Packing list


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Packing list.

There are so many items you could take, but there is only so much room to store them.  The decision you will need to make is what to take, and what to leave behind.

Some things are essential, and that may NOT mean the lipstick, but safety equipment, and spare tyres etc. Some are just for comfort, and some items you may feels you can't leave home without, just because they give you comfort or joy (and that may well be the lipstick or CD player).

So where do you start? The following packing list is a suggestion only, as to what you might need to take with you.  Do not rely on anyone else to be sure you have everything, alway check and re-check yourself. 

This is the PDF version from Nomadic Life, just download and print it. Packing list. If you want the editable version please contact us and request it.  By having an editable version you will be able to add or subtract components of the list to make it your own version.

You may not need, or want all of the items, but it is designed to prompt you to think about what you might take.  Some items are safety equipment, and depending on where you are going, and the road conditions, you should consider taking some, or all of them.

When it comes to choosing items which require fuel, consider if they all use the same type of fuel, which minimises the different types of spare fuel you will require. If the vehicle is diesel, then is the generator and outboard motor for the boat also diesel? 

How are your appliances powered? The same rules applies to this issue, that is: try to have them all the same. If the item uses batteries, then if possible have the same type of batteries, this minimises the need for different spares. Can the batteries be re-charged, to minimise buying new ones, or worse they go flat just when you really need them. The packing list is broken down into various categories to try and manage the packing. 

The general advice would be, “walk through” the situation, and think about what you will need/want in a given circumstance?  Be methodical about it, to achieve a better result.  Start by imagining you are “driving off”, what will you “need” eg maps, fuel, or emergency equipment like spare wheel, tyres? Think about where you are going, and the conditions, and the possible scenarios. Now what will you need to take? Will you need items in the vehicle with you like maps, water, snacks etc?

When you stop for the night, what will you do first? When you cook, what is involved and have you got all the equipment you require? When you go to bed, what will you need? By running through the steps, it should help you think about what is required, or more importantly what is missing. 

This should be the trip of a lifetime, so make it memorable for all the right reasons. If you forget the one item which causes major problems, then the memory could be you had a nightmare trip, rather than fabulous.  An example: Someone buys a tent they have not seen put up before. The first night, and the tent, sold to them as a four man tent is really not big enough for 3, what do you do? By putting up the tent before leaving at least you would know what the problem was, and plan for it. So test the equipment, and practice putting it together. Know how to: work it, drive it, park it, repair it etc, and you will have a much smoother trip.

Have a complete service on the vehicle, and replace any parts that are in any way suspect.  You may decide to keep the item/s as a spare if they still have some usable life.  If you are not keeping them, then replacements may be required if they are at risk of failure or damage. Filters, fan belt, spark plugs are all “at risk” items. Talk to your mechanic, if in doubt about what to take, the rule might be take it anyway.  Consider taking a simple mechanics course, it might help get you out of trouble, or at the very least consider buying the vehicle’s Owner Manual. A lot of vehicles these days have components which require specialised diagnostic equipment to repair them, but some things may be fixable, if only to get you to the next town. Knowing how to change, not just the wheel, but a tyre in the bush may be essential. How to clean a sparkplug, how to stop a radiator hose from leaking are all items which can be simple to fix, with a little know-how.

Also consider taking a first-aid course from a reputable provider like St John’s Ambulance, who can also provide books and Kits if required.  Basic resuscitation methods, the recovery position, or what to do if a snake bits, or a blue bottle stings, or sever sunburn strikes, may all be life threatening issues.  The effects can be minimised if some basics are known, and applied in a timely manner.  It might be someone in your party, or someone else along the way that needs help.  If you know what to do, you might save a life, and it may even be your own, or your partners.

What about doing a short trip, to try out what you have decided to go with, or even rent the type of rig you think you want? There are several reasons for this, and one reason would have to be to find out if you like the lifestyle. Is the rig suitable for your needs?  Can you manage it?  Do you need help manoeuvring it; do you need to buy boggy wheels to help get it into place?  These issues are best addressed by trying things out; no one can tell you what is right for you, and your circumstances.  Experiencing the problem is sometimes the best way to learn, but try to minimise the flow-on effect that experience has on the “Big trip” by trying it out before you go.

By testing you’re driving, and parking skills in strange territory, it will help you find out what the pitfalls are, before getting too far from home, and help. Checking out which items you need to take, and those which might be better left at home, can help reduce the load.  Was there anything you forgot to take that was essential?  Refine and rework your list, make it your own.  In other words find out what works for you and go with it?

See also 4x4 Extreme Repair, Banking, Boating, Budgeting, Calendar, Choosing a Caravan, Entertainment, Fishing, Food, Health, Mechanical, Mobile Communications, Motoring Associations, National Parks, News, Planning, Preparation, Public Transport, Recipes, Road Conditions, Safety, Supplementing your income, Towing Tips, and Weather.



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