Overlanding or car camping, what's the difference?
What is it?
Overlanding as defined by Wikipedia is self-reliant overland
travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal.
Typically, but not exclusively, it is accomplished with mechanized off-road
capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging
is camping, often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and
spanning international boundaries.
For many the term is nothing more than a buzzword on Instagram
and a marketing term for companies to advertise their products. To others it’s
a movement, a term to bring like-minded people together to do something they
enjoy. It is also something to argue about. New groups of people have changed
their minds to the meaning; they look at companies, groups, and individuals who
are influencing others without input from those without influence. All these
terms and definitions really mean shit. What is it? It’s traveling for travel's
sake. It doesn’t matter where you sleep or how you get there, it doesn’t matter
how long the trip is, or on what surface you’re traveling on. It also doesn’t
matter on how much money you spend, well at least it shouldn’t.
Dirtbags in vans, seniors in forty-foot diesel pushers,
bicyclists and hikers with tents they are travelers; some embrace the suck,
while others are glamping on another level. They are seeking adventure by
migrating from one place to another. Some are full time; with no physical home
to go back to, others are weekend warriors with limited time off, a high
mortgage and enough responsibilities to choke a horse. Let’s get real with our
terminologies they are all overlanding and it’s nothing new.
Now I’ve “bike-packed”, adventure moto’d, four-wheeled,
Baja’d, glamped, and camped. I love them all, and they all require a little of
“embracing the suck.” Although the majority of overlanders are trying to
eliminate the suck to a certain degree with on-board refrigerators,
photoelectric panels and batteries for power, water heaters, showers,
restrooms, the modifications are endless. And so are the arguments and
competitions.
Clubs and influence
Since the largest group of these people spend time behind
the wheel of four-wheel drive vehicles that can either cost a lot of money to
purchase, or an extremely large amount of time and sometimes even more money to
build in the garage. Clubs form around platforms and manufacturers, and
eventually become identities. Clubs form and competition ensures. Brand x is
always better than brand y, and thank the heavens we don’t own and drive brand
z.
With specific platforms, style becomes more important and form
over function ensures, vehicles get larger, heavier, and not really good. More
and more manufacturers get involved, one design is seen by another, copied
improved, then readapted to another platform, and every time becomes better.
Those who identify with x brand look down at y, z is happy no one is looking to
hard at them. It’s happened before. In the late eighties Jeep was king in the
United States, while Land Rover conquered continents. At least no one took
Suzuki seriously.
Personally I owned a Jeep, a mild built daily driver CJ7. I
went to a Jeep club meeting, I didn’t have 36” tires so mine was obviously not
a real Jeep. Although out on the
established fire roads it wasn’t any slower. If you were unfortunate enough to
own a Suzuki Samurai forget even showing up for coffee at the start. When later
the little cars passed them on the rock climbing portions of the trails , they
all rest assured Jeeps stood the test of time, and weren’t death traps on
wheels. At least since the CJ5 was retired.
But now it’s all about the Instagram credit. Less than a thousand
followers you’re not a true outdoorsman. More than three thousand, you’re an
actor trying to sell merchandise to pay for vacations. Damn that’s a good idea.
A hobby that pays for itself; Just the dream of every garage band across the
globe. I wonder if someone can become an influencer if they dedicate their
social platform to making fun of other influencers? It would have to be on Instagram,
everyone knows it’s better than Twitter, but thank the heavens it’s not Google
plus.
Embrace and learn
I’m a gear-head, I love attending expos and car shows, meet-ups,
and generally just talking about all the different forms and modifications one
can do to a truck. I went to an off road expo in Anaheim California a few years
ago. I was looking at this really well put together buggy purpose built for
rock climbing. This thing was a amazing, 40” tires, 20” ground clearance, and
500 hp. It was a beast of a machine, it could tear up some major hills. That’s
awesome. However it’s loud, unable to carry anything other than one additional
passenger and has to be trailered to the trail. Oh and it cost $100,000!
I was standing there in awe of the machine I was looking at
when someone standing next to me had to say “my truck could out bog this
monstrosity any day” I couldn’t stop myself, “what kind of truck do you drive?”
“I’ve got an 88 ford converted to a 2.5 ton with 66” by 44” mudders, pushing
out close to 600hp.” Oh lord. I walked back to my primary adventure machine. An
all wheel drive Kia Sportage. To be fair it’s my daily driver, vacation car,
and yes-overlanding platform.
The point is a simple one. Purpose built is expensive, and
not very good for anything other than its purpose. Simple is better in a lot of
areas in life. Off-roading is definitely one of them. I’ve always been a weight
counter; my philosophy has always been to keep my gear and vehicle as light as
possible. Better for the truck and better for the pocket book.
The problem arises when you meet those people who feel their
way and preference is the only way. When you wheel a stock truck and run into
someone who is only into running dunes. It always becomes a roast fest. Why is
that?
