While winter brings a new set of driving concerns, it remains a wonderful time to go overlanding – providing a chance to really test the capability of yourself and your rig, while also enjoying beautiful snowy landscapes and uncrowded trails.
And hey, if Santa can do it every year on a cold winter night, so can you. Here are a few winter overlanding essentials we recommend packing to ensure you're prepared for the challenges.
Lock De-IcerIs it glamorous? No. Is it something shiny you can bolt to your rig? No.
hing all your overlanding friends will be jealous of? Still no. But during winter, there are certain accessories that should not be overlooked when prepping your vehicle for a snow-filled romp in the cold.
Overlanding aside, those of us who reside in the northern half of the country know the ravages that cold and ice bring upon a vehicle. (Especially those without garage space.) Even the simple tasks like opening a car door or trunk can be an ordeal.
Electronics fail, batteries become less efficient, and locks freeze. That’s why we recommend carrying along a bottle of lock de-icer whenever you head out into the cold. It’ll save you from pouring that last third of Folger’s in your cup on the lock in an effort to warm it up.
De-Icer usually comes in small pressurized cans filled with a combination of alcohol and lubricant. With the alcohol present, it won’t freeze like water, and works by bonding to the ice in your lock on a molecular level, causing it to melt. The lubricant adds viscosity and reduces friction, helping your key slide in free and easy. Shoot this into all your locks – either at the time of them seizing or as a preventative measure beforehand, and you’re good to go.
While some recommend keeping this in your glovebox for convenience, like anything that’s pressurized, there is a risk of explosion or leaking, especially in extreme temperatures. We recommend keeping these bottles in a consistently warm area, but if you classify yourself as forgetful and want to keep it in your vehicle, throw it in its own secure container.
Why do we suggest this as an overlanding essential? While a regular winter driver may just have doors and trunks to worry about, overlanders, with all their racking systems, tailgates, tonneaus, and lock boxes tend to have more locking systems traveling along with them. Lubing them all up before a journey is simple and prevents headaches during your trip.
Air Compressor
There is some debate about deflating your tires for off-road winter travel. Some people swear by the common practice, as they say it allows them to traverse thick snow and ice more reliably. This does make sense, as a tire with less air will flatten out the tire’s contact point with the ground, giving it more surface area to grip what’s below. But others will argue that a deflated tire will not give more traction in winter – including several state DOTs. Another potential side effect of deflating is increasing your sidewall flex, which in return makes your steering more sloppy and less responsive. So, what do we do?
As off-roaders and overlanders, it’s second-nature for us to let some air out before a trail run; we’ve seen the benefits. Just be sure that you’re not letting out too many PSIs in the winter. Besides, colder temperatures will naturally reduce tire pressure – by the tune of one PSI for every 10-degree drop. There’s also the common anecdote of someone deflating their tires for off-road use, then not being able to re-inflate properly to get back home as the nearest service station is 50 miles away. Do you know what can eliminate that potential issue? An air compressor.
If you’re a frequent adventurer, you should consider outfitting your ride with an on-board air compressor. These are pre-mounted units ready to deliver air at the touch of a button. They can also provide control to air lockers, and larger units can power any tools like impact wrenches. Plus, think about the comfort of just flipping a switch from your cabin rather than trudging out in the cold.
Alternatively, portable air compressors are typically cheaper and can be taken vehicle to vehicle. You connect these to your battery and fill up each tire as needed. If you purchase new rigs often, have multiple vehicles that you wheel, or just don’t want the hassle of permanently installing one on-board, these are the answer. Smaller portable compressors exist that you can plug into your cigarette lighter, but we generally don’t recommend these for off-roaders with larger tires.
Traction/Recovery Boards
We’ve mentioned the benefits of traction boards many times here on the Parts Via blog, but we’d be remiss to not cover them again as an essential winter overlanding staple.
While mud and/or sand aren’t on every inch of trail during the warmer seasons, snow is the opposite. During the dregs of winter, you will encounter it and you will encounter a lot of it. And we don’t need to tell you that common word associations that go with vehicle and snow are slippery and stuck.
Traction boards help get a rig unstuck in a few different ways. The obvious way is by adding traction to the ground you’re trying to cross. But they also add elevation by raising the surface that your tires are crossing, and they provide a bit of buoyancy in that a board wont sink into the earth or snow as easily as a tire. Having a few sets of boards come in handy as they can be stacked to create more clearance and used as a bridge to cross a rut. And don’t forget they can be placed behind your tire if you need to throw it in reverse.
Using recovery boards in snow is similar to mud, but generally snow is easier to move and work with. Here’s the part where we also recommend a good quality shovel since, when using boards in snow, you’ll want to dig out a bit of a groove to place them in. This will prevent side-to-side slippage when driving over them.
Yes, other traction aides do exist – like snow socks and tire chains. They have their applications, but for a wheeler/overlander, just go with traction boards. They look good mounted on your vehicle and have many auxiliary uses. Besides, those other two devices take more time to use and let’s be honest here – they make your tires look like they’re ready for an intimate bedroom encounter…if you catch our drift.
Interior Heating Devices
Aside from the snow itself, what’s the other main obstacle of winter driving? The cold. It’s uncomfortable, plays tricks on electronics, and overall, it makes things a bit more fragile and finicky – including yourself. And if you’ve got an older rig or one where the HVAC system takes a while to get going or is on the fritz, well, good luck with those freezing temps.
If your heating system isn’t working as well as it should, there are a few things you or a trusted mechanic should look at. It could be a faulty heating fan, core, motor, thermostat or wiring problem. But hopefully it’s a simple fix like topping off your antifreeze. Outside of fixing these components, there are a couple aftermarket solutions to keep you and your passengers warm this season.
Electric Blanket. No, it’s not just for old ladies with cold feet. An electric blanket, while not overly necessary while driving, can be a lifesaver if you happen to get stuck with help not immediately nearby. Blankets in general are always a good idea.
Heated Seat Cushion. If you don’t own a car with heated seats, get the next best thing! This is a great option for cold leather seats or a heating system that just doesn’t get super toasty.
Portable Car/Space Heaters. Space heaters of old get a bad rap, and they do deserve it. How many fires have you heard about where a space heater was the root cause? Modern heaters have become much safer and have built-in functions to eliminate dangerous situations. Small car heaters that stick on your dash and look similar to radar detectors are also available. These don’t work as well, but do provide some additional heat and don’t cost as much. Just remember that these units may create a foggy windshield, so test them in different spots to find one that’s optimal.
Rechargeable/Traditional Hand Warmers. A staple of winter sports, hand warmers are simple. Just crack them out of the plastic and they start to heat up immediately. They’re great after prolonged outside exposure, especially if you’ve had to dig around in the snow with sub-par
gloves. Rechargeable hand warmers are wonderful as well – just make sure to read our final tip below.Remember, all these heating options do require power, so you want to make sure your battery and electrical systems are in good shape before using. Make sure you’re aware of what power options you have to operate these items, whether it be hardwired to a battery, 12V cigarette lighter, or traditional electrical outlet. Keep any portable power packs and jump starters (another good winter must-have) fully charged and in good operating condition before setting off.