Our, And Your, Opinions On Some Popular Overlanding Gear

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BigBlueOx_TRD

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That's a good thought. Usefulness, or need, should be considered a priority. Can I get by with less weight? Is this going to make my trip significantly more enjoyable?

These threads are fun. The only "never needed" but ''absolutely necessary'' thing IMO, is 4wd and lockers. It's only a frivolous option, until it's not.
I got accused of "cheating" recently when I used my factory e-locker on a trail. Funny part is, the 10 vehicles before me couldn't make it and they had to take the bypass.

The guy filming was like "heck yea man you got it. There go. Just a little bit fur....wait, are you using a locker?" I replied "yes" he said "oh no wonder the tires were turning the same. That's cheating" I said "I paid for that locker and I'll use it. Plus, cheating was going around it"
He shut up real quick.
 

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I've always had this mentality when it comes to just about everything I own. If you feel like you need it, list out the reasons why you need it and why you don't need it. If the reasons why outweigh the reasons why not, then it's fairly justifiable for purchase. But the next question is, are you going to use it? While things like recovery gear, comms, fire extinguisher, first aid, etc aren't going to always be used, they're a need for obvious reasons. Things like a skottle, lift kit, RTT, trailer, etc are things that may not be a need but would be beneficial based on what you do and the needs or capabilities your rig and kit. But if you don't use it, it's just bling and you're wasting your money or stuff versus adventures.
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Yep, good post and great attitude towards purchases.

I've bought, then sold without ever using, a number of things because I thought I would need them when heading back country. Those thoughts were based on seeing other people have them or rave about them on forums. They included a skottle, a murder spork (the admittedly cool Krazy Beaver shovel with teeth), certain comms, an stainless table with sink insert, an under rack table slide, a rear rack roller, and most expensive of all, a big-assed 16.5ti Warn winch with both synth and wire cable. And lord knows what-all else.

All bought new; none of it ever used. Became apparent quickly with some items that I would never use it in the real and practical world. Took longer with other items to realize that holding on it to it for future use, like the winch, that it may be sitting there for several years. I sold all of it.

I get other stuff knowing full well I don't need it but will use the hell out of it, because I nerd out on having similar items to compare and actually try for myself.

For example: I have four camping hammocks, a plethora of mini-backpacking and bushcraft twig stoves, far more flashlights and knives than I need, multiple ways to light camp, several types of cord and tent stakes and field shelters and dry bags and day packs and on and on. I'm sure camping with me would drive others to tears, as one of the things I enjoy most when adventuring is to experiment with and compare gear. I'll spend whole days testing different canoe camp shelters and learning new line techniques, or seeing how easy or not my different bushcraft stoves are to use and pack.

roaddude_hornbeck-islandcamp-900-0788.jpg

The more one gets out on adventures, the more one understands what's necessary, what's useful, and what's just for show.

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rho

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Yep, good post and great attitude towards purchases.

I've bought, then sold without ever using, a number of things because I thought I would need them when heading back country. Those thoughts were based on seeing other people have them or rave about them on forums. They included a skottle, a murder spork (the admittedly cool Krazy Beaver shovel with teeth), certain comms, an stainless table with sink insert, an under rack table slide, a rear rack roller, and most expensive of all, a big-assed 16.5ti Warn winch with both synth and wire cable. And lord knows what-all else.

All bought new; none of it ever used. Became apparent quickly with some items that I would never use it in the real and practical world. Took longer with other items to realize that holding on it to it for future use, like the winch, that it may be sitting there for several years. I sold all of it.

I get other stuff knowing full well I don't need it but will use the hell out of it, because I nerd out on having similar items to compare and actually try for myself.

For example: I have four camping hammocks, a plethora of mini-backpacking and bushcraft twig stoves, far more flashlights and knives than I need, multiple ways to light camp, several types of cord and tent stakes and field shelters and dry bags and day packs and on and on. I'm sure camping with me would drive others to tears, as one of the things I enjoy most when adventuring is to experiment with and compare gear. I'll spend whole days testing different canoe camp shelters and learning new line techniques, or seeing how easy or not my different bushcraft stoves are to use and pack.

