Off-road travel is super fun and everyone should try it at least once. It’s also just about the most dangerous thing you can undertake if you’re not prepared. So, by all means, get involved but make sure you get involved the right way. Today, we’re going to look at how to stay safe while enjoying yourself out there. Let’s get to it.

Resilient clothing

The correct clothing for any off-road travel is always the most hard-wearing you can find, particularly if you are going to partake in any farming, construction or outdoor work along the way, which many people’s longer trips do involve - check out FXD workwear for high-performance apparel. Why do you need such extreme assurances over safety and protection when traversing the wilds? Several reasons. One is snakes. Two is spiders. Three is an uneven surface that tries to release your foot from its grip. And how about hardy plants and other low-lying debris that could easily cause dismay or outright injury?

If you plan to tackle off-road travel in your everyday clothes, you’re going to be left with nothing short of mild to intermediate injuries that could have been side-stepped had you deemed to pick the appropriate gear at the outset. When it comes to shoes, opt for something waterproof with toe protection, and set off safe in the knowledge that your feet are in safe hands (so to speak). For the rest of your outfit, consider what it is you will be doing and dress around this. Say you are going to be hiking for hours, you want to wear something lightweight that will be suited to the climate - be wise.

In the car - speed is not your friend

Off-road is called off-road for a reason. It’s very much the opposite of on-road. You could run into all manner of terrible outcomes by taking things too quickly on dusty tracks and open fields. We’re not just talking about flat tyres. They can happen at any speed. The danger of driving off-road at high speed is that you will hit a pothole. And not just any pothole. The kind of animal burrowed hole that will swallow your front wheels and rip your front axle from your chassis. Or worse, you could flip your vehicle.

It’s really worth considering when taking a car anywhere that isn’t lit by street lights. Keep your speed down and don’t end up in a ditch with your vehicle in more pieces than you or the manufacturer would have ever preferred.

Only go halfway

There’s an old riddle that goes, “How far can a person walk into the woods?” and the answer is, “Halfway, after that, the person starts walking out of the woods” (get it?).

Why mention this old-timer of a brain teaser? Because it has very practical applications regarding off-road travel. If you don’t know the lay of the land ahead of you, and you’re going in blind, only go as far as you’d be willing to double back. Have a halfway point in mind. If you reach it, stay safe and turn back.

Alaskan pilots have this rule, too. They often fly over snow-covered wastelands into headwinds that cause their planes to guzzle more fuel than anticipated. If they reach a halfway point without the treacherous conditions abating, they have to turn back or else risk a fuel-less landing in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard. Safety first.