How Tech Can Improve Your Next Off-Road Adventure
Sometimes, you just need to get away from the busy city life. As the summer season draws closer, beaches will yet again be infested by regular vacationers who wish to keep their sanity in this fast-paced life. 4WD and SUV car owners, however, have the privilege to freely experience the outdoors – unrestricted by asphalt-laden roads.
While the idea of going on an off-road adventure can be exciting, but the experience itself can be terrible, especially if you’re poorly prepared. After all, the great outdoors is full of elements that are potentially harmful to you and your beloved vehicle. To improve your off-roading experience, make sure you are fully equipped for the possible challenges ahead:
Don’t go into the dirt without an air compressor
Off-roading can be extremely rough on your wheels. It’s only natural for you to stop at certain times to air up your tires. That’s why you should always have a portable or vehicle-mountable air compressor. Some brands can be on the pricey side, but they’ll certainly give you the peace of mind necessary to make every second of your journey as enjoyable as possible.
Don’t get lost with GPS
Exploring new places is one of the thrilling aspects of driving off-road. Once you’re on the dirt, you may actually lose the fear of being lost. But if you value you and your vehicle’s safety, you should always come prepared with app like BackCountry Navigator. It offers GPS tracking and topo maps to help you plot your route and get where you need to go, even without cell service. However, the free version is reported to have GPS issues, so you should consider getting the paid version for utmost convenience.
Don’t leave your vehicle exposed
Found a breathtaking view en route to your destination, but scared to leave your car in the heat? Struggling to find a parking spot that can offer your vehicle adequate protection? An elegant solution is to use an automatic car tent that will keep your car safe no matter where you park.
Currently only manufactured by the company Lanmodo, an automatic car tent is lightweight, easy to setup, and can effectively protect your vehicle from excessive sun exposure, bird droppings, acid rain, or even light snow and hail. The product can also be used as a camping tent or a beach umbrella. If needed, you can also use it as a power bank by plugging in your device into the built-in USB port.
Don’t (still) drive and text
Just because there are no other cars around, doesn’t mean you can drive with one hand and use your phone with the other. When using apps like the BackCountry Navigator, for instance, it’s best to keep your phone stationary using a universal car mount. For this, you have plenty of options with varying features, styles, and prices – just as long as it can hold your phone securely in place.
Don’t miss anything on the road
When off-road, you never know when something exciting will happen. Whether you’re cruising through the woods or gliding through sand dunes, installing a high-definition dash cam will allow you to capture every second of your adventure.
You may be tempted to use a more expensive action camera like the GoPro Hero. If you already own one, then by feel free to use it as a dash cam. But unless you’ll need one on a motorcross bike, it’s more sensible to use a much cheaper dash cam.
Don’t run out of power
Take note that, although you can use an automatic tent to charge your devices, it’s still better to bring an actual power bank. Better yet, bring a car jump starter power bank with alligator clips. This will enable you to use the power bank on your vehicle’s battery, making sure you don’t run out of power while on the road.
Since this type of power banks come in multiple shapes and sizes, you should be familiar with the key specifications you should look for such as the cable’s length and power capacity.
Don’t tip over
The off-road is full of steep slopes that may take inexperienced off-roaders by surprise. If you’re unsure whether or not your vehicle can take on a steep climb, use a clinometer app like Clinometer + Bubble Level for Android or Tiltometer for iOS. This simple precaution can eliminate any chances of your vehicle tipping over, thus, ensuring the success of your off-road trip.
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