12 Mistakes Every New Off-Roader Makes

The great thing about joining the off-road community is it's full of incredible folks that have been hitting the trails for years. And just about all of us have made some pretty big mistakes during that time and today, I’m going to share with you some of the most common mistakes new off-roaders make in a hope to help prevent you from make the same mistakes and if you are seasoned off-roader then you can help me validate if these are some of the mistakes you’ve made… and I’m going to let you in on a little secret, even some seasoned off-roaders makes some of this mistakes from time to time.

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[offgridrecon]

My new rule: On a unknown trail and it’s getting bad, get out and walk it. Don’t just keep going as you may not have a turn around spot ahead. Get out and go for a walk before you end up in a bad spot. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[IDAHOverland]

One lesson I learned when traveling in a group is to always keep the rig behind you in view. If they disappear, slow down and give them a moment to come back into view. If they don't reappear - radio to see if they need assistance, or if you need to go back, or if the group should stop.

[johnnychun]

One mistake I see more experienced offroaders make is NOT putting their vehicle into 4WD. They always brag "I haven't used 4WD yet". But having your vehicle in 4WD can help you get out of some dicey situations. For example, a steep downhill with a drop-off. We had one guy going down a drop-off and as soon as his front tires went down, his back end started to go over. We all yelled "Gas!" and since he was in 4WD, he was able to avoid doing an endo. Being in 4WD helps you to maintain better control of your vehicle.

[gregstrange]

I would include an overnight bag. Just in case you get stranded and need to spend the night out. This can happen with bad weather that can trap you from a couple of hours to overnight. My bag includes a sleeping bag or blanket, dehydrated food, water, a heating source for food, and body warmth. Just Basic survival items.

[ralph.a.rodriguez]

"Let someone back home know where you're going!" First and foremost and as always, thank you for your service Brad! I'm an avid boater and enjoy off roading on the beach. Either way, I will not start my trip unless someone back home knows where I'm going and how to communicate with me. Unfortunately, I rarely hear that advice in the off-road community. In my opinion, it's great to have the best communications, gear or tech for your Jeep. But if Murphy's Law joins you in overlanding, ask yourself this, "Where would First Responders start to look for you first?"

[kerrygibbs]

As someone with 0 experience, I was expecting a video stating the importance of crazy modifications. This was good useful information!!! The comments are also helpful. Seems like knowledgeable and helpful people… refreshing!!

[Tex]

SLOW DOWN. Getting in a hurry has lead to more mistakes than anything else. You get in a hurry, forget to hit the sway bar disconnect, climb up a big wash, put a 37 4 feet in the air and then come down a little too hard and slide the back door into a boulder (ask me how I know). Then it's off to the body shop... Pro tip: slow down, take your time, make sure everything is set and you have your line and then go slowly. That's my $0.02...

[Perry]

Water crossing.... Get your feet wet. I can't tell you how many times I thought I was going through a large puddle and it turns out to be a big hole. Use a long stick or Wade through it... Safe travels Perry

[spinxt]

I can't stress the "don't tailgate" advice enough. I often wheel with an organized group (many of which are brand new to off- roading). Several times, I've had to stop and ask a driver behind me to hang back a little. This is particularly important in wet or slippery conditions.

[alexwbakker]

I think a lot of this can be summed up with TESTING your gear. knowing how to hook up your compressor, knowing how to use the traction control features of your car, etc. My first time wheeling I couldn't figure out how to get ALSD to engage in my toyota and spent 10 minutes stuck. I didn't know what the feature was called, so I didn't know how to look it up.

Another big one. Maybe the number one for some vehicles: If you have a spare that is mounted under the bed or under the trunk, take it out of that spot and put it somewhere else when wheeling. if you get a flat, it may not be possible on the trail to jack up enough to get the damn spare out. Also, bring a real jack and an impact wrench. Why bother with those horrible little jacks unless you are REALLY tight on weight. a harbor freight aluminum jack and a battery impact makes tire changes way way way better. If you go exploring old mining areas, you WILL get flats.

[robsterTN]

Learned this recently: the iPhone 14 and 15 have a satellite SOS feature that will allow you to text for emergency help via satellites. I keep a ham radio, GMRS comms, and my iPhone with me so I have three means to communicate. Many newer ham radios can also do APRS location beaconing.

Another thing I learned over the past weekend: don’t be afraid to backtrack if you take a wrong turn. I almost got myself into a bad situation because I was hesitant to backtrack. Also, make sure someone knows your general location when you are out.

[philbrown]

1) DO NOT stand inline with a winch cable under load. Pretend you’re being shot at.
As a former Search and Rescue 4X4 team member. Before you go into the back country think of the worst thing that could happen, then plan for worse than that.

[markspoor]

Keeping your max trail difficultly level at 70%-80% of your and your rigs capability is always a good one. Always taking the bypass when you have friends and family with you is another one.

[fscottgray]

Most people do not realize at first how much more fuel they will use off road. In low range and slow travel it is easy to cut your MPG in half. Carry some extra fuel especially until you learn your vehicles thirst for fuel. A new quick tip for airing up is the new Milwaulkee M18 cordless air inflator. It is 2 to 3 times faster at airing up a tire compared to others.

[danielstevens]

I wish I had known some of these when I was a new offroader. I'm more seasoned now, but I still learn new things. Which is good. We can never stop learning. I would add bring food with you because if you're going to be out even for a bit, it can get exhausting, so even just some snacks can keep you going. Also water especially on hot days. Not just for you but your vehicle too.

[ConWolfDoubleO]

My big tip is to keep a close eye on the weather in the trail area for at least a week or two before you head there!
I had run this one trail at least 3 times before, and so I was bringing a friend along on my 4th time. It had rained a lot a a couple weeks before we went, but we thought it'd be dry enough now to do. The trail was completely washed out and we had to turn around less than a mile in. Just reaching a turn around spot I scored some minor under body damage because it had washed a bunch of big rocks into the trail. This was a trail where I have never touched anything before, and this was not even the bad part yet. So be mindful of how the weather might have effected the trail well in advance!

[brunnie]

Remember that all vehicles are not the same and won't act the same on a trail. A vehicle with independent front suspension (IFS) will handle differently than a vehicle with a solid front axle, think Bronco or Xterra versus a Jeep. Many times I can't take the line the jeep took simply because of how my vehicle and suspension will react. (Look at the quick clip where Brad's Bronco got real tippy... been there in my Xterra and it is a real scary feeling).

[Ntyuask]

I've led a few trail runs locally here in Southern Oregon and its important to work as a team, especially with newer offroad drivers in the group. Clearly explain the day as its planned out, get out and walk obstacles together as a group and tell them what they can expect and tackle obstacles one vehicle at a time as a team. With everyone communicating and working together, it makes the day alot more fun for everyone and will help each driver build new skills and confidence!

[BackwoodsGourmetChannel]

I can tell your a Vet. USMC myself. 100% on point my Squid. I was thinking of doing a video like this, but you have covered this topic completely. I will share this video with my group since they don't listen to Marines. Excellent video, editing and presentation! Semper Fi.

[AdventureTimeLoui]

As a fairly new off roader, these tips are definitely super helpful for those who are first starting out! Wish I had these right when I started getting out on the trail because I made several of these mistakes in the beginning too.