Small towns with access to outdoor spaces often play host to visitors from all around the world. Whether tourists stay at hotels or eat at local restaurants, they are contributing to a community. When visiting the parks and trails just past the town, it’s important to bring that sense of community along for the ride.
Public land is something we all share. Whether you like to off-road, mountain bike, hike or camp, everyone has a duty to preserve parks and forests for the next trail user and for future generations. While we all have an individual stake in public land conservation, it is important to recognize the communities that share these spaces and work together to keep them open, healthy and beautiful. There are many ways to build and engage a community to protect these areas.
Here are a few tips to help create a bigger impact:
Talk to others who share the trails.
Join a recreation club.
Work with locals on stewardship projects.
Do your part by leaving an area better than you found it.
Use social media for more than just showing off your adventure — actively encourage others to help out.
Enthusiast groups and recreation clubs are some of the biggest supporters of public land conservation and stewardship. By joining a club or just supporting hosted public land stewardship projects, you can work together to keep a shared area clean and open. Check out a group’s social media or website such as Treadlightly.org to find events in your local area.
This is also a great opportunity to branch out and work with other recreation enthusiast groups who share the trail systems you use. All recreationists have a stake in public land conservation. Maybe you aren’t an off-roader, but you can work with a local Jeep club to repair a shared trail in your community. And you might just discover a new outdoor recreation passion in the process of helping out once you discover some of the stunning and remote places off-road vehicles can safely get responsible riders.
When visiting a region, remember to always protect it and leave it better than you found it. You are in another community’s backyard. The local communities near popular public land destinations thrive from tourism and have a stake in keeping these places open. Help protect public land by engaging with local businesses and individuals to support responsible recreation and stewardship projects.
During your travels, ask locals what issues they are seeing and try to proactively work to not further any damage in the area. By checking ahead of time with local land managers, you can find out if the area you want to visit is available and, if necessary, make a backup plan. Always remember the T.R.E.A.D. principles and be a good steward of your state’s public lands.
onX – Behind the Wheel: In this month’s BTW feature we sit down with the guys at onX Off-Road mapping software App and talk to them about their brand, how it works and how they see the future.
What’s the history behind the onX Brand/Platform?
onXis a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation. We bring outdoor experiences to life with our apps, so users can better find, safely experience, and later relive their adventures. Twelve years ago, onX was founded by an avid outdoorsman and Montana native to help hunters see public and private land boundaries in the field. We’ve since expanded our offerings to include apps for other recreationists who also have a high need for navigation. In 2019, we launched our onX Offroad app for off-road, overland, and Powersports enthusiasts. This year, we released our third app, onX Backcountry, built for human-powered adventurers–like hikers, backpackers, and backcountry skiers and splitborders.
Can you explain the App for our readership?
onX Offroad is the number one off-roading app on the market. When users open it up, they are instantly immersed in outdoor possibilities right on the map. At first glance, users have access to 550,000 miles of off-road trails–their difficulty levels, open and closure dates, and adventure details. The app also features public and private land designations, different map views, and over 500,000 recreation points, such as campgrounds, river access locations, trailheads, and even breweries. Users can download offline maps when heading out of cell service, and mark up the map with custom Waypoints, tracks, and photos to plan or remember a location for a later date. onX Offroad has everything you need to plan, execute, and remember an epic day on the dirt.
There are 4 specific platforms – any potential for a bundle?
onX’s apps are built specifically for their audience. onX Offroad is built by off-roaders for off-roaders, and when you call into customer support–you’ll talk to someone just as passionate as you are about the sport. That is true for the Hunt and Backcountry Apps as well. Right now, subscriptions to these apps are on an individual basis.
Who are your competitors and why are you different?
onX is designed specifically to make exploring by vehicle easier than ever before, allowing you to plan and execute a trip with less time learning a confusing app and more time enjoying the journey.
