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Yep, that was me alright. Ugh...
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Overlanding is Dead! Is it? Finally!!
- Thread starter MadMan4BamaNATL
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Wow, thank you so much for the kind words. I'm out there a few times a month, get in touch with me so we can do a trip together. I'm solo 90% of the time and could use some company!
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Definitely will do!
We are coming through there late June, but for this trip it's more of a "OTW to another place" situation.
Devoting a trip to there and the surrounding Owyhee area is a future plan, possibly next summer or the summer of '27.
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The issue was grass building up along the fuel tank skid that built up because he was actually going out. I don't believe he's a poseur. I think he was looking at getting a taller lift to stay as far away from the grass as possible.
People sleep inside (I have, in a 2dr), sort've wonder if being on top would be safer in fact since you might have a little more time/smell smoke faster? I dunno, if you got a truck fire around the gas tank, seems like kind've other problems.
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I started doing what I call off-road adventures in the late 70s with a 1973 FJ55 Landcruiser. I don't call my self an Overlander but do enjoy the remote wilderness. My wife and I would go by ourselves because we could not find anyone that wanted to do this stuff back then. We could go out and rarely see anyone else. We did stick to established trails so as not to damage the wilderness environment. We only had maps and a compass back then.
Initially, we used a large cooler that was kept cold with a couple large Tupperware containers that we filled with water and froze. We could get about 5 days out of that and then had to buy ice. The problem with buying ice was getting everything wet inside the cooler as the ice melted. So, we treid to limit our trips to 5 days. Once we found out about ARB refrigerators, we could go for two weeks before having to restock with food. I like roughing it but also want some decent quality food to eat. I had enough of the C rations or worse in Viet Nam.
We slept inside the vehicle and that worked well for us.
I have seen this type of thing slowly grow over the years and suddenly get very popular about 10-15 years ago. The growth seems to have tapered off but I don't see much decline. It is getting very hard to find places that are not traveled much.
Everybody tells me I travel stealth because I don't have stuff hanging on the sides and top of my vehicle.
Initially, we used a large cooler that was kept cold with a couple large Tupperware containers that we filled with water and froze. We could get about 5 days out of that and then had to buy ice. The problem with buying ice was getting everything wet inside the cooler as the ice melted. So, we treid to limit our trips to 5 days. Once we found out about ARB refrigerators, we could go for two weeks before having to restock with food. I like roughing it but also want some decent quality food to eat. I had enough of the C rations or worse in Viet Nam.
We slept inside the vehicle and that worked well for us.
I have seen this type of thing slowly grow over the years and suddenly get very popular about 10-15 years ago. The growth seems to have tapered off but I don't see much decline. It is getting very hard to find places that are not traveled much.
Everybody tells me I travel stealth because I don't have stuff hanging on the sides and top of my vehicle.
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Certainly not suggesting that he’s a poseur, just pointing out the humor in the situation compared to a conventional tent.
If someone wants to see a real overland bronco; this Chinese guy has the right idea. https://www.instagram.com/juanw.bronco/
He has traveled form China to Saudi Arabia in his 2 door. This is what I imagine overlanding to mean and I am def envious of his travels.
He has traveled form China to Saudi Arabia in his 2 door. This is what I imagine overlanding to mean and I am def envious of his travels.
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My goal is to get the Bronco higher to help with debris collecting on the underside. Maybe 3" with 37's OR simply a 2" with 35's I already have. It's expensive so I'm having to work some overtime to pay for it. Hopefully by summer it will be done.
In regards to the rooftop tent, they're great as long as you choose the right one (weight and simplicity) is the key. Otherwise they're more of a hassle than beneficial. I'd recommend close to 135 pounds and clam shell. You wont even know it's up there and 2 min set up / take down. Oh...keep a urinal up there!
I'll admit, there's something about being in a rooftop tent that make you feel like a kid again. It really is fun
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I am SO looking forward to his pickleball video.
I have a roof rack and RTT on my bronco all the time. I always wonder why people keep their rotopax, shovels, axes, and whatnot on the side of their truck all the time.
