What Do Rising Gas Prices Mean for Overlanding?

Due to the events happening in the world today, gas prices are reaching an all time high which impacts some of the things that we love to do, especially overlanding. So what exactly do these higher gas prices mean for overlanding, how exactly do they affect us, and what are some ways we can minimize this impact? Let’s chat.

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Why are gas prices rising?

Without getting into politics (because this is an overlanding blog), gas prices are rising due to a couple of reasons:

1. Russian Invasion of Ukraine

2. Sanctions placed on Russian oil

3. COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions being lifted

4. Spring and Summer driving season starting up.

With all of these happening at once, it has caused a drastic increase in oil prices all over the U.S. The last time oil prices went through sudden changes this drastic was in 2008.

What does this have to do with Overlanding?

With rising gas prices all over the United States, this really affects overlanding just about everywhere here. Arguably, it affects overlanders more due to the typically larger vehicles we all drive, larger tires we run, and amount of gear we have weighing down our vehicles. It also affects budgeting for trips now, so if you are planning an overlanding route, you’ll have to take into consideration just how much gas there and back will cost you.

What you can do to minimize the impacts

Although its pretty inevitable that you will have to eventually fill your rig up with gas, there are some little things that you can do to get better fuel efficiency, make your tank last a little longer, and still have fun being able to go on overland adventures.

• Weight Reduction

Carrying less weight in your vehicle can make a pretty big difference in your miles per gallon. One of the ways to do this is to only carry gear that is essential for your adventure or every day driving. Removing things like your rooftop tent, cases, fridges, and other heavier gear can help save you some of those precious miles. This may be one of the only times it’s best to have less gear.

• Maintenance

An often overlooked part of your vehicle is your regular maintenance such as changing oil, fluid, brake pads, and other essentials. Keeping on top of these will help your vehicle perform at it’s best which will save you some mpg.

• Inflate your Tires

Usually when driving in off-road terrains, we advise to air down your tires to gain some more traction. In the case of getting better gas mileage you actually want to do the opposite and make sure they are aired up to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure. This will ensure your tires perform great while on the road and use less gas to get you where you want to go.

• Drive More Economically

At some point, we all like to drive a little more “spirited” and really enjoy what our vehicles are capable of. If you are looking to save your gas mileage though, you may want to start driving more like a grandma. Some tips that are known to increase your MPG are things like;

• Only use your break when you need to, as well as only come to a complete stop when needed.

• Don’t hammer on the gas pedal

• Drive in a higher gear, but don’t lug your engine (Accelerate too hard in too high of a gear)

• Stop Idling

Leaving your car idling literally gives your car 0 MPG. This means you are still using gas but not actually going anywhere. Whenever possible, try just turning off your engine so save on gas.

• Fill up on a Monday

You may not notice (because who watches that closely), that most of the time, gas is typically a little bit cheaper if you decide to fill up on a Monday. This is because most people do a lot more driving on the weekend and tend to fill up their gas tanks closer to the end of the week. Some gas stations take advantage of that and slightly increase the gas prices those days as well. Taking advantage of that and filling up your gas tank on a Monday can save you a little bit of money per gallon.

• Utilize your Incentives

While I’m not telling you to go out and get a credit card or rack up credit card debt (we all know that we do with overlanding anyway..) but utilizing your existing credit cards that offer cash back incentives may be a great way to get a little bit of your money back for filling up your tank.

Will gas prices ever go back down?

Eventually, yes, the gas prices will go back down, but that doesn’t mean it will be any time soon. Experts say that is can be anywhere from a few weeks to later in the year before they start decrease. Utilizing some of these tips and planning your overland adventures accordingly can help minimize the impact of these higher gas prices so that you can still go out and enjoy overland adventures.