10 Home Depot Finds That Could Come In Handy For Off-Road Enthusiasts

Venturing off-road and into the wilderness can be, depending on the situation, either a very rewarding or very frustrating endeavor. Without the correct tools, it's much more likely to be the latter. There are plenty of tools to consider when packing for an expedition – you'll need to be able to fix damage, recover a vehicle, and set up camp if needed. The requirements for each trip will be slightly different, and so it's always worth double checking you have all the things you'll need.

If you're missing something, you probably don't have to venture further than your nearest Home Depot to find it. The venerable chain's huge range of products cover all the essentials and then some, offering heavy-duty tools that will stand up to the rigors of all-terrain adventure. Below are the most essential off-roading items from Home Depot, each of which might be worth checking out for anyone looking to leave the asphalt behind.

Buyers who prefer the budget-oriented tools found at Harbor Freight should take a look at SlashGear's top Harbor Freight picks for off-road enthusiasts.

No matter what kind of off-roading you're planning on, it's always advisable to keep a portable light in your arsenal of tools. If you're camping overnight, a portable light is invaluable for setting up camp in the dark, but it's also just as useful for illuminating the underside of your vehicle for checks and repairs. Finding a light setup with the right balance of portability, brightness, and battery life isn't always as straightforward as it seems, but the Elecwish Rechargeable 1500 Lumens LED Foldable Work Light should be a versatile addition to your gear.

It boasts up to 1,500 lumens of illuminating power and has three brightness settings to preserve battery life when its maximum power isn't needed. It features a magnetic base and can be mounted to a tripod or placed on the ground as a standalone unit. It is water and impact resistant, and so is able to withstand any adverse weather you might encounter on the trail. As a bonus, the Elecwish work light also features a USB-A PD port that can be used to top up small devices like phones or cameras. It retails for $34.99 and is backed by a one year manufacturer's warranty.

Spend long enough off-road and tire damage of some degree becomes almost an inevitability, so having a tire repair kit like the Husky T-Handle Tire Repair Kit is a must. It costs $14.98 and includes six patches, five plugs, and rubber cement. Two insertion tools are also included. While more serious tire damage might warrant swapping to a spare wheel, there's no point resorting to a time-consuming swap when the tire can be quickly patched up with a kit.

The Husky kit includes everything that drivers will need to get back on the move again, and its compact size means it's small enough to fit in a glove box. Husky has warned buyers that extreme hot or cold temperatures can make the kit less effective, both affecting the pliability of the patches and the setting time of the rubber cement. However, unless you're heading out to the remotest part of Alaska, it should work just fine until you get back to town.

DeWalt is one of the most respected names in the tool industry, with a sprawling range that covers everything from DIY project essentials to niche, industry-specific equipment. The DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Electric Portable Inflator is one of the brand's more popular products, and for good reason. It uses DeWalt's 20V MAX cordless batteries to deliver up to 160 psi, but can also run on 12V DC or 110V AC power.

A bundle is available from Home Depot that includes the portable inflator, a 3Ah battery, and a charger for $278.00. Weighing only 7.2 pounds, it can be easily carried around when not in use, making it a great option for inflating mattresses at camp as well as inflating tires on the trail. A digital gauge allows you to set a desired pressure, then an auto shut-off feature ensures optimum accuracy in reaching that pressure. Whether it's in use or being carried in a trunk or truck bed, the inflator's heavy-duty rubber feet help keep it firmly in place.

There are few things that can halt an expedition more quickly than a flat battery, no matter whether you're camping in the middle of nowhere or stuck being unable to head off from your driveway. To make sure that doesn't happen, a compact, portable jump starter is a great tool to keep handy. Thanks to its diminutive size and impressive power output, the Schumacher Electric 12-Volt 1500 Amp Portable Jump Starter and Power Bank is a solid option, and it can be picked up for $139.00 from Home Depot.

Measuring 8.6x5.3x10.8 inches, it's small enough to be stored under a car seat but powerful enough to jump start gas engines up to 8.0L and diesel engines up to 6.0L in displacement. It also doubles up as a power bank for charging small electronic devices thanks to the 2.4A USB output port. On a single full charge, the jump starter is able to start cars up to 35 times before running out of juice.

