2018 4WDrive Overland SE - June

accessory so that you can charge your
devices, boil a kettle -or if you really
miss the conveniences of home - power a
microwave, says Cerutti. A permanently
mounted, or portable solar panel, is also
a great addition if you’re planning to
stay in one spot for several days.
Ultimately, whatever fits your wants,
and your wallet, will have to work; you
might wish to fit a tailored brand-name
awning that provides shelter for cooking
or simply relaxing away from the mid-day
sun. Unfortunately awnings don’t come
cheap, but there’s nothing wrong with
securing an auto-store tarp between your
truck and the nearest tree with bungee
cords if it does exactly the same job.
A cooler is a necessity whose features
can range from basic to rugged to
residential. A properly installed unit, like
Cerutti’s favourite purchase, a Whytner
45qt fridge, does more than just keep
your beer chilled - it will ensure that food
remains both fresh and secure on those
longer overland trips.
If your fridge packs up and you have
nothing to eat don’t worry, us humans are
a resilient bunch and can survive without
food for up to three weeks. But go without
water for a week, or less during Canada’s
hot summers, and you’re going to be in
serious trouble. Make sure that you take
enough water, roughly five litres a day per
person, to last your entire trip. And that’s
just for drinking and cooking, if you’re
planning on taking showers or washing
clothes en-route, then an auxiliary water
tank will be a necessity.
For emergency situations Butt keeps a
Lifestraw handy and it does pretty much
what it says on the tin; up to 1000 litres
of contaminated water can be made safe
simply by drawing it through this strawstyle
filter.
Now that you’re rested, fed, and
watered, if you plan on going off-road as
part of your overland adventure, it doesn’t
matter how good or experienced a driver
you are, you need to be prepared for the
possibility –no, certainty- that you’ll get
stuck. A basic recovery kit is essential.
Stowing all your gear safely and
securely can be quite the headache, but
there are several companies providing off-
10 Subscribe at suncruisermedia.com/4WDrive