Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Next Off-Roading Adventure

Off-roading, when done correctly, is both a safe and exciting experience for everyone involved. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to forget something important and turn your off-roading trip into a nightmare. If you want to ensure that everyone has a good time, be careful of making these mistakes that could ruin your next off-roading adventure.

Assuming Your Vehicle Is in Good Shape

Whether it’s your first time out or your one hundredth, you should never assume your vehicle can handle off-roading without properly inspecting it. Maybe you need some new off-roading tires, your oil is low, or your last trip damaged something in your undercarriage. Take the time to check out your vehicle before you head off the road unless you want an unpleasant surprise when you least expect it.

Heading Out Without Emergency Supplies

A very simple mistake that could ruin your off-roading trip is not having the right emergency supplies in your vehicle. Should something go wrong, you don’t want to strand yourself without emergency supplies. First aid kits, jumper cables, a spare tire—these kinds of tools can make a breakdown while off-roading much less of a crisis than it would be without them.

Buying the Cheapest Equipment

Off-roading equipment can get expensive. There’s no denying that. However, you must resist the urge to go for the cheapest equipment you can find. A faulty car part or a subpar winch could mean the difference between a safe trip and an absolute disaster that you’ll need to deal with. You don’t need the most expensive items on the market; just make sure you’re paying for reliable equipment.

Not Testing Water Depth

If you come across water that you want to push through, make sure that you test how deep that water is before barreling through it in your vehicle. Water, especially muddy or murky water, can be deceptively deep at the worst of times. The last thing you want is to think you can easily get through a small stream, only to find out it’s far deeper than you thought. You could end up flooding your engine until it shuts down this way.

Overestimating Yourself

No matter how long you’ve been off-roading, you’ll likely face challenges you don’t feel comfortable with. Whether it’s your vehicle’s abilities or your own skill level, you won’t be able to tackle everything you come across. Be realistic about your skills, and don’t take on anything you aren’t fully comfortable with. Overestimating yourself can lead to serious issues with your vehicle and possibly bodily harm as well.