So, you’ve finally bought a vehicle suited for off-road adventures. And you probably aren’t sure where you need to start. Well, that’s what we’re here for today.
Learn the Off-Roading Basics
Let’s start with the beginning:
Check the Forums
The best thing you can do is to learn from others, and there’s no bette Off-Roadingr way to do that than to search for online off-roading forums. You’ll get to know people from all over the country, or even all over the world. It’s the best shortcut toward learning the basics and getting a grasp of the niche language that these people use.
Search For Local Off-Roading Clubs
If you have the possibility of doing so, then join an off-road club near you as a beginner. You’ll get some real-life experience and advice from people who have been doing this kind of thing for years. Search around to find a group that you will feel comfortable with; some offer a family-friendly environment, while others are more hardcore.
Buy Equipment From Niche Off-Roading Shops
Let’s face it, general vehicle stores don’t really cater to the off-road crowd. Sure, they do have certain items that you can use in any type of vehicle (such as an emergency kit or a tire repair kit). However, they lack the things that are fine-tuned for off-roading vehicles, such as UTV speakers or any other type of equipment tailored specifically for ATVs, SUVs, dirt bikes, and so forth.
Find Off-Road Trails
Obviously, once you feel like you’ve trained enough and you’re comfortable with your vehicle, it’s time to take the stakes off-road. And you might not always be excited to ride on the same trails as the people from your off-roading club. You might want to find new trails to explore with them or other people you’ve met on online forums. Regardless, we’ve found this list of off-road places in the Mid-Atlantic. And we’re sure you can find more on Google.
Essential Off-Roading Gear
As you can imagine, you’ll need a few items when going off the beaten path. You’re not on a highway, so it’s not as if help can come to you easy-peasy. Instead, you’ll have to rely on yourself and on your crew most of the time, so it’s essential that you pack the following things.
A Winch
This will get you out of the mud – both literally and figuratively. You can attach the winch to any good anchor point to help your ATV or UTV climb easier or get out of an area that has you stuck for any other reason. You can also attach the winch to your vehicle and another one so that can get even more help in certain situations.
Special Off-Road GPS System or App
Whatever you do, don’t use Google Maps or Waze when navigating off the beaten path. While those apps are some of the most popular in their domain, they’re only meant for road usage, and definitely not for off-roading.
Oh, but what damage can they cause? Well, they can lead you toward a cliff and thus make you have an accident. Instead, try these out.
A Comms System
Be mindful of the fact that cellphone coverage is poor at best in the wilderness. As such, we don’t recommend you go alone. Go with a crew of people who all have the same radio system or walkie talkies so that you can keep in touch when you’re close by. You’ll regret it otherwise.
The Bottom Line
Off-roading can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, with the help of a few friends and with the right equipment, you’ll be on your way to dominating trails and dense forests as easily as possible.
What’s your favorite off-roading vehicle and why? Leave us a comment down below and share your thoughts with the rest of our community. We would also appreciate a share if you found any of this information helpful.
