A D VI C E
M U S T-H AV E E M E R G E N CY GEAR
COMMUNICATIONS
Hollywood loves to play up the hero
heading off by themselves for help
only to return at the key moment
and save the day. Everyone wants
to be the hero, but unless you’ve
broken down 3km from a service
station on an overcast autumn day,
chances are you’ll succumb to the
elements long before you reach
help. The safe plan is staying with
your vehicle and calling for help.
Communications can come
in many forms and need to be
appropriate for the destination
you’re heading to. If you’re off
camping at the local state forest or
national park for a weekend then a
UHF radio is more than enough to
reach out for help.
If you’re travelling anywhere
further than a few hours from a
major city, satellite phones or
personal locating beacons are an
absolute must.
NAVIGATION
HIGH
AND DRY
Heading off into the
rain or towards river
crossings? No worries,
a resealable plastic
sleeve is the perfect
spot for your maps.
Even if you don’t
plan on getting wet,
it can’t hurt to take
precautions. A soggy,
ink-smeared piece of
paper won’t do you
any good!
60
ADVENTURES
In almost all situations you’re better
off sticking with your 4WD, but if
help is just over the hill it can be
damn tempting to hoof it there and
get yourself out of the brown stuff
faster. The problem comes into
knowing just how far off help might
be. This is where reliable navigation
can come into play. Over that next
hill might be a service station, a
campground full of help, a river full
of fresh water, or 100km of sunbleached nothing.
Electronic navigation like
standalone GPS units and smart
phone apps are the easiest solution
as they’re able to accurately
pinpoint your location and can have
detailed information on nearby
areas, although they aren’t without
their issues, like battery life and
susceptibility to damage. If you’re
travelling remote, a set of paper
maps should always be used as a
backup. Plot your progress as you
go, allowing you to keep track of
where you are at all times.