Safety Items for Solo Travel?

[parkkitchings]

Spot
Shovel
**** paper
Tire plug kit with compressor
Tow strap
Extra food/water in the event you get stranded
............
LOTS OF COMMON SENSE!

Do the drive on the Dempster to Inuvik. Was up there this past fall and it's an epic drive!

 

[CurtStyler]

Whoa, thanks for all the great responses everyone. Lot of thoughts here. A bit more on my background. I do have some basic medical training slightly more than is required for Florida First Responders. My degree was also in Aerospace Engineering and I'm pretty good at working my way through problems as the present themselves. I have more history of building things from scratch than the average engineer, but not as much experience as a mechanic.

First off, I don't have a gun. I don't have any training with firearms and I've only fired one once in my life so I just wouldn't feel safe having something I'm not fully trained on using. I do have more knives than the average bear, but not a gun. I can definitely see the advantage though and it's something I will keep in mind, but I would want to take some classes or something first to make sure I'm educated on how to use it in all situations.

Tires
I'm glad to hear that I am on the right train of thought about tires. I had a scare last week just around town when I found a 4 inch nail sticking out of one and realized I didn't have a proper spare. Luckily I swapped out the stock highway tires for 245/65R17 Cooper AT3's and the nail didn't do any damage, didn't even puncture the tire. I've got about 7,000 miles on them and they have been great on the highway and sand here in Florida.

Jack
I don't have a highlift jack. There's no place to use it on the Subaru anyway. I do have one of these from when I had my Hummer and it works great. It's a combo bottle jack and jack stand. It provides a very sturdy base for any work you need to do on the road. http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-640912-All-In-One-3-Ton-Bottle/dp/B003ULZGFU

Communication
I've got my cell phone and a portable battery for it. I'm also looking at a small solar panel to trickle charge it if needed. I don't have my HAM license but it is something I have been telling myself for years that I wanted to get. This might finally be the push to just go take the test. I do miss my CB a ton, I've got to look at getting a small unit again. That thing was better than a radar detector on highways.

I looked at the SPOT devices and other PLB's. I really want a Delorme InReach. The 2 way communication aspect is a big deal. I might even be able to get my parents to split the cost with me just for their peace of mind. I'm also going to be blogging as much of this trip as possible so being able to post to Twitter from anywhere is a huge bonus.

Recovery
I have no idea how to use a recovery strap on this Subaru. Everything is plastic. I have the threaded eye bolt that Subaru provides but I highly doubt it's strength in a situation where I'm severely stuck. It's 5/8 in diameter at the threads and 3/4 for the rest of the bolt. It might work if I am just stuck in snow or having traction issues, but it I find myself in mud I don't think it will hold up to a recovery strap.

Onto to traction mats. I have looked at the Treds, the new Tred Pros look very nice but they won't be around until April. All of the Tred's products seem to have very large lugs on them. I read the very long thread about them in the recovery section and someone over there had issues with the AT3's not grabbing the larger lugs on the Treds. I'm leaning toward the Maxtrax, I just will have to see where I have room for them in my budget.

Also work Gloves...oh yes. I need a new pair. Thanks for the code, I saw it in Overland Journal and will probably use it when I buy a pair. Those black nitrile gloves are also amazing. I highly recommend them to any of my friends working on cars.

Medical
I need to brush up on my training here. I did a First Responders course back in college but that was 6 years ago now. It was 85 hours of First Aid training and drills. I would be really interested in taking a wilderness first responder of wilderness first aid course. I'm going to look into that.

Sleeping
Well that's the million dollar question at the moment. First I planned on building a sleeping platfrom, but I'm realizing that I need more room for storage than I thought. In addition to the offroad gear, food and water I'm also packing a bunch on camera and video equipment. I want to film my whole trip as much as I can and all of that takes up space. So I was looking at a RTT, but I'm thinking for the cost of that I could buy all my safety gear (hence this thread) and get on the road and have adventures sooner than if I had spent the money on the tent. Right now I have a 1 person backpacking tent that I've had since high school. It works but it's too small for me, I'm hitting my head on one end and feet on the other. It's not a long term solution. I'm probably going to spend upwards of 50 nights in a tent next year and probably more. The RTT investment would be well worth it for quality of sleep and piece of mind but again, just comes down to cost.

Fuel
Ok, question time again. Is there any safe way to carry fuel inside a car? I've always been told keep it outside at all costs which would mean a roof basket of some sort since there's no other mounting place on the Subaru.

So here is what I'm thinking to buy:

Full Size Spare Tire and Wheel
Tire Patch Kit
Compressor
Tire Slime
First Aid Kit
Roadside Triangles/Flares
Maxtrax or Treds (1 set of 2)
Fuel Container
Water Container
CB Radio
Gloves
Paper Maps of states
Recovery Strap
Tool Roll

After that I'm going to have to budget out the following:

Delorme InReach PLB
Tent or Cot
Offroad Lights
Camp Lights (Floods)

As far as things I already own that I will bring with:

Bottle Jack/Stand combo
First Aid Kit
Flashlight
Matches/Firesteel/Zippo
Gloves
Bug-Out-Bag with Food/Water (Energy bars are a great idea, high calories, low space.)
Tools, breaker bar, torque wrench, ratchets, razor blades



Did I miss anything. This is just the things I consider safety issues. I'll toss up a build thread about the rest of the things I'm bringing later but I think this is a pretty well rounded list for things to keep me alive and return safely.

