If you’re curious about how to start off-road touring, seasoned guidance matters. It’s easy to find at Overland Expos, ideal gathering places to dream big and discover the ideas and equipment to fuel your next journey. At four stops of this cross-country event series, Hankook Tire shares in the spirit of exploration, offering hands-on driving experiences and connecting with adventurers.
But if you can’t make it to an Overland Expo stop, we’ve captured the best moments from the series, plus outlined why to start (and how). Aaron Mulkey is one of our three expert overland adventurers who provide all the inspiration and insight needed to plan your trip, rig your ride, enjoy your camp, find your way, and upgrade your tires.
Mulkey is a seasoned overlander and renowned ice climber who brings his deep expertise in expedition planning and vehicle preparedness from his home base of Cody, Wyoming, to the Overland Expo series’ marquee event in Flagstaff, Arizona. Before diving into further tips and tricks from the road, here are five of Mulkey’s overlanding essentials. When it comes to rigging your ride, and preparing for an off-road adventure, consider his following top advice before going deeper with 100 Ways to Make Your Escape.
Ease in: Don’t be overwhelmed by all the gear; start with the essentials and slowly add items that enhance comfort and safety.
Map out a trail: Find nearby trails with an app like Gaia GPS. But don’t spend too much time behind the screen or the wheel. Go explore: Sometimes that dirt road will lead to an incredible overlook or camping spot!
Think tires: Getting the right tires is the easiest way to boost your rig’s off-road performance and safety, especially when covering all seasons and terrain—mud, rocks, sand, and snow. A durable all-terrain tire ensures better traction, stability, and puncture resistance—not to mention fuel economy and ride comfort on long hauls. Start your search with Hankook’s Dynapro lineup of versatile tires that perform across all types of terrain, balancing off-road traction with durability and highway ride.
Goods to go: Everyone forgets something without a packing list. Use this one to make sure you have all the basics.
- Shelter: Tent or sleep in vehicle
- Sleep system: Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and pillow
- Clothing: Weather-appropriate layers, rain gear, and extra socks
- Food and water: Nonperishable meals, snacks, water bottles, and a purification method
- Fire and cooking gear: Lighter, waterproof matches, stove (if you plan to cook), and cookware
- Navigation and safety: Map downloaded on phone, flashlight/headlamp, and first-aid kit
- Miscellaneous: Multitool, sunscreen, bug spray, and a trash bag for Leave No Trace practices
Off-Road Basics for 4WD Beginners: Understand the different 4WD modes on your vehicle and when to use them. Use a spotter outside of your vehicle to overcome difficult obstacles. If I want to crawl over something or up a steep incline, I typically choose 4WD low to increase torque at low speed.
Read all of Mulkey’s overlanding advice and see more videos from this year’s slate of Overland Expo events.
Hankook Tire’s Dynapro is a tire brand designed for SUV/Light Trucks with strong driving and braking performances on all terrains and through every type of weather, including on- and off-road conditions.
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