I think it has more to do with passion than anything else.
We are all passionate about our trucks, how they look, what they are capable
of… but they are just trucks. You will never have the biggest, fastest, or
toughest, because as soon as someone builds the biggest, fastest, toughest,
someone else will build one bigger, faster, and tougher. So really the argument
is a false one.
Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.
We live in a time where everyone’s voice is just as
important as everyone else’s. We comment, argue, and debate on a global scale.
The Internet makes this possible and we take advantage of it daily. What I find
interesting is that many comments out there are completely based on the authors’
opinions, regardless of the facts. So many times people make assumptions based
on their perception and nothing else.
Case in point, there is a group called Overlandbound, Michael
and Corrie Murguia started it. The group started on Instagram, made their own
site, now has software that can be used by its members to create meet-ups they
call Rally Point, and it quickly grew to over 10,000 members. You can sign up
for free to be part of the group, or pay to receive an emblem to put of your
truck. That is a lot of people all interested in the same thing. Just so
everyone is aware, I’m also a member of this group. Member number 1699. My
thoughts about them are based on what I’ve learned, seen, and heard, cause
believe it or not, last year I had a chance to sit down and talk with Michael
and Corrie, as well as some members of the group. Oh and by the way, they are
amazing people regardless of what people say.
Why is this important? Recently I’ve seen a lot of Instagram
accounts, Facebook posts that take Overlandbound to task. I’ve asked a couple
of the administrators of those sites why, most of the time I never received a
reply, but eventually someone did…
@kingazjay; “I’m curious what’s the beef with Overlandbound?
I’ve seen a few people with a lot to say about them, but no one gives any
specifics.”
@overland_memes; “Ah glad you ask. A lot of people have
petty beef with him. As simple as: he observed a trend and he’s not really that
much of an outdoorsman just a businessman exploiting a trend for profit. For me
its more philosophical (I guess you’d say): 1) not a fan of paying to be part
of something - just find good friends. 2) there are some attitudes I’ve
observed from OB crowd. For example the following can be pretty cult like. 3) I
have some concerns over the “Overland Principles of overlanding” ...the list
goes on.”
That’s the only message I’ve received back, and it is eye
opening. Like I’ve said above, the movement of overlanding is kinda humorous to
start with. It’s traveling. Hiking, biking, car, truck, RV it’s all the same.
However, some think they are the purest because XYZ. They may have a Toyota
kitted out with $50k in gear and can live ‘off the grid’ for three weeks on
end. That's cool, I’ve done that in a VW baja that cost me $1000 with $100 of K-Mart
gear, but we called it car camping. So the cult like following is just people
excited and passionate about what they do. We all do that, and hey, if you can
make money on something you’re passionate about, that’s just every
entrepreneurs dream.
Now for the principles…
A lot of people have issues with the saying “It doesn’t
matter what you drive” Many miss the second half of that. “It does matter how
you drive it and where. Outfit and explore” I started out in a Jeep, then had a
VW Baja, a couple of KLR’s, a slew of Jeep Cherokees, then a two wheel drive
blazer, a couple of trucks, then a Kia soul, and now a Kia Sportage. I live off the pavement some 30
miles. I’ve seen built trucks mired in the mud same as minivans. It doesn’t
matter what you drive, I’ve been through snow, mud, and deep sand. It does
matter how you drive it, and how it’s outfitted. It takes skill and an
understanding how capable your vehicle is. I won’t take my Kia Soul to slick
rock in Moab UT, but I would take it on any fire road in North America, and I
have. All terrain tires, max tracks, shovel, and a come-along can get that
light weight car as far as you want to go. What was the first overlanding
vehicle in America? The Ford model T with bicycle tires, and two-wheel drive,
let that sink in.
Overlanding or car camping is about getting outside,
exploring, and spending time with people you like. It is not elitist and it
doesn’t matter how you go about the activity. It also doesn't matter how long
you’re out on the road or trail. You can be a weekend warrior, or full-time
world traveler. If you can make money doing it, wow, congratulations you’re
doing what everyone wants to do…. Something you’re passionate about and making
a living doing it. Believe it or not, you can do it without posting on Instagram,
and putting others down doesn’t make your truck or trip any better, it makes
you look like an ass.
I’ll be attending Overland Expo West again this year. I’m
excited to see what others have come up with, and see what would make my truck
better. I’m interested to hear about others trips, and what went wrong or
right. I enjoy this hobby and like talking about it. I also like to Instagram
it… don’t judge me.
Want more information?
Learning to embrace the suck...
What does ultra-trail-running have to do with overloading? Simple, people running 100 plus miles non-stop to prove to themselves and others that not only is it possible, but some enjoy it. To me it reminds me that we have really gotten soft, take what this person said in this short film, at 10:30 or so...
I like what he says "Somewhere along the way comfort became the key to happiness" That is really sad when you think about it, and kinda relates to my underlining theme... "embrace the suck!"
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