The Gear You Hope Never to Use
Overlanding tools and recovery gear are essential items we take with us into remote areas hoping we never have to use them
There is an old saying among overlanders:
“The best recovery is the one you never have to perform.”
I couldn’t agree more.
As I prepare Tau for nearly two months on the road through Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and back to Zambia, I’ve spent countless hours researching equipment, reading trip reports, watching experienced overlanders, and asking one simple question:
What do I genuinely need?
Not what looks impressive.
Not what fills Instagram photos.
Not what makes me look like an expedition expert.
Rather, what equipment gives me the greatest chance of solving a problem safely if things don’t go according to plan?
The irony is that I sincerely hope every single item in this article returns home untouched.
Because if I’m using recovery gear, something has already gone wrong.
Prevention Beats Recovery
Many newcomers to overlanding become fascinated by recovery equipment.
Winches.
Recovery boards.
Snatch straps.
Shackles.
Hi-Lift jacks.
While these are valuable tools, they should never become an excuse for taking unnecessary risks.
Good route planning, sensible driving, tyre pressure management, and knowing when to turn around will prevent far more recoveries than any piece of equipment ever will.
Recovery gear should be viewed as insurance—not encouragement.
Basic Hand Tools
I’m not a mechanic.
I’m certainly not planning to rebuild my engine beside a remote track in northern Namibia.
However, I do want enough tools to perform simple repairs or, perhaps more importantly, to hand the correct tool to a fellow traveller who knows exactly what they’re doing.
My toolkit includes:
- Metric socket set
- Combination spanners
- Screwdrivers
- Long-nose pliers
- Side cutters
- Adjustable wrench
- Locking pliers (Vice-Grips)
- Allen keys
- Utility knife
- Small hammer
- Tyre pressure gauge
- Digital multimeter
Most roadside repairs involve surprisingly basic tools.
Loose battery terminals.
A broken hose clamp.
A loose bash plate.
Replacing a fuse.
Tightening a bolt that has worked itself loose on corrugated roads.
You don’t need a workshop.
You simply need the right tools for common problems.
The Small Things That Solve Big Problems
Some of the most useful items weigh almost nothing.
My repair kit also includes:
- Cable ties
- Duct tape
- Electrical tape
- Self-amalgamating silicone tape
- Hose clamps
- Spare blade fuses
- Spare relays
- Assorted nuts and bolts
- Stainless steel wire
- JB Weld steel epoxy
- Spare electrical wire
None of these are exciting.
Yet they are often the difference between continuing your journey and waiting hours—or days—for assistance.
Your Most Important Recovery Tool Is Air
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt while preparing for this expedition is that successful overlanding often has less to do with expensive equipment and more to do with understanding your tyres.
Tyre pressure affects almost everything: traction, ride comfort, fuel consumption, puncture resistance, and the likelihood of getting stuck.
Many people think the answer is more recovery gear.
Often, the answer is simply less air.
A tyre inflated for highway driving presents a relatively small contact patch. As the pressure is reduced, the tyre flexes and spreads over a larger surface area. Instead of digging into soft terrain, it begins to float across it, improving traction while reducing the chances of becoming bogged.
Of course, every vehicle, tyre, and load is different, so there is no single pressure that suits every situation. The figures below are intended only as a starting point, and you should always adjust them to suit your vehicle and the conditions.
One Road, Four Tyre Pressures
| Terrain | Pressure (psi) | Pressure (bar) | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sealed roads | 32–38 psi | 2.2–2.6 bar | Best fuel economy, handling and tyre wear. |
| Gravel roads | 26–30 psi | 1.8–2.1 bar | Improves ride comfort, traction and reduces the impact of corrugations. |
| Soft sand | 16–20 psi | 1.1–1.4 bar | Creates a larger tyre footprint to help the vehicle “float” over soft sand rather than dig in. |
| Deep sand dunes | 12–16 psi | 0.8–1.1 bar | Maximum flotation for difficult dune crossings. Drive slowly and reinflate as soon as practical. |
| Mud | 18–24 psi | 1.2–1.7 bar | Improves grip by allowing the tyre to conform to uneven ground while still protecting the tyre from rolling off the rim. |
*Approximate guide for a fully loaded 4×4. Always consult your vehicle and tyre manufacturer’s recommendations and adjust according to load, speed, and conditions.
