Fake Overlanding?

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trikebubble

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So well said until "efficiently"
Plus "better, more capable"

The factory be it Jeep or Toyota or Land rover have way bigger Research & Development budgets than any Aftermarket Parts Seller. Matter of fact, almost every aftermarket part you bolt on creates stress, weakness on some other part, leading to more mods $$$$$ causing something else to break.

All fine for wheeling guys who get together for epic rides and carry enough tools and parts to build a new vehicle but if you are overlanding? Travelling far from help and civilization. The last thing to do is modify anything and create a weak link.

The past 5 years I have been removing the lift, stepping down in tire size, returning to the stock spec Jeep built it to to get that "Trail Rated" badge. And liking it more every day.

Personally, stock is better and more capable than modified.

After a 1000 miles of continuous washboard, rutted, and pitted gravel roads I'll take my aftermarket shocks over the stock ones any day of the week. And for what it's worth, nothing else has broken due to the addition of better shocks. Personally speaking though, you know.
 

stoney126

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So well said until "efficiently"
Plus "better, more capable"

The factory be it Jeep or Toyota or Land rover have way bigger Research & Development budgets than any Aftermarket Parts Seller. Matter of fact, almost every aftermarket part you bolt on creates stress, weakness on some other part, leading to more mods $$$$$ causing something else to break.

All fine for wheeling guys who get together for epic rides and carry enough tools and parts to build a new vehicle but if you are overlanding? Travelling far from help and civilization. The last thing to do is modify anything and create a weak link.

The past 5 years I have been removing the lift, stepping down in tire size, returning to the stock spec Jeep built it to to get that "Trail Rated" badge. And liking it more every day.

Personally, stock is better and more capable than modified.
I'll disagree with you slightly. There are weak links from the factory that the aftermarket remedies and are better then what the factory has produced. Jk ball joints anyone? Even left in stock form some not all factory components are sub par. Speaking of jeep and ram mostly of my exp as a mechanic for chrysler. Careful and selective modification can produce the same reliability if not better from the factory within reason, I mean 44 inch swampers are just gonna wear down everything
 

MidOH

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I can hardly fit my fist between my bumpstops and front axle. With a proper suspension kit, I should be able to fit my head there, and still have proper downtravel. Weird measuring devices for sure. Maybe a higher end CV front drive shaft, maybe not.

Stock vehicles can be a compromise. In the case of my fullsize, towards towing and such. Minor mods make a huge difference. And more sidewall can smooth out a bumpy road nicely.
 

DrivingTacoLoco

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So well said until "efficiently"
Plus "better, more capable"

The factory be it Jeep or Toyota or Land rover have way bigger Research & Development budgets than any Aftermarket Parts Seller. Matter of fact, almost every aftermarket part you bolt on creates stress, weakness on some other part, leading to more mods $$$$$ causing something else to break.

All fine for wheeling guys who get together for epic rides and carry enough tools and parts to build a new vehicle but if you are overlanding? Travelling far from help and civilization. The last thing to do is modify anything and create a weak link.

The past 5 years I have been removing the lift, stepping down in tire size, returning to the stock spec Jeep built it to to get that "Trail Rated" badge. And liking it more every day.

Personally, stock is better and more capable than modified.
I think it depends. I was thinking for instance of a chainsaw. A better quality and more capable (larger bar) allows you to be more efficient when cutting large logs. Total overkill for small branches.
Running off road beats up the vehicle. A better more capable vehicle will last longer with less damage. That's why I chose a Toyota and not something more likely to break.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Ha! That is very true and these type of threads do get a lot of interaction. I posted a thread about a solar set up I did for my tear-drop and was hoping to get some additional input and I got crickets. I also posted a thread in my regional area asking about camp spots on the Buffalo River...over 100 views and ZERO replies...plus I see a good bit of legit questions asked with no replies...BUT threads like this and the ones about Overlanding being elitiist, etc. do get the responses. It doesn't take long to see a pattern. And yes, there are good threads like the one about 12v refridgerators that are good threads and helpful and informative with lots of interaction, but they are hit and miss on what people will respond to. Stirring shit is a guarantee to get interaction...hell, I'm on this thread! Why? Because that is where the action is. I'm guilty for even feeding into these threads, but there are some great posts that come out of it and I do see some great philosophies that might just help restore my faith in mankind. Sure a lot of threads stir shit, but they also seem to bring some people closer together as well. It's people...we're all defunct in some form or fashion I guess, so I just go along with it until someone replies to my post about camping on the Buffalo River.... :)
I'd love to go camping on the Buffalo with you Grubworm. I never saw that post, was it recently ? Right now I cant even get to bear Lake 8 miles away with my health problems. I guarantee that if I ever get my legs back I will meet you at the Buffalo for some fishing. I haven't given up yet on walking again, and I'm raising hell with the VA to get me to a specialist for the problem because I'm just sitting here rotting away.
Lanlubber
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Watch:

Jason explains his view of Overlanding and an overland rig well.

