A few weeks from now, I am flying into the US Southwest to pick up a rental car (a mid size SUV) and then drive about 10 hours roundtrip through some fairly remote desert areas for 3 days. Daily highs will be 105-110 and night time lows will be in the 50s. I will be alone. I will be returning to cities at night. I will be on paved roads, but don't know how frequently they're travelled.

I am putting together a kit and welcome suggestions, as I never spend time in the desert areas.

Here's what I have so far:

cell phone, charger, aux. battery
plb
sil-tarp and lines
electrolyte replacement mix
pre-made food for a day
sunscreen
sun glasses
bandanna

4 gallons of water that I'll get en route and supplement if used.

I'll have usual small FAK that I always carry and will have climate appropriate clothing/hat.

I'll probably buy a cheap knife just because I hate not having one.

I will be leaving a detailed itenerary with friends and will check in when possible during the day with latest location.

My experience is in Southern Arizona, and limited at that. To me, the key is that you said you are staying on paved roads. If you go off road, that can change things a lot. Like completely.

So, for 100% on road, I think your in the ball park. Maybe a bit short on water, assuming a more than 1 day stranding (which I doubt on a paved road). You might also want something for shade. If the car breaks down, you will not want to sit in the car or the sun until help arrives. The tarp will probably be usable for this, if you can rig it.

Stay with the car. Don't go off trying to walk out.

Enjoy the trip. The Southwest is one of my favorites!

I'd start out with more than 4 gallons of water and would add Gatorade powder, NUUN tablets or some such to my kit.

On muggy days hiking in the Shenandoahs (Virginia), I've consumed a gallon of water and not had to pee, such was the sweating.

I'd add a whistle and a Bic lighter, cotton balls, flammable lip balm and a stainless cup.

And whip by a grocery for some food (cold oranges would hit the spot on a hot day).

So that I could carry ice, I'd also seriously consider buying a decent cooler (Coleman X-treme) and saving the box it came in so I could ship it, with some of my gear, back home via UPS or Fed EX.

For the last twenty years, I've been in the habit of Fed Ex-ing to my destination my luggage (insured) rather than risking the airline baggage handling system. That way I take my hiking boots, poles and other outdoor gear that I consider essential.

Makes the airport process a simpler and faster, too.

Are you planning on venturing any distance from the car?

I have avoided the desert since '92, but the basic list is a good start and I'm +1 on the other suggestions. I was going to suggest mailing things (like a knife) ahead. A cheap hi-vis vest to tie off your antenna maybe?

Looks like you are doing a good pre-plan. Suggestions:

- more water (it's cheap & the car can easily handle the weight)
- headlamp + batteries (for fixing that flat at night)
- signal mirror (spectacularly effective in desert air)
- cheap folding chair so if you are hiding from the sun under your tarp, you don't have to sit on the hot ground. Keep in mind that a sil-tarp won't block the sun nearly as well as a cheap blue tarp.
- fleece blanket for spending the (mild) night in the car
- cheap cooler packed with ice

The bulky things are available cheap at any Wal-Mart or Target.

Another thing to ponder: though you don't plan to strike out on foot, consider the possibility. I understand you have a PLB and don't plan to drive off-road. But if you are on a seldom traveled stretch of road, out of cell range, and break down 10 or 15 miles from a town or something, are you really going to pop that PLB and call for a life/death rescue? Or would you consider walking the miles back to a major junction? If so, you have to plan in a whole additional way.

Not saying you should plan to walk, just think about it. It will influence your gear choices, and the form factor of that gear.

might add, or didn't mention..

long sleeved shirt, with brimmed hat, light weight gloves for Sun protection

couple of light sources... headlamp, good hand held

I like to have a couple bottles of GatorAid and water in the passenger seat..

enjoy yourself...

The only thing I saw missing was a good flashlight; if you break down, it will get dark. Others have spotted other missing items. There's an electrolyte thread running now which has some good info; I like V-8 juice. Start out with more water and if you use more than expected you'll be okay. Cheap insurance. I like the idea of water riding shotgun, convenient so you can drink as you go.

No idea what kind of cell coverage you'll have, but the PLB should provide back-up in case of actual emergency.

Check the SUV's coolant, oil, tire pressure et al each day and you should be fine.

Lots of good ideas here.
IMO Perhaps a small pack in case you do take a walk, don't forget a stick. Remember in the desert most things bite, stick, or sting.
A second tarp for shelter, set one up over the other with a 12in. airspace between the two. That will give you a much better and cooler shelter.

You make a very good point. I don't think that in the southwest that there are very many roads that do not get some traffic, especially since the OP mentioned that he would be back into the cities at night. This means in all probability that while he is heading from / to a city, regardless of time of day that there will be other travelers as well at some point.

