Safety Items for Solo Travel?

[CurtStyler]

Hey all, I'm new to the overland scene and I was hoping for some advice from from everyone here.

I've done some light offroading through my friends farms and such back in High School and camping in college but nothing like many of the trips on people take on here. I'm changing that in 2016. My exact route isn't planned but I'm looking to visit as much of the country as I can with my 2016 Subaru Outback. I don't plan on rock crawling with a new Subaru, but I do want to shoot for more dirt and gravel than pavement.

My question to you all is what sort of things should I bring with me for solo travel?

I want to find a balance of what I should bring to feel safe on my own, and not overspending on things I don't need. I'm at a point where I would rather not have spend thousands of dollars on gear and instead put that into exploration money instead.

However I do know there are something I would want. The first thing I need is a spare tire, I up sized my tires and now the factory spare is too small. Beyond that I'm thinking a patch kit and small compressor and maybe a jump pack if my battery dies. I was also looking at Maxtrax instead of a winch, are they as good as they look for extraction? Would I need 2 or 4?

As you can tell I'm just sort of guessing here, if anyone who has done solo travel can chime in and give me some direction I would be very grateful. In the past I had a Hummer H3, spent about $4000 building it out but then didn't have the money for gas and travel. I'm learning from that mistake and trying to have a car that's more about getting out and seeing the world than how much gear I can cram inside. Then again safety is a must when you are many miles from a road and cruising the country.

Also, if my budget plays out, I want to do a Prudhoe Bay and/or Inuvik run next summer. Prior to that I am looking at spending time in the southwest, Texas New Mexico and Arizona.

Thanks for any advice! :smiley_drive:

 

[LR Max]

Yes to the spare. No one ever complained about having good emergency kit.

This is the plug kit you need in your life:
http://www.amazon.com/Safety-Seal-S...F8&qid=1449858423&sr=8-1&keywords=safety+seal

I've had mine for...15 years? Most definitely has paid for itself time and time again. I really like it because in the time it takes to find a tire shop and go there, I can use this plug kit and sort it out. Job done and you are on your way. Also with a lot of shops charging $15~20/plug, this thing pays for itself in 3 trips. Heck it makes me money. My neighbors trade me a 6 pack/growler/big pack of cheap beer to plug their tire.

Air compressor, many flavors out there. You can definitely get a smaller one since you aren't running giant dumb tires. I keep a cheapo one in my DD. Slow, but she works. ARB and Viair seem to be good. I've had the MV-50/MF-1050 units. Never could get them to NOT suck.

Speaking of which, bring your big breaker bar, a couple of sockets, and your torque wrench. If you have to replace a tire, those tools are far superior to a lug wrench.

Mattrax might be a good idea in a vehicle like the Subaru. You aren't gonna be burying it or getting into ridic terrain. I think Southeast Overland is running a sale on them. That and a couple pieces of wood. You can use em for bridging (like a 8"x8" block of wood) or to add stability to a jack or whatever.

One thing I do in my small car on trips, I get a 2.5 gallon zip lock and put my 2 gal gas can in it. Cheap and easy way to carry an extra fuel without hanging jugs off the side of your vehicle or having it spill inside your car.

Bypass any thought on a hand winch. They are super scary, dangerous, and have limited reach.

Have your navigation game on point.

I think you are in good shape. Make sure you take plenty of pictures!

 

[AFBronco235]

Your basic store bought emergency kit is a good start. The kind for basic roadside emergencies. Jumper cables, tow strap that's nearly double your vehicles needs, air compressor, cell phone and car charger, extra blankets/sleeping bags, large trash bags, some basic tools for simple emergency repairs and some hardware to go with it (tire patches and hose clamps can work wonders on leaking rubber hoses), a scissor jack (better for cars and crossovers than a bottle or floor jack), traction mats of some kind (my dad likes to use 2x6's with rubber conveyer belt bolted to the top with carriage bolts), e-tool/shovel, a "get out" bag that will allow you to carry on foot any supplies you may need to walk out of any situation you can't get yourself out of (food, water, clothes, survival knife, communication, etc.), paper map of the area your in, a repair manual for your vehicle and of course, knowledge on how to use everything. I've found that FM-22 covers a LOT of what you'll need to know about emergency repairs.

For a more advanced loadout, add a CB or ham radio (if you have a license), GPS device, tablet/laptop with map, and other similar goodies. It just depends on how comfortable you want to be.

 

[Sabre]

A cell phone is the single most important piece of emergency gear these days, so a reliable means of maintaining your charge is essential. Beyond areas of coverage, many carry a SPOT messenger or similar.

+1 to the tire repair stuff. That's the most likely failure on your Subie. I like to carry a plug/string kit with a lot of extra consummables since backcountry holes tend to be punched by larger rocks rather than the suburban nails and screws that leave tiny little holes. Agree that you don't need a huge compressor.