My $0.02 is find a rig that can do what you want to do, regardless of what it is. Then find it's limits and things you'd like out of it, then modify. I drive a 2004 Jeep WJ with a short lift and 31" tires. This is plenty to do what I want and more. It handles well both on and off-road, and I can rely on it. It is old and had been beat on, but I trust it. I spend the $$ to keep it reliable and spend $$ on mods that make sense to me and my driving style. It doesn't matter what you drive or where you drive (within reason [Tread Lightly]), but it's more about the adventure along the way and sometimes the destination.
Good enough for me !
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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I can hardly fit my fist between my bumpstops and front axle. With a proper suspension kit, I should be able to fit my head there, and still have proper downtravel. Weird measuring devices for sure. Maybe a higher end CV front drive shaft, maybe not.

Stock vehicles can be a compromise. In the case of my fullsize, towards towing and such. Minor mods make a huge difference. And more sidewall can smooth out a bumpy road nicely.
Most of todays vehicles are engineered for highway use and modest dirt roads at best. According to the off road magazine experts that test these new vehicles, they were made into cram puffs about 25 years ago and have only made a come back of sorts in the past 3 years. That means if you own an older than 3 year old vehicle it should be modified to be more reliable than the factory made it. I think it is smart to get it up a couple of inches, up the tire size for the conditions you will encounter in a more severe terrane. The addition of shocks that will do the job better than stock is the way to go to handle the more punishing terrane of off roading or cross country ventures. I believe in off road bumpers, winches (even a portable trailer hitch type with doubling capacity), and skid rails for your vehicles body protection. These are all reasonable mods and I consider necessary for an all around good rig.
 

slomatt

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Ha! That is very true and these type of threads do get a lot of interaction. I posted a thread about a solar set up I did for my tear-drop and was hoping to get some additional input and I got crickets. I also posted a thread in my regional area asking about camp spots on the Buffalo River...over 100 views and ZERO replies...plus I see a good bit of legit questions asked with no replies...BUT threads like this and the ones about Overlanding being elitiist, etc. do get the responses. It doesn't take long to see a pattern. And yes, there are good threads like the one about 12v refridgerators that are good threads and helpful and informative with lots of interaction, but they are hit and miss on what people will respond to. Stirring shit is a guarantee to get interaction...hell, I'm on this thread! Why? Because that is where the action is. I'm guilty for even feeding into these threads, but there are some great posts that come out of it and I do see some great philosophies that might just help restore my faith in mankind. Sure a lot of threads stir shit, but they also seem to bring some people closer together as well. It's people...we're all defunct in some form or fashion I guess, so I just go along with it until someone replies to my post about camping on the Buffalo River.... :)
Apparently the secret to getting a ton of replies on your thread is to include the word "overlanding" in the title and then either try to define the term or else vaguely insult it. Guaranteed traffic! The amount of time this forum spends either defining or defending the term "overlanding" is pretty staggering.
 

Banjor

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Wow. The fact that you can off-road just fine in a van that looks like it has some minor suspension and wheel upgrades does put a different light on things. It's just that, why is this forum filled with highly upgraded Jeeps and other common off-roading type vehicles? A serious lift kit + suspension and wheel upgrades is a lot of money, why are there so many people doing this? I've seen pre-built "overland" Jeeps for $80-100k. Why on Earth would anyone spend that kind of $ on a Jeep when they could be overlanding just fine on pennies in comparison? Am I missing something?
I love this question, but I think the answers would be different depending on who you ask.

I went to some pretty remote places in two VW Jettas, with a carport-style shelter, tent, and cooler stuffed inside and in a roof box. I got stuck in mud once, and just had to camp until it dried up. That led to me get a more capable car, so I bought a Subaru Outback that got me to some amazing places (Baja Mexico desert, inside a volcanic crucible in Nevada, Death Valley, Mojave, Highways 50 and 70 from California to New Mexico, and lots of remote hot springs), most of the time towing a trailer filled with shelter, water, burn barrels, firewood, and more to set up group campsites. After setting up camp, I’d lead expeditions to hot springs or other destinations, and somehow never got stuck, but had some close calls.

That led me to buy a Subaru Forester and spend five figures on a lift, skid plates, rock sliders, winch, hi-lift jack, roof basket, gas carriers, and all-terrain tires/wheels with 2 full spares.