The more one gets out on adventures, the more one understands what's necessary, what's useful, and what's just for show.
Lots of this... So many of the bits of gear we need/use on trips is built up over time based on where we go, how we use our trucks and cars and what our experience levels are... I always suggest to my friends that they get a half decent portable air compressor and something to deflate tires faster as their first "mod" to a brand new truck/car/whatever then I suggest tires after that and I recommend they learn what the truck can do stock. Most people tend to be fairly unaware of what a bone stock 4x4 can do with a little driver education.

These gear list threads are always interesting to me both seeing what works for some people, what doesn't work for others and seeing the balance that we all come to, on our own terms, with the gear we have.

It seems like winches, traction boards and HL jacks are always going to be favorites in this debate, lol.

Personally I won't ever bother with getting a set of traction boards for the Jeep. Never had a use for them or needed them. If I get my jeep stuck to a point where I can't drive out of it, and I can't self recover with a winch and two snatch blocks+other stuff (plus shovel!) I keep in the Jeep, I've done something majorly wrong and it'll most likely be a loss of the jeep at that point... Our 2wd desert truck/prerunner/whatever-it-is will be getting a set. Even though it has a locker, there are still times where it would be a massive benifit to have the extra means of self recovery because it doesn't have a winch or 4wd.

On the other hand, I love the hilift jack. We've used em to change bulldozer tracks, maneuver trailers around on a trail after a flat, used the handle to fix a broken tie rod, used them to split wood, clamp stuff together, move downed trees, etc. They're big, cumbersome, awkward, deadly and hard to take care of, but there a lot of situations where they are the right tool for the job. I've used the HL as a come-along before and while it works, it is far from being my first choice in almost all situations. Where its REALLY useful in that capacity is using it as come-along in the role of load stabilization, ie, keeping a truck half off the trail from sliding further over while winching it back up to the road bed. This reminds me that my jack is almost ready for another coat of paint, lol.

Same with a winch, I've had a beat to hell Mile Marker winch for the past 13 years across two trucks, and it hasn't missed a beat. Its slow, heavy, needs a rebuild but it keeps working. Its a bit easier to keep it in good shape in California than other parts of the US or world, but for my adventures both on and off road, its been invaluable.
Just used it this last weekend (and the Hilift) to clear a 5' diameter chunk of tree off a trail. Had to use a combo of the jack and winch, 2x snatch blocks, etc to lift it over a stump, then drag it down a hill so we could get a huge 3/4 ton 'Burb past it.

Big upside was I got to teach my buddy a bit about good and safe winch practices, how to use a HL jack without killing yourself and ways to move HUGE things like that tree trunk when you're solo.

Then there are flashlights. I'm with you on them, you can never have too many, imo. We have a 10yr old, so having a lot around is generally a good idea even if they get used a lot and half the time our campsite looks like a spaceship landing pad.


I kinda wish folks would learn more about their trucks/rigs before taking them out or having to be in a situation where they might _need_ a hi lift jack or a winch but not have the proper recovery points or lift points to use the tools they have with them. When given the chance I like to help people learn better ways to drive, travel, safely handle recovery situations and to grow as enthusiasts and stewards of the outdoors, but not everyone is so ready to be open minded.
 

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Great video and kudos for giving a shout out to Tread Lightly-I couldn't agree more. As to the specific products I too am a ground tenter and don't fully get the roof top tents, but like has been said different strokes for different folks, I traveled to Alaska one time using a slide in truck camper and would go that way in a heartbeat if I thought it could go everywhere I want to go (yes I have grand aspirations). I went up the Dalton Highway and back to IA on a motorcycle and if you think about overlanding on a motorcycle you get an idea of what is really "needed". There is a ton of gear that makes the trip easier, more convenient and yes gives your ego a boost probably and I support everyone's choices if it gets them outdoors.

Thanks for the video post and keep up the good work!
 
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Great posts everyone! Many of you bring up the valid point that there's a wide variety and range of "overlanding" goals and aspirations. I now believe I made a grave error in not beginning with an explanation about what our style and desires of traveling are. That would have added some insight into why we prefer or reject the items we talk about in the video.

