New to Overlanding - '17 Tacoma - need help on where to start

S

Sansruth_NC

Rank I

Contributor III

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North Carolina, USA
First Name
Zachary
Last Name
Brideson
Very new to overlanding. Have a wife and two boys. Looking for the best ways to start getting my feet wet off road with a stock '17 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4.

The main goal is to have a truck to go on multi-day overland trips on moderate terrain with the whole family in tow.

Any tips on gear starting points, NC trails, or must-haves outside of the basic tutorials would be great.
 
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Sansruth_NC said:
Very new to overlanding. Have a wife and two boys. Looking for the best ways to start getting my feet wet off road with a stock '17 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4.

The main goal is to have a truck to go on multi-day overland trips on moderate terrain with the whole family in tow.

Any tips on gear starting points, NC trails, or must-haves outside of the basic tutorials would be great.
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I'm sure that your local members will be on this thread soon will loads of help.
First off MAPS, WATER , First Aid Kit, sleeping comfort, cooking, POOP, food storage, and ice

Going out on your first short trip will give you so much insight of what you need to be happy on a trip
 
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I love my '17 Tacoma DC, but I can't even imagine how one would get four people and tent, food, sleeping gear, clothes, cooler, etc., in my truck. Admittedly, I have a lot of stuff. I took my backseat out to accommodate a fridge/freezer, battery, and put things like clothes, valuables, and things easy to reach. Add some tools, food, water, stove, chair, small table, fishing gear, etc. Barely room for me. I have a RTT, roof rack, and a front mounted cargo rack for a cooler and small generator for extended trips. I carry a lot of things I probably not use like recovery gear, water filters, cookware, small tent and a hammock, other backup gear if I'm going for extended trip. I just load everything I have room for and look like the Beverly Hillbillies but rather have possibly critical equipment and not need it. It's a constant refinement.

Picture is my son on recent turkey hunt. He was in his truck but I could have fitted him in the front seat with me. Maybe... it was a short trip.

Woodbury Apr. 22.jpg
 
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FishinCrzy said:
I love my '17 Tacoma DC, but I can't even imagine how one would get four people and tent, food, sleeping gear, clothes, cooler, etc., in my truck. Admittedly, I have a lot of stuff. I took my backseat out to accommodate a fridge/freezer, battery, and put things like clothes, valuables, and things easy to reach. Add some tools, food, water, stove, chair, small table, fishing gear, etc. Barely room for me. I have a RTT, roof rack, and a front mounted cargo rack for a cooler and small generator for extended trips. I carry a lot of things I probably not use like recovery gear, water filters, cookware, small tent and a hammock, other backup gear if I'm going for extended trip. I just load everything I have room for and look like the Beverly Hillbillies but rather have possibly critical equipment and not need it. It's a constant refinement.

Picture is my son on recent turkey hunt. He was in his truck but I could have fitted him in the front seat with me. Maybe... it was a short trip.

View attachment 229849
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Looks like a good setup to me. Nothing like the Beverly Hillbillies truck I remember.
 
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I see the point that FishnCrzy is making. That would be a tight fit.
Years ago I had a Bronco II and tried to pack the wife and toddler along with all the camping gear into it. Didn't work. Because we were not going to be off the grid and no serious roads to travel, I rented a small U-Haul trailer to drag along. Within the first week, we (I should say my wife) realized that we had over packed. The trailer actually worked out great for that trip but we never had to rent one again.
 
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Bad Sport said:
Looks like a good setup to me. Nothing like the Beverly Hillbillies truck I remember.
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Yeah, I got a fold up rocking chair now. So, it's more like Jethro driving alone. Trust me, when I am headed out west to go off grid for a few months fishing the rig will be "fully" loaded.
 
Thanks for all the input! Our trips will be 2-3 days max to start. We've done back country camping for that long with a couple dogs in a BMW x5, so I guess we pack light. Haha.

Question on truck modifications. Is a stock Tacoma fine or are there mods that should be taken care of immediately, i.e. lift kits or larger tires (stock are 30 in.)
 
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Welcome here, Zachary!

I think it is a good way to start - as others have already written - to pack the most important things, to be prepared for emergency situations and then take several smaller trips. Then YOU see what YOU really need. If you think after the first tours that you need larger tires, then make larger tires on it, if you think you need a lift, then comes a lift, etc. Maybe take a pad and pen with you and write down what you notice on the way.

To the essential things that everyone should train and know about before he goes on trip (and in everyday life also, by the way), are in my opinion first aid knowledge with the top of the list. You can also find some very good information about it here in the forum in the OB First Aid Bootcamp.

I'm sure, more tips will be added here and you could also look on the OB map, who is in your area. I am sure, that members in your area will be happy to give you specific tips for your area.

Have fun on your next tours and tell us about it if you like.

Bjoern
 
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Sansruth_NC said:
Very new to overlanding. Have a wife and two boys. Looking for the best ways to start getting my feet wet off road with a stock '17 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4.

The main goal is to have a truck to go on multi-day overland trips on moderate terrain with the whole family in tow.

Any tips on gear starting points, NC trails, or must-haves outside of the basic tutorials would be great.
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Welcome again ;-)
You might just start by asking questions on the general page. The links I gave you will also help.
 
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Hello Zachary, welcome to the OB family.

Start with the basics and take baby steps. Camp out in the back yard a couple times first. This will get you familiar with how to set up/take down your tent and gear before you are out in the boonies. My wife and I have camped for decades and we still do this whenever we get any new equipment. Last thing I want to do is try and figure out how to operate something for the first time when it's dark and raining.

Next, spend a weekend at a local state park. This will give you an idea of what you do/don't need before you head off on a much longer trip, where you may not be able to just run out and pick up something that you didn't think about or got left behind. It will also help you determine just how much you can carry and the best method of packing it all up.

There is a very good checklist available on the site. (I've attached a copy) Use it as a starting point and tailor it to your specific needs. I personally didn't need some of the items listed, and yet also added many things that are not listed.

As for your truck, it should be just fine the way it is. Unless you plan to do rock crawling or mud bogging, you don't need any real modifications. Just make sure you know your truck's (and your own) limits and be smart about what you do. The best modification in overlanding is knowledge & common sense.

Finally, you did the best right thing by asking. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks on here who are happy to help out fellow OBers.

 

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