What are the "Must-Have's?"

[markleone22]

I have a 2020 Sport with 2" lift, fairly aggressive 35's (Falken Wildpeak A/T), and a 175 lb. RTT. I'm not an "overlander," I've never been overlanding, and I don't aspire to be an overlander. But I am a guy who aspires to get further and further off the grid to reach the remote trout streams I dream about, to camp/fish safely for a couple of days at a time, without a catastrophe. To date, I have kept my fly-fishing outings to various streams throughout Central Pennsylvania within a few hours of my home in Southeastern PA, that are accessible by main roads. However, I am about to embark on my first trip "into the backcountry" of Vermont, via forest roads, etc. The trip will be for three days in Green Mountain National Forest in November, with a buddy who drives a barebones Subaru Forrester. My main concern for this trip and hopefully many just like it in the future, is just not getting stuck. Based on that, what would you say are the things I should absolutely have to minimize the possibility of getting stuck and being unable to recover? Do I need a sat phone? Is a winch overkill (I don't want to be a douche and have one for the sake of having one). Do I need recovery boards? Outside of bringing my .40 cal pistol and changing my stock spare to a 35, I'm trying to determine what the other non-negotiables are. Thanks in advance.

Sponsored

 

[Janster]

Winch winch winch...... with synthetic rope (and a good length of it). Not only for you, but in case the Subaru gets stuck. Nothing wrong with having a winch.......Also, snatch block, tree saver, regular tow straps, several D-rings. Make sure that Subaru has FRONT & REAR tow points. Hi Lift jack .... etc.

I wouldn't be so worried about getting stuck, but in case some unforeseen medical emergency arises. A SAT phone would be extra security for emergencies. Or..... at least, make sure you can call emergency services thru your Uconnect in the jeep.

 

[markleone22]

Winch winch winch...... with synthetic rope (and a good length of it). Not only for you, but in case the Subaru gets stuck. Nothing wrong with having a winch.......Also, snatch block, tree saver, regular tow straps, several D-rings. Make sure that Subaru has FRONT & REAR tow points. Hi Lift jack .... etc.

I wouldn't be so worried about getting stuck, but in case some unforeseen medical emergency arises. A SAT phone would be extra security for emergencies. Or..... at least, make sure you can call emergency services thru your Uconnect in the jeep.

Thanks for the feedback. I had a Hi-Lift jack in my cart for a week and was going to purchase today, until I read 20 posts on this forum describing how dangerous they are and how the stock jack works fine in an off-road situation.

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

At minimum, an 8.4L V10 Viper engine swap. I can’t really help you with any other tips unfortunately

 

[ZeeJay]

I have a 2020 Sport with 2" lift, fairly aggressive 35's (Falken Wildpeak A/T), and a 175 lb. RTT. I'm not an "overlander," I've never been overlanding, and I don't aspire to be an overlander. But I am a guy who aspires to get further and further off the grid to reach the remote trout streams I dream about, to camp/fish safely for a couple of days at a time, without a catastrophe. To date, I have kept my fly-fishing outings to various streams throughout Central Pennsylvania within a few hours of my home in Southeastern PA, that are accessible by main roads. However, I am about to embark on my first trip "into the backcountry" of Vermont, via forest roads, etc. The trip will be for three days in Green Mountain National Forest in November, with a buddy who drives a barebones Subaru Forrester. My main concern for this trip and hopefully many just like it in the future, is just not getting stuck. Based on that, what would you say are the things I should absolutely have to minimize the possibility of getting stuck and being unable to recover? Do I need a sat phone? Is a winch overkill (I don't want to be a douche and have one for the sake of having one). Do I need recovery boards? Outside of bringing my .40 cal pistol and changing my stock spare to a 35, I'm trying to determine what the other non-negotiables are. Thanks in advance.