 

[thethePete]

I wouldn't risk fuel in the car, just spring for a roof rack and eat the little bit of mileage, if you go with a Rotopax or something similar, or NATO cans, you can lay them on their side and minimize your drag created by the roof rack. I'm sure someone will suggest some way of storing it in the car, but it just doesn't seem wise to me.

That tow hook you have on the front is more stout than you think. It might not get you out if you're up to your floor pan in mud, but most anything short of that should be fine. If you're really worried, consider a rally/race car style one that bolts to your strut tower and protrudes up through the fender/hood gap.

Sounds like you've got your head in the right place with most of this stuff. Check out Freshassushi's thread too, he's got a Scubie that's way further along than I suspect you'll ever take yours and he should have some good platform-specific suggestions.

As far as light: If you're going with a roof-rack, a 30-40" overhead bar is a decent way to get a bunch of light down-range, otherwise, I would look at some more traditional lighting down on the bumper. See if maybe you could modify the fog-light holes in the bumper to accept a set of HID or LED light cannons (I like LED for the instant on/off on the highway). I suggest light cannons over a traditional bar, because they tend to throw light much further down-range. VisionX has some nice ones and you can get covers for them that can be run with the light on to give you different beam patterns, and add protection to the light.

For a CB, I would suggest the Cobra 75WXT, it has weather bands, and a tiny brain-box that can be tucked in your console, where your shifter is, or under the dash/behind the glove box or something. Run the lead out and you just plug the handset in when you need it. I have a Uniden 510XL (the only other small-ish one on the market), and it's still too bulky for me to find a nice mounting spot in my Ranger. I have been eyeing the Cobra for a while, but don't use my CB enough to justify the purchase. I'll probably just go HAM soon.

The seperate jack is a great idea too, those scissor jacks that come with the vehicle are just widowmakers. Seen way too many topple/fail.

Ditch the Zippo idea right away. They're nothing more than a fashion piece. I love Zippos but mine just sits on a shelf. For practical use, a Bic with a bunch of gorilla tape around it is a much better idea. Suppliment it with waterproof matches or a fire steel. Light My Fire makes a nice little set that is practically small enough to have as a part of your keychain.

A recovery strap and booster cables of your own go a long way to getting someone to help you. Even if they have their own gear, they're more likely to help if you already have your own out. Make sure it's a recovery strap, not a tow strap; the stretch will save your front end if someone is going to recover you.

For sleeping, given your space constraings, I would strongly consider a smaller backpacking tent and either an Exped or ThermARest pad, figure out some type of simple tarp solution for your rear hatch and you'll have an area to prep meals too. Perhaps install some screw-on snaps to the inner edge of the hatch so when it's open you could attach "curtains" of sorts on each side of the hatch to close it in a bit. I have a great visual of it in my mind, and it seems like it would work well. Let me know if you want some elaboration. It's Saturday morning and I'm internetting and drinking coffee. Sorry for the keyboard diarreah.

 

[outback97]

What kind of range do you get from the car now? Are you sure you need extra fuel? I have carried fuel inside the vehicle with a Rotopax with no leaks or detectable odor but it's not ideal and not generally recommended. On my 08 the 4 gallon Rotopax fits nicely across the back of the rear seats and can be strapped into place pretty securely.

The best 1 man tent is a 2 man tent. If you're cramped in the one you have now, I would upgrade it.

Have you considered a rooftop box rather than cargo basket? Keeps things more secure and dry. Plus you won't stand out as much, blending in isn't a bad thing when traveling. A basket bristling with "expo" gear will draw more attention.

 

[amo292]

Check out GoTreads. I have been using them for about a year now in my personal truck and at work. They work very well for getting yourself out of some sticky situations. I used them all summer to recover stuck vehicles from beach sand and they have held up well. I have also used them out on the trails for various tasks like finding them up and making ramps to reduce shelf drops with my long wheelbase. I will not go anywhere alone without them!

http://www.amazon.com/GoTreads-Emergency-Automotive-Traction-Tool/dp/B00LGXH5OY

You would be surprised how strong those supplied eye bolts are for recovery. I have winched out many vehicles bigger than a subaru buried in the sand with them. Never any worries.