A tow strap and a decent recovery strap (two distinctly different beasts) are inexpensive and take up little room. If you need a tow/recovery, nothing else will substitute for these.

As for the Maxtrax, no one can argue about it being pretty much the best recovery aid out there. However, it's very expensive. Will other aids do? Research the options...there's a huge thread about this in the Recovery Equipment & Tools section of ExPo. I personally have gone with the TRED Kickstarter; IMHO, much more bang for the buck with this well-tested piece of kit.

If you plan of dispersed camping (not in established campgrounds), think about waste disposal (i.e., toilet) options.

Extra water, extra fuel, survival stuff in case of unplanned camping. The choice of fuel container is an important one. You don't want the thing venting fuel all over the place with temperature and elevation changes, and you want the option of carrying it inside the vehicle (yes!). Do some research on this. Honestly, most of us drive bloated, overloaded vehicles full of crap we'll never use. As for modifying the vehicle itself, less is more. I am amazed at where I've gone in perfectly bone-stock vehicles over the years. Your Outback is a great vehicle...enjoy.

 

[BlindWilly]

I'd go with TREDS vs MaxTrax in your case http://excopoffroad.com/?product=fdafdcvzxc
Definitely go with a tire repair kit, and learn how to use it. I got mine from these guys. http://pathfinderoutdoors.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=tire repair

Depending on where you're going, always have enough WATER and food in case of emergency.
If you're handy with tools and repairs, then most definitely a good set of tools. Don't go crazy, just bring the ones you'd mainly use for repairs.

Don't forget the most important... Toilet Paper!

 

[XJINTX]

I travel a bit alone... my wife would freak if ,as already mentioned, not for my SPOT. Great in an emergency but piece of mind for my wife with the internet tracking heck or even my adult children. Others have posted most of the other items necessary. That said it really depends on when and where you may expect to travel.

 

[SWITAWI]

Don't forget the gloves...

Don't forget the gloves, multiple pairs. Consider that while using a lot of the items listed above you would be wearing gloves. Winching, digging, changing a tire, plugging a tire, chopping wood, and the list goes on. And a new set of MaxTrax will shred your bare hands, I kid you not.

I almost always eventually pull my good gloves out of the truck and forget, so I finally bought an extra pair and stuffed them into the jack compartment. They paid for themselves when I changed my last flat and couldn't find any gloves. Went to pull out the tire iron and voila!

Ironclad Ranchworx got some recent ExPo love (http://expeditionportal.com/expedition-portals-2015-holiday-gift-guide/) and I believe the ad in Overland Journal showed a discount code of Overland40 - http://ironclad.com/all-ironclad-gloves/

Cheap is okay, as long as they aren't pure junk. Ideally I'd want to have one pair of 'favorite', tough, leather gloves and then several pairs of 'local supply store' leather gloves for anyone else around. Start digging a hole or cutting firewood and there's always somebody on hand without a pair of gloves.

Then I just recently put a pack of these in the truck as well in case I need to get greasy. Thick 6mil nitrile rubber, harder to poke holes in them, and you can get a 3-pair pack at local auto parts mostly - http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Safety-66518-Powder-Free-Disposable/dp/B002XXO60M

So don't forget the gloves... and some extra toilet paper. :beer:

 

[Box Rocket]

Here's my suggestions:
.
Vehicle recovery/safety related
Maxtrax - Better than any of the competition. I'd go for 4 if you can. One for each drive wheel.
Quality tow strap. Take 2. Trust me you'll be glad.
Hilift Jack - too many uses beside tire changing. Can be used as a "come-along" in a pinch if you get stuck and don't have a winch
ARB Speedy seal kit
Good recovery points on the frame of your Subaru (front and rear).
Extra Fuel
2M radio. A CB at the very least but a 2M will have much better range if you need help in remote locations.
Bottle Jack.
Spare fuses
Appropriate tools for field repairs.
.
Personal Safety related
Spot Device is a great idea.
Personal Firearm (if you're not opposed to guns). Chances are you'll never need it but you can never be too prepared when travelling alone in remote locations.
Space Blanket
Fire Starting kit
Extra Water
Emergency Food supply (energy bars etc that can just stay in a small bin until an emergency).
Quality Flashlight/batteries

 

[Tazman]