Unless a very dire life / death situation occurs, pushing the button on the PLB would be unjust cause for a major SAR response and should not be taken lightly as a realistic option as those valuable SAR resources may be needed elsewhere.

I love the desert. As others mentioned, water is most important. If you can, choose a car with a full size spare. ( I purchased an extra rim and full size spare since I camp in the desert a lot.)

Fill up whenever possible

Wide Brimmed Straw Hat (much cooler than cotton or synthetic)

Umbrella (Light colors. Not mandatory but makes a nice portable sun shade)

Map

Chapstick

Hand Lotion/Vaseline (the low humidity is hard on your skin)

If you've got sinus issues, a saline nasal spray might help. Did I mention its dry?


Have a fun trip!

I live in the desert, 130 miles west of Tucson. There are many hard surfaced roads that have little or no traffic this time of year. Stick to main roads. Don't take a shortcut even though it looks like a nice drive on a paved road.

Double check your tires. They will take a beating. The heat on the highway can easily damage a poorly inflated tire. You don't want to be doing anything like changing a tire in the desert sun.

Lots of places without cell coverage, but if you are traveling the main roads (interstates or arterial roads) coverage will probably be OK.

Do no stop for hitch hikers. The rules of the game in the southwest are different. Not everybody is your friend. Especially near the border.

A lot depends on the specific areas you are traveling. Seek local guidance before you start your trip and if somebody says to drive 50 miles out of your way because of some "difficulty" there, drive the extra 50 miles.

In the unlikely event you have mechanical problems, stay with your vehicle. Get into the shade and stay there. If you are on a main road, somebody will come along to help. If you are alone with no vehicle, they might ignore you.

If you have not been in the southwest before, you will find it very interesting. Distances are long. Watch your fuel. Again, it really depends on where you will be traveling.

It sounds scary, but only if you have a problem. Like being in a blizzard or mountain storm, it is only scary because it is new to you. Mostly you will drive along in the cool comfort of your vehicle and enjoy the scenery.


Nomad.

Nomad nailed it.
Once off the main road you will often be the only car on the road for a very long time! Many times a road that looks well traveled ( & well graded) isn't. Also be careful of parking is dry washes, those clouds in the distance can create a gully washer where you are parked.

Are you afraid to mention security because of the group you are asking? You own guns. You understand guns. You are comfortable with guns. If you are uncomfortable flying with firearms, borrow one from your client when you get there.

ITS NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

LOL my first thought when I read the title post was that it sounded like an amateur cleaner. No offense to the poster. This is a good place to ask for advice, and the others have done a good job, but i'd suggest a light sleeping bag. Don't rely on forecasts as the weather can change quickly. I live in the southwest. Guns of all types are readily available. If you are not comfortable with them you can always pick up a cheap can of pepper spray and ditch it before you fly out. If I can be of help simply let me know.

+1 on the sidearm. Should really consider a couple cans of fix-a-flat.

Be careful of counting on the cell phone for communication and GPS service. If out of 3G/4G range there are no maps on most phones. Bring a 'real' GPS and if possible pre-plan/preview your route on Google Maps or similar.

I've always been a believer in the utility of those giant orange plastic bags ... in the desert they can be slit open and used as flags ... or to provide shade.

Speaking of flags ... I might think it would help to have a very large bright "HELP NEEDED" banner. Does anyone make such a thing?

Not being a desert dweller I have to ask: Are insects a problem at night?

Reason for so much water....it isnt just for drinking,think heat stroke.Getting overheated can kill you.

With water pour it over your shirt,soak your bandana,soak your hat,it will act as an evaporation cooler and when you are HOT it may save your life.Heat stroke,if you ever had it you know its not to be trifled with.

Even if you have to wait 4-6 hours for AAA to come get you,those gallons of water can be a life saver just in that short amt of time.

Depending on the desert, I'd guess tarantulas and scorpions could be an issue [my inner arachnophobic shivers at the thought of a tarantula crawling over me in the night). Maybe some other creepy crawlies as well (research on the particular desert in question certainly seems prudent at this point). And seems like I'd heard horror stories of rattlesnakes in and/or under sleeping bags. I assume they are looking for shade during the day or looking for something warm in the night?

Guns. Well the poster did not say which state he/she will be traveling in.

AZ is OK as anyone can carry concealed.

Utah has strict gun laws, especially near urban areas.

New Mexico allows open carry but only honors permits from some other states.

TX has complex laws.

California has very restrictive laws.

Generally unless you are staying in AZ, I would be careful about carrying. If you intend to do so, check current laws for the states you intend to traverse. New Mexico just changed their permit law and I am not sure how it has been implemented.

