John Craddock Ltd Magazine (May 2022)
The Australian outback is a pretty unforgiving place, even if you are an Orb Spider or a drop bear.
Firstly, it’s hotter than the surface of the sun during the day. Secondly, it’s colder than the surface of Pluto at night. And in between all that you’ve got enough creepy crawlies (such as the aforementioned orb spiders) and tiny homicidal death machines (such as the aforementioned drop bear) to give even the most experienced outdoors person cause to reconsider a road trip through Straya.
But just because there’s more heat in the outback than Chornobyl’s core circa 1986 and more creepy crawlies and wee beasties than the original Jumanji film, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on your aspirations of conquering the outback in your trusted Land Rover. With the right kit on board, a drive through the outback can be as easy as driving through Hobart on a Sunday night.
Luckily, for our readers interested in taking their land rover through the outback, John Craddock has got you covered. In this article, we’re going to go through some of the kit that you’ll want to take with you into the outback. Some of it is for safety, some of it is for comfort, but all of it is important.
5 Land Rover Parts or Accessories For Conquering The Outback
Bug Repellent
We don’t want to oversell this, because it might put some people off from visiting the area, but some big, nasty critters live in the outback. We’re not just talking about mosquitos – because they live there too – but we’re also talking about spiders big enough to eat toes, territorial scorpions, and herds of massive woodlice making their way across the landscape.
As a result, we thoroughly recommend that you pick up some sort of bug repellant before your trip. You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to repellent, but for our money we recommend you look for something green and non-toxic. The reason behind this is two-fold:
- The first reason is that you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your land rover yourself, and breathing in poisonous gas for long periods isn’t good for you.
- The second reason is that while you want these critters to steer off your landy, you may not necessarily want to kill them.
As a result, a green, non-poisonous bug repellent solution is ideal.
Tent
Now, you may be thinking to yourself that you can just sleep in your car. Let me tell you now: you can’t. Not only can it get incredibly hot in the outback during the day, but it’s also incredibly – incredibly – cold at night.
It gets so cold that it’s not uncommon to find frost on the ground a lot of the time. This creates a situation where you’ll be struggling to keep warm at night and almost cook to death as soon as the sun comes up. And that’s the best-case scenario.
A much smarter idea is to buy a tent – just like the wide range of tents available from John Craddock. In particular, we’d recommend one of ARB’s rooftop tents. This is because these tents allow the user to stay off the floor. This is very important if you want to stay away from spiders and other creepy crawlies.
At the same time, staying off the cold night floor will allow you to conserve heat much more efficiently – allowing you to stay warm at night. Combined, these two reasons make the decision to buy a tent the right one.
Spare Tyre
The outback is a truly rugged environment, in a way that few people can truly understand, and it’s very easy for your wheels to become damaged or even destroyed out there – even if you’re not driving up Uluru. As such, carrying a spare tyre or two isn’t a bad idea – especially if you’re going off-roading for a long time.
At John Craddock, we carry a wide range of tyres from some of the finest tyre manufacturers in the world – everyone from BF Goodrich to Pirelli. This means that you can go wherever you want safe in the knowledge that your spare tyres will serve you well.
High Calorie/Energy Food & Water
You’ll be surprised how much of a hunger you can develop when driving through the desert, and the need to keep drinking water should be obvious. Not only can dehydration set in the short term, but long-term kidney damage can set in as a result of not drinking enough water for even a short time.
In short, wherever you go in the outback, you should make sure to have enough water and food to last the journey.
Jerry Cans
It sounds like a cliche or a Hollywood movie, but petrol is quite rare in the outback, and gas stations are few and far between – especially when you get far out. That means it’s a great idea to take at least one jerry can out into the outback with you.
Once again, John Craddock carries a wide range of jerry cans, available in a wide variety of sizes – starting at 5 litres and going all the way up to 20 litres. We’ve also got a good selection of accessories for our range of jerry cans – including filet sprouts and holders for both 10-litre and 20-liter jerry cans.
Window Netting
The outback is home to some of the most beautiful and wondrous creatures in all of Straya. However, it’s also home to some of the peskiest critters in all of anywhere – and that’s even if you never see a drop bear!
So installing a set of window netting is a great idea. It’ll mean that you potentially have the option to have the window open at night if you need to, without having to worry about kangaroos and dingos.
Winch
Our final recommendation for your trip through the outback is a winch. During your time off the beaten trail, you may find yourself off the beaten track or stuck, or you may even find other travellers stuck in a similar situation. During these situations, having a winch could mean the difference between a quick distraction and a serious issue.
John Craddock carries a wide variety of winch and winch accessories. Whether you’re looking for a Winch Bar for the Land Rover Defender, a 12-watt winch rated at over 10,000 lbs, or an ARB recovery strap rated for over 15,000 lbs. Whatever your Land Rover, whatever your needs, we have the winch in stock suitable for you!
Contact John Craddock For More Parts and Accessories
Whether you’re looking for discovery parts, Freelander parts or range rover parts, John Craddock has the genuine land rover parts for you. Our catalogue has been chosen for its quality – meaning our clients never get anything less than the very best kit out there. Whether you’re looking for a roof rack for a Sport L494 or a spare tyre for a Series 1, you will find what you need at John Craddock.
For more information about our parts and accessories, browse our catalogue today!
This month we are all about getting ready for those summer trips. So put your feet up, have a read of some of our articles, and get planning your summer road trip with John Craddock.