Two-way radios or walkie talkies are a useful way of remaining in contact with other vehicles in an off-road convoy, but in order to withstand the hazards of off-roading, each unit needs to be suitably tough. The DeWalt DXFRS800 Heavy-Duty 2-Watt Walkie Talkies offer IP67 dust and water ingress protection, and are also drop resistant up to heights of around six feet. They're rated to cover areas of up to 300,000 square feet, with a maximum operating time between charges of 18 hours.

A simple LCD display lets you adjust the channel — of which there are 22, for a total of 2,662 channel combinations — and the walkie talkies also feature a hands-free function. Sold in a pair, the DeWalt DXFRS800 comes with an included charger and retail for $149.99. The walkie talkies and charger are backed by a generous limited lifetime warranty for added peace of mind.

A fundamental element of any off-road enthusiast's range of tools is a recovery strap. Getting stuck is bound to happen sooner or later, and whether it's your vehicle in a tricky spot or a member of your convoy, it's best to be prepared. The Husky 4 in. x 30 ft. Vehicle Recovery Strap has a 10,000 lb maximum capacity and features reinforced looped ends for added durability, and can be bought from Home Depot for $39.98.

The strap's webbing is designed to be weather resistant and so can survive repeated use in the harshest conditions on the trail, as well as being stored outside when it's not in use. Its flat construction means it can be rolled up and kept in a bed or trunk with less space required than a rope of equivalent length. Despite its strength, the strap itself is a mere 1mm (0.04 inches) thick.

A comprehensive set of hand tools including a socket set is another essential for all off-road enthusiasts. The DeWalt 34-Piece 1/4 in. and 3/8 in. Drive Socket Set ships in a durable locking, stacking case and features a wide range of sizes to cover all common automotive applications. DeWalt's tools have a reputation for being high quality, but just in case, the socket set is covered by a lifetime warranty.

A variety of extensions are also included in the set, alongside a ratchet featuring 72 teeth to make it easier to work in areas with restricted space. At $38.39 for the set, it's also affordable enough to simply buy and throw into a trunk or bed until it's needed. As well as being useful out on the trail, a spare socket set will also come in useful at home when you inevitably lose the one socket you needed from your main set, which arguably makes it worth the price of admission alone.

There is a huge range of hazards that can crop up when off-roading, and avoiding them all isn't always possible. Unseen rocks, sharp debris, and plenty of other trail detritus can cause damage to the underside of your truck or puncture a tire, and that's when you'll need an all-terrain jack. The CAT 3-Ton Big Wheel Off Road Jack is a significant investment, retailing for $449.00, but it's a worthwhile one for serious off-road enthusiasts.

It can hold up to 6,000 pounds and features chunky wheels to make it easier to maneuver over uneven ground. A full length skid plate is also fitted as standard to guard against underside damage. To ensure that the process of jacking up the truck is as fast and painless as possible, it only takes seven pumps to reach the jack's maximum lift height of 21.2 inches. When it's not needed, the jack can collapse to just over six inches in height, with the adapter can be stored in a built-in cradle.

A cheap and simple addition to any Home Depot haul, the Husky 6-Piece Diamond Tip Magnetic Screwdriver Set retails for $20.97, but is sometimes reduced to as low as $14.97. A screwdriver set is one of the most basic foundations of any tool kit, and as a result, it can be easy to overlook. Husky's screwdriver set means that you won't get caught out, as it features six screwdrivers covering three Phillips sizes and three slotted sizes.

Each one features a magnetic tip for superior ease of use and a color-coded handle to make it easy to see which type you need at a glance. Red handled screwdrivers are slotted, while those with a blue handle are Phillips type screwdrivers. Size markings on the base of each one make it easy to differentiate between them. The set is backed by a lifetime warranty, with Husky promising to replace each screwdriver without charge if it fails.

The Vortex 16 in. Steel Folding Ring Spiral Ground Anchor can serve multiple purposes on an off-road trip. It can be used to hold down tents or trailer covers in bad weather while camping, providing significantly more reassurance than any standard peg, but it can also be used while out on the trail as an anchor point for a winch. While a winch is always useful assuming there are trees, rocks, or other vehicles with which to attach it, it becomes significantly less useful in barren areas without those anchor points.

The spiral ground anchor can be used in a pinch to provide a temporary anchor point, helping to get a vehicle out of a difficult spot when there's little else to work with. It's especially useful for solo drivers, who might not have the luxury of another truck to assist them if they're stuck. Plus, for a retail price of $14.98, it's not like it will break the bank even if you end up never needing it.