Bundle yourself, the dog, and these nifty road trip essentials before you hit the road!
Road trips are the holiday de jour; we just can’t seem to get enough of humble, four-wheeled travel. This reinvigorated interest has broadened our scope on destinations (Marble Bar or Goondiwindi anyone?) and opened up a whole new realm of travel essentials. No longer are the noise-cancelling headphones or saline nasal spray considered the most important things to pack for your impending travel. Instead, handy food storage options, navigational aids, and space-saving luggage are top of the list.
Whether you’re packing the tent into the car or hitting the road hitched up to a caravan, these road trip essentials will make your next driving holiday a dream.
NavmanCRUISE650MMT GPS
Yes, you can always use your phone to navigate your way through remote Australia but trust us, it’s not going to be anywhere near as helpful as the NavmanCRUISE650MMT GPS. Forget having to download your maps from the local wifi hotspot before you leave, or not being able to spontaneously change your route because you’re out of range – the Navman’s satellite navigation system boycotts all the issues that come with a lack of 5G coverage. It truly is a road trip essential in outback Australia!
The handy little gadget comes packed with features too, like free monthly maps updates, a large screen, clear visual and verbal directions about which lane, which intersection, which building to turn at and 3D landmarks to give it that video game affect. If you have a lead foot, there are also speed, safety camera, and school zone alerts to help avoid accidents and fines and live traffic updates. It also includes hundreds of points of interest like cafes, campsites, hotels, restaurants, wineries, beaches, and look-outs. What can’t the Navman do?!
The NavmanCRUISE650MMT GPS is available online from $229.99
Muk Mat
Unless your road trip entails you flinging open the back doors on a camper van to a view of the water, you can leave any memento from the outside right where you found them. Nobody likes a car full of sand (nor the date with the vacuum post-trip), and muddy footprints traipsed all through the camper is less than aesthetic.
Luckily, the nifty Muk Mat is here to keep all the dirt and muck out of your car, camper, caravan, or motor home. Pop one of these roll-away mats into the boot of the car before setting off on your adventure, and you can safely retire the beach towel from all feet-cleaning duties. The durable astroturf surface does a darn fine job of scrubbing off any extra sand and muck you’ve brought back from your adventure, needing just a quick shake out before you can safely pop it back in the car.
The Muk Mat is available from online from $45
Urban Crush Smoothies
Dining on the delicacies in the roadhouse bain-marie might be the mark of a quintessential road trip (cheese sausage anyone?) but, let’s face it, it’s not for everyone. Keep your on-the-go-eats options open and pack a few Urban Crush Smoothie packets into the glove box before you take off. A little fresher and a whole lot cleaner than a big box of salt and vinegar chips, these smoothies come in six sugar-free, preservative-free flavours. Simply tip the 100% natural, freeze-dried fruit powders into a bottle of water, shake, and your thick fruit smoothie is ready to roll.
Urban Crush Smoothies are available online from $25
Samsonite Spark SNG ECO SP55 Top Pocket
Space-saving? Tick. Eco-friendly? Tick. What more could you ask for in your road-trip friendly luggage? Perhaps extra pockets for separating and securely storing your belongings, a built-in vanity case, and a TSA combo lock for added security in caravan parks or shared dorms? Well, the Samsonite Spark SNG ECO SP55 Top Pocket has it all (and is very worthy of a spot in our road trip essentials round up).
Engineered from cork and Recyclex™ – an innovative new material made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET plastic bottles – these bags are durable and reliable, built to withstand even the roughest of handling on your camping trips.
The Samsonite Spark SNG ECO SP55 Top Pocket is available online from $349
Related reads: Be An Eco-Warrior On The Go: 7 Sustainable Travel Products To Help Save The World
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6
Pack the compact Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 camera into your backpack and create instant road trip memories on the run. Way smarter than it’s predecessors, the SQ6 comes with a bunch of features to help you nail the shot – think automatic exposure control, a smart landscape mode, and a selfie mode complete with a front-facing mirror to centre yourself in the frame. As the name eludes, the camera also uses a square-shaped film instead of the standard rectangular film the Instax minis use. It’s like a real-life Instagram feed!
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 is available online from $199
Thermos 1.39L Stainless Steel Food Jar
Keep your food at the right temperature on the go with the Thermos 1.39L Stainless Steel Food Jar. Never mind putting a container into a cooler bag, this food jar does all the work with its nifty insulation technology allowing you to have your meal as if fresh from the kitchen. Hot food can be stored for 10 hours and cold for 20 hours, making it a road tripper’s best friend helping to save on the pit stops eats. It is easy to clean and includes two separate BPA-free, microwave and dishwasher safe containers.
Thermos 1.39L Stainless Steel Food Jar available online from $99.99
Feature image: Holger Link on Unsplash
Related reads: Road Trip – Top Spots Less Than 5 Hours From Perth
See more: Travel Tips