Where you’ll have trees(I have tall shrubs that supposedly are trees, several million acres of them)winch would be good insurance, actually the best insurance. Get a tree strap and block also if your that far into a winch. Kinetic recover rope is almost a must have, that’s about all I use for recoveries now and they aren’t expensive. Recover boards are handy as hell and way more useful than I had ever anticipated. I was late to recover board party, long time thought they were a decoration for Tacomas and Wranglers at the boutique coffee shops. I used chain link fence, rubber and other things. Finally splurged and have proven to be useful. Make sure that car has someplace to recover it from or make homeboy get his own j hooks and slings or something. As for your recover point likely have hooks up front, if going with winch probably will end up with a bumper which will have some form of an integrated mount, the rear maybe hitch for towing? If so just a slide shackle block in and will work. People make way too much out the recover point business, like we are all recovering a stuck semi that’s hanging off a cliff, kinda silly. I’ve been recovered and done recoveries without todays “must have” super bumpers. Good shovel to dig. Most important tool though is your head. Keep focus on low breakover, slim approach and terrible departure angles even with lift and act accordingly. Beyond that the usual first aid and granola bar kinda thing.
One last thing…..ditch the .40, and get a 10.

 

[fourfa]

Air compressor. Deflated tires (or "appropriately inflated," I should say) are much less likely to get stuck in the first place. I'll let you do your own research on those. You'll want something kinda mid-sized for 35s, and starting out you'll be fine with a portable one that clips to the battery with alligator clips. Not internal-battery-powered IMHO.

Skip the Hi-Lift. Dangerous for Jeeps, and likelier to rip plastic panels off other cars than to actually jack them up

sat phone: yes for parts of the world so remote that you might actually die before someone finds you. Parts of Alaska, deep ocean, Death Valley, Nunavut etc. NF in Vermont - no

Winch is not overkill IMHO. Late fall in hilly / muddy country does sound slippery.

 

[ScoutVet19D]

As a former wildland and structural firefighter as well as vet cav scout here is my 2 pennies worth

First aid - top of the list because happens

Basic survival - abandoning the rig isn’t always a choice so being prepared to hike out is smart.

Only you can prevent forest fires - You really do not want to be in a forest fire or in the woods with a rig that is on fire. As stated above happens. Bring along some simple fire suppression. Sand bags, fire retardant blanket etc. and put them where you can quickly get to them. Cheap kitchen extinguishers work for limited uses. Jeeps ain’t one of them. They result in more damage to the electronics and fuel system and may or may not put out a vehicle fire. Feel free to chase the rabbit down the trail of which fire extinguishers are recommended.

Ratchet straps, rope, chain - I’ve used all three for field fix and trail rigging. Getting a tire to hold a bead while trying to get it to air up works better when you ratchet strap it back closer to round in shape. Affixing body parts that got unintentionally smashed. On my Rubihara I used two ratchet straps to center my rear axle when the rear tower sheared off the axle and had to limp it back to a main road. Its rather unsettling watching your rear axle shift side to side. Sometimes the winch just wasn’t enough or I needed anchor points to keep from sliding and rope and chain came in very handy. Lots of uses. Tow strap fills a couple of those roles and could flat tow a Subaru to a paved road

Tire repair - everyone thinks a good spare is the answer until they can’t get to it or the second flat occurs 15 minutes later. Having a plug kit and some sidewall patch can come in very handy. As stated above a portable compressor is a must have IMO.

There is plenty of other stuff but it gets to a point where your set up for an expedition not a weekend camping trip.

 

[Janster]

Thanks for the feedback. I had a Hi-Lift jack in my cart for a week and was going to purchase today, until I read 20 posts on this forum describing how dangerous they are and how the stock jack works fine in an off-road situation.

How dangerous they are? Hardly.... If people knew how to use them properly.....

A stock jack will only work 'safely' on a flat and/or level surface. Think about that for a minute....
You were concerned about getting stuck? Do you plan on getting stuck while driving on flat surface?

You can't use a stock jack as a come-along (manual winch). Hi lifts have many other uses...you should look up some Youtube videos.

 

[AustyPosty]

Thanks for the feedback. I had a Hi-Lift jack in my cart for a week and was going to purchase today, until I read 20 posts on this forum describing how dangerous they are and how the stock jack works fine in an off-road situation.