Border Patrol: You may be stopped at a roadblock. They will ask you if you are a US citizen. Don't give them any grief. It is a rotten job. If you are "driving while brown". you may get asked some confusing questions. They are trying to see how nervous you are. You will also get the the funny questions if you are very white and driving a rental car. Folks from the north frequently drive to the border areas to get contraband. No tan means you are probably not local. They are looking for bad guys, you are not one of them.

Relax, you will get used to it. I live 30 miles from the Mexican border, in a very remote area. There is a war going on here. But somehow it dances around us and we seldom see it. We find backpacks with very good night vision glasses hidden under brush. There are used car batteries on mountain tops left over from clandestine radio networks.

All that and more. But you will probably not see any of this. The first time folks encounter the Border Patrol Checkpoints they sometimes consider it an intrusion. "What?? Stopping me?? I got my rights!!!" I hear it all the time. Consider the checkpoint a small window on reality. Be nice to the Border Patrol Folks.


Small crawley things...
Lots to learn about them. Mostly, don't sit on the ground. Don't lean against trees. Don't walk through underbrush. That is one of the reasons I suggest staying with the vehicle.

If you need to sit someplace, find a rock. Carefully check around it. Check it again. Look for small holes and cracks. If possible cover it with a tarp or something. Get your feet off the ground. Biting ants can cover your feet in seconds.

It is one thing to be in a wilderness you know. Quite another to be in a wilderness you do not know. I am from Maine. Being in the desert is realllllly enjoyable, but one has to learn the deserts ways. They are not the Maine ways.

Best advice I can give is to check your vehicle yourself. Especially the tires. Don't run low on fuel. There are many places where fuel stations are a hundred miles or more apart. Stay on main roads. You will cruise along in comfort (the roads are mostly very good) and wonder what all the fuss is about. Until you pull into a rest area and get out of the air conditioned car.

Enjoy your trip. The desert is HUGE with lots of exotic stuff to experience.

Nomad

I've tried it three or four times and it has never once worked for me. Apparently I'm a slow learner.

That's not entirely correct. You have to be legally able (under both state and federal law) to own a firearm in order to carry one, open or concealed. A permit is required to carry into a restaurant or bar that serves alcohol. "No gun" signs have the force of law, statewide. Always get trained and learn the law before you carry a gun.

It is, however, straightforward to get a Utah Concealed Firearms Permit without being a resident of Utah.



Both states are gun-friendly and honor many other states' permits.

Cody's book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586852345/ref=nosim/equippedtosur-20/

chaosmagnet, you are indeed correct. I was a bit casual in my gun law statements. Thanks for putting a finer point to the topic.

Nomad

OP didn't say if it was high desert or low desert. Significant difference. High desert can mean much greater fuel consumption (steep grades) and much lower temps at night.

I second this. A handgun permit is not a "carry anywhere" permit. This is probably true in your home state that has issued you the permit. When you go to another state, you have to be extra cautious. Learn the law!

Not too long ago two out-of-state tourists got into trouble for carrying handguns in New York City. How were they caught? Upon seeing the "no handguns" or "check your handguns" (for police officers) sign at the entrance of a tourist attraction, they asked where they could check their gun. Oops.

There is nothing about desert conditions that makes carrying a firearm any more or less useful than many other locales. Proximity to our southern border might be another matter, especially if you are getting into secluded areas, which doesn't sound likely, since you are evidently staying on pavement. I haven't spent any time near the border recently, but I have lots of experience with sunny southern Arizona....

On a hot day in the desert, water is everything. The rest of your gear is relatively insignificant. "Ration your sweat, not your water" is a common motto. Don't exert yourself in mid day heat, but slow down and take a siesta. Wait for the cool of the evening and early morning to exert yourself or do any significant walking.

Note that construction workers and other outdoor types get early morning starts - typically with first light. Plan your schedule for early starts and get off the roads and out of the sun as early as possible.

A full floppy brimmed hat is a very important item, preferably of cotton (so you can soak it).

Finally, July is the beginning of "monsoon season" in southern Arizona and it is possible that you may have all the water you can handle. Flooding is a real possibility, so do not stay in dry streambeds and prepare to deal with thunderstorms and (briefly) heavy rains.

You were somewhat vague about your precise location, but check the elevations you will be traveling. If you get over 4000 feet ASL, the day may be hot, but you won't be in desert country. I am leaving for South Dakota to dig mammoths in a few days, and day time temps exceeding 105 degrees will be routine, but no one regards the Black Hills as "desert." This time of year, you need to be prepped for hot weather nearly everywhere in the continental US (except coastal California, where I now reside....)

Map & compass.

I will offer a few thoughts as a long-time desert explorer.
By no means do I count myself as some sort of expert, and other advice here may be better than mine.