It’s an addiction of sorts. You go places and find routes that you aren’t equipped for, and it plants a seed. “If I only had a lift and skid plates I could have made it to that swimming hole,” or maybe it’s a hot spring/waterfall/meadow/campsite/other destination. So you dump money into your rig, because maybe next time you’re in that situation you’ll be prepared. Maybe you even save the GPS coordinates with plans to return someday. Either way, it’s driven by two things: FOMO (fear of missing out) and FOGS (fear of getting stuck).

So people like me spend money because we want to get somewhere (even if the economics of spending thousands to avoid the occasional missed opportunity don’t make sense), and we want to get home. Other types of people see us and like the look of our rigs, and they want to look like they are the adventurous type. These are the people who want a pre-built package with all the bells, whistles, and chromed plastic badges that say “4x4” or “Adventure Edition (TM)” in 150pt block letters. Never mind all the other preparations, it only matters that the vehicle looks ready for action. Those are also the type of people who charge their truck straight into a mud puddle and have to be rescued by me in my Subaru (it’s happened a few times). Of course, they probably aren’t the type to bring a recovery strap or tow rope, good thing for them that I am.

While I think there are people everywhere who fit into the latter category, it seems that most people in this forum are the type who want to get somewhere, even if they have an outrageous vehicle.
 
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GeoCampers #4771

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Wow, arguing for the sake of arguing. It’s an interesting way to converse with others. Enjoy your camping and have a nice day!
Wow, someone need to get out more.
So you can only argue with someone if you already have different mindsets???? So it is forbidden to play the devils advocate so we can built better agruiments ??? If you make a point, it is forbidden that i ask questions or question your point just for me to know were your opinion is comming from? I think that is a strange way of interacting. If friends can't ask questions or even question the otherones opinion, it has become a sad sad world.
 

GeoCampers #4771

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Personally I don't buy anything to "show off", as you seem to think people do (some may but not the majority) ! I don't know how many people use facebook or instagram or any other source of social media, why should you care ? I don't use any and I'm sure many others don't either. Again, it sounds like your just jealous of "THINGS" other people have that you do not have.
I buy what equipment I think I need to go wherever I "might" want to go. Distance has nothing to do with overlanding as long as I have a destination, I am overlanding. How hard it is to get there and back has nothing to do with describing overland either. I don't necessarily go to camp specifically, but on the way to where I'm going, depending on distance, I will boondock camp to save money and to enjoy that lifestyle in an disbursed manner. I agree that if you go somewhere and you never get "off road" that is not overlanding, it is traveling.
You seem to be putting everyone in the same category into which you fit yourself. Who cares how often or how many times a year one goes overlanding ? Because the guy next to me has a camp trailer, 4x4, winches and retrieval equipment, solar, 12v refer, and other equipment is his or her business and makes them no more or no less an overlander than myself.
There is no specific definition of overlanding, so why are you trying to define it into a specific category for which there is none. As a matter of fact I personally never use the word overland to describe where I plan to go. I only use the word overland in this forum because this is the OB forum. Otherwise I'm just going boondocking, whatever that entails, and with whatever piece of equipment I feel I need to do it. Neither word is glorious and dosent need to be.
Lastly, I don't fake anything ! I don't think others fake anything either, I could be mistaken by some. I think you could have used the word "pretentious" to describe "some" but you don't need to be throwing everyone except yourself into some category that is demeaning because they have and you have not.
Lanlubber
Let me set one thing clear, i'm not jealous at all. Why should I be jealous at your stuff that you will never use? It was your money all along.
My point was that i don't care what you buy, but don't try to fool me by saying you NEED it, you WANT it yes but be honnest, how much of the stuff we buy we realy NEED. But thats goes fore everything in life and is due for an other tread or a nice talk around the campfire with a beer or two.
 

GeoCampers #4771

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Apparently the secret to getting a ton of replies on your thread is to include the word "overlanding" in the title and then either try to define the term or else vaguely insult it. Guaranteed traffic! The amount of time this forum spends either defining or defending the term "overlanding" is pretty staggering.
What else would we debate on? facts? there is no debating on facs, they are afterall facts. So we debate on colors and tasts. What do you talk about around a campfire otherwise?
For me it is fun to read all the different opinions and see people questioning my opinion, it makes my opinion stronger or makes me change my opinion.
But it seems that there are some people here who do not understand the art of debating and take every word you say so serious and start attacking the person, not the opinion.
I personaly have many good friends with very different opinions about life. Thats why you should only debate around a campfire after a beer or 2. :grinning:
 