Here's our modus operandi in a nutshell:

The routes we prefer to travel are likely on the upper range of difficulty; off-camber, rock crawling, extremely remote, and very challenging. Our biggest concern is weight. Despite all the armor, steel bumpers, winch, camping gear, food, water, etc. both our vehicles are still below the manufacture's GVWR rating. To do this we have to make sacrifices in our camping gear. We still camp very comfortably but our thoughts are always on lightweight and often dual purpose items. In addition, mainly due to getting ourselves in extremely off-camber situations, we have to have our center of weight as low as possible. That means VERY little weight on the roof. Our weight is so low that with our 4Runner completely packed, Merri and myself, for a week+ trip, we still have complete visibility out the backseat and rear windows. No gear above the windowsill level. Our FJ Cruiser, because of the smaller cargo area, not so much.

Another concern for us is rapid camp setup and teardown. We normally put in a full day of driving and exploring. Our time in a night's camp is always less than twelve hours. Just enough time to make a good evening meal, get 6-8 hours of sleep, then up before the sun to begin the next day. Over the years we've come to appreciate "less is more" and spending less time getting gear out and packed back in.

The real beauty of this whole "overlanding" thing is the fact that it can be, and is encouraged to be customized to fit every individual's needs and wants. We hope this sheds a little more light on where we're at in gear selection. Keep the conversation going!
 

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Good video, I commented re the Hi-lift but your points were excellent 90 odd % of the ones I see have never been used. I disagree on having the RTT, but that is personal choice your points were all very valid and should be considerations before purchase, especially the weight issue. I looked for a way to determine/estimate the CG change but is a complex set of formulas requiring lifting and weighing.


  • The big point I took away before purchase was to keep the weight up top down, I have about 150 lbs rack, tent, awning (manual with poles) on top of my Disco, which well under the max for my load bars and mounts
  • Pack low, everything inside is packed below the side window height - something I have always done
  • And upgrade the springs to minimize body roll
Which really speaks to you comment about cost - RTT's costs are tent, mounting system, suspension so maybe another 1000 on top of the tent cost.
This screen name looks awfully familiar.. out of the Dmax game?
 

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@Clrussell Well I am from eastern Canada originally and you can not swing a cat without hitting a Gallant and Richard is a pretty common 1st name . I do not which Dmax you are referring to but if it is engines not me I am long time IT/programmer.

Funny story though a long time when I was young reservist I was taking a drivers course there two of us Richard Gallants, both Corporals, same middle initial, same trade (armour) and 3 last of our service numbers matched. The Sgt was convinced we were screwing with him until we pulled out our ID. Both born in Nova Scotia too. Damm that is good memory.
 

Clrussell

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@Clrussell Well I am from eastern Canada originally and you can not swing a cat without hitting a Gallant and Richard is a pretty common 1st name . I do not which Dmax you are referring to but if it is engines not me I am long time IT/programmer.

Funny story though a long time when I was young reservist I was taking a drivers course there two of us Richard Gallants, both Corporals, same middle initial, same trade (armour) and 3 last of our service numbers matched. The Sgt was convinced we were screwing with him until we pulled out our ID. Both born in Nova Scotia too. Damm that is good memory.
ah wrong guy then! He’s also from Canada too!

Carry on!
 

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I'll begin with the Skottle. I agree! It is bulky, difficult to even think about packing, and then, even if you do reorganize your packing system it is a steel disk, designed to cut into hard packed soil. How long till that disk cuts through anything that is near it. Cripes, our cast iron is slowly wearing through the drawers of our trailer.

Hi-LIft ? I can't tell you how many times ours has been used to lift a tire up high enough to pile rocks beneath, in order to get moving again. Not for our vehicle, (yet) but for others along with us. It happens almost every time out. It is also the only thing that can pick the rear of our trailer up so we may shove it around to get through tight switchbacks or to lift the trailer in order to do a spring or axle replacement in the field (I'm embarrassed to admit that we've done that more than once). Bottle jacks are just about useless in hard rocky terrain, mud, or tight off camber situations. And forget using one to lift the trailer up so that you can push it to one side or the other. We carry a bottle jack for ordinary jack work, (think; flat tire on graded road or highway)

Max Trax? We purchased a competitors set several years ago and they've never been used. They live in the garage now. I'll sell them. Then I'll do a little research and purchase a pair of traction boards that can be used as a bridge. Here? My High-Lift is being utilized to get him up off the frame, so we can pull him forward up and over the big rock. It took multiple lifts on three corners to get him through. The same held true for the lifted blue Chevy behind him. We worked for nearly 5 hours to get them through. A bridge type traction board would have made it all very easy.
IMG_0113.jpg