These are general starting points only. The ideal tyre pressure depends on your vehicle’s weight, tyre size and construction, load, speed, and the terrain you’re driving on. Always adjust pressures to suit your specific vehicle and follow your tyre and vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.
Reducing tyre pressure on corrugated roads also allows the tyre to absorb many of the vibrations that would otherwise be transferred into the suspension, chassis, and everything you’ve packed inside the vehicle. It often results in a more comfortable ride and may reduce the risk of damage caused by continuous corrugations.
The key is to remember that lower tyre pressures require lower speeds. Driving quickly on under-inflated tyres generates excessive heat and increases the risk of tyre failure.
Why I Carry a Tyre Deflator and Air Compressor
If you’re going to adjust tyre pressures regularly, two tools quickly become indispensable: a quality tyre deflator with an accurate pressure gauge and a reliable air compressor.
A deflator allows me to reduce tyre pressures quickly and consistently whenever the road surface changes. Instead of guessing or releasing air a little at a time, I can accurately set each tyre to the pressure best suited for the terrain ahead.
An air compressor is equally important because every reduction in pressure eventually needs to be reversed. After leaving the sand or rough gravel and returning to sealed roads, reinflating the tyres restores safe handling, improves fuel economy, and helps prevent unnecessary tyre wear.
For me, the compressor and deflator aren’t simply accessories—they’re part of my recovery equipment. Correct tyre pressures can often prevent the very situation that would otherwise require recovery boards, snatch straps, or a tow.
As the saying goes:
“The easiest recovery is the one you never have to perform.”
Recovery Gear Is About Safety
Recovery gear isn’t about showing off.
It’s about getting yourself—or somebody else—out of trouble safely.
My recovery equipment includes:
- Rated recovery points
- Kinetic recovery rope
- Soft shackles
- Rated bow shackles
- Recovery hitch
- Recovery boards
- Air compressor
- Tyre repair kit
- Snatch block (where appropriate)
- Shovel
- Gloves
Every piece of equipment has one purpose:
To recover a vehicle with the least possible risk to people and the least possible damage to vehicles.
Improvisation and recovery rarely mix well.
Knowledge Is Part of the Equipment
Buying recovery gear is easy.
Knowing how to use it correctly is far more important.
A poorly attached recovery strap can become a dangerous projectile.
Incorrect tyre pressures can leave you bogged long before recovery gear becomes necessary.
Using the wrong recovery point can damage a vehicle—or worse, injure someone standing nearby.
For that reason, I believe every overlander should spend as much time learning as they do shopping.
Hopefully, It All Comes Home Unused
When Tau eventually rolls back into Lusaka after thousands of kilometres across southern Africa, I’ll consider it a success if the recovery gear is dusty, the tools are still neatly packed, and the repair kit remains unopened.
Because the goal of overlanding isn’t to prove how well prepared you are for disaster.
It’s to prepare well enough that disaster never arrives.
Travels With Tau
This article forms part of my Travels With Tau Preparation Journal, documenting every stage of preparing for an overland expedition through Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and back to Zambia. From route planning with Tracks4Africa to vehicle preparation, camping equipment, border crossings, and lessons learned along the way, I’ll be sharing both the successes and the mistakes.
If you’re planning your own African overlanding adventure, I hope these articles help you travel a little safer, a little smarter, and with a little more confidence.
The adventure is only just beginning.
If you enjoyed this article and want to follow the expedition from preparation to the open road:
🚙 Join the Facebook Group – Travels With Tau to ask questions, share your own travel experiences, and follow behind-the-scenes updates.
🎥 Subscribe on YouTube – Travels With Tau to experience the journey through videos, wildlife encounters, campsites, border crossings, and the unexpected moments that make overlanding unforgettable.
🌍 Visit my website at drronvanas.com for detailed travel guides, planning tips, gear reviews, and stories from the road.
Email: travelswithtau@gmail.com
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