Start Here – Build a Safer, Smarter Overland Setup
This is your front door into Overland Gear Guide: where to begin with recovery, tyre pressures, tools, routes, and upgrades – plus how Rusty, your Overland Skills Coach, fits into the picture.
Updated · Affiliate links help fund testing at no extra cost to you.
Who this Start Here page is for
If you want a rig that’s reliable off-road without wasting money on gimmicks, you’re in the right place. We focus on recovery basics, tyre pressures, route planning and practical upgrades – the things that prevent problems and get you home.
- Total beginner? Start with tyre pressure, traction boards, and safe recovery points before worrying about lifts and bumpers.
- Weekend explorer? Layer in comms, a kinetic rope, better storage and real-world recovery workflows.
- Expedition-curious? Learn winch strategy, border paperwork, fuel/water windows and spares so big trips feel realistic, not reckless.
Choose your path through Overland Gear Guide
Use these three pathways as a roadmap. You can bounce between them, but most overlanders start with recovery basics, then add planning, then go deeper on vehicle upgrades.
1. Get Unstuck – Recovery Basics
- Build a Tier 1 beginner recovery kit and learn how to use it.
- Practice safe static pulls and board work in low-stakes environments.
- Connect with the Recovery 101 training when you’re ready for structure.
🔗 Beginner Overland Recovery Kit – Tier 1
🔗 Overland Recovery Hub & Recovery 101
2. Travel Further – Planning & Range
- Use the Overland Expedition Planner to map realistic legs and fuel windows.
- Get your head around borders, paperwork and ferry crossings.
- Start dreaming with regional route guides (Africa, Americas, Europe, Australasia & Asia).
🔗 Overland Expedition Planner
🔗 Border Crossing 101 – Overlander’s Guide
🔗 The Ultimate Guide to Overlanding
3. Go Remote – Expedition Prep
- Move towards a Tier 3 expedition recovery kit and vehicle prep.
- Refine suspension, storage and comms around how you actually travel.
- Use Rusty and the Skills Center to pressure-test your plan before you leave.
🔗 Overland Tier 3 – Expedition Prepared
🔗 Recovery kit tiers overview
Chat with Rusty – your Overland Skills Coach
Use Rusty alongside this Start Here page
Rusty is an AI coach trained on overlanding fundamentals, modern recovery techniques, OGG tools, and your skills hubs. Treat him like a calm co-driver who’s read all the guides and never gets tired of questions.
- Ask “Where should I start?” based on your vehicle, experience and trip ideas.
- Get tyre pressure starting points using your rig, load and terrain.
- Sanity-check recovery setups, kit choices and route plans before you commit.
- Turn long guides into simple checklists and step-by-step workflows.
- “Help me build a Tier 1 recovery kit for my vehicle and terrain.”
- “Suggest safe starting tyre pressures for my rig and a mixed-surface weekend.”
- “Turn my next trip idea into a day-by-day plan using the Expedition Planner.”
- “Which skills hubs should I work through before a winter mountains trip?”
Rusty is a planning companion – not a replacement for on-scene judgment, professional training or local laws. Always stay within your limits.
Skills hubs – learn by terrain & topic
The Overland Skills Center is organised into hubs so you can focus on the terrain and scenarios you actually drive, rather than generic advice.
Mud & Ruts
Line choice, ruts, PSI and safe extractions in sticky, sloppy conditions.
Sand Driving
Beaches vs dunes, momentum, PSI ladders and recovery workflows in soft sand.
Snow & Ice
Winter driving basics, chains, traction control and low-risk winter recoveries.
Water Crossings
Reading water, breathers, bow waves and “turn around” thresholds.
Tyre Pressures
Tyre anatomy, load ratings, PSI tuning by surface and avoiding sidewall damage.
Vehicle Tech & Upgrades
Lockers, traction aids, suspension, racks & storage – when they actually help.
Core tools & calculators to bookmark
These are the four interactive tools most overlanders should pin on their phone or laptop. They turn abstract concepts into concrete numbers and checklists.
Tyre Pressure Calculator
Dial in safe starting PSI based on weight, tyre size and surface. Perfect for setting a baseline before sand, snow or rocky tracks.
Overland Expedition Planner
Plan realistic daily distances, fuel/water windows, border events and ferries. Built for big-picture trips, not just quick weekenders.
Gear List Builder
Build a recovery-ready packing list that matches your vehicle, climate and trip length – then export and tweak over time.
