Overlanding is not Elitist!

[roamingtimber]

It seems that if you drive a wrangler, a defender or anything 4x4 from Toyota, your cool. Anything else and you're a Wanabee. I've never owned any of the above but I still have a blast off road and have thrown a tow rope to a few of them. Life's too short to care about it. It is annoying though to deal with someone who thinks there rig is better than yours for no real reason. A lack of that is why I like this forum so much.

 

[SLO Rob]

My neighbor has a Hyundai Tourer Wagon with a Tepui ten on top. Im trying to get him to join, but he says "nah, I just have this little car." But he's my goal. That dude takes off every chance he gets and logs so many miles and wiggles his toes out of a tent for so many sunsets and sunrises and warms them over so many campfires it's staggering.

 

[MarkW]

Yup. Jeep stands for Just Empty Every Pocket. lol. In regards to your other post, I was going to take a trip to Colorado with a Jeep group but decided the wife and I will go on our own and explore. Every time I meet up with them, If you don't have a 6" lift and overly large tires, they don't have much interest. One of the reasons for giving this forum a try. Just want to learn more about overlanding and get some inspiration for planning trips, gear, etc. I think this forum is heading on the right track. Very refreshing.

Have definitely been around some groups like that. The only thing I like about going with them is the shocked looks on their faces as I follow them most everywhere they go with my stock suspension rig on 35s

 

[ShawnR]

It seems that if you drive a wrangler, a defender or anything 4x4 from Toyota, your cool. Anything else and you're a Wanabee. I've never owned any of the above but I still have a blast off road and have thrown a tow rope to a few of them. Life's too short to care about it. It is annoying though to deal with someone who thinks there rig is better than yours for no real reason. A lack of that is why I like this forum so much.

My cousin lives in Oregon and has been building his Jeep for over 20 years. He goes to Jeep Jamborees quite often. There are some impressive vehicles that show up. However, he said a couple, around the age of 75 went a couple years ago in a completely stock Jeep. They made it the whole way. Not sure if it was Moab or where. Anyway, it's all about the person behind the wheel. Doesn't matter what you drive as long as you know your vehicle and what it can handle.

 

[MarkW]

Anyway, it's all about the person behind the wheel. Doesn't matter what you drive as long as you know your vehicle and what it can handle.

You can do all the mods you want but if you can't drive it's not going to make a difference. I have friends that wheel some of the most notorious trails in stock rigs on a regular basis. Sure they have to take some bypasses on the more extreme obstacles but there are many built rigs that can't even do the trails due to the drivers.

 

[WUzombies]

You can do all the mods you want but if you can't drive it's not going to make a difference. I have friends that wheel some of the most notorious trails in stock rigs on a regular basis. Sure they have to take some bypasses on the more extreme obstacles but there are many built rigs that can't even do the trails due to the drivers.

 

[Jacob_S]

Just
Everyone
Else's
Parts

I find it funny how so many heep snobs remove all the heep parts and swap in another brand and then still think that Jeep is the only real rig.

That's funny, I have ford parts and Lincoln parts on my jeep. Then 90 percent of the rest is aftermarket goodies. That leaves about 10 percent more to change!

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Know your limits. This is way beyond what I would try...

 

[Robert OB 33/48]

Hello you all,

I just scrolled through this. And true, snobbism is here as well. Even worse as Jeep is very expensive here. Or Landrover, or Mercedes G wagen, or the Toyota Landcruisers.
But who cares about the cars? It aint the car that makes you an Overlander. No, it is something you need to be one. But you are an Overlander when you drive your Citroen Deux Cheveux through Africa.
Or your London Cab through Iran. Or your Subaru through the USA ( You are an Overlander Steve, that is for sure)
As soon as you are willing to go over the next Hill to see what is on the other side, and you take the car of bike, and you explore, you are an Overlander. ( I paid attention Michael)
So let the people do their snobbism. They need that to be a person.

I drive a Opel Frontera (Isuzu Amigo) and a Volkswagen T3 (Vanagon) and even in those are people who only have a car and do just pay and play parks and say they are the best.
Let them. They need that for their self exteem.

I dont need that. I like to go places, see places with friends and strangers (who become friends) and find new views to wonder.
And what other people think of me?

So, go out and wander, let others crawl, do mud, or whatever. They happy, we happy.

 

[MA_Trooper]

This thread fits so perfectly with my experience the other day. I have a very modest lift in my Trooper, enough to make a difference not enough to know it was lifted. I also have all terrain tires. I was at Discount Tires getting them rotated and the Service Attendant came out, looked at the Trooper, then the tires, then at me. With a smirk he commented, "Never seen any of these soccer mom cars with such aggressive tires. Does it do anything off road?"
Just as he started to snicker at that I replied, "Nope. But my wife and I do a ton off road with it."

