Planning Your Next Off-Road Trip

While spontaneity has its benefits, the best way to get the most out of your next off-roading trip is to plan ahead. You’re far more likely to have a successful adventure if you take a little time to think ahead, and you’re far less likely to end up in any kind of trouble if you have everything you need. 

Here are our top tips for planning your next off-road adventure:

Pick a destination

Get excited about your trip by exploring the different trails you could tackle. You’re unlikely to be able to show up anywhere and just start off-roading, so plotting your destination and finding out more about where the trail starts, ends and when it’s available to drive is a sensible move. You can also map your route and let someone know where you’re going. Take a look at our previous guide on the best off-road routes in the UK.

Check the weather and conditions

Just as you would with any journey, you should check what the weather is likely to be for the day of your adventure. You can keep an eye on this with weather forecast apps, showing you a week in advance as well as on the day before you set out. This means you can plan what you pack with the weather in mind, but you can also assess whether your trip is viable should the weather be too severe.

Pack the essentials

You should consider two elements for your packing: the camping and hiking equipment you need, and then the tools and equipment your 4x4 needs. The common factor here is how long your trip will be; day trips need less food and equipment, whereas longer trips might need camping gear and a full toolbox so that you’re prepared for any tinkering needed out on the road.

Plan your fuel requirements

While it might seem a no-brainer that you check your fuel levels, this could save you a lot of trouble - especially on longer trips. You can probably calculate your fuel requirements based on your travelling time and the MPG of your vehicle, but don’t forget to consider the type of terrain you’re tackling, as different off-roading routes will see you burning more fuel than on regular roads.

Secure the inside of your vehicle

Planning on taking a lot of gear and equipment? Make sure you sensibly secure things to prevent them clattering about once you start your off-roading. This might simply mean storing things so that they stay in place, or it could mean strapping them down inside the vehicle. You could even use your roof rack to secure certain bulky items, just make sure they’re firmly held in place before you start your adventure or you could end up missing important parts of your kit.

Prepare for getting stuck

One thing you can guarantee is that you’ll get stuck out on your route if you have none of your equipment with you. For that reason, before your adventure, you should do a little research about the terrain you’ll be tackling. This will give you a good idea of what driving style you need to adopt in the first place to avoid getting stuck, and you can also cater your equipment based on the terrain too. That will mean, should you end up stuck, you will have things you need such as recovery tracks and a jack.

Carry out vehicle checks

Whether you’re a seasoned off-roader or you’re going out for the first time, you should always carry out some basic checks on your vehicle. This should include things like tyre pressure, water level, oil level, coolant level and the general condition of your vehicle. This will help you spot any issues in advance and makes it so much easier to tackle them ahead of your trip instead of halfway across a tricky off-road route.

Buddy up

If you have a friend who is also a keen off-roader, why not pair up? Two vehicles are better than one, which means you can help each other should you come across any tricky terrain. It also means you can take different equipment in two vehicles, making it more likely that you’ll have what you need for any occasion. If you don’t yet know anyone else with a 4x4 who you can pair up with, try searching for local 4x4 groups in your area where you can cultivate like-minded off-road enthusiasts. If all else fails, you can always ask a buddy to join you in your 4x4 so that you have an extra pair of hands for navigating your route and some good company - adventures are better when they’re shared!

Respect your surroundings

It should go without saying that you should always respect your surroundings when off-roading. That means leaving a place as you found it, taking any litter and equipment home with you, but also means sticking to the trail and not invading private land to use as your 4x4 route. There are lots of dedicated sites for off-roading in the UK, so do your research in advance and avoid falling foul of the law.

Off-road tools and parts

Here at Milner Off Road, we’ve got the parts you need, when you need them so that you can set off for your next off-roading adventure with confidence. Whether you need something to help improve performance like new tyres for your 4x4, or just some kit to help you out on the road such as jacks and hand tools, we’ve got what you need. Take a look at our different product categories and place your order today - we offer next-day shipping to get your order to you as quickly as possible.