76_overlander

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Ha! That is very true and these type of threads do get a lot of interaction. I posted a thread about a solar set up I did for my tear-drop and was hoping to get some additional input and I got crickets. I also posted a thread in my regional area asking about camp spots on the Buffalo River...over 100 views and ZERO replies...plus I see a good bit of legit questions asked with no replies...BUT threads like this and the ones about Overlanding being elitiist, etc. do get the responses. It doesn't take long to see a pattern. And yes, there are good threads like the one about 12v refridgerators that are good threads and helpful and informative with lots of interaction, but they are hit and miss on what people will respond to. Stirring shit is a guarantee to get interaction...hell, I'm on this thread! Why? Because that is where the action is. I'm guilty for even feeding into these threads, but there are some great posts that come out of it and I do see some great philosophies that might just help restore my faith in mankind. Sure a lot of threads stir shit, but they also seem to bring some people closer together as well. It's people...we're all defunct in some form or fashion I guess, so I just go along with it until someone replies to my post about camping on the Buffalo River.... :)
I feel you. Wanna hear crickets for real ? Fun fact #1 : you were the only guy to reply, and a huge thanks for that. Fun fact #2 : the BEER post has 200 replies. That's life, that's us.

Side note : the guy who started this thread is smiling so much right now :grin:

images.jpg
 
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Road

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That's the whole principal behind this forum. It isn't about what you drive, or how much you spend. Click on Road's links, and note that he lives in that setup nearly full time, and has adventured more so far this year in the SW deserts, Texas beaches, southern back bayous, and NE woods than most folks do in a lifetime. All the while, meeting interesting folks, soaking in (and becoming part of) the local culture, and teaching us vicariously through his stories.
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Thank you Steve, I appreciate that.

I think if folks were to actually get out for more adventuring they would spend less time in places like this asking about how to do it. They'd know more about how to do it.
.
 
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Tim Roberts

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Wow, someone need to get out more.
So you can only argue with someone if you already have different mindsets???? So it is forbidden to play the devils advocate so we can built better agruiments ??? If you make a point, it is forbidden that i ask questions or question your point just for me to know were your opinion is comming from? I think that is a strange way of interacting. If friends can't ask questions or even question the otherones opinion, it has become a sad sad world.
 

Tim Roberts

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What else would we debate on? facts? there is no debating on facs, they are afterall facts. So we debate on colors and tasts. What do you talk about around a campfire otherwise?
For me it is fun to read all the different opinions and see people questioning my opinion, it makes my opinion stronger or makes me change my opinion.
But it seems that there are some people here who do not understand the art of debating and take every word you say so serious and start attacking the person, not the opinion.
I personaly have many good friends with very different opinions about life. Thats why you should only debate around a campfire after a beer or 2. :grinning:
 

Road

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I feel you. Wanna hear crickets for real ? Fun fact #1 : you were the only guy to reply, and a huge thanks for that. Fun fact #2 : the BEER post has 200 replies. That's life, that's us.

Side not : the guy who started this thread is smiling so much right now :grin:

View attachment 113889
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It's a shame, @76_overlander , the way forums like this are so popular, and often combative, that often worthwhile threads get pushed past the front page in no time, so don't get the response and replies they deserve.

I think most folks look at "New Posts" first when they log in, and that can bury a seldom-commented post in no time, especially if in Off Topic. This place too, is so convoluted and bloated in the way it is set up with so many redundant categories, coupled with the fact that the search function here is still near impossible to use effectively, that it makes my head spin trying to find stuff I saw recently that I might want to revisit.

Speaking to your project and 3D Printer, you may be interested in my adventure pal One Leg Drake (@drake_c0r on insta), who has been helping folks around the world get set up with new prosthetics. His insta is private and he may be using it only for adventuring now, but follow him and tell him what you have going on.

Just seeing what he's doing is inspirational and he may have processes in place that you can use with eNable or with what you produce individually. He is part of ROMP, the Range Of Motion Project and may have even started it (hence keeping his own insta more private now). ROMP is a non-profit, for-impact healthcare organization dedicated to providing prosthetic and orthotic care to those without access to these services. You can find ROMP on insta at @rompglobal

Good luck with your project. Pretty cool work. Let me know if I can be of help in any way in my travels.

Screen Shot 2019-08-20 at 08.40.01.png


@grubworm - search function here is not the best, but if you search Buffalo River you come up with a few guys like @Prerunner1982 who has camped there and mentioned this site , @CTO1Mike , who mentioned Buffalo River in a post about Arkansas, @Wandering Yeti, who posted some cool pics of the Buffalo River area, @Rudepossum Outdoors (whose profile pic is Buffalo River), and this thread started by @Jeff Tyson about Broken Bow to Buffalo .

Hope you find some spots. I'll come find ya and go camping there sometime.
 
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