We do this better than our competitors because:
1. We invest heavily in quality trail information from reliable sources and have a dedicated off-road geospatial team (The Pit Crew) who reviews all featured trails. Therefore, you don’t waste time sifting through thousands of user-generated, and unverified trails that might have uncertain legality.
2. Because we’re designed for off-road exploration specifically, we put our trail data directly on the base map, so you don’t have to download it separately. Upon opening the app, all your off-road opportunities are illustrated in front of you (instead of a blank topo map). This makes it easy to identify regions to explore even places you’ve never been to before.
3. Instead of making customers filter through countless layers, we’ve done the work to combine everything from USFS and National Park maps to 4×4 guidebook content and campsites into three, easy-to-read base maps. You can even book fire lookouts and cabins, check the local weather forecast, or view active wildfires right from the map.
4. onX has a more comprehensive public and private land database than anyone on the market, making it easy to understand exactly where you are. Users just have to tap on the map anywhere in the country, and land management information pops up. This intuitive resource helps ensure that you’re recreating and camping where you’re supposed to be.
5. We care about keeping public lands open and preserving trails. In fact, onX has an Access + Stewardship teamdedicated to preserving the access we have to our public lands and advocating for more. Over the next few years, that team has committed to helping restore, secure or build 150 miles of trails and securing or improving public access to 150,000 acres of public land. We’re also hiring a Stewardship Manager to lead the charge in raising awareness about stewardship best practices in the off-road community. (TAP Editor’s comment: This is awesome to see – Thanks guys for taking Stewardship seriously!)
Do you have any up-coming features and initiatives we should be looking out for?
This summer, onX released a handful of new features and we’re looking to roll out a few more before fall:
Elite Membership: In addition to a Free Trial and a Premium Account, onX now offers an Elite subscription tier. Elite users have access to all the trails and features available in Premium, as well as access to private landowner information on their onX Offroad map. Private land data is an additional tool to aid off-roaders when out on the trail. If they’re riding on a friend’s property, for instance, they know exactly where it starts and ends. If they’re curious who owns the land next to the off-road park or are wondering about an easement that travels from public land, through private, and back to public land again–they know exactly where they are with onX Offroad Elite.
Updated3D: onX has released the next generation of its 3D maps for the Web App. This update features a richer and faster viewing experience and new functionality. Users can now see trails, all their custom markups (Tracks, Waypoints, and Lines), as well as public land designations, in 3D mode. Elite users can also view public and private land designations in 3D too. This is a key differentiator between our product and competitors; no one can even come close.
Go & Track: Finally, GPS navigation made for off-roaders.Go & Track provides a simplified, directional navigation view of the trail while driving.
Active Wildfire Layer: To help off-roaders make safer plans, onX is introducing a new Active Wildfire Layer. By pulling in data from the National Interagency Fire Center, users can see where these fires are burning on the map. A flame icon indicates an active fire, and boundaries are updated daily. This layer is available to all users, even non-paying subscriptions, as an important safety feature.
onX Offroad + Jeep: Two of the most trusted names in off-roading recently announced a collaboration with Jeep to empower more off-pavement adventures. Jeep Wave customers will receive six months of Elite access to the onX Offroad App. More details in this announcement are here.
With the increased use of trails, what are your thoughts on this, and how does your app fit into this in a positive way?
Outdoor recreation across the board has seen a huge boost in popularity recently, and off-roading is not immune to this trend. Through our app, we work to include information about each trail–including difficulty level, vehicle allowance, and open and close dates–to better inform folks heading out. By putting thousands of miles of trails right at their fingertips, we also work to provide a variety of off-road opportunities. So instead of hitting up the same popular trail someone is familiar with, we hope to arm them with the information and tools to confidently navigate to a new, less popular place, spreading out the impact on potentially over-loved places. We also use our platform to help spread stewardship messaging, working to educate everyone on how they can reduce their impact on our shared natural resources.
