Gear placement – Accessibility by order of importance

When I am out in my two-door jeep, gear placement is very important.   Essentially, there is no extra room; everything I pack has a purpose, and everything is layered, making some items very hard to get to. So how do I decide what goes where?

The tendency is to pack your vehicle upside down as all your first aid and recovery equipment ‘lives’ in the vehicle, and all the camping gear and food are packed on top of it.

Pack for emergencies.

Think of your gear by assigning each item a number, one through ten, by order of emergency availability.  For example, #1 is a fire extinguisher and your first aid kit, there will be no time to waste in getting and using these. #2 is recovery gear, #3 is jack, repair equipment, and supplies like power steering fluid, #4 is food, camping,overlanding equipment.  #5 might be items like backup water, extra blankets, MRE’s for unexpected overnights that you want with you but don’t expect to use.

Pack your vehicle in a manner that allows access. Greater number items first. Lowest numbers on top and most accessible. For example, fire extinguishers should be accessible from both the front and the back of the vehicle, possibly even having a second to access from the left and the right side. Many aftermarket companies make vehicle-specific fire extinguisher mounts.

Consider mounting items like a first aid kit on the back of the driver’s seat. MyMedic makes a nice bag with a Molle mount and Velcro tear-away for semi-permanent mounting.

Recovery gear may be stored in a zip-up back in the back seat secured with a seatbelt. Where it can be accessed from multiple directions. 

Possibly find a permanent home for your winch controller in your glove box.  

Spares and emergency overnight gear can be stored under seats and in cubies, you’re not likely to need these items and will have plenty of time if you do.

Secure all gear

You’re going to be bouncing around, you don’t want any of your gear hitting you in the head. On road or off, cargo can shift drastically in an accident.

Securing your gear doesn’t need to be fancy, expensive, or elaborate.

Use existing vehicle attachment points to secure your geat with common items. Seat frames, cargo loops, and seatbelts can all be utilized without vehicle modifications.

Ratchet straps and cargo nets from your local value store are fine.

If you install drawers, racks, or lockers, make sure they are secure in the vehicle and firmly attached.

What to avoid – Ask me how I know….

Avoid velcro and magnet mounts. These methods don’t hold up to the impact of offroad obstacles. You don’t want your phone coming loose and getting damaged on the trail.

Be cautious of rooftop boxes on vehicles, in an off-camber or high tower situation they can be out of reach or unsafe to access.

Drawers and lockers are great for security at the mall, however in an emergency these can add difficulty as the lock doesn’t open off camber and less critical gear like cooking and bedding is on top.

This doesn’t mean that when you’re at the mall, you shouldn’t secure your expensive recovery gear in your lockbox or keep it out of the way in drawers. Just make sure you add to your pre-trip planning to move those items so they will be accessible on the trail.