The summer road trip is a rite of passage here in Australia and with the right road-trippin’ accessories, your passage can be a whole lot more comfortable, organised, and cooler!

Earlier this year I bought a van — along with half of the population of Australia. 

I promptly wrote an article called, 10 Things I Wish I Had In My Van. I’m not sure whether that makes it a tax write-off, but at the very least it meant I could do my personal Googling in work hours… so, here we go again! 

 

 

This time I’m turning my attention away from winter down puffy blankets and focusing on the car accessories themselves that’ll get you from A to B — and comfortably. 

While it might not be everyone’s first port of call, I actually found everything I needed on ebay’s Vehicle Parts & Accessories page — and ironically, didn’t have to drive anywhere!

So, here’s the gear to improve your (read: my) summer road trip.

1. Roof Pod

 

 

Sometimes the hardest decisions on a road trip aren’t which road to take, but which gear to.

The roof pod aims to solve that by giving you an additional 360L of carrying capacity. 

Just stick it on top of your existing roof racks and fill it from both sides with whatever gear your heart desires!

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2. Sunseeker Car Awning

 

 

A legitimate game changer, an awning will turn any mundane parking spot into an instant campsite. 

Simply mount to your roof racks and roll out the portable shade whenever you stop. There’s a range of sizes and options available to suit whatever whip you’re thrasing. The Sunseeker here is 2m in length which creates a sizeable 4sqm of shaded area for picnics or even pitching a tent under in the rain.

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3. Dash Camera

 

 

Dash cameras might seem like they’re reserved for long haul truckers and free to air mid-week TV shows, but they’re actually pretty rad and great for proving that you actually did see a Tasmanian devil on a road trip around Tassie, or Nedd Brockmann while crossing the Nullarbor. 

They’re also seriously cheap these days. This particular model, the 70mai Dash Cam 1S records Full HD footage with a 130-degree field of view and only costs $80.

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4. Universal Roof Rack Fishing Rod Holders

 

 

Carry awkwardly long gear like fishing rods, ski poles, kayak and canoe paddles with ease with your own roof rack rod holder.

This Rhino Rack RMPHU rod holder is super adaptable and can carry up to 7kg of cargo securely with flexible rubber which keeps it safe from scratches. 

You can mount it either horizontally or vertically across most after-market roof rack crossbars, depending on what works best for you. 

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5. Car Backseat Organiser

 

 

This piece of kit will turn what is otherwise a bit of a waste of space into a neat and tidy gear rack behind the passenger backseat. 

A durable and waterproof hanging pouch to help organise your road trip accessories, there are eight in-built pockets to arrange emergency equipment, outdoor gear, auto supplies, first aid and of course, road trip snacks.

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6. Car Steering Wheel Table Laptop Tray Table 

 

 

Now, this might seem over the top, but what is effectively a pull out table for your car has a lot of merit in my opinion. 

Whether you use it as a laptop desk, or turn it upside down to use the food tray and in-built drink holder, this car steering wheel tray table will make work breaks and pit stops much more comfortable and clean.

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7. Portable Battery Pack Jump Starter 

 

 

A battery jump starter is an absolute must have on any self respecting road trip, but it doesn’t have to stop there. 

The Gooloo GT4000S is not only a mouthful of a product name, but it’s essentially a battery pack multi-tool that comes with a 26800mAh power back with three USB ports and a 400 lumen LED light. 

It also packs in a 15 volt, 10 Amps port that’ll power 15V or 12V DC devices, like tire inflaters, inverters and number 9 on this list — portable car fans. 

Just five minutes of charging time will start a car and it takes just 1.2 hours to charge the battery pack from 0% to 100%. 

Whether you’re out of battery and solo travelling around the Kimberley or simply don’t have time to wait for the NRMA, this is some MacGyver-level kit.

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8. Car Windscreen Sun Shade

 

 

Nothing special here, just a bona fide classic, silver windscreen cover/accordion for when you get bored. 

This one costs $23, but you’d pay that to not brand yourself with a red-hot seatbelt or singe your backside on molten leather seats after you’ve parked in the direct sun for three hours. 

If you’re spending the night in a van or car, these also double as a great light blocker/privacy screen.

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9. 12V Car Fan 

 

 

If you’ve ever slept in a van or car in summer, you’ll know how critical a fan can be to a. getting to sleep, and b. not waking up underwater (I’m talking sweat). 

This 12 volt adjustable fan operates at less than 50db which is about the same as a quiet refrigerator and it’s fully adjustable to 360 degrees.

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10. 4WD Recovery Kit and Winch 

 

 

The X-BULL Winch Accessory Kit has everything you could possibly need to recover your stuck 4WD – no matter the surface. 

This particular kit contains a Recovery Tow Strap, shackles, snatch block, winch dampener, shovel, tire deflator, and much more. 

It’s so good, you’ll want to get stuck just to show off your recovery repertoire.

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Bonus Items!

Hands Free Car Mount

 

 

Look at any object in your car and there’s probably a way to mount a phone to it.

There are simple magnetic dashboard mounts that are inconspicuous but may require you to take your phone out of its case, so may not be for everyone. 

There are more substantial mounts that insert into your car’s CD holder, however the downside of these is you can’t play that road trip CD you’ve had for ten years. 

Our pick of the bunch is the mounts that adhere to the dashboard or windshield with a suction cup, making them easily moveable.

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Car Camping First Aid Kit

 

 

The beauty of car camping and road trips is someone else carries the first aid kit — your car. 

We recommend keeping a dedicated kit in the back of your car at all times and thanks to the extra space, they can be much more substantial than your typical hiking first aid kit. 

It’s important to be prepared in case of a serious roadside emergency, especially when driving in remote areas but hopefully, you’ll only ever need a few band-aids or Nurofen for yourself. 

Choose between five different size kits, with the largest holding up to 258 pieces and still being compact at 16 x 26 x 8cm. 

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Wondering where to drive your ten new road trip accessories on your summer road trip?

If, like Pat Corden you think, ‘Itineraries are overrated, maps are a luxury and following the sun is the best compass around…’ then maybe you should be road tripping NSW without a plan. 

 

 

If you’re all about the plan, there’s bound to be a road trip itinerary to suit you!

Just don’t forget to check out ebay’s Vehicle Parts & Accessories page before you hit the road to find plenty more gear that’ll take your adventure-mobile to the next level. 

Plus you can Spend & Save up to $120 on Car Parts & Accessories items using the code CRPNA. You can thank us later. Terms and conditions apply.

 

Photography by @jackjbrookes