Five items you didn’t know you need while on the trails

Off-pavement travel is all about heading out onto a trail or into the great unknown anticipating the thrill of challenging yet beautiful landscape. Most of us know that to maximum the fun, it’s best to go prepared. That may mean making sure your tires are in good shape, including the spare, and that all the mechanics of your adventure vehicle are in good working order. But whether you’re going alone or with a group, to a familiar place or unknown, there are some things you may not think to bring along. Although there are many more items you could add to this list, here are my top five suggestions for things you didn’t know you needed on the trails.

Binoculars – A quality pair of binoculars is invaluable for things like spotting wildlife or identifying potential challenges on the trail ahead. Quality optics don’t have to break the bank. There are many available in more budget friendly options that will adequately do the job.

Identification guide(s) – Whether you enjoy looking for wildlife along the trails, exploring the dark skies, or surviving in the backcountry off the land, you’ll want to bring along some type of tool for identification. While you may be familiar with the area and the species you might find there, you may also be surprised at what you find. Some tools that make identification easier include various apps for your phone such as the ones from the Audubon Society or Merlin, which are free on both android and iOS platforms and also have offline availability. If you’re the type that would rather carry a physical book in hand, there are a variety of valuable resources based on need.

Tools – What could possibly go wrong on the trail? The short answer is anything. While you can’t carry enough tools for every possibility, you can bring some along that would help solve the most basic of problems. Impact drivers, hand tools, sockets, screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, emergency tire repair kit, and even a small battery powered chainsaw are all good options to include while still conserving storage space. Whatever tools you trust should do the trick, but Milwaukee is tough to beat for their quality, interchangeable rechargeable batteries for power tools, and their extremely versatile and interlocking packout storage system.

Waterproof hiking boots – This may not seem like an important piece of gear to have, but you never know when you might find some water, particularly on an unknown trail. If you tend to hike while traveling off-pavement, these will come in handy so your feet don’t get wet when hiking through streams and mudholes. In the unfortunate event you do have issues with your adventure vehicle, you may have to work on it in said mudhole. There are many good waterproof hikers out there so just do your homework.

Pocketknife/multipurpose tool – A pocketknife is such a seemingly innocuous thing to include here but it’s one of those things that you never realize you might need until you need it. From clearing mud away from tire tread for either inspection or repair, to extracting a splinter/sticker/thorn from your finger. Whether it’s the pocketknife your grandpa gave you as a kid or a Leatherman multipurpose knife, this is something that never hurts to have on you in a moment’s notice.

OutdoorX4 Magazine – Promoting responsible vehicle-based adventure travel and outdoors adventure