Bedding
Preparing for a good night’s rest is a normal essential; preparing for a good night’s rest is also an overlanding essential. Depending how you prefer to overland, what you will need for your sleeping quarters will vary. Common bedding items to pack include sleep-in tents, pillows, air mattresses, sleeping bags, etc. If you have the luxury of a sleep-in camper, such as OGT’s Expedition 2.0 or Pando 2.0, you will have your mattress and sleeping foundation ready-to-go.
Clothing and Personal Items
What will impact what you pack is how long you plan to adventure for and the temperatures along your journey. What you wear on day 1 will contribute to your overlanding wardrobe which would generally be socks, a very good pair of outdoor shoes, comfortable stretchy pants, comfortable shirt, and a sweater. If it is going to be cold, pack a jacket. You will be outside a lot of the time, so it is imperative you dress warm. You can always layer down to cool off. Adding to the clothes you are wearing, pack another set of clothing and consider additional items such as gloves and hats if it will be cold.
Your toiletries, medications, and eye wear can ideally fit in one small package. Minimization is the key when overlanding, so bring only what you need.
Miscellaneous
A few additional overlanding essential items that do not quite fit any of the categories listed above:
- Bring the light – literally! You will be the source of your own light, among the night sky and stars. Having lanterns and flashlights on hand will help you navigate the dark.
- A generator for power. You will most likely rely on rechargeable items along the course of your journey. Have a reliable power source to power up.
- Bring communication devices that will work along your journey. In majority of cases, you will not have access to cellular service, so you cannot relying on smart phones. Satellite phones and walkie-talkies are common communication devices used among the overlanding community.
- Toilet paper – it is an overlanding essential. Need we say more?