Let’s talk about your stewardship plans.
onX has a long history of stewardship and a passion for public lands. We have a team dedicated solely to improving our access and maintaining it through different projects. In the past few years, we’ve worked with land management officials to keep public land public, analyzed our mapping data to provide numbers that support a national call for public land funding, provided our own funding to improve public access in specific locations, and worked with organizations to help reduce our app users’ impact on the environment.
Entering the off-road space, we knew stewardship would be more important than ever before. No matter how you slice it, a vehicle has a bigger impact than foot or bicycle traffic, and that means we have a greater responsibility to mitigate that impact. This is not only vital for preserving the places we love to explore but also important to keep trails open for ourselves and future generations to enjoy.
While we can’t dive into our specific strategy for the future, I can address a few things we’re doing now. First, we’re hiring a full-time Stewardship Manager to lead the charge for onX Offroad. Their mission will be to raise awareness about our impact, teach people how to reduce it, and find new ways that our business, our customers, and the community as a whole can help save our trails and the landscapes they run through. Tackling these problems is a full-time job, so onX is treating it like one.
Even though this position hasn’t been filled yet, that doesn’t mean we’ve let off the throttle. Our Trail Guide team, who map the blue featured trails you’ve seen across the country, are introduced to Tread Lightly principles from day one. We make our stance clear in their onboarding process (See quote below) but more importantly require them to complete the Tread Lightly 101-course work online before submitting their first trail. This helps to ensure our team understands how to treat the trail system they’re mapping, and what trails should be mapped in the first place for a legal and sustainable trail network.
The app itself is also a tool to help promote stewardship. The first tenet of Leave No Trace is “Plan Ahead and Prepare,” and there’s a good reason for that. Having a trip plan and understanding what lies ahead ensures that you will be staying on legal routes with difficulty you can manage. That reduces the chances of going off-trail to avoid obstacles, driving over sensitive terrain, or encountering landscapes not suitable for your vehicle. You can use our ride type filter to make sure the trails you’re traveling are actually appropriate for your vehicle type and utilize the weather function to help predict if rain or snow might make the trail too soft.
Most importantly, the more trails we can show people the more we reduce the impact. That’s because the majority of enthusiasts only know of a handful of popular trails, which get overrun and overused–which could lead to closures. By showcasing a greater number of trails, we can help disperse that traffic over a much greater area, reducing the impact per trail to a sustainable level that will help prevent new closures. This is one of the reasons why the National Park, USFS, BLM, and one of our Trail Guides, Bill Creech, came together to add 660 miles of additional trail to the map in the Mojave. The new route segments are called the East Mojave Heritage Trail.
Chris Cordes – Trail Guide Manager onX
At onX Offroad, we have a deep-rooted passion for everything outdoors. Whether through four-wheel drives, bikes, or skis, we live to experience the wild places our planet has to offer—and it’s our goal to empower others to do the same. That’s why we’re constantly working to not only enhance our apps, but preserve the lands they help us explore.
We back ethical off-roading— following legal routes outlined by landowners and management groups, and always adhering to Tread Lightly and LeaveNo Trace principles. We strive for equal access for all people and all interests, balancing the need to preserve motorized use, with the critical conservation of wilderness areas for future generations.
It is our belief that by resourcing an intentional community of off-roaders with the knowledge and tools to stay on track even when they are off grid, we can help to reduce impact, limit closures, preserve habitats, and create a passionate community of outdoor advocates.
Where do you see the world of Off-road Recreation/Navigation going in the next 5 years?
We expect to see an increased interest in the outdoors and off-roading/Overlanding in general. And technology and geo-spacial information will keep accelerating as well. It wouldn’t be shocking to see up-to-date and verified trail information curated and readily available, similar to how snow conditions are reported at ski resorts.
Seasonal openings may shift based on a multitude of factors and snowdrifts or landslides can make trails impassable at unexpected times. That sort of open/closed data could be at your fingertips before you head down a trail, whether that is satellite-sourced data or information sourced directly from land management agencies. Mesh networks and wider cell tower (or satellite communication) coverage could also rapidly change how data is used while in the backcountry or to keep folks up to speed on conditions before they head out.