I have a 2 door, so storage space is a luxury. The little bit of gear I do have, is to make it more comfortable for my wife so she will join me on my (mis)adventures.
All this hate for the hobby, as a trend or not, doesn’t make much sense to me. I could offer the same opinion to people just getting into car racing, carpentry, welding, football… take your pick. It’s just a hobby that crosses over into something almost all of us on this forum enjoy too.
The off-road experience is most the fun. There are some very remote places in Southern Nevada and Utah that don’t see much motorized travel. Camping where nearly no one else goes is a cherry on top of a great day.
Last year I spent 3 days in the San Rafael Swell and only saw 2 other humans until I reached Goblin Valley. Also, 2 days in the mountains of central Nevada and didn’t see anyone until I made it out the other side at a gas station.
Next week I’m driving South end to North end of Arizona, mostly on dirt, rocks and whatever else comes my way.
I never did any off-roading before buying my Bronco, but I’m fairly competent with tire placement and car control. So after typing all this out, I don’t feel like I’m included with the negative remarks. There are definitely people that should travel in groups with someone more capable.
I have a 2 door, so storage space is a luxury. The little bit of gear I do have, is to make it more comfortable for my wife so she will join me on my (mis)adventures.
All this hate for the hobby, as a trend or not, doesn’t make much sense to me. I could offer the same opinion to people just getting into car racing, carpentry, welding, football… take your pick. It’s just a hobby that crosses over into something almost all of us on this forum enjoy too.
The off-road experience is most the fun. There are some very remote places in Southern Nevada and Utah that don’t see much motorized travel. Camping where nearly no one else goes is a cherry on top of a great day.
Last year I spent 3 days in the San Rafael Swell and only saw 2 other humans until I reached Goblin Valley. Also, 2 days in the mountains of central Nevada and didn’t see anyone until I made it out the other side at a gas station.
Next week I’m driving South end to North end of Arizona, mostly on dirt, rocks and whatever else comes my way.
I never did any off-roading before buying my Bronco, but I’m fairly competent with tire placement and car control. So after typing all this out, I don’t feel like I’m included with the negative remarks. There are definitely people that should travel in groups with someone more capable.
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I have a roof rack and RTT on my bronco all the time. I always wonder why people keep their rotopax, shovels, axes, and whatnot on the side of their truck all the time.
I have a 2 door, so storage space is a luxury. The little bit of gear I do have, is to make it more comfortable for my wife so she will join me on my (mis)adventures.
All this hate for the hobby, as a trend or not, doesn’t make much sense to me. I could offer the same opinion to people just getting into car racing, carpentry, welding, football… take your pick. It’s just a hobby that crosses over into something almost all of us on this forum enjoy too.
The off-road experience is most the fun. There are some very remote places in Southern Nevada and Utah that don’t see much motorized travel. Camping where nearly no one else goes is a cherry on top of a great day.
Last year I spent 3 days in the San Rafael Swell and only saw 2 other humans until I reached Goblin Valley. Also, 2 days in the mountains of central Nevada and didn’t see anyone until I made it out the other side at a gas station.
Next week I’m driving South end to North end of Arizona, mostly on dirt, rocks and whatever else comes my way.
I never did any off-roading before buying my Bronco, but I’m fairly competent with tire placement and car control. So after typing all this out, I don’t feel like I’m included with the negative remarks. There are definitely people that should travel in groups with someone more capable.
I have a 2 door, so storage space is a luxury. The little bit of gear I do have, is to make it more comfortable for my wife so she will join me on my (mis)adventures.
All this hate for the hobby, as a trend or not, doesn’t make much sense to me. I could offer the same opinion to people just getting into car racing, carpentry, welding, football… take your pick. It’s just a hobby that crosses over into something almost all of us on this forum enjoy too.
The off-road experience is most the fun. There are some very remote places in Southern Nevada and Utah that don’t see much motorized travel. Camping where nearly no one else goes is a cherry on top of a great day.
Last year I spent 3 days in the San Rafael Swell and only saw 2 other humans until I reached Goblin Valley. Also, 2 days in the mountains of central Nevada and didn’t see anyone until I made it out the other side at a gas station.
