The regulations set a minimum, but it’s your own checklist that keeps a dead battery or a dust-covered roadbook from ruining a stage. Roadbook holder, tripmaster, navigation GPS, tracker, batteries, mounting: here is the rally raid gear to check before the start, item by item, with a section dedicated to SSV/UTV setups, where the open cockpit brings its own constraints.
The roadbook, before anything else
The roadbook remains the backbone of rally raid navigation: a continuous sequence of headings, distances and landmarks between each instruction. Two formats coexist depending on the event’s regulations: paper scroll on a mechanical holder, or a digital version displayed on a dedicated tablet. Either way, the supporting gear matters as much as the holder itself:
- The tripmaster, the co-driver’s odometer, which measures the distances between roadbook instructions. A spare unit in the bag is cheap insurance: without it, a paper roadbook becomes unreadable mid-special.
- The heading indicator (electronic compass), to reset direction whenever the terrain forces you off the ideal line.
- A backup light for pre-dawn starts, positioned so it does not blind the driver.
- A spare set of batteries for the electric roadbook holder and the tripmaster, charged the night before at the bivouac.
On a digital tablet, add only what is strictly necessary: a vibration-damping mount, a protected power cable and, if the app supports it, a local copy of the roadbook so you never depend on a connection during the race.
Navigation GPS and offline maps
Alongside the roadbook, most crews carry a GPS or navigation tablet with the day’s maps and route preloaded. The recurring pitfall is the same one every time: download the offline maps before the start, not in a dead zone mid-special. We cover the underlying technology (GSM, satellite, degraded mode) in our article on offline GPS navigation for rally raid.
A well-designed navigation app also takes some of the mental load off the crew: voice announcements at checkpoints, organizer alerts delivered as notifications, and the day’s route on screen without looking away from the track. That is the role of the white-label navigation features RaidLine provides to crews, alongside the event’s official roadbook.
The GPS tracker, usually mandated by the regulations
Unlike the rest of the checklist, the GPS tracker is generally not a personal choice: it is the unit supplied or approved by the organizer that sends your position to race control and triggers the alert when you press SOS. We covered the full alert chain in our article on the SOS button and emergency procedure, and the regulatory framework in our article on GPS tracking regulations in rally raid.
The one thing left to check on the competitor’s side is the setup: unit properly mounted, SOS button reachable and tested before the start, position confirmed during the race-control check at scrutineering. A GPS tracker for SSV has neither the same mounting constraints nor the same power setup as a motorbike tracker, so make sure yours matches your category before you leave. To see what your position is used for once it reaches race control, read our article on GPS tracking in rally raid.
SSV/UTV setup: what changes
An SSV combines constraints from both worlds: an open cockpit like a motorbike, permanent power like a 4x4. That changes how every item on the checklist needs to be prepared.
- Dust and washdown. The open cockpit exposes the digital roadbook holder, GPS and tracker to dust during the race and to high-pressure washing at the bivouac. Favor sealed housings and protected connectors for anything that is not factory-fitted.
- Vibration. A rough piste shakes an SSV hard. Mount every device on a rigid bracket bolted to the roll cage, with vibration-damping clamps rather than adhesive pads or suction mounts that eventually let go.
- Wiring. A wire stretched taut between two points that vibrate against each other will eventually snap. Leave slack at every connection, run a protective sleeve and secure the cable at regular intervals along its full path.
- Power. As in a 4x4, the vehicle’s 12V supply can run the GPS and tracker continuously, which simplifies battery planning. Still keep a backup battery for the roadbook holder and tripmaster, which are often powered separately.
- Service access. Choose mounts that are quick to remove: over a week-long raid, you will need to work on the dashboard without stripping everything down each time.
For the rest of the category-by-category mounting picture (4x4, motorbike, SSV), see our comparison in the GPS tracker for a raid guide.
Batteries and power: avoiding a mid-stage failure
A rally raid stage runs eight to twelve hours, start included. Navigation gear that dies two hours from the finish turns a quiet end of stage into a race against a failing battery. A few habits reduce the risk:
- Recharge every removable device each evening at the bivouac, before the battery runs flat, not after.
- Carry an external battery (power bank) dedicated to navigation, separate from the one reserved for phones and communications.
- Size battery life on the roadbook’s longest stage, not the week’s average.
- Check cables and connectors before every stage: a corroded or loose connector cuts power more often than an actually failed battery.
Your gear, our app
RaidLine equips crews with a white-label app: offline 3D GPS navigation, organizer announcements delivered as notifications, and compatibility with the event’s GPS trackers. Demo available on request.
Request a demoThe checklist to tick off before the start
- Roadbook holder or navigation tablet, working and tested
- Main tripmaster and heading indicator, plus a spare set of batteries
- Navigation GPS or tablet, offline maps of the route downloaded
- Organizer’s GPS tracker, mounted, tested, SOS button checked
- Mounts suited to the vehicle (roll cage, frame or handlebar by category), vibration-damping clamps
- Protected wiring, with no tension point between two moving parts
- External battery dedicated to navigation, charged
- Sealed housings for any device exposed to dust or washdown, especially on SSV and motorbike
Frequently asked questions
What navigation gear do you need for a rally raid?
At minimum a roadbook holder (mechanical or digital tablet) and a tripmaster to measure the distances between roadbook headings. Most crews add a navigation GPS with the route’s offline maps and a GPS tracker for safety.
Do you need a personal GPS tracker on top of the organizer’s?
Event regulations generally require a tracker supplied or approved by the organizer: it is what sends your position to race control and triggers the SOS alert. A second, personal tracker only helps as backup, if the regulations allow it.
How do you mount navigation gear in an SSV/UTV?
On a rigid bracket bolted to the roll cage, with vibration-damping clamps and wiring that never runs under tension between two moving points. The open cockpit exposes gear to dust and high-pressure washing, so favor sealed housings and protected connectors.
How much battery life should you plan for navigation and tracking gear?
Enough to cover your longest stage with a comfortable margin, unexpected events included. On 4x4s and SSVs, wiring to the vehicle’s 12V supply settles the question; on a motorbike, plan spare batteries or an external battery charged every evening at the bivouac.