Here's my suggestions:
.
Vehicle recovery/safety related
Maxtrax - Better than any of the competition. I'd go for 4 if you can. One for each drive wheel.
Quality tow strap. Take 2. Trust me you'll be glad.
Hilift Jack - too many uses beside tire changing. Can be used as a "come-along" in a pinch if you get stuck and don't have a winch
ARB Speedy seal kit
Good recovery points on the frame of your Subaru (front and rear).
Extra Fuel
2M radio. A CB at the very least but a 2M will have much better range if you need help in remote locations.
Bottle Jack.
Spare fuses
Appropriate tools for field repairs.
.
Personal Safety related
Spot Device is a great idea.
Personal Firearm (if you're not opposed to guns). Chances are you'll never need it but you can never be too prepared when travelling alone in remote locations.
Space Blanket
Fire Starting kit
Extra Water
Emergency Food supply (energy bars etc that can just stay in a small bin until an emergency).
Quality Flashlight/batteries

Excellent list of suggestions. This list has one item that I think is very important for a solo traveler, and I did not see it on any of the other lists, a personal firearm. I would add to this a personal firearm with TRAINING. Without training, you will really have a hard time not getting hurt. I speak from experience, saying that a firearm and training are tops on my list. I train at Gunsite in Paulden Arizona and have used the presence of a firearm, or more importantly, avoiding to need it, more times than I can count.

Most of the time, the outback is a wonderful place to spend time but you have to travel to get there. Because you a traveling across many states, each with different laws, you really have to pay attention. There is an IPone app, Legal Heat, that really helps me when I travel. With proper training, and a combat mindset, trouble is easily avoided most of the time. My one promise is to never be a victim and to help others as I can.

Best wishes,

 

[outback97]

Lots of good suggestions here; I am not sure how useful a Hi Lift would be for a Subaru though. Not exactly a lot of lifting points.

Do the current gen Outbacks have any decent recovery points? A hitch would probably be the only really strong one. I have owned a 97 and 08, but we rented a 2015 Outback this past summer for a road trip and were very impressed by it. The range was something like 500 miles so I can't see that you'd have much need for extra fuel if you use common sense about filling up, but if you wanted to keep some in the car I would recommend a Rotopax.

Where are you sleeping... Are you bringing a tent? Sleeping platform in the car?

Sounds like an awesome trip!

 

[Erik N]

Tent cot. Get the "oversize" one. Absolute best $150 you can spend. You're welcome.

 

[Box Rocket]

A hilift has far more uses that just lifting a vehicle for changing a tire. Based on the OPs initial post I am assuming he already has one so it's an easy item to bring without extra expense.
As for recovery points a rear hitch will work in the rear and there should be a couple (one at least) tow hooks in the front under the bumper cover. If not, add them.

 

[colorado matt]

DOG ... extends your awareness of your surroundings ten fold .... and the firearm ... THAT YOU CARRY AND KNOW HOW TO USE .... recovery gear ... and food and water for a couple of days

 

[thethePete]

Here's my biggest tip to suppliment all the good suggestions given so far.

DONT CARRY ANYTHING YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE VERY PROFICIENTLY. If you can't do it absolutely perfect without sweating in ideal conditions, you're really gonna have a peach of a time if you're in a stressful situation, and might end off in a worse spot.

ie: Don't bring tools to change parts you don't know how to change. Bring tire slime (I hate that ****) if you don't know how to properly plug a tire. Practice plugging a spare old scrap tire once or twice to be sure you know what to do. Don't bring a full trauma kit if you don't know basic first aid. Things like that... You could quickly find yourself in a much worse spot if you're trying something out for the first time in an emergency.

 

[Martinjmpr]

As far as light goes I rarely use a traditional flashlight these days as a head-mounted LED light works better, lasts longer (thanks to the LED) and leaves both my hands free. Assuming your OB has that worthless little "emergency spare" I would not even bring that, put a full size spare in the cargo compartment or on the roof (with a lock) and use the spare compartment for emergency stuff.

.You can get a small "jump pack" emergency starter for around $50 that will start your Subaru just fine - but carry jumper cables, too! I got one that I can actually recharge in the vehicle through a 12v plug.
.
A 1000 watt inverter will let you charge your camera, computer, etc while you drive.
.
A GPS is good to have - I have one - but no substitute for a good map or atlas. Maps always show things that the GPS leaves off.
.
Self defense? Your call, I think. I almost always have a firearm but I'll be the first one to admit that in 30+ years of camping I've never needed it. There are places in the US where having a firearm will get you into a lot of trouble and of course it completely nixes the possibility of a trip into Mexico or Canada (unless you make arrangements to store it.) As the old saying goes, the most important weapon you have is your brain, so use common sense and you most likely will be fine. I'm assuming you're male so that also lessens your chances of being stalked or assaulted (which is as unfortunate as it is true) but again, common sense and good judgment are key here.
.
I think as long as you stay within the reasonable limits of what your Outback can do you'll be fine. I don't know what the Inuvik road is like but I've been on the Dalton and it's a wide, smooth gravel road. You could do the Dalton in a Prius as long as you had good tires.