Roof Top Tent. I'll agree that a lot of people purchase them to make a stylish statement and are now suffering from buyers remorse. The beginning of the end with our love affair with a very good ground tent began 5 or 6 years ago. I dare anyone to pitch a free standing tent, in the wind, at Guale' campsite, Gooseneck St Park, and/or a multitude of BLM or National Forest sites that we have inspected, then regretfully, had to move on. A trip last year was the final straw as 5 or 6 campsites had to be passed because of ones inability to drive a stake into the ground. Being stubborn, I put off getting an RTT until this past winter. I had broken a rib the previous autumn and my dear girl had to do most of the packing and setting up with very little help from me. It was taking the long side of 2 hours which ordinarily was a 45 minute job. We did invest in a top of the line RTT, I didn't want any regrets. We broke it in on this last trip, and subjected it to sandstorms with winds of 30 mph and 50 mph gusts, heavy rains, and hard core wheeling to get to some spectacular campsites that would have been impossible to drive a stake into the ground, let alone all the rocks under foot. I'll put it this way, for the typical " american overlander " they are correct in their opinions about the whys and wherefores of RTTs and who uses them. Of the 29,000 members on this site I've never run into any of them where we usually travel.

(note); We couldn't drive even two stakes at this campsite, let alone half dozen or more.
IMG_0283.JPG

Awnings? Can I tell you how many times my family has attempted to use a tarp? We even used a tarp years ago for shade and rain protection. What a complete PITA it was. I mean really. I suppose if weather conditions are perfect the tarp would be no problemo. We even still carry a couple extra tarps, just in case. The case hasn't come up in over 6 years. We might have paid 250 for our Frontrunner awning 6 or 7 years ago. Anyone want to pitch their own tarps in high winds or heavy rains and expect it to hold up through the night? Be my guest.



Vehicle choices? They are absolutely correct. drive what you like, or can afford, but, by all means never be ashamed to get out, walk the trail ahead, then turn around. However, one must discover what it is that you enjoy doing. Want to get to some of the most remote campsites in the lower 48, or planning to be on 100s of miles of washboard roads, then you better start with a body on frame. Case in point, our kids had a Subaru Outback while living in New Orleans area for 4 years. After only 30,000 miles, because of the dilapidated roads and streets, they had to replace the shocks and every suspension bushing on the vehicle.
Bottom line? Don't ask your vehicle to do things that it isn't designed, or slightly modified, to do. I could go on and on about how some "overlanders" over build their vehicles to the point that they are no longer dependable. 2.5" suspension upgrade provides more than enough clearance to traverse 99% of all trails in North America.

This video is a good conversation starter, no doubt.
 
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Hammer Time

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I've never been a fan of these types of videos, and this one is no different.

I LOVE my skottle. I didn't care for the price tag of the major brand, or that it used 1lb bottles. (Yes, I know there are adapters). So I purchased mine from Southwest Disk, DISCADA | Plow Disc Cooking | Plow Disk Cooker | Disco | Outdoor Wok | Disc Grill (southwestdisk.com) . Less expensive and much better burner (on the adjustable leg model). It's semi-permanently set up on the patio and it's replaced my propane BBQ's, and for the most part, my stove in the house. It lets me cook several meal dishes at once, moving them to the outer portion of the disk as they reach perfection,** keeping them warm so that everything finishes at once. Did I mention that cleanup (my least favorite part of cooking) is a breeze? Not to mention that cooking outside will keep the house cooler and the A/C bill down a bit in the summer.

ON EDIT: "perfection?" who am I kidding? Let's change that to "what I think is 'doneness.' "

I slept on the ground in a tent for decades while backpacking in the Sierras. Now I have a Project M (Four Wheel Campers) on order. Never again will I roll up a wet, muddy tent, getting myself wet and muddy in the process, hoping that the (when new) waterproof stuff sack won't leak and get everything else wet and muddy. When I level the truck for cooking (using my way-too-expensive) Maxtrax, my sleeping area will also be leveled. Even in organized campgrounds, sometimes the tent pad will be off camber. I'm a light sleeper and the slightest bit of tilt will keep me from sleeping well, or sometimes sleeping at all.