For more information on onX Off-Road Mapping App, check HERE
Why did you choose your rig platform and how long have you had it?
I’ve owned toyota trucks and cars since I was 20, and every one of them has been a solid vehicle. In 2016 when I needed an ultimate overland vehicle I looked to the Landcruiser “80 Series” because of its robust and capable history. I’ve owned this 1993 Toyota Landcruiser for 6 yrs.
What mods have you done to the Landcruiser and why?
Where to start, well I guess the ground up is best;)
Falken Mud Terrain 33” tires, small enough to keep me from having to re-gear the axles but large enough to tackle the Rubicon and keep my axles off of most of the bumps.
This Landcrusier came with factory “lockers” center, front and rear.
2.5” OME lift with heavy duty springs for all the extra weight I carry.
Slee “Shortbus” front bumper and rock sliders.
Dobinsons rear bumper with dual swing outs which I have now welded a box onto so that I can carry either 10 gallons of extra fuel or a porta potty (depending on the trip).
The front bumper carries a Mean Mother winch with synthetic line and is finished with a Factor 55 “closed system” flatline (which has found a few rocks to give it some character).
For those tough nighttime trails I have installed “rock lights” built from one of the Hardkorr DIY systems which has worked very well for the trails, but also for some nice ambient “mood” lighting at camp.
Engine bay is still fairly stock except for a Dobinsons Dual Battery system and snorkel with a pre cleaner (or what I call the “salad spinner”) attached on top.
Along with the dual battery system, is a solar power management system, so that I can charge batteries and keep the fridge running, while parked, using a 100 watt panel.
Inside the Landcrusier there are a few more mods:
A large dual-bin Snomaster Fridge for keeping meats, cheeses, beer and ice cream cold (even out in Death Valley, YES Ice cream!)
A home_built 2 drawer storage bin for things that live in the truck all the time like extra parts, tools, stove, and cookware.
A DIY “loft” (made from a metal mesh display rack) hanging just below the headliner carries lightweight things like tarps, clothing, and my 100watt solar panel.
For camp/kitchen lighting I have a HardKorr dual color (white/amber) LED system with adjustable output mounted to the rear hatch.
For comms I use all Midland brand radios and antennas for GMRS and HAM.
On top of the Landcruiser is a Prinsu roof rack that carries a Tepui tent, antennas, and my HardKorr lights.
What would you do differently if you could start from scratch?
I would have purchased an aluminum roof rack instead of steel, both to keep weight down and not have to bother with a rusty rack when it gets scratched. Not that I mind scratches (as you can see) but rust is a killer to a classic and anything I can do to keep this old girl from rusting I do.
What’s the one (or two) thing(s) that make your Landcruiser awesome for you?
When I go out on a trip this vehicle gives me a feeling of invincibility, now that is not without of course proper back up options (spare parts, extensive tool kit, Delorme Explorer+, full medical kit including an AED, and 10+yrs of Mountain Rescue background) because I don’t care what vehicle you own or how new it is there is always a potential for a breakdown but at least with this truck I feel like if something breaks either I can fix it or can keep moving with whatever is broken.
What’s not so great? What characteristics or components would you change if you could?
Oh my gosh! The gas mileage is killing me, though granted, with 250k+ miles on the odometer it could probably use some freshening up in the engine bay.
Camping in the Sierra Buttes area.
Final thoughts and words of wisdom when choosing an overlanding adventure rig?
Though I love my Land Cruiser its probably not necessarily the right vehicle for everyone. When choosing your vehicle, really try to imagine yourself, and maybe family, getting “out” and try to picture the reality of what that looks like. Maybe a Subaru or similar with some good tires and roof rack are all you need. Soon there will be electrics that may “fit the bill” too.
In any case, I’ve seen anything from little 2-wheel drive pickups to hummer H1’s out and about and it doesn’t so matter much what you drive but that you know how to drive it.
