How to simplify your modern 4×4

In today’s modern world learning the temperature in London is as easy as a click of a button on your smartphone. Finding out facts is as simple as “hey Siri” and real life updates of breaking news are cast across social media channels and news outlets alike. Life, although very complicated at times, has become wholeheartedly simplified through the process of streamlining most daily tasks. And the outdoor adventure space has not been left behind in this regard. In a fast paced environment, we want our equipment and our adventure machines to keep up with the times, which is why many are opting to modernise their 4×4’s.

So how can you modernise and simplify your camping and overlanding setup? Here’s a few pointers.

REDARC TVMS Rogue Control Module and Redvision

REDARC’s TVMS Rogue Control Module is a compact and flexible power control solution for controlling your 12V devices in one place. Essentially, it’s the piece of equipment that talks to everything else, telling it what to do. The TVMS is right at home when it comes to controlling your fridges, fans, pumps, and more, making life on the road that much easier. It features ten convenient outputs that are each rated at 10A, allowing you the freedom to connect the non-negotiable devices and accessories required for your adventures. In order to control these 12V devices once they’re hooked up, utilise the eight switches available either via toggle or push-button. 

The Redvision screen is what allows simple and easy access to the switches that connect to your devices and accessories. With a generous screen size, all temperatures, tank and battery levels can be viewed. Can you get a quicker system check than a brief glance? I think not.

Dune 4WD Nomad Deluxe Hardtop Rooftop Tent

After a few (too many) wines, the last thing I want to do is set up a difficult tent. Definitely not what Tyler Childers meant when he sang “tussled through the night.” To simplify your tent setup step one is to sort this as soon as you hit the campground before you lay into the campfire feast or open up your 12V fridge. Step two is to ensure you brought along a tent that makes life easier, such as the Dune 4WD Nomad Deluxe Hardtop Rooftop Tent.

Featuring a hard shell and streamlined design, my favourite feature is the hydraulic cylinder mechanism that makes setup and fold-down both fast and easy. Simply unlock the external locking clamps on each side that are working to hold your tent shut on the road. Next, gently push up one side of the tent to engage the hydraulic struts to take over. Once you follow suit on the other side, your tent is up and all you need to do is clip on the ladder and sort out your airflow flaps.

Clearview Tyre Spider

Ever hit a track and internally battled with yourself in regards to lowering your tyre pressure? Sure, you probably need it, and it’d put less stress on your vehicle if you adhered to the conditions required… But it’s just such an annoying process. One way to overcome this is to simplify the process. Say goodbye to bending down and kneeling at each tyre to manage their pressures, and instead say hello to the Clearview Tyre Spider. Designed to speed up, simplify and reduce time required for deflating and inflating tyres, the Tyre Spider quickly assists in evenly adjusting the tyre pressures of your vehicle, caravan, or trailer.

Whether it’s mud you’re faced with or sinking soft sand, the Clearview Tyre Spider makes tyre pressure adjustments an absolute piece of cake. It’s designed to either work independently or attached to your vehicle’s air-compressor with four main functions:

1. Inflation: You’ll have the ability to inflate up to 4 tyres simultaneously via an air-compressor.

2. Borrow Air: Easily inflate a tyre without an air-compressor by borrowing air from up to 3 tyres.

3. Deflation: Simultaneously deflate up to 4 tyres.

4. Equalisation: Equalise tyre pressure across multiple tyres at once.

If you’ve modded your fourbie to look bigger and better and are wondering if the Clearview Tyre Spider will be appropriate for your ute, rest assured that each kit includes two 5 metre hoses and two 8 metre hoses. This allows for easy installation on even the largest wheeled vehicles.

ScanGauge-3

Just as a hospital patient is hooked up to a monitor that displays their vital functions during surgery, your 4×4 needs you to have all hands on deck and eyes on all vitals as you’re hitting the off-road terrain. ScanGauge-3 is one way to streamline and simplify this process. It works to provide real-time information of what’s going on in your 4×4 with built-in digital gauges. The gauge screen allows you to select and display up to 9 gauges at once, so you can streamline the monitoring process and keep a close eye on the operating conditions of your fourbie.

You’ll also have the added benefit of increasing fuel economy thanks to ScanGauge-3’s ability to provide real-time data about your vehicle’s instant and average fuel economy. As well as fuel used, cost of fuel used for each trip, cost per kilometre and litres per hour. ScanGauge say that driving more efficiently with ScanGauge can save up to 33% of fuel.

OnTap Portable Shower

A heavy on-board water system is one way to complicate things that in reality could be swapped out and simplified instantly. We all need a shower, there’s no debate, but on the road things can prove difficult if you’re free camping and don’t have access to facilities. We all appreciate roughing it, but when that includes missing showers for multiple days in a row things can start to become unnecessarily gross. The OnTap Portable Shower is one extremely convenient piece of gear that will modernise your vehicle and simplify the showering process. With a 22L capability, the OnTap Portable Shower allows up to 5 minutes of shower time using a 12L/min flow rate. Powered by detachable 12v power cord with cig plug, it couldn’t be easier to rinse off the dirt you sprayed up on yourself on the track that day. 

They say if you don’t swim you’ll sink, and while that is true in many various aspects of life, I’ll be the first to admit you don’t need to modernise your vehicle. If you prefer to go for the bare minimum and rough it by the moonlight then power to you. However, if you want your camping experience to be as streamlined and simplified as possible to allow you to spend more time doing what you love (adventuring) then I reckon these recommendations have a place on the wishlist.