All About Overlanding
Man can only find himself when he’s off the grid and out in the wilderness. Far from the rat race, where cell signals can’t reach and the internet might as well be a distant memory, you can truly unplug and enjoy all that nature has to offer. But to get there, you’ll need to stock up. Here at ORW , we have everything you need to get prepared for your adventure.
In order to really meet the standards of overlanding, you should start from the ground up. This means tires will be the first order of business. As you’ve seen in our other post, Choosing The Right Tire , we’ve shared tips on what to look for and the sorts of options we carry here at ORW. We encourage you to check out that post and figure out what you need. To quickly summarize, we recommend all-terrains for weekend warrior or light off-roading mixed with mostly on-road; mud-terrains for dedicated off-road vehicles; and hybrids for those in the middle. You might even choose to secure these new tires with beadlock wheels, which you’ll find from Method , ICON Alloys , and others.
Coilovers, tires, and wheels will put you on the right track for overlanding.
Up from the tires will be the suspension. Your budget will dictate what you can afford, but we recommend checking out coilover shocks as a starting point. Coilovers today offer compression and rebound adjustment knobs that really let you fine-tune the ride comfort. This is important when going over different terrain types at high or low speed. Companies like ICON , Bilstein , and King will put your vehicle into the next level, and some— FOX and SDi—even offer electronic shocks that adapt instantaneously to terrain.
Now that the tires and suspension are taken care of, it’s time to take a look at the storage situation. Here is where you can really kit out your vehicle for longer trips, and it helps to have a roof or bed rack.
Roof racks offer a great solution for storing tools, supplies, and other essentials.
Whether you’re driving an SUV or truck, installing a rack will be important for managing cargo. Overland Vehicle Systems (OVS), All Pro Off Road , Body Armor 4x4 , and other companies manufacture these racks to support several makes and models. Your ideal setup should include support bars, as well as accessory mounts to install spare fuel jugs, tools, and other essentials.
OVS Nomadic roof top tent
Of course, one essential that you see on just about every overlanding vehicle is the rooftop tent (RTT). Using high-grade, lightweight, and waterproof materials, these tents are designed to ensure comfort and easy utility in outdoor environments. OVS is a great choice for RTTs, like their Nomadic and Bushveld product lines. Other options include Sky Ridge by Body Armor 4x4 , and SkyRise by Yakima.
A large aspect of overlanding is self-reliance; being able to provide for yourself, whether it’s the sheer basics or additional amenities and comforts. GPS devices like the Garmin Tread XL are ideal for every adventure, offering full-color high-resolution images and satellite-supported navigation so you never lose your way. And should you find yourself stranded, you should always have a way out with recovery gear like Warn’s Zeon winch line and Mk. II recovery boards from MaxTrax .
Garmin Tread XL GPS and MaxTrax Mk. II recovery boards
OVS’s Komodo camp kitchen features food prep area, grill, and stovetops for easy cooking while out in the wilderness.
In addition, you’ll find fantastic upgrades that make use of truck beds and cabin interiors. ARB 4x4 is one such example, with their well-known fridge-freezers like the Zero and Classic Series II . These complement well with fold-out kitchen sets like OVS’s Komodo camp kitchen and CP Duty 39-piece kitchen glamping system . Durable yet compact, these systems take up minimal space but offer full kitchen features, including stovetops, grill, and kitchenware storage.
Overlanders live for those special moments, lik71b2e mountaintop views of a sunrise or surrounded by stars at night. You can enjoy these moments all the more with top-shelf accessories such as OVS’s UFO solar light pod , which deploys quickly and even includes a portable speaker and charging ports for your devices.
OVS’s UFO solar light pod recharges during the day to power your nighttime relaxation.
Naturally, there are still more ways you can customize an overlanding vehicle. Spare fuel jugs, tool sets, recovery gear—all of which you can find at your local Off Road Warehouse! We’re always excited to see the ways our customers take their truck, SUV, or other vehicle to the next level. And we want to make sure you do it right. Come visit one of our locations today to find out more, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on promotions, events, and more.