It’s one thing to know how to drive your Jeep off-road. It’s another to have the right stuff with you in case the unexpected occurs.
Mark A. Smith, the founder of Jeep Jamboree USA and a U.S. Army Special Forces trainer, is here with some tips to help you pack accordingly for your next excursion.
Prep your rig. Secure your battery. Make sure you have a full-size spare tire.
Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return.
Have a fully charged battery in your cellphone. (Or use a CB radio.)
Keep some basic tools, such as a screwdriver, pliers, a wrench and bailing wire handy for minor emergencies.
If you don’t have a tow rope/strap without metal hooks, get one. It should be rated for at least 20,000 lbs.
Carry a high-lift jack with you.
Think with your stomach. Bring enough food and water with you for two to three days. An inexpensive water purifier is a good purchase, too.
You’ll probably need to dig yourself out of the ground at some point. A space-saving, GI-style shovel and an ax will come in handy for that.
Want to survive out in the elements? Well, that’s what survival gear, such as weather-appropriate clothing, matches, a flashlight, tarps and a camp mirror, is for.
Find room for an extra quart of oil and 5 gallons of gas. Your Jeep might get a little extra thirsty tearing it up in the great outdoors.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
