Motorcycle overlanding and incidental stranding is very common. From normal camping experiences to broken bike initiated overnights, reliability on skill alone cannot replace having the right ‘kit’. I can recall how many times during our Central Asian moto journey did I wish I would have had the right equipment for camping. Educated by our experiences and mistakes, you can rely on us on when it comes to recommending proper camping and survival gear.
Co-author: Mark Carrera
Photos: Lorry Gombos, Mark Carrera
What do you really need to get off the map and spend a couple of days in the woods? Tarp, sleeping bag and mattress, axe, canned food, camping stove and pots and utensils. That should do, right? Well, you can find out on your own, or seek the knowledge of others. You may ‘survive’, but how comfortable will you be? Our Outback Motortek survival products represent the minimum ‘kit’ for a short duration survival situation. We define these as an overnight stranding from a mechanical, navigational issues, darkness, and fatigue; the unexpected is bound to happen.
To truly enjoy your overland experience, you need proper gear. However, no matter how well stocked your adventure-kit is, there is no replacement for knowledge. That’s why we support the philosophy of a “survival pyramid” which is, in our opinion, kit-knowledge-environmental awareness. This philosophy is based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Abraham Maslow argued that meeting life challenges is based on a pyramid structure of needs. Applied to any survival situation, first (top) is the kit, middle is knowledge-skill, and the bottom is knowing the environment. While knowledge is paramount to survival, having a proper ‘kit’ is vital to survival. Considering that overnight stranding without food, water, shelter, and skills can turn deadly, having a quality Outback Motortek bail-out kit increases your likelihood of survival exponentially. Also, making a tasty brew on a ESBIT Pocket Stove can mean the difference between hypothermia and staying comfortable.
Mark Carrera (Outback Motortek US rep) is not new to camping deep in woods or out in deserts. He’s done it all over the U.S. and Canada, and internationally. Mark’s overlanding adventures include mountain bike wild camping between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, wilderness camping in Nepal, and backcountry moto adventures in Costa Rica. Just like me, he also learned from his mistakes. Because of his experiences, Mark recently added essential survival products to the Outback Motortek adventure and dual sport moto accessories line.
Mark is constantly experimenting with products and systems while overlanding in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia USA. And, he continually discovers incredibly useful products, such as the MPowered LUCI Emergency light or the ESBIT pocket stove. Developing an excellent ‘kit’ is what keeps Mark exploring difference products and systems for wilderness survival situations. Our survival products are best identified as bail-out ‘kit’ for everyday carry on your moto, they are not intended for extended camping trips.
To kick off this unique campaign, Mark has acquired products from manufacturers such as Coleman, ESBIT, AquaStiq, MPowered (LUIC Lights), UST, Myotis, Everstryke and the list goes on. We’re very excited to offer these products to our webstore and we stand behind our choices of quality survival gear. Mark has experimented with each of the products we sell, applied his wealth of experience to ensure you that they work as intended while used properly, so look for video clips and more blogs about the new product line at Outback Motortek USA East.
