Another option is to experience an organised 4x4 tour. You can relax as your 4x4, tour destination and food and drink (yum!) are all supplied. 4x4 club outings and organised 4x4 tours are good introductions to the world of off road 4x4s in Great Outdoors Australia.

Before you know it you'll have enough confidence and skill to "blaze your own trail". To go further, experience more and have unforgettable off road 4x4s adventures Outdoors in Australia.

You might be asking right about now, which is the best of the off road 4x4s? Well it's a simple answer really...the one you can afford. Because regardless of how much you pay for a 4x4 the basic principle remains the same - That is...you're buying a vehicle that gives you the option of having all four wheels driving it instead of two.

Car rental or in this case 4x4 rentals are a good way of working out what suits you best. This way you can actually try out a few different 4x4s and not spend you're money until you're sure of which one you want to buy.

A point I want to make VERY CLEAR from the beginning is to make sure that whichever of the off road 4x4s you buy that it is roadworthy, safe and reliable. This can only increase both the safety of you, your family and friends and the opportunity for more wonderful experiences in Great Outdoors Australia.

When you have all four wheels driving the car as in a 4x4 (four wheel drive) you'll go places in Great Outdoors Australia that you would never get to in a standard 4x2 (two wheel drive) car. Basically, the front tyres pull the vehicle along and the back tyres push it and of course when your 4x4 is in reverse it's the opposite.

Driving off road 4x4s is also a great outdoor activity for kids where they can have lots of fun, gain self confidence and learn some life skills whilst experiencing unforgettable adventures outdoors in Australia.

Good maps can make your outdoor adventures more interesting, fun and safe. Topographic maps and Australia Satellite Images are two good detailed map tools that can help you to know where you are going (or not going) and can make the difference between a good and bad trip.

Experiencing the amazing difference between a 4x4 (four wheel drive) and a 4x2 (two wheel drive) vehicle is fascinating and very satisfying.

E.g. Say you want to do some 4x4 beach driving. Put your 4x4 into 2wd and drive along the entrance road to the beach, then along the soft sand at the top of the beach near the high tide area. If you haven't already got stuck, you soon will.

Can't go any further? Right, now put your 4x4 into 4wd and drive off. Wow it's fascinating isn't it? O.K. if the sand is really soft and your bogged, get your tyre pressure gauge out and let your tyres down to anywhere from 138kPa (20psi) to 103kPa (15psi) or even lower if the sand is really soft. I've had tyres down as far as 69kPa (10psi) on very soft sand.

To convert kPa (kilopascals) to psi (pounds per square inch) multiply it by 0.14504

Letting the tyres down makes them wider and stops your 4x4 from sinking into the sand and getting bogged. I like the comparison of walking in the snow in an ordinary pair shoes and then walking in snowshoes - there's a big difference!

When driving off road 4x4s handle quite different to being driven on sealed road surfaces such as asphalt etc. The more experience you get driving off road 4x4s your skill and confidence will increase and you should start to get "a feel" for your vehicle and what it is capable of - then the fun begins.

But remember, every situation is different when you're driving off road 4x4s. Work out what best suits you, your 4x4 and road conditions - it's your responsibility. Also when you're driving back from the beach along a sealed road, don't drive too fast or the tyres will overheat and go flat or blow out. But if you have an air compressor on board, you can pump the tyres back up and "she'll be right mate!"