They can be incredibly dangerous, even lethal, when used improperly(there's a reason there are guides titled "how to keep your Hi-Lift from killing you"), and are much more dangerous than a standard bottle jack. Also their most likely isn't even any safe points the Hi Lift can lift from on the Subaru. and unless you have very sturdy front and rear steel bumpers and rock sliders, it might not be useful for your gladiator either. The Hi Lift is a very different tool than a bottle jack and is used for much different reasons in my opinion, it is not a good tool for changing tires, jacking your rig up to do work underneath it etc.

 

[markleone22]

This is all great feedback and I appreciate it, please keep it coming. I do indeed have front (stubby) and rear steel bumpers, a very powerful battery booster, and I just ordered Maxtraxx II recovery boards on sale for $232, shipping included. As far as the Hi-Lift, the point about being on flat ground is a great point. Like I said, I was all ready until I started reading about people's faces getting ripped off, and I hesitated. Does the accessory hook for curved bumpers make it any safer (or more dangerous)? Because I would need that for my bumpers.

And .40 or .357 (one pistol, two barrel options) ... not enough for a black bear, huh? Damn.

 

[Sweetums]

I have a 2020 Sport with 2" lift, fairly aggressive 35's (Falken Wildpeak A/T), and a 175 lb. RTT. I'm not an "overlander," I've never been overlanding, and I don't aspire to be an overlander. But I am a guy who aspires to get further and further off the grid to reach the remote trout streams I dream about, to camp/fish safely for a couple of days at a time, without a catastrophe. To date, I have kept my fly-fishing outings to various streams throughout Central Pennsylvania within a few hours of my home in Southeastern PA, that are accessible by main roads. However, I am about to embark on my first trip "into the backcountry" of Vermont, via forest roads, etc. The trip will be for three days in Green Mountain National Forest in November, with a buddy who drives a barebones Subaru Forrester. My main concern for this trip and hopefully many just like it in the future, is just not getting stuck. Based on that, what would you say are the things I should absolutely have to minimize the possibility of getting stuck and being unable to recover? Do I need a sat phone? Is a winch overkill (I don't want to be a douche and have one for the sake of having one). Do I need recovery boards? Outside of bringing my .40 cal pistol and changing my stock spare to a 35, I'm trying to determine what the other non-negotiables are. Thanks in advance.

Here's what I usually recommend, which is more than most people carry

• Shovel (not a folding e-tool)
• Recovery strap with closed-loop ends (not one with hooks!)
• 2x Soft shackles
• Air compressor
• Tire plug kit with valve stem tool and spare cores
• First aid kit
• Knife
• Lighter
• Tarp (laying in the mud to look for that noise or to pull brush out of the undercarriage sucks.)
• Bottle jack
• Full size matched spare
• Headlamp

High lift jacks are nice when you need them, but those times are pretty rare. I've used a high lift one time in all my years of off roading - and that was with a Lift-Mate attachment that moves the jack to lift the wheel. I don't consider this a necessity for the mild off roading you're doing with a guy in a Subaru

The only other item I would consider is some kind of emergency locator such as inReach.

 

[Free2roam]

Thanks for the feedback. I had a Hi-Lift jack in my cart for a week and was going to purchase today, until I read 20 posts on this forum describing how dangerous they are and how the stock jack works fine in an off-road situation.

Only dangerous if you have no clue as to what you are doing. IMO. I've used mine as a lift to stack rocks, and as a winch at one point so I could get unstuck.

 

[WestwallNF104A]

A refrigerator for your cold drinks to regenerate yourself after working all day to get unstuck!

 

[djthumper]

Most everything else has been covered. You are lifted but do you have a jack block? https://www.amazon.com/OULEME-Trail...s=Jeep+jack+block&qid=1725518248&sr=8-23&th=1

 

[Stuntman Mike]

I would take a 60 ft rope with me.

Then let the Forester drive ahead and if he gets stuck you can pull him out.

Sponsored