys in the ignition of your vehicle. This will ensure that your keys are not lost, with sometimes-disastrous results and unnecessary inconvenience.
- Always leave a window of your vehicle far enough open, through which you can reach your keys in the ignition or unlock a door. Modern technology has a tendency to go wrong, whereby the security system locks all the doors.
By applying all or at least the majority of the points listed above, will ensure a safe and stress free 4x4 trip or holiday. Let common sense and instinct lead you in your packing and planning for your trip.
Use our Checklist to make sure you don't leave anything behind on your next 4x4 adventure!
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