Off-Grid Must Haves

Written by Kendra DeBerry, Fall Obsession Field Staff

Like most outdoors adventurers, we like to be prepared with the best possible equipment. Especially when going off grid for a few days or even longer. Many of us can go completely off the radar during a hunt or fishing trip. Just out of range of power, water and cell signal. 

Thanks to technology we have a plethora of choices for just such occasions. One of the most challenging factors comes from poor cell signal. Luckily you can download maps before hand that will actually still be of use. Apps like OnX and Hunt Stand can still help you navigate with your downloaded map. Motorola also has some handy walkie talkies that work with an app on your smartphone; giving you shareable information between you and your buddies. You can even text through the app via Bluetooth combination between your walkie and your phone when cell service is completely out. They’re also water proof, rechargeable, and include a weather alert station, flashlight and handy dandy rescue call out button; giving your precise location when activated.

So what about power? Well, I’m here to tell you there are many ways to recharge. Battery Banks, such as fully charged DeWalt 20v batteries last a long time and have an adapter for recharging anything with a USB plug. Trust me, I’ve made it a daily thing to recharge my items. The batteries can last nearly a week. As long as you get the 5’s or bigger.

Then there’s Solar Power. I’ve discovered Jackery Portable Solar Power Stations; weighing in at 22 pounds. They come in many sizes and can power lots of items. I have the 1000, which powers up lights, fans, mini fridge, dc pumps, laptops, power tools, etc. Anything under 1000 watts. They have larger sizes to power much more wattages. 1000 and under is the ticket for off grid trips. You can recharge the solar station in 3 ways: solar panels, car batteries or by plugging into a 110 outlet. The Solar Saga panel kit is two 100 watt panels that deliver plenty of charge at 200 watts and are super transportable, lightweight and have usb plugs on them to charge items straight from the solar panel without effecting the charge to the power station. This just gives you 4 more ways to charge at the same time. That’s 12 charging ports total.

Now let's discuss some water issues. Plenty of containers are out there for water storage. There are also treatment systems in small packs in case you encounter lakes or steams. Almost all back packs now have the ability to carry a water bladder, but what about your off grid hunting camp or cabin that has no shower, much less a hot shower? You're in luck! If you have a 20 lb. tank of propane, then I suggest investing in a Camplux Tankless Portable Hot Water Shower. It’s so easy to set up. If you have a 5 gallon bucket of water, you can take about 2 maybe 3 showers and they will be hot with water pressure. It comes with a little DC pump and 2 adapters. One of the plugs is for a cigarette lighter or your power station DC. You can also use the alligator clips and hook straight to a 12V battery. The shower head activates the propane ignition on the press of a button and cuts off the same way. Two D batteries in the unit will power it for a year. It connects and disconnects quickly for portability, and will hang up anywhere you can drive a nail or tie a rope

I wouldn’t recommend these items if I hadn’t tried them myself. Recently, I went off-grid living and I have continued to live this way. It has been a refreshing daily experience. As I learn more ways to live off-grid, I’ll share what I’ve learned. I hope this article helps you in your next off-grid experience, out in the wild blue yonder adventure!