When we decided we were going to do this trip, we wanted to make sure we had all the proper gadgets not only to document our epic adventure but also to make us feel safe. After much research…here are the top electronics we chose to bring along for the ride:
GoPro
Our main video camera of choice was the GoPro HERO9 which was the newest GoPro version at the time of our trip. Now the newest version is the GoPro HERO11. Regardless, we chose to use a GoPro as our video camera for two main reasons…it’s small and easy to carry. If you plan on documenting your travels, a Go Pro is a great option. The quality of video is amazing and it’s extremely easy to have on hand at all times because it’s so small. We loved using the GoPro for our videos but opted for another camera for photos.
Camera
Nowadays your phone makes for an incredible camera, but I personally wanted more of a “professional” camera for our trip. I ended up getting a Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera. I liked that the camera was on the smaller side, took great photos and had good reviews. I enjoy using my Sony and feel like it is very user friendly.
Drone
We purchased the DJI Mavic Air 2 Fly and we loved it. It took great video that was steady and clear, it flew well, had sensors letting you know if you were near an object and had presets that allowed you to take cool videos. Unfortunately, we ended up flying our drone into a lake…total heartbreak. We were able to find a department store in Mexico that sold drones. From DJI, they had the Mavic 3 Fly More and the Mini 3 Pro. Based on cost we went with the Mini which in hindsight was a mistake. The Mini was fine but it doesn’t fly as steady which makes it harder to take clear pictures and videos, it does not come with any sensors and there are no presets. If you are looking in to getting a drone and are going back and forth between the Mavic and the Mini…pay the extra money for the Mavic. Of course, budget is a factor but if you can afford the Mavic…do it! Your future self with thank you!
Navigation
Navigation is 100% necessary and the Garmin Overlander Navigator for Off-Grid Guidance worked great in the US and Mexico. This navigator is targeted to overlanders and is preloaded with iOverlander points of interest such as camp spots, water, lookout points, etc are all visible on the map…which is awesome!! Plus, it works offline…which is huge and can also be mounted on your dashboard. You do need WiFi to download the maps into your navigator which wasn’t an issue until we got to Central America. Apparently, Garmin doesn’t have maps yet for Central America so we ended up downloading another brand’s maps which were just OK. For the most part it led us in the right direction, but there were countless times where it would take us off a nice highway to lead us through a small, narrow town only to enter back on to the highway. We learned to be cautious with the directions and always double checked the end destination before starting to drive. The device itself works great with the maps provided by Garmin and the fact that it works offline was a life saver.
Satellite Communicator
While traveling we knew we would be in remote areas and wanted to have some way to be able to communicate if need be. Sebastian did a lot of research and settled on the Garmin inReach Explorer+. This is a handheld satellite communicator with maps and GPS navigation. We didn’t have any emergencies where we needed to use this, but when we would stay in remote areas or do a remote hike, we would send a text with our coordinates to family just so someone knew where we were. You do need to pay for a subscription to send and receive texts but there are different tiers which makes it affordable.
Dash Cam
We chose to take the Rove R2-4K Dash Cam on our trip. Personally, I think a dash cam is 100% necessary when traveling in foreign countries. It’s not only a safety element but can also be used when documenting your trip. We are grateful that we never had an issue on the road where we needed to show our footage to someone in authority but we did pull numerous videos from our dash cam to document different parts of our trip. Because we had a dash cam we have footage and audio of talking to a police officer about a road fire in Nebraska, of a sloth crossing a road, Panama protests and toll protests in Mexico…just to name a few. For those moments where you don’t have a camera in your hand…it’s nice to know you have a backup.