I also have a Hilift jack which has stood me in good stead on a number of occasions. As with any tool, used improperly it can cause injury. Getting proper training is a must. But I also play with guns, knives and power tools, so a jack isn't high on my list of things to fear.

Thanks for the video. Presenting differing opinions is good.
 
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Isn't a hi-lift jack the kind of thing you never need until you REALLY need it (like home insurance, etc)? I don't carry one myself, but I might consider it in some circumstances.

Like many here, I'm not a fan of these videos either. I think it should be more geared toward things you don't need right away, and where you should really invest when you're getting started. I know RTT, awnings are kind of a fad, but there's also a reason that so many people love them. It took me just 1 rainy dinner before I put an awning on my list.
 
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I would like to comment the video was excellent it explained very clearly in most cases why they feel they gear is a waste of time. Like many I have a Hi-lift, awning and RTT, my reason for each choice were informed and made after many years of travel. But how many new comers do you see who buy all the same stuff and declare it crap after 6 months, that should be the take away to think about why you are buying something and if it will really work for you.
 
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This was a fun way for me to start my day. I love these kind of threads. No real arguing, just different points made by people who have different experiences. When I started reading this, I asked myself, who would respond? The newer people or the battle hardened adventurists?
Heh, guessed correctly.

Most of the people who responded appear to have been doing some form of camping their whole life. Yea, that means what works for me may not work for them. One thing I did notice with all this overlanding stuff was, how many "new" people told everyone what they "need" based on the fact that the item's in question were sponsored or they just got it and think its cool because their actually new to all this.

I would love to ask (don't normally want to piss people off by actually asking)(OK sometimes it fun to ask) "How many years have you used it and how many different types (of that product) have you compared it to?" OH!!!! you have been overlanding a whole 8 months and you found a way to make money off of it by pushing what you think works for everyone. Well, I guess if I could do this for a living I would do it too.

Even though I don't normally watch these kind of videos, I did because I got tired of the "This is how you build a proper Overlander" videos. I think the newer trend seems to be now the "this is what you don't need for Overlanding" videos. It's almost like the new people have figured out what they got didn't actually work for them and they need to tell everyone else, so others don't make the same mistakes.

My life experience has kept me from stacking anything too high or too heavy on top of my vehicle (Long time suspension guy here). When I got tired of a tent, I bought an RTT ( got it when they first started importing them 10 odd years ago) and put it on my M-100. Still ran my harder trails and now I've moved on again to a small hard side trailer due to the amount of wind I normally get. So, don't buy an RTT and expect to sleep in 40mph winds. OH yea, mounted to the top of your vehicle, they really suck on side hills. Looking at it in a positive way, when mounted on top of your vehicle they keep the tree branch's cut back.

Cooking/kitchen wise, simple with a smattering of cast iron. I was chastised when I commented on a guy cooking with a WOK on a trip once. IT'S A SCOTTLE. NOT A WOK. ok my bad, still looked like stir fry. BTW, don't bother telling me the difference, I have been "schooled" several times. That doesn't mean I wont say "WOK" just to see their reaction. Some people get soooo upset.
@Boostpowered, when I learned of them (Skottles), the first thing I thought of was, what did they do to the "plow disk" market. You confirmed my suspicions.
I have a small sink, tables, portable water heater (mostly for shower). I cant see me with a huge pull out kitchen. I look at them as a will break over time item. My stuff has lasted for decades. I cant wait to find someone who has had a big pull out for more than 10 years.

Awnings? Heh, I'm cheap and have cloth/canvas/leather working tools. Got a good tarp, added in some new rings, a couple of painters poles and...poof, cheap sun shade. This was something I've used on my Jeeps for three decades. My new trailer got an ARB with a room.

See, I can actually have cool "overlanding" stuff too.

Disclaimer...
No Overlanders were injured during the writing of this. (feelings don't count).
 
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That's a good thought. Usefulness, or need, should be considered a priority. Can I get by with less weight? Is this going to make my trip significantly more enjoyable?

These threads are fun. The only "never needed" but ''absolutely necessary'' thing IMO, is 4wd and lockers. It's only a frivolous option, until it's not.
You don't even need lockers to overland.