Not sure he got what I was trying to say but got right back to the job at hand without another comment.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Imagine being a Jeep Patriot owner, no respect for the little guy.

Okay by me. It gets me where I want to go.

Harley guys look down at the other bikes.

Some of us simply don't have the income.

 

[RescueRangers]

It has nothing to do with brands, it is solely about insecurity. "I make myself seem better by dragging you down". If they can find something to show they are better than you, they will jump on it. Its in all hobbies. On the AT its "I am more pure than you" (i.e. I have passed more white blazes than you). In living history its "I am more accurate than you". I actually had a lady tell my daughter that she (the lady) was more Hessian (we did Revolutionary War reenacting as Hessians) than my daughter, even though my daughter was actually born in Hessen and is half Hessian by blood (the lady was American). In the Jeep world, if you have a Wrangler they then check for pin stripping, if you don't have any they will pull out the Mall Crawler card. Sorry "dude", I don't go out of my way to screw up a $50k vehicle just to impress people (some people don't understand the concept that it takes skill to NOT break or damage things).

I kind of take it as a compliment, the person is so impressed with me that they had to try to bring me down to their level.

 

[RescueRangers]

I'm not that kind of rover owner. [emoji3] I really like jeeps and most boxy makes. I like having a more unique model, but you can do that with many brands and many years. I still like the common newer JK though. Modding those must be a blast... So much choice.

I am a Jeep guy but a Defender 110 will turn my head faster than a Dallas Cheerleader.

 

[S4SQTCH]

I would love a 70 or 80 series FJ.

 

[stoney126]

Eh even jeep guys bash other jeep guys. It's got 4 doors...not a real jeep. When I used to play with K5s lots of bashing of jeeps due to them robbing 1 ton chevys for their drive train.

I've seen lots of gear snobs along with car snobs when it comes to the overlanding crowd. That's why I dig this place totally casual crowd with the dickhead attitude

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Yeah this place is great about not being brand snobs... I just get irritated by snobs, who cares if its a Grand Cherokee or a Wrangler? They are both Jeeps and if theses true "Jeepers" knew anything then they would know that my WJ has the same axles under it as most any other Jeep, only real difference is mine is more comfortable then their Wranglers lol So I guess they wanna shoot me grief for wanting to be more comfy on the trails...that's fine by me!

 

[Jacob_S]

It has nothing to do with brands, it is solely about insecurity. "I make myself seem better by dragging you down". If they can find something to show they are better than you, they will jump on it. Its in all hobbies. On the AT its "I am more pure than you" (i.e. I have passed more white blazes than you). In living history its "I am more accurate than you". I actually had a lady tell my daughter that she (the lady) was more Hessian (we did Revolutionary War reenacting as Hessians) than my daughter, even though my daughter was actually born in Hessen and is half Hessian by blood (the lady was American). In the Jeep world, if you have a Wrangler they then check for pin stripping, if you don't have any they will pull out the Mall Crawler card. Sorry "dude", I don't go out of my way to screw up a $50k vehicle just to impress people (some people don't understand the concept that it takes skill to NOT break or damage things).

I kind of take it as a compliment, the person is so impressed with me that they had to try to bring me down to their level.

The pin stripping comment I hear a good amount.
I have been a hobby auto detailer for 10 plus years, if it didn't scratch down to primer, I get it out. Minimal scratches for 16 year old paint, still has a shine as well.
It's the rust I'm having trouble buffing out [emoji6]

Everyone wants to think their stuff is the best. Some like to drag down others to get there. That's OK with me, I don't listen.

 

[S4SQTCH]

The pin stripping comment I hear a good amount.
I have been a hobby auto detailer for 10 plus years, if it didn't scratch down to primer, I get it out. Minimal scratches for 16 year old paint, still has a shine as well.
It's the rust I'm having trouble buffing out [emoji6]

Everyone wants to think their stuff is the best. Some like to drag down others to get there. That's OK with me, I don't listen.

If you want a personal challenge you can go to town on my rig. It looks like I drove it through a garden rake factory.

 

[Jacob_S]

Hahaha bring it by..

 

[RescueRangers]

Everyone wants to think their stuff is the best. Some like to drag down others to get there. That's OK with me, I don't listen.

On the Appalachian Trail (AT) they have a saying, "Hike your own hike". It has lots of means but for this subject it means do what works for you. What rig you use, how you build it, and what gear you put into it has to be right for you and how you are going to use it, what style of Overland you chase after.