Essential Road Trip Tools You May Not Have Thought of

Yucca and corn farms whipped by as our motorcycle wove around giant jungle trees and rocky earth. I adjusted my grip on the thin plastic handle of my guide’s motorcycle, looking over his shoulder as we followed in suit of the other guide. His motorcycle was laden down with my camera gear and an enormous tripod. Beneath the shade of the tree lined road, the occasional parrot took off startled, its grating squawk contrasting against its beautiful green plumage. Above the checkerboard pattens of farmland, Colombian jungle that had never seen a saw blade rose in the distance. “Stop!” I cried out in Spanish. I could see that my camera bag was shaking loose, the guide’s rope failing to hold the expensive camera gear that was lashed to his bike. I was here to film one of the most endangered monkeys in the world, the cotton topped tamarin, something that would be impossible if my camera gear was left in a smashed heap on the side of the road.

Hopping off, I broke out some Nite Ize Gear Ties and used them in addition to the guide’s rope to attach my camera gear to the bike. We rode the rest of the way without incident. Hiking into the jungle, the monkeys surrounded us, chattering in the jungle canopy. I was grateful I had come prepared.

This assignment, to film these monkeys in the Colombian jungle, was one of the many expeditions I had organized as a professional filmmaker and photographer driving my built out van the entire length of the South American continent from Cartagena, Colombia to Ushuaia, Chile. When one decides to plan one of the most incredibly diverse, challenging, and longest road trips on the planet, it’s easy to think of the basics: spare tires, a battery jump kit, and making sure there is enough water. But what about the pieces we don’t think about? The gear that makes the difference between a smashed camera and a unique shot? Or more importantly, danger and a safe journey?

One of the most important factors of any road trip is safety. With strict weapon rules that change from country to country, bringing self defense items across the borders can not only be inconvenient, but more often than not, illegal. This is why I choose to bring the INOVA T4R Long Throw Flashlight. This flashlight has a ridiculous 1220 lumen capacity, and although this may seem like overkill, such power serves a couple of key purposes. First, as I hike through the jungle at night, it helps me see wildlife, and what’s coming from a long ways away, but more importantly, this flashlight means I will be able to see easily what goes bump in the night near my campsite. With this flashlight’s incredible power, I also can use it to temporarily blind any potential robbers in the night that try to break into my van. This, paired with my pepper spray, could easily make the difference between me getting away safely, or losing my possessions in a robbery.

Another aspect of any road trip, whether driving a van you built yourself, an RV, or a truck camper is the ability to secure items safely. The potholes I’ve seen in Colombia are big enough to throw all of my personal items across my rolling home, and I never know when I’ll need to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a stray dog, a maniacal driver behind the wheel of a colorful bus, or hit the brakes in a hurry to account for the massive unmarked speed bumps that litter the highways of Latin America. For this reason, I keep a bag of Gear Ties and S-Biners on hand at all times.

The S-Biners have been useful in a couple permanent projects in my van such as securing my silverware drawer, hanging my surfboard, and securing the bungee netting that I use to store easy access items above my drivers seat. I also keep a satellite phone hanging in my van’s driving area with an S Biner, so I always have easy access to satellite texting capabilities if I am out of service and broken down. If something is moving a little too much in the van, or flying across the “room”, it only takes a second to use a Gear Tie to secure the item and continue on my way. Further, as I hike into the Amazon jungle and the high alpine of the Andes, I have used S-Biners and Gear Ties to attach small items to the outside of my pack more times than I can count.

Finally, we all use our phones for light, but if my van is having a mechanical issue, or I need to fix something in my build in an awkward spot, having a hands free solution for light is always useful. I use the Radiant RH2 Headlamp from Nite Ize to get a good view of repairs in tight spots, and beneath the hood of the van. It also doesn’t hurt that the headlamp has the option to either be charged by wired connection, or take regular batteries. That way, if my van has electronic issues, and I cannot recharge the battery, I can always use store bought batteries in the meantime until my battery is fixed.

One never knows what will happen on a road trip, whether that’s across a continent, or to your favorite national park. Having a few items that serve a wide variety of functions can often make the difference between smoothly tackling the obstacles that come your way, or fumbling through difficulties in the dark.