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  #1  
Old 03-16-2013, 07:52 AM
KCHahn KCHahn is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 763
Default Trail gear

Not sure which forum to post this in!
And no, I did NOT search, as honestly, I'm not sure what term, or terms to use!
Or even which forum to look in!

I've been thinking, what kind of gear should one have on hand when trail running??
I'm thinking 4 categories at the moment:

1. Required gear
Tow rope/strap/chain - length?
Spare tire
Jack - type? Have stock and hi-lift. Hi-lift was a freebies from a neighbor years ago!
CB radio - for communication
Cell phone, for emergencies - IF within signal coverage
Flashlight - extra batteries
Map(s) of where you're going

2. Recommended gear
Food/drink
Spare clothing - as weather/season dictates
Blanket/bedding

3. Suggested, but not absolutely necessary
Winch - in case you get stuck, or helping someone else.

4. Miscellaneous stuff


These are my suggestions, so far! Please, add anything more to the list!
Hoping someone, besides me, can benefit from the information!!
Figure it'll be good for the beginner to the experienced individual(s).
Maybe, with this info, I can be better prepared for future rips, in almost any weather!
Additional information welcome, and much appreciated.
Thanks.
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2wd 2001 Edge, 4.0L auto.
Mods: OHC, auto dim mirror, Westin grille guard, nerf bars, Hella 500 off road lights, AVS bug shield and window vents, tonneau cover and 31/10.5/15 Falken Rocky Mountains, MB TKO 15x8 rims. Regeared to 3.73 with LSD.
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  #2  
Old 03-16-2013, 08:59 AM
teemgreen99 teemgreen99 is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 389
Default

Depends on how serious your trails are and how far from civilisation they are. All those are great items to have, don't forget sealed matches and a lighter also a flashlight and tool box with large assortment of sockets and wrenches. Extra fuel tank (5-10gallons) spare truck parts shocks drive shaft parts etc

2009 ford ranger xl regular cab 5 speed manual.

----------

Maps is a good one you mentioned specifically a GPS if your phone doesn't have one

2009 ford ranger xl regular cab 5 speed manual.
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  #3  
Old 03-16-2013, 01:56 PM
Monkeee2002 Monkeee2002 is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,023
Default Re: Trail gear

Get yourself a recovery strap. Something stretchy. It should have no metal on the ends. If a strap with a metal hook comes loose, there's a mean projectile coming your way!

If you can't afford a winch, get yourself a come-along. It's basically a manually operated winch. Slow and sucky, but better than nothing.
Get yourself a shovel (entrenching tool works well and is compact). When you need it and don't have it, you'll kick yourself. Trust me.

Something to start a fire with, especially if you're wheeling in a colder area.
WATER. Take at least 2 water bottles per person. Odds are you'll never need it. But if you do, you'll be glad you have them.
A few snack bars, again, just in case.
You'd be surprised at how hungry / thirsty you get when confronted with a "surprise camping trip".

Also, cram a half-roll or so of toilet paper into a ziploc bag, and shove it under the seat. Never in the way, and always there.
A small first aid kit is a good idea, too.


Some basic tools, dependent on your mechanical aptitude.
Ditch the Hi-lift, they can actually be dangerous to use. Get about 12-18 inches or so of 2x6, to give your stock jack a good base if you need to use it in soft sand, mud, snow.
And check your spare, make sure it has air. I've seen many people grab their spare tire only to find it's flat.

But first and foremost, get a wheelin' buddy. It's always best to have 2 or more vehicles.

Oh yeah. Duct tape.
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  #4  
Old 03-16-2013, 07:01 PM
Jimmyspy Jimmyspy is offline
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Posts: 2,172
Default Re: Trail gear

Quote:
Originally Posted by Monkeee2002 View Post

But first and foremost, get a wheelin' buddy. It's always best to have 2 or more vehicles.

Oh yeah. Duct tape.
x2
Its always a good idea to wheel with at least one other person. If you go by yourself and get stuck then you could be screwed. And trust me, eventhough good ones will help ya out, your friends dont wanna get a call sayin that your dumb ass is stuck out in the woods and needs a tow.... (ask me how I know... haha )
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  #5  
Old 03-20-2013, 11:12 PM
Exteban Exteban is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 5
Default Re: Trail gear

What I kept in my work truck (F-350) at my old job where I always went to remote field sites was a tow strap, a shovel, sand bags, boards, a hi-lift jack, and a long digging/breaker bar which also fits into the hi-lift jack's handle to get lots of leverage to lift the F-350. I've also used that bar as a makeshift lightning rod when storms come in and I want to give the lightning a target instead of me. So far it hasn't been struck (neither have I).

Like someone else said, Hi-Lift jacks can be dangerous, so make sure you watch all the videos on youtube of people doing stupid things with them so you know what not to do, and don't let anyone use it who doesn't know what they're doing.

For my personal truck (Ranger) I use almost the same equipment, but instead of a hi-lift jack I have a portable winch with big chains with hooks on the end to attach it to any part of the frame. And also a small air compressor. I also typically bring the things one would bring on a backpacking trip, but that's more because I might as well store them in my truck instead of in the house, where I am unlikely to need them. On a few occasions when I've gone to particularly remote and risky locations, I've also brought my mountain bike with me so I could get back to town in a matter of hours if I'm stuck in a place where I know nobody would find me and walking would take days.

So far, the most useful thing has been the shovel, with the tow strap coming in a close second place. The longer the strap the better, for a lot of reasons. It was once an invaluable tool to remove trees that were blocking the road home after a storm came through. Another time, I needed two of them tied together to haul an ATV trailer across a stream. I could get the truck through on its own, but it would get bogged down with the trailer. The solution was to leave the trailer on one side, drive across the stream onto firm ground then tie the double-length strap to the trailer and haul it across. It's also useful to know how to tie a figure-8 knot in case you have to splice broken straps together.

One other thing I've found crucial is a laptop (or smartphone) full of detailed aerial photography. Before going to the field, I go on Google Earth and get to know the area I will be in, loading the highest-resolution images the whole time so that they'll be saved on my computer in case I need the most detailed map possible. A few times I've even loaded up older imagery so I can check for seasonally varying conditions.

Double spare tires was standard issue for work trucks at my old job, and it only took three weeks before I had my first double-flat tire day. And while I'm at it, I'll recommend either BFG TA/KO (waffle makers) or Goodyear Wrangler Authority tires. These tires have great off-road traction and extremely thick sidewalls (even thicker than off-road tires that claim to have extra thick sidewalls) that I have never seen punctured, but they are still smooth enough for comfortable everyday use.

Oh yeah, cash is good to have when you do get stuck. If you can tell the tow truck driver or bulldozer guy or whoever makes a living off vehicle recovery that you can pay cash, they'll always give you a better deal.

I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you want more info on any of this.
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