Photo by mr_bom via Shutterstock
Overlanding is a fun way to spend your time, that’s for sure. It takes you off the beaten path and into the great unknown – and getting out of the city to experience the natural world is invigorating, to say the least.
However, the thrill of exploring remote areas comes with the responsibility of keeping your overlanding gear safe and secure. Whether you’re an experienced overlander or new to the scene, protecting your gear is crucial to ensure your adventures are smooth and worry-free.
So, how do you protect your stuff? Read on to explore a few essential tips and tricks!
Table of Contents
- Use GPS Trackers to Protect Your Overlanding Gear
- Lockable Storage Boxes are Ideal for Ensuring Safety
- Cable Locks and Chains Go a Long Way in Protecting Your Overlanding Gear
- Use Dash Cams and Security Cameras to Protect Overlanding Gear
- Awareness and Vigilance is Important, Too
Use GPS Trackers to Protect Your Overlanding Gear
One of the most effective ways to keep an eye on your overlanding gear is through GPS trackers. These devices provide real-time location updates and can alert you if your gear leaves a designated area, known as geofencing.
For example, Ride Dog is a GPS tracker for UTVs, motorcycles, Jeeps, or whatever other ride you might have. Simply install it on your vehicle, pair it with the Ride Dog app, and you’ll get instant security alerts. In fact, you’ll be notified of motion, battery disconnection, and real-time location updates if your vehicle is stolen.
One of the best features of Ride Dog is the simple geofencing setup. With a single touch, you can enable a 200-foot geofence around your vehicle. Unlike other GPS trackers, you don’t have to change any settings or draw maps – the Ride Dog app does it for you automatically. Speaking of automatic, this device also has a one-touch lock feature. Nice!
There are plenty more features, too:
- Low battery alert, which gives you details about the vehicle’s battery voltage
- Loss of signal alert, which informs you when you’re in an area where the vehicle can’t be secured
- Missed check-in alert, which tells you if the device isn’t communicating properly
- Superb cellular coverage thanks to partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile
You also get a two-year warranty!
All this can be yours for $249.00. This gets you Ride Dog and a year of protection. After that, month-to-month payments start at just $7.00. That’s a small price to pay to protect some of your most expensive overlanding gear!
Intrigued? Head over to Ride Dog – a family-owned and veteran-owned company – to learn more! Get $50 off while you’re there with the code SAVE50, too!
Lockable Storage Boxes are Ideal for Ensuring Safety
Securing your overlanding gear in lockable storage boxes is a simple yet effective method to deter theft. These boxes are often designed to be weather-resistant and can be bolted down to prevent easy removal.
Though you can use these boxes for virtually any kind of gear, I’ve found them particularly useful for storing tools and recovery gear – stuff that gets used a lot and that I need quick access to, but stuff that’s also expensive and I don’t want to be stolen!
Brands like Pelican, DECKED, and Tuffy offer a range of rugged, lockable storage solutions that are perfect for overlanding gear. These boxes are built to withstand harsh conditions – be that mud, dust, dirt, rain, or snow –Â and keep your gear safe from both the elements and would-be thieves. On top of that, you can invest in storage from these brands for inside your vehicle, in your truck bed, on your roof rack, and more.
Cable Locks and Chains
For larger items that don’t fit in storage boxes (or that need to sit outside), heavy-duty cable locks and chains are a must. These can be used to secure bikes, generators, spare tires, and other bulky gear to your vehicle or trailer. I always keep a set of these locks in my kit to ensure my gear stays put, even when I’m away from the campsite.
Here’s a great example…
A buddy of mine has a Power Watchdog 50-amp surge protector for his fifth wheel. These things are several hundred bucks, and when he’s plugged into shore power, it’s just laying there on the ground next to the pedestal for easy pickings for thieves.
So, the solution is to secure it to the shore power pedestal using a cable lock. Power Watchdog has an integrated steel plate that allows my friend to connect his cable lock to the surge protector, then around the electrical pedestal to prevent theft. Adding a $20 lock to the mix is a small price to pay to keep the $300 surge protector safe!
Use Dash Cams and Security Cameras to Protect Overlanding Gear
Dash cams and portable security cameras can be invaluable for recording activity around your vehicle and gear. With features like motion detection and cloud storage, you can monitor your campsite even when you’re not around.
I use a dash cam when I’m driving, and then when I’m at camp, it enters sentry mode to record any movement it detects around the vehicle. Alternatively, if you have a camper, fifth wheel, or RV, you can invest in backup camera systems that double as security cameras. A good example of this is the Furrion Vision S system, which comes with as many as four external cameras.
You can use these cameras to ensure safety on the road, and then when you’re at camp, you can rely on the high-resolution cameras with infrared night vision to monitor the area around you. The four-camera system even has two cameras (over the door and in the rear) with microphones and audio transmission capabilities.
Awareness and Vigilance is Important, Too
Photo by BublikHaus via Shutterstock
Of course, protecting your overlanding gear isn’t just about fancy tools…
Being aware of your surroundings and vigilant about your gear is one of the best ways to prevent theft. Simple habits, like not leaving valuable items in plain sight and parking in well-lit, visible areas, can deter opportunistic theft.
I’ve seen many folks over the years at campgrounds who leave their bikes, fishing poles, and other gear at camp while they go to a friend’s campsite for lunch or hop in the truck to go for a drive. And while most overlanders are trustworthy and honest people who don’t steal other people’s items, I personally don’t take the chance of leaving my gear laying out free for the taking.
So, if you want to protect your overlanding gear, store it securely when not in use. Make it harder for people to walk away with your gear, and be vigilant not only for the security of your overlanding gear, but for the stuff that others around you bring on the trip, too.
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