The Status of Overlanding Today

Is overlanding becoming a glorified excuse for more bolt-ons and less about travel today?

  • Yes

    Votes: 185 93.4%
  • No

    Votes: 13 6.6%

  • Total voters
    198

tacollie

Glamper
The fact that LR sells this version of the Defender baffles me and makes me think of this thread. I'd bet MOST of those buying this version will never unbolt anything from the roof or use the traction boards let alone know what the cables attached to the hood are for.

This commercial response to what "overlanding" is today is a prime example of my point with this thread.

View attachment 769675
In Land Rovers defense they always sold things like that. My dad bought a defender with a roof rack and an obscene amount of lights from the dealer in 95'?.
 

JCliftonB

Active member
Those where built for the Trek Competition. You can’t walk into a dealer and order one.

Correct, you cannot order one new, but you can buy one nearly new now that Trek is finished. The image I got was from a dealer local to me.

My point remains that the commercial response to "overlanding" supports the notion that "overlanding" is widely viewed as a market category now and not an activity anymore.
 

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
This reminds me of buying a Porsche 911S thinking I'd run at Le Mans in '74.

My "Overlander" is a white stock 2020 F-150 4x4, extended cab with a real bed covered. I don't even have a decal on it! If anyone sees me in the woods along a power line trail, they will think I'm a maintenance guy.

My young neighbor has a new Tacoma, fully decked out, 2 awnings, RTT, rack, fuel cans, tools attached, raised with oversized tires and custom lights. It's never been gone for more than 48 hours.
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
Titanium sporks? This guy had the future of camping in the U.S. correctly pegged way back in 1988. In his very enjoyable book, The Lost Continent, Travels in Small Town America, humorist Bill Bryson wrote:

“What slowed the traffic here were the massive motor homes lumbering up and down the mountain passes. Some of them, amazingly, had cars tethered to their rear bumpers, like dinghies. I got stuck behind one on the long, sinuous descent down the mountain into Tennessee. It was so wide that it could barely stay within its lane and kept threatening to nudge oncoming cars off into the picturesque void to our left.

That, alas, is the way of vacationing nowadays for many people. The whole idea is not to expose yourself to a moment of discomfort or inconvenience-indeed, not to breathe fresh air if possible. When the urge to travel seizes you, you pile into your thirteen-ton tin palace and drive 400 miles across the country, hermetically sealed against the elements, and stop at a campground where you dash to plug into their water supply and electricity so that you don't have to go a single moment without air-conditioning or dishwasher and microwave facilities.

These things, these RVs, are like life-support systems on wheels. Astronauts go to the moon with less backup. RV people are another breed and a largely demented one at that. They become obsessed with trying to equip their vehicles with gadgets to deal with every possible contingency.

Their lives become ruled by the dread thought that one day they may find themselves in a situation in which they are not entirely self-sufficient.

I once went camping for two days at Lake Darling in Iowa with a friend whose father- an RV enthusiast-kept trying to press labor-saving devices on us.

"I got a great little solar-powered can opener here," he would say. "You wanna takethat?"

"No thanks," we would reply. "We're only going for two days."

"How about this combination flashlight-carving knife? You can run it off the car cigarette lighter if you need to, and it doubles as a flashing siren if you get lost in the wilderness."

"No thanks."

"Well, at least take the battery-powered microwave."

"Really, we don't want it."

"Then how the hell are you going to pop popcorn out there in the middle of nowhere? Have you thought about that?"



You can see these people at campgrounds all over the country, standing around their vehicles comparing gadgets-methane-powered ice-cube makers, portable tennis courts, anti-insect flame throwers, inflatable lawns. They are strange and dangerous people and on no account should be approached.”
 

irish44j

Well-known member
I think I could travel remote over the PNW and far north for 300 days a year and would never see this vehicle. I'd bet on that. Though I did throw away 30 mins of my time and interest watching YouTube videos about the Trek LR. Thank JCliftonB

Decals on the rear mud flaps. 30 years of backroads and I can't even count the mud flaps I've destroyed. Talk to me when you duck tape up trim/bezel/headlight gaps to keep the 'brush' out.

There are at LEAST four of those at a local high-end car dealer. I figured it was the dealer itself bolting on that stuff and marking it up for a trendy sale, didn't realize that's actually a LR package!