 

[Martinjmpr]

IMO there's no safe way to carry fuel inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle. A 2 gallon RotoPax will set you back about $60 and lay flat on the roof. I can testify that even with bumping and bouncing and wild temperature fluctuations, they don't leak a bit. But as others have said, are you sure you need it? Judicious planning will usually solve any fuel woes. In a Suburu you aren't going to be that far off the beaten path and fuel is not that hard to find in most of the US.
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As far as sleeping arrangements I've found that a basic deck chair pad makes a pretty comfortable sleeping mat and doesn't have to be inflated. It folds up so as not to take up too much space.
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I would also avoid the temptation to take too much crap with you. Start off simple and as you discover you need things, you can add them. Assuming you're staying in the US and Canada you can get what you need almost anywhere that has a decent sized city or town.

 

[mjmcdowell]

IMO there's no safe way to carry fuel inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle. A 2 gallon RotoPax will set you back about $60 and lay flat on the roof. I can testify that even with bumping and bouncing and wild temperature fluctuations, they don't leak a bit. But as others have said, are you sure you need it? Judicious planning will usually solve any fuel woes. In a Suburu you aren't going to be that far off the beaten path and fuel is not that hard to find in most of the US.
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As far as sleeping arrangements I've found that a basic deck chair pad makes a pretty comfortable sleeping mat and doesn't have to be inflated. It folds up so as not to take up too much space.
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I would also avoid the temptation to take too much crap with you. Start off simple and as you discover you need things, you can add them. Assuming you're staying in the US and Canada you can get what you need almost anywhere that has a decent sized city or town.

Hey Martin, Merry Christmas! no more 4 Runners? are you still going to have a truck that you could take on future DE's, and I hope that you will be able to make future DE's, it would be good seeing you again. Michael

 

[geo.greg]

Id start by saying if you are going anywhere beyond cellphone range, Spot!

here it is in my in my Jeep and my (sold) 2500 Burb. somewhere i have a photo of it mounted on my tw200 also. whats the saying, dont leave home without it?

 

[Martinjmpr]

Hey Martin, Merry Christmas! no more 4 Runners? are you still going to have a truck that you could take on future DE's, and I hope that you will be able to make future DE's, it would be good seeing you again. Michael

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Yup, going full size. Will be looking at an Avalanche and maybe a Suburban on Monday.

 

[4x4junkie]

For a CB, I would suggest the Cobra 75WXT, it has weather bands, and a tiny brain-box that can be tucked in your console, where your shifter is, or under the dash/behind the glove box or something. Run the lead out and you just plug the handset in when you need it. I have a Uniden 510XL (the only other small-ish one on the market), and it's still too bulky for me to find a nice mounting spot in my Ranger. I have been eyeing the Cobra for a while, but don't use my CB enough to justify the purchase. I'll probably just go HAM soon.

That Cobra is junk (very muffled sound quality). Keep your 510XL, there isn't another unit available that even remotely compares to that radio until you get up above $100 or so. Some people also swear by the little Midland 75-822, which I've heard a couple others talking on, they seem decent (not as good as the little Uniden, but MUCH better than the Cobra 75). If one needs to listen to the weather channels, a cheap scanner will do much better than any CB WX receiver will (most any 2M ham radio can receive WX as well, again far better than a CB). WX doesn't really belong in a CB IMO.

 

[thethePete]

Huh. That's pretty contrary to what I've heard about that unit. I know the 510XL is a tank, and I picked it up for $40, but I've read pretty decent reviews about that Cobra, which is why I was considering it personally. Do you have experience with it that suggests why it's such a poor choice?

Even the 510 is only really good for listening, it won't reach out and touch very far.

 

[AFBronco235]

If one needs to listen to the weather channels, a cheap scanner will do much better than any CB WX receiver will (most any 2M ham radio can receive WX as well, again far better than a CB). WX doesn't really belong in a CB IMO.

You can also buy a Boafeng UV-5R series handheld and use that as a scanner. I have one that I'm programming with all the emergency and weather stations along my planned road trip next week. Just to avoid any problems with traffic for things like accidents and bad weather. Just set it to constantly scan those frequencies/channels I setup and listen in when it finds something. Its also handy to have in case of a real emergency and the cell phone can't reach out in some areas of MO, even along the highways. Oh, and you can also use it as a regular FM radio receiver as well.

 

[Martinjmpr]

WRT WX radios what I've found is that in remote areas there isn't much WX band reception anyway. Anything in the VHF band (which WX is) is going to be Line-of-sight so if you aren't within sight of a tower you're not likely to get much reception.
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I've been using a Midland 75-822 for years and it's an adequate trail radio with a decent antenna. Eventually I'll get around to putting a 2m mobile back in my truck and I have a dual band HT as well. But most of the other people I go off road with don't have HAM licenses so CB becomes the default.

 

[geo.greg]

Not that im suggesting or recommending you not get your ham licence, but in an emergency you don't need one to it operate it. And if you plan on getting certified, why not start going that way with your equipment?

 

[Martinjmpr]

Not that im suggesting or recommending you not get your ham licence, but in an emergency you don't need one to it operate it. And if you plan on getting certified, why not start going that way with your equipment?

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True but getting a tech license can be done in a weekend if you do a little research.