Vehicle Load Weight Simulator
Experiment with rooftop tents, racks, fuel, water and cargo to see how weight and CG creep up before you load the rig in real life.
Recovery 101 Training
Structured online learning for safer recoveries – linked to your real-world kit, tools and trip planning workflow.
Complete Sitemap
Prefer to browse everything? Hit the full sitemap and jump straight to any guide, tool or gear category.
Recovery kit tiers – buy once, use often
Your kit should match your routes and companions. These three tiers give you a clear ladder from “first trails” to serious expeditions.
Tier 1 – Beginner Essentials
- Traction boards (pair)
- Rated static strap
- Soft or bow shackles (rated)
- Gloves + compact shovel
- Tyre gauge + compressor
Tier 2 – Core Upgrades
- Kinetic rope sized to vehicle mass
- Tree saver + line dampener
- Tyre repair kit (plugs, tools)
- GMRS handheld or mobile radio
- Board mounts for fast deployment
Tier 3 – Expedition Prepared
- Winch, fairlead and upgraded recovery points
- Secondary comms (sat messenger or HF)
- Lighting, tools and bush-mechanic kit
- Fluids, belts, hoses and fuses matched to your rig
Plan routes, borders & logistics
Once your basic skills and kit are in place, planning is the next force multiplier. Good plans reduce sketchy recoveries, rushed driving and bad decisions.
Border Crossing & paperwork
- Understand Carnet vs TIP, visas, insurance and local fees.
- Use simple timelines for pre-border checks (30/15/5-minute workflow).
- Learn from other overlanders’ mistakes before you make them.
🔗 Border Crossing 101 – Overlander’s Guide
🔗 Crossing Borders – book feature
Route inspiration by region
- High-level overlanding routes and considerations for each region.
- Good “first big trip” ideas that aren’t full send from day one.
- Links into detailed guides, tools and checklists as you refine.
🔗 Expedition Africa – overlanding routes
🔗 Top USA overlanding routes
🔗 A Guide to Europe’s overlanding routes
🔗 Overlanding Australasia – guide
🔗 South America’s top overlanding routes
Must-read guides to get you rolling
These are the core articles I’d give a friend who just bought their first 4×4 and wants to do this properly.
- Off-Roading 101 – Beginner 4WD Basics
- Mastering 4WD Off-Road Fundamentals – Your First Day on the Trail
- Tyre Anatomy & Safe Pressure Guide
- Understanding Traction – Why Airing Down Works
- Dune Dominator – Sand Driving Techniques
- Getting Unstuck from Sand – Recovery Guide
- Don’t Drown Your Rig – Safe River Crossing
- Reading the Water – Flooded Tracks & Hidden Hazards
- The Essential Guide to 4WD Recovery
- Kinetic Recovery, Debunked – Snatch Strap Reality Check
- Front Runner Wolf Pack Pro – Field Review
- Overland with Confidence – Is this route planning book worth it?
Need help choosing gear or where to start?
If you’re stuck between two kits, two tools or two trip ideas, ask. It’s easier to tweak a plan on paper than fix bent metal later.
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Phone/WhatsApp: +44 7984 814867
📝 Contact form: Overland Gear Guide – Contact Us
Start Here – FAQ
What should I upgrade first?
Tyres (plus a proper PSI kit), a basic recovery kit and communications. Those three change your real-world safety far more than shiny bumpers or light bars. Start with Tier 1 kit, then layer in Tier 2 and 3 as your trips grow.
Do I need a winch?
Not immediately. Boards, good PSI practices and static/kinetic straps (used correctly) solve most stucks. A winch becomes more important as you move towards solo travel, remote routes and shoulder-season trips.
What PSI should I run?
It depends on your vehicle weight, tyre size and surface. As a rough starting point: 18–22 PSI for firm beaches and light dirt, 15–18 for soft sand/mud, 12–15 for deep sand at low speed. Always re-inflate before highway speeds and use the Tyre Pressure Calculator for more tailored ranges.
Solo or with a group?
Two vehicles are almost always safer than one – especially for water, snow and dunes. If you must travel solo, prioritise Tier 2–3 kit, comms and conservative route choices, and use Rusty to stress-test your plan.
Are there affiliate links on this site?
Yes. Overland Gear Guide uses affiliate links (including the Trailblazer Amazon store) which may earn a small commission if you buy after clicking. It doesn’t change your price and helps fund more hands-on testing and free tools. For details see the Affiliate Disclosure.