Subaru Outback Break-in Without Breakage

"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly) 12/04/2019 at 07:00 • Filed to: Overlanding I guess, I want to be an Overlander but let's get real, 2020 Subaru Outback

12

17

Since my wife didn’t want to go camping the weekend after Thanksgiving for a variety of reasons, I decided to see what would happen if I took the new !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I planned to make it halfway across northern Georgia, and largely succeeded. The car had just passed 1,000 miles when I started, and I put 700 more miles on it in three days.

Some things that I found:

The rooftop cargo carrier needs something to provide the clamps with additional grip. Even though it was lightly loaded with a pair of recovery boards, a garden shovel, small tent and camp chair, I found that the rough trail and resulting side-to-side motion kept moving it around on the cross-bars.

My old cooler does keep things cool for two days, but by then the ice is melted (I knew this previously, but this trip once again reminded me). The cooler is nice to be able to move around in the vehicle, and it’s simple, but I get the appeal of powered cold boxes and refrigerators for trips, particularly trips longer than  two days. I also could do with less space than the full-size cooler for my simple food needs when solo, and might benefit from the Yeti knock-offs that can be considered bear-proof when padlocks are applied.

The route included a number of great waterfalls, this was simply a convenient one where I could park in front.

I am glad that I picked up bear repellent a couple of days before leaving. On night two, just before I found a spot to camp as light was fading, a black bear crossed the forest road about 100 feet in front of my car, so they were around. I really should have had repellent on many previous trips.

I slept in the car both nights, which worked well, better on the second night when I figured out to have the nose of the car slightly downhill to level out my “bed.” I have a sturdy plastic box that is approximately 18.5 inches tall that I was able to put in the rear footwell to support my head. The plush 77 inch long !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! foam/air mattress fit, with the passenger seat pushed forward a bit. I did choose to keep the cooler in the car, so there was some risk that a bear might be tempted to try to get in, although this was unlikely. However, a bear-proof cooler placed outside (likely under) the car would have eliminated that risk.

Sleeping in the car was okay, especially on night two when I stopped to camp and the rain started. No setting up a tent in the rain, and no taking down a wet tent the next day. However, I missed the fresh air and the sounds of the forest and streams. And while the car was warm initially, it cooled down plenty, although likely never as much as one of my three season tents. It was much easier to inflate, and deflate/roll up the bulky plush air mattress in the car.

There is a nice little creek there so I got water sounds and crackling firewood. Perfect.

I wouldn’t have needed the cargo carrier on a solo trip if I committed to tenting. However, it is a good place to put garbage bags to carry out. (Rant: People leave tooooo much garbage in National Parks - they carried it in, just carry it back out!)

I was also glad to have grabbed a cheap Harbor Freight recovery strap just before leaving. I almost had to use it . . . to pull a downed tree from blocking a forest road. Fortunately it turned out to be rotten and I moved it by hand easily. Similarly, I was glad to have the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! as insurance, but glad that I was smart enough to avoid a couple of lines where I likely would have gotten stuck in mud and needed the boards. One big mud puddle was a close call, though, being both deep water (about 12-16 inches) and a very soft bottom, but I blasted through that and was fine.

Best technical equipment that I brought? Ditch boots to allow me to wade across water crossings to figure out what line would work and how deep it was.

I didn’t need to scout this one, it was simply my first photo opportunity with a water crossing.

Or, in the case of the morning of day three, post-heavy-rainfall, to determine that there was a slightly better than 50% chance that the brand-new car would be washed downstream off of the concrete dam/ford by the fast water. I did the mature thing and turned back around. I had to backtrack for 4 miles of 12 MPH travel back to good gravel and then keep driving to get out to paved road to turn toward home. I had only another couple of miles to get to the end of my planned route when I turned back, which made it tough.

I was very tempted to go for it here, but it just wasn’t worth the risk of getting stuck or swept over the side.

Would I do the trip again? There are a couple of areas that I might go back to camp in, and the Jeep playground of Charlies Creek Road would be good if I wanted to get technical again, but it was a lot of driving to stay off the beaten path, and only some areas were rewarding.

How did the car do? The Subie acquitted itself well, able to get past most obstacles available, while also able to be driven fast on curvy paved roads for long periods. I now know to keep the foot on the accelerator when the tires spin and let the all-wheel drive figure itself out. And when the stock all-season tires are done, to get at least mild all-terrains as replacements if I want to do technical terrain more. I have to wash it off and inspect it carefully this weekend to see if I did any less-than obvious damage.