Next week I’m driving South end to North end of Arizona, mostly on dirt, rocks and whatever else comes my way.
I never did any off-roading before buying my Bronco, but I’m fairly competent with tire placement and car control. So after typing all this out, I don’t feel like I’m included with the negative remarks. There are definitely people that should travel in groups with someone more capable.
Not really a wrong way to get outside, but the sterotypical "Overlanding" Rig has never seemed like the best way to do it for me. It is a great way to add a lot of semi-permanent weight to your rig, and pay RV prices for a tent. But hey, if it gets you out there, and you're having fun, Good on ya!
@B Miller is great. Less orientation towards consumption and comfort, plenty of discussion of self-reliance and how to deal with the unexpected. Because what otherwise seems under-emphasized in many of the breathless “overlanding” videos (pro and con) is how to get back safely (ie being stuck in place, self recovery etc.). Because if you really are dragging all that gear back “to get away”, comfort is great but it’s a false sense of security until the SHTF.
Sure we have a mattress for a ground tent and all the comms tech. But when we are going back solo in the high desert or mountains for one or more days, it’s unexpected weather, terrain or mechanical conditions that we plan for more that than what brands of camping gear or looking cool.
Sure we have a mattress for a ground tent and all the comms tech. But when we are going back solo in the high desert or mountains for one or more days, it’s unexpected weather, terrain or mechanical conditions that we plan for more that than what brands of camping gear or looking cool.
This conversation has me thinking what is the tipping point. Is it one or two rotopacks on the exterior? Is it the roof rack? is it the roof top tent? Light bars? How about interior mods, are those safe from the "overland" rig moniker. At this point I'm just making pointless conversation (work is slow) but how about lifts? when does that cross the line into silly poseur territory. Fine lines I know, just interesting where everyone draws them. This guy in particular drew the line at adding spinners to his overland rig.
Honestly this thread is inspiring me to lay out all my gear on the garage floor, and then just start removing.
Here's an interesting example: all the gear acquisition syndrome early on convinced me I needed rotopax for extra fuel. The reality is, I've never once needed extra fuel. I've converted those to waterpax which free'd up quite a lot of storage space inside the vehicle. If I'm going someplace where I think I might want extra fuel, I'll only bring 2 extra gallons.
I just love when the jerry can illuminati descend upon a situation to lecture all the rotopax owners for spending a few extra dollars, knowing full well that we would need to carry it inside the vehicle, add a $2k to $3k bumper swing out, or a swing gate reinforcement that requires us limit our opening to 90 degrees. I suppose you could put them on the roof but I thought the idea was not to put heavy shit up there.
Another thing that has worked out: My EcoFlow glacier fridge, it has its own battery, its AC adapter tolerates the bronco's inverter port. I have 28-30 hours of cold, and running my engine recovers that fully within an hour of motion. It's fantastic, and doesn't require giant battery banks, etc. Its fully automated, it works beautifully. I can turn the damn thing on before I head to the store pre-trip, throw all my supplies and groceries in there, and get on with my trip.
Here's an interesting example: all the gear acquisition syndrome early on convinced me I needed rotopax for extra fuel. The reality is, I've never once needed extra fuel. I've converted those to waterpax which free'd up quite a lot of storage space inside the vehicle. If I'm going someplace where I think I might want extra fuel, I'll only bring 2 extra gallons.
I just love when the jerry can illuminati descend upon a situation to lecture all the rotopax owners for spending a few extra dollars, knowing full well that we would need to carry it inside the vehicle, add a $2k to $3k bumper swing out, or a swing gate reinforcement that requires us limit our opening to 90 degrees. I suppose you could put them on the roof but I thought the idea was not to put heavy shit up there.
Another thing that has worked out: My EcoFlow glacier fridge, it has its own battery, its AC adapter tolerates the bronco's inverter port. I have 28-30 hours of cold, and running my engine recovers that fully within an hour of motion. It's fantastic, and doesn't require giant battery banks, etc. Its fully automated, it works beautifully. I can turn the damn thing on before I head to the store pre-trip, throw all my supplies and groceries in there, and get on with my trip.
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