If you want one, here's the site: https://www.fairfaxmotors.com/

They also have a bunch of built jeeps ("Starwood Conversion" whatever that is)
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
The fact that LR sells this version of the Defender baffles me and makes me think of this thread. I'd bet MOST of those buying this version will never unbolt anything from the roof or use the traction boards let alone know what the cables attached to the hood are for.

This commercial response to what "overlanding" is today is a prime example of my point with this thread.

View attachment 769675

Here’s how we’re starting them young to buy into this blingy crap…with a Lego’s kit:
15FA5671-83E5-46DB-90EF-6060F8DBCA02.jpeg


57E9E9B0-4176-4E57-A6F9-1AEE582C31B9.png
 

sg1

Adventurer
The problem is that there are various types of overlanders. The trucks with all sorts of stuff hanging outside and a crazy lift with huge tires are very unlikely to go on a long trip to South America or Africa. The stuff hanging outside would be stolen fairly quickly and you won't find spare parts or replacement tires for these exotic aftermarket parts. These trucks are made for relatively short trips in North America and they probably are fun but not comfortable to live in for months in bad weather. Overlanders on long trips in challenging countries use different rigs.
But for a short and perhaps even technical trip in North America these show trucks are cool and a lot of fun. Nothing wrong with letting the kids have fun but don't try to use one of those rigs on a serious and long trip internationally.
 
The fact that LR sells this version of the Defender baffles me and makes me think of this thread. I'd bet MOST of those buying this version will never unbolt anything from the roof or use the traction boards let alone know what the cables attached to the hood are for.

This commercial response to what "overlanding" is today is a prime example of my point with this thread.

"Overdoing overlanding"?
 

JJEH

Member
Interesting topic. Overlanding..... such a cool name. I think people tend to overthink stuff like this. You want to go from point a to point b and instead of using the interstate you are using backroads. So what's the big deal?! It's not rock crawling, it's not a rally, it's not desert racing, it's not stadium trucks jumping over ginormous ramps. It's Overlanding, simple as that. Throw in a night in the outdoors, boom, you are camping. It's about adventure and exploring, away from people. The further the better.

This ride, right here;

1974 LAND ROVER SAFARI SERIES III.jpg

And this one;

CTLR.jpg

They make me dream about old-school African Safaris.... being in the bush, stalking animals, enjoying the sights, living the moment. Being self-sustainable is a huge part and further makes it more enjoyable, being prepared, learn something new, not being afraid. The journey is the goal, not necessarily the destination. Destinations change, journeys are what's constant... lots of prep work and then soaking in the miles... beautiful. Don't overthink it, LIVE every minute of it!!!

If a person wants to spend their money on gimmicks and gadgets, let them. They might never need it but I'm sure they are happy to have it when they do need it. I won't own/drive one of these hulk Jeep's but let them have it. Freedom of choice, this is America, buy what you like. Of course the industry is pushing their items, many of them are young/er companies and they've got to sell their stuff. Let them, don't be influenced/intimidated by people on social media, remember, it's not real life. Stop competing! Instead live by example, be a good person and help each other out.

... let alone know what the cables attached to the hood are for.

For your clothes to hang up and dry of course.

bought an old truck and old camper and feel like I am missing nothing, great joy in fixing it up and keeping it running, adding bling only as needed.

DSCF0144.JPG

Love it. All I can say is that I love it. Keep on keeping on!!!
 

MiamiC70

Well-known member
I’ll leave this here and you guys can decide on the status of “Overlanding”.

 

1000arms

Well-known member
I’ll leave this here and you guys can decide on the status of “Overlanding”.


From the link:

"Cook Your Food
Step 2: Place your prepped food inside the inner cooking pot. After 30 minuets of heating, lift the heated RockTablet into the bottom of the cooker. Place the inner cooking pot on top. Close the lid and cook for desired time.
"

:unsure: ...


... I wonder what else they got wrong? ... :cool:
 

BruLew

Member
I’ll leave this here and you guys can decide on the status of “Overlanding”.

I saw this in a vid and just shook my head. PT Barnum said it best.
 

MontySquareo

Active member
From the link:

"Cook Your Food
Step 2: Place your prepped food inside the inner cooking pot. After 30 minuets of heating, lift the heated RockTablet into the bottom of the cooker. Place the inner cooking pot on top. Close the lid and cook for desired time.
"

:unsure: ...


... I wonder what else they got wrong? ... :cool:
So instead of cooking the pot, you cook a rock? And the rock cooks the pot? That sounds like a waste of time to me.
What about Dutch ovens? If you have a source of heat you can cook with a Dutch oven.
 

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