I found a decent seat position, but by the end of the trip (admittedly a lot of miles in a short time) I was back to struggling to be comfortable - but that is something about my body and almost any car. Still, I’m not excited to go for a long drive in it at the moment, but maybe after a week of driving my GTI I’ll get back in to the Outback and work to find the long-term seating position for me.

Here is a link to a brief video with a couple of fun water crossings, and probably one of the most difficult spots of terrain obstacle although there were other similar ones I didn’t film: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

arl > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 08:30

2

This is good Outbacking! And a good read. 

dumpsterfire! > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 08:35

2

who needs a mondo expensive overland vehicle when you’ ve got an Outback! if you have an old bicycle inner tube, i use a small cut section wrapped around the crossbar under my bike tray, and held in place with said bar, to help with vibration damping and keeping it from sliding about. it works well for something light. 

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > dumpsterfire! 12/04/2019 at 08:43

0

Great idea, thanks.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > dumpsterfire! 12/04/2019 at 09:09

0

I will say that with a better approach angle I wouldn’t have had to be anywhere nearly as careful and slow as I was on the rough parts, but clearly the Outback can tackle a lot of experiences that Overlanders seek out. I wouldn’t drive it to Peru, but it works for me.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 09:13

0

I find my Thule box usually needs a check on clamp tightness after initial installation. The natural curve of the Subaru load bars don't help things. I much prefer the older cars with roof rails set up for Thule or Yakima racks over these dumb Subaru bars.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 12/04/2019 at 09:17

0

After it moved around I found that there was a bit more it could be clamped . . . and it still moved around. You’re right, the Subaru cross-bars shape doesn’t match real well with the clamps.

adamftw > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 09:22

1

Nice pics !

thejustache > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 09:56

1

Outback camping can be a lot of fun. I did that a handful of times before getting married, and then a couple times afterwords before my wife decided it was kind of cramped for 2 people. One thing I did for rainy days was to bring along an ez-up. It takes more space, but I could put it on the roof rack. It gave me a nice dry place to park under and open the windows up, and was a lot easier to put away wet then a tent would be. I also made some magnetic window screens which were great in the muggy and buggy northeast

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 09:58

1

Nice photos! I have considered buying this for my Outback for camping

ROADIE The OVERNIGHTER SUV Window Tent - with Screen and Retractable Canopy- Patented https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XX3H5XL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aK85DbSXSYGZE

I have duct taped up window screen so I could keep the windows open at night and keep bugging out but  definitely considering the window tent.

Also, if I remember to I can send a photo of the space I made for sleeping in the car and for the dogs. It works pretty good and leaves you storage space behind the seats.

TorqueToYield > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 10:23

0

Do the Outbacks still have fold flat front seats? My older Impreza you could recline the front passenger seats fully flat to sleep on if you remove the head rest. More comfy than most air mattresses and I def used it once or twice in a pinch. Not sure if they kept that in the newer models though.

Agrajag > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/04/2019 at 10:33

1

Great post. I need to do a trip like this. 

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > TorqueToYield 12/04/2019 at 12:41

0

I haven’t tried, but I’m pretty certain that reclining the front set would not get fully flat given the height of the rear seat cushion.

Boxer_4 > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 12/04/2019 at 23:05

0

I’ve seen these slide-over nets available before. I don’t know how well they would work though, especially given that they are a universal fit item.  I’ve been tempted a few times though.  

Boxer_4 > TorqueToYield 12/04/2019 at 23:10

0

My old Forester could do that. I never really used it, but it certainly could be helpful. I have yet to try it in my ‘19 Crosstrek.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 12/05/2019 at 08:17

1

Here is the setup I have for bridging that gap. I am 6ft so I can lay straight with this setup.

I made a cardboard template and then cut this out of a 4x4 sheet of 1/2" nice grade plywood. Used a piano hinge for the middle. Bought all of my material from my local Menard's.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 12/05/2019 at 09:07

2

I’ve seen that t here are a variety of ways to construct sleeping platforms, of course, and yours is a nice simple one that doesn’t sacrifice headroom.

I wanted something simple and didn’t want to build anything as I don’t plan to sleep in the car regularly (I’m typically tenting, especially if I’m with the wife and/or dog). The crate worked great for me, happily, I just got lucky I guess.

Oppenheimer - not missing my shitboxes anymore > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 12/06/2019 at 04:23

1

I like that idea, kudos for you!