1. I strongly suggest that you travel ONLY on well-paved roads. Avoid sand, dirt, and bad asphalt. You will find that the apparently "simple" act of changing a tire in 105-110 degree heat becomes are very unpleasant experience. If you ever make the mistake, as I have a couple of times, of actually getting your vehicle stuck in sand in that kind of heat, and having to dig out, you will quickly realize that you are caught in a major survival threat. The effect of that heat is much worse than most people think. Even if you have got multiple bottles of Gatorade. There's a pretty good chance you can just flake out from heat overload. Hence - travel on good roads with a good car that has air conditioning.

2. Cell phone coverage is not guaranteed in all areas, although it's pretty good in most places.

3. Forget mixing drinks. Have multiple bottles of Powerade or Gatorade with you. Ready to go.

4. Driving and scenery are much more pleasant if you time them for the early morning, or evenings. No glare. You can see nice scenery. You're NOT fighting the heat if you have a breakdown. In the middle of the day - shack up at some pleasant stopover, have some long cold drinks and rest.

5. In spite of the incredible paranoia about "bad people" in the middle of nowhere in the desert - I have yet to meet even one. And that's after 30+ years of desert travel. There are some slightly weird and half-baked "desert rats" out there. They tend to be isolationists. But they're not serial killers. They just have a hermit kind of mentality, that's all. It would probably be socially unacceptable if you just went around shooting them :-)

6. You can take a gun if you want ... but the fierce heat is your real enemy. Early mornings and evenings are you friend.

7. ENJOY the desert. It's a beautiful place! Most people never even give it the time of day - they're too busy driving to a casino somewhere.

Pete2

I've used it on two occasions before, and it seemed to work well enough? A tire plugging kit along with an outlet-powered air pump might be a better precaution than the fix-a-flat, then.



I don't think anyone was advocating shooting hermits. I just believe that when you're in the middle of nowere with a significant wait for help, it is better to be prepared for the situations you can prepare for. One is far more likely to need a fire extinguisher than a sidearm, in most places, but having the capability of self-defense is never a bad thing.

Been there, done that

Take work gloves with you. Why ? Cause when you have a flat and loosen the wheel nuts and put them aside with the tools (on the hot aspahlt no less), it only takes the few minutes you bring the spare tire and try to pick the wheel nuts or wrench again, OUCH !!! They are HOT . Trust me !!

I have offered aid and assistance, and received same, on occasions in what would be considered by most here to be "desert" conditions. There have been no unusual incidents or characters. I think you are more likely to run into a "pyscho" in the city that out in any rural environment. There is nothing special about desert landscapes that fosters antisocial behavior.

"Take work gloves with you. Why ? Cause when you have a flat and loosen the wheel nuts and put them aside with the tools (on the hot aspahlt no less), it only takes the few minutes you bring the spare tire and try to pick the wheel nuts or wrench again, OUCH !!! They are HOT . Trust me !!"

That's true.
The problem with the direct heat from the sun - is that there's absolutely no shade out there. Anything metal gets really hot - really fast. So does the asphalt. It would be worthwhile to have a small tarp or a piece of canvas that you could throw on the ground, just in case you need to kneel to do any work. Likewise, if you get stopped for some reason, you could throw it over your head for shade.

There are no trees in the desert. There are no buildings nearby the road, except at isolated towns. If you get stopped and you are on the open road in the middle of the day - you are directly in the suns rays. It's not a fun experience :-(

Pete2

[quote=Pe
There are no trees in the desert. There are no buildings nearby the road, except at isolated towns. [/quote]

Okay, it is time to get specific. There are deserts with extensive treeless areas, but in other there is plenty of shade. The Lower Sonoran Desert - Tucson and Phoenix and the area to the west - contains a fair number of trees which provides a significant amount of shade. There are also rocky gorges and other geological features which also provide shade and shelter. Some of these are amazingly pleasant. You may or may not be able to take advantage of them. Even endless sand dunes provide some shade early and late in the day. Desert are far more varied than their depictions in B movies.

I hope we haven't ruined drahthaar's vacation. Then again, if he wanted encouragement he should have posted on Equipped_To_Party.com instead...

There is nothing special about desert landscapes,that foster anti-social behaviour........Except Meth labs & the tweekers who foster them!The Op didn't say Arizona specifically did it? The southwest can be CA,NV,UT,NM,CO,TX,or AZ,& Unfortunately this day & age,the tweekers are prolific throughout,hence the suggestion of having a firearm will suffice as,a piece of good to have kit.All the other suggestions are Real Good "must haves & will do's" & If it were me,I wouldn't take any of this advice lightly!

After reading the responses I find there is a great variety of suggestions, all of which are great. However, it would have been easier to give more focused and specific answers if the actual destination was stated by the OP - no offense. Knowing which of the various types of desert environments the OP will be in is an example of a key bit of info. I spent four years in the Tucson area. I can tell you that desert area is far different than the Gila Bend and Phoenix area deserts.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

I will supplement my kit accordingly.