Top Ten Overlanding Tips

10.) Overlanding Not Car Camping

Get your terminology right! You want your neighbors and co-workers to think you go on adventures, not siting around a fire eating little smokies.

9.) GVWR Is Just A Recommendation

Engineers always incorporate a factor of safety into all of their designs, so don’t even think twice when you’re loading up your fridge, enough water for a hot tub, and your granite counter top for your SnowPeak table.  Bonus points for packing most of the gear on the roof rack (see 7…)

8.) Do You Even SnowPeak?

If you have to ask go back to #10. You don’t want to be the guy eating off of aluminum plates and drinking out of the Coleman mug your father gave you. Kick that stuff to the curb and enjoy your whiskey out of a fine titanium mug and your cheese off of a custom cutting board.

7.) Get a Roof Rack

How else are you going to pack your rooftop tent, fuel caddies, shower, chairs, kitchen sink, teak flooring, and satellite dish out with you on the trail? (also great for supporting 5 bros at a NASCAR race)

6.) Find The Most Technical Apparel Possible

REI off the rack? Get real bro. You’re planning to traverse some of the harshest climates known to Land Rovers, so you want to be prepared for when you leave the garage. Make sure a Triple Aught Design Stealth Hoodie LT makes it into your kit so you you’re ready for wherever you break down.

5.) Get Yourself a Real Timepiece

You’re a real Overlander, Edmund Hilary wore a Rolex when he climbed Everest, Bear Grylls wore a Breitling when he drank his own urine, and we’re pretty sure Magellan’s last thoughts were “I really wish I had a watch.”

4.) Buy a Land Rover, Jeep, or Toyota 4×4

Rovers, Jeeps, and Toyotas are the only certified Overland vehicles, so what if your Subaru Impreza can get to the same place, have fun car camping and not Overlanding.  Bonus points if you painstakingly source something not originally sold in the U.S.

3.) When in doubt, Rooftop Tent

Again, this is all about looking to part – and nothing is quite as “Overland” as a 120lb tent on your roof rack – forget that it now prevents you from parking in any garage, kills your gas mileage, and raises your center of gravity, at least now the lions won’t be able to get you.

2.) Don’t bother trying without a built rig

Unless your vehicle looks like it could grace the cover of Overland Journal or compete in the Camel Trophy, that graded fire road is gonna give you trouble…

1.)  “Web wheeling” is still wheeling!

You don’t actually have to go on adventures to be an Overlander, you can do it from the comfort of your mom’s basement while on your computer. Just read about everyone else’s trips and post on your favorite forum about how your visit there was 10 times better!

This is just our inaugural satirical guide for the aspiring, social (internet) climbing “Overlander”.  We don’t actually believe any of this stuff today, but we may have at some points in our past!  Hope you enjoyed our Top Ten Overlanding Tips – it was fun to write!