How many overlanders are there in North America?

[MOAK]

I have been trying to compile some reliable numbers on this topic and am finding it nearly impossible to get any information. Equipment and vehicle sales just do not give a good reflection of how many of us there actually are because a ton of guys, right around here where I live, have their rigs all fitted out and have never ever gone anywhere. I know this because I've attempted conversation with many and I may as well have been speaking French or Latin to them. They simply didn't have a clue. They've never been off pavement, camped in the wilderness or even have a desire to do so. . Our community is approaching 10,000 members if I'm not mistaken, but surely that is not an accurate measuring stick. What little info I have been able to garner leads me to believe that there may be as many as 100 thousand or as few as 15 or 20 thousand. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I ask because there has been a slight slide in aftermarket revenues over the past 5 years. Maybe the culling has begun. LOL Peace out !!

 

[Road]

Oh lord, @MOAK, this potentially opens up that whole mess of who is an 'overlander' or not, or what qualifies a person to be an 'overlander' or something else. I think it's a conversation that will end up in frustration and be more about what is or isn't than about how many.

What do you mean by slight slide in aftermarket revenues? Sales of aftermarket products/parts for vehicles? Or sales of accessories like tents, communication devices, fridges, and all the other overland bling stuff like shovels, axes and jacks? Or something else . . .

I'm not sure I get what having a specific number--which will be undereducated guesses at best based on a mind-numbing variety of definitions--will do in helping understand revenue.

 

[shoredreamer]

I’m not in the industry so I’m not sure, but I would think that the Overland industry would come together at some point during the year and have some sort of Overland “summit” or “symposium” where they talk about the industry in itself, including all the numbers, future, away from the public. Not a trade show or vendor show off. The mountain bike industry did this and probably still does this yearly. If they aren’t I’d say everybody is sort of in the dark.

 

[MOAK]

as an example, winch sales over the past couple of years has slid down right around 2% depending upon where you read it. As I ponder the question I'm thinking " all inclusive " if you have a vehicle capable of forest roads, a tent, or teardrop, and a stove of somekind, and you actually go out and camp in the " out of the way/off the grid" spots. Not to open up a can of worms, but with all things that seem to become popular I'm just wondering if there is a bubble, and if so, when will it burst? My mind does wander, just a little more than we do when we go on our tours. LOL

 

[David C Gibbs]

Moak, you ask a question, that doesn't really have an answer. I think it would be very difficult to determine #'s in North America or a Global basis. There are very expensive, fully decked out 100 Series LC's who have never, ever been "Off Road" let alone "Off-Highway"... Then there are those of us, who are grey-haired, with beat-up "Trout Unlimited" ballcaps, who are 76 miles into the forest, Fly-fishing on the Middle-fork for the Boise, and get "Po-poed" by some young pup, only to have to rescue them a couple hours later. As an old Boy Scout, I had never considered what I did as "Overlanding". I was camping, fishing, hiking, backpacking, using the Land Cruiser to get me where I was going. We have 300K on the 62 Series LC, are the original owner. The Mrs & and I have been "out" for 3, 4 weeks. Never lost, but in very deserted areas with very limited human contact. I have travel 1000's of miles on "Jeep Trails" going to places where we wanted to camp, fish, etc. So, is that Overlanding, or just mire Four-wheeling? How do we really quantify the use of rigs, equipment, etc?

 

[MOAK]

Moak, you ask a question, that doesn't really have an answer. I think it would be very difficult to determine #'s in North America or a Global basis. There are very expensive, fully decked out 100 Series LC's who have never, ever been "Off Road" let alone "Off-Highway"... Then there are those of us, who are grey-haired, with beat-up "Trout Unlimited" ballcaps, who are 76 miles into the forest, Fly-fishing on the Middle-fork for the Boise, and get "Po-poed" by some young pup, only to have to rescue them a couple hours later. As an old Boy Scout, I had never considered what I did as "Overlanding". I was camping, fishing, hiking, backpacking, using the Land Cruiser to get me where I was going. We have 300K on the 62 Series LC, are the original owner. The Mrs & and I have been "out" for 3, 4 weeks. Never lost, but in very deserted areas with very limited human contact. I have travel 1000's of miles on "Jeep Trails" going to places where we wanted to camp, fish, etc. So, is that Overlanding, or just mire Four-wheeling? How do we really quantify the use of rigs, equipment, etc?

Seems we have much in common— we too have been camping where most don’t even consider going.. nonetheless, I think my question, albeit unanswerable, is strangely worth pondering..

 

[Road]

Seems we have much in common— we too have been camping where most don’t even consider going.. nonetheless, I think my question, albeit unanswerable, is strangely worth pondering..

Heh, @MOAK - love you buddy. "my question, albeit unanswerable, is strangely worth pondering. . ."

Ayuh, that it is. Fun to discuss, things with no answers. Good late night campfire talk to go to sleep on, solve while slumbering, then try to recall in the morning over coffee: "I had the perfect answer to this when I woke up...but damned if I can recall it now. . . "

As for bubbles in the trend, and bursting, I doubt it has reached its height yet, unfortunately. I see more and more companies and organizations and 'businesses' co-opt the term.

There's a bit of backlash already, but as this 'movement' grows and gets even more out of hand with longer and longer caravans and rallies of completely inexperienced and untrained invading the wilderness, they will be seen as damaging the very thing they want continued access to and profess to protect.