OUR OVERLAND EVOLUTION: From ground tent to camper

Over the past few years, I’ve had quite a few people ask me what gear or rig they need to be an “overlander”. In short, my opinion was always “ whatever vehicle you have now”. And that is based on personal experience, because we too started with what we had, and then grew from there. Hence: Our Overland Evolution.

To me, overlanding isn’t about how much money you’ve invested in your rig or in gear, but it’s about getting out and experiencing the great outdoors. However, depending on the adventures you are looking to do, you may have to consider spending money for certain things. When we first started traveling as a family we were on a tight budget. We had a Jeep Liberty and a family ground tent. Not the most comfortable set-up, but we were determined to live out this experience. The Liberty had a 2.5” lift, mud tires, with an attached small trailer to fit all the “stuff” a family of 6 needed. Which was and still is, a lot!

After about a year of making that work, my wife and I decided we needed something bigger, with more space and cargo room. That’s when we purchased our 2007 Toyota Sequoia. We ran that stock for about a year to see what we needed, wanted, and what we could do without. When we decided that overlanding was going to become a big part of our lives, we agreed to start cutting out small, miscellaneous expenses from our lives in order to fund for parts and gear. So when it came time for upgrades, the first things we took care of was replacing the tires and getting a lift; this would allow us to travel further off the beaten path and go places we hadn’t been to yet. Next, the ground tent HAD TO GO! After extensive online searches, we purchased a roof top tent and an awning. This set up worked not only better, but easier. From faster camp set-up, to more space inside the rig, and having a more comfortable sleeping arrangement, the RTT proved it’s value. Which in turn meant, MORE TRIPS. We also installed a dual battery system and a fridge to keep our food cold and dry. The cooler did well, but we got tired of our food constantly getting wet from melting ice.

Next I wanted to focus on recovery upgrades, so we ordered a steel bumper, a 12,000lb winch, and a snorkel. Why a snorkel? Two reasons: 1. Because of the new bumper, we had to trim a good portion of the inner fender well, so I was concerned about water getting in the intake 2. Who doesn’t like the look of a snorkel on a truck?

After spending some time with that set up, and going on many winter trips without my family, I came to the conclusion that it was time for another upgrade. I asked my wife what it would take to get her to travel with me year round? Her answer...“HEAT!” So after countless hours of research, and talking with other people in the overlanding community, we pulled the trigger on an Air Opus OP4. This camping trailer has been a game changer for us. The Opus is an inflatable pop up camper, built as an overlanding vehicle, rugged enough to go anywhere the Sequoia could go. This trailer not only met but exceeded all of our requirements. My wife has heat, there’s hot water, a shower, bathroom, kitchen, and it sleeps our ENTIRE family. The Opus has impressed me from day one, and I am continuously discovering what it can do and how it can handle.

So in closing, in order to be an overlander, do you have to have our same set up and mods? Not at all! Can you go with a stock rig and a tent? Absolutely! Can you evolve over time to build a fit for your style and destinations? Of course! What it really comes down to, is find out what works for YOU. Or just get started. Don’t feel like you have to wait until you can get this upgrade, this mod, a certain rig, or XYZ gear. I’ll leave you with a quote from the great adventurer, Sir Francis Drake, “Great things have small beginnings.” So get out, explore, and make memories, because that’s what it’s all about.