Be nice to your future self. Wouldn't it be awesome if every time you hit the trails everything went according to plan? You never got stuck, nothing breaks, all terrain is conquerable in all conditions… nice fantasy. I always plan for the worst case scenario and hope for the best. Yes, it sounds paranoid. Do it anyway.
/ Always Plan Ahead
This one is mostly a reminder to myself: plan ahead. Before every trip — check the route, check the rig, check the weather, pack the spares. The trips that go sideways are the ones where I skipped the planning. The trips that go great are the ones where I didn't. Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and be nice to your future self.
/ Some of My Gear
Other things that I consider indispensable to have on your overlanding rig: Recovery gear — straps, shackles, winch, traction boards Air compressor — air down, air up, repeat Basic tools — the ones you actually use, not the ones that look good First aid kit — hope you never need it Water — more than you think Spare parts — hoses, belts, fuses, the common failure points Communication — radio or satellite, so you're not alone out there Plan ahead. Always. Future you will thank you.
Until the next run out — work hard, play hard.