Driving through the Black Rock Desert in my Land Cruiser – Photo: Steve Drewniany.
For more information on FOUR POINTS ADVENTURES click HERE
David Somach and Kelly Laustsen, Owner’s of “The Gnar Wagon”.
Why did you choose your rig platform and how long have you had it?
We chose the Winnebago Revel because we were planning a 1+ year sabbatical of full-time travel, and wanted all the creature comforts that a van can provide. We also considered building out our own van, but realized we didn’t have the time (or skills!) and wanted to be able to start traveling as soon as we got our van. We had a few non-negotiables, including 4×4, a toilet and shower, seating for four, and ability to fit into a standard parking space. The Revel met these requirements and then some! We’ve owned our van for a little over three years now.
What mods have you done to it and why?
Where do I start! The most significant modifications were to add Backwoods Adventure Mods gear all around, to upgrade the battery system to lithium through RoamRig, and to add extra solar panels on the roof. Most of our modifications are either to enable us to get further into the wilderness, or to extend the amount of time we can go before having to return to civilization. Our Revel was nearly where we wanted it from the factory, but we wanted a little extra toughness from the Backwoods bumpers, as well as an easy way to mount a winch and lighting. We installed an onboard air setup to be able to reinflate the tires after airing down on rough roads, and found that the front and rear bumpers were great locations to mount air hookups. After heavy use, our stock AGM batteries were showing their age so we went with a lithium upgrade that was a total game-changer in how we can use the van’s appliances. The extra solar is a nice boost especially in the summer, and allows the batteries to quickly recharge while we’re playing outside.
What would you do differently if you could start from scratch?
Honestly, not much. We most likely wouldn’t have ended up with an off-road van if we were selecting a rig for weekends and shorter trips, but now that we have the van, we’ve gotten a bit soft! It’s so nice to be able to access the living area during a long drive without having to go outside, especially if the weather is foul. Now that we’re in Alaska for the summer, having a hard-side camp setup is great for peace of mind when we’re deep in grizzly country. We originally were planning on building out our own 4×4 Sprinter, but after ending up with a Revel, I’m not sure if we’d make any changes to the floor plan if we were to build out our own in the future. While we’d love to have a bigger bed or refrigerator, it would be tough to find the extra room needed for that in a short-wheelbase Sprinter and would require a switch to a 170 (long wheelbase). We think that the parking and maneuverability benefits of the short wheelbase van far outweigh the space constraints! We do wish we’d done a few upgrades before traveling full time in the van, including the switch to Lithium batteries (which we did before our trip to Alaska) and a suspension upgrade, which we still haven’t done. While our van does a great job on tough forest roads and airing down the tires helps a lot, we have spent a lot of time slowly creeping along on washboard roads!
What’s the one (or two) thing(s) that make your rig awesome for you?
I never fail to smile when I’m creeping up a tough section of forest road and notice the down comforter on the bed and my wife’s artwork on the cabinets in the rearview mirror. The 4×4 van is pretty unique since it’s capable enough to get you to some pretty rugged places, but has the ability to carry all of your luxuries from home inside!
What’s not so great? What characteristics or components would you change if you could?
No matter how good of tires you upgrade to or what you do to upgrade your suspension, you can’t beat physics and a 9000 pound van just isn’t as capable as any of the other rigs in this Ultimate Overland Vehicle Series. It is pretty incredible where we’ve been able to go, but you need to accept that you will see some sections of road that would be no issue for a kitted out Jeep, but will cause you to have to turn around.
Final thoughts and words of wisdom when choosing an overlanding adventure rig?
Like any purchase, I think the first thing to do is to identify the use case. The rigs in this Series are just overland and off-road capable tools, and there are good tools and bad tools for the job. Are you a weekend warrior who just wants to get away from the crowds and have an upgrade from a tent? Maybe you just need a truck and a topper with a platform inside. Do you want a no-compromises off-roader and will only go when the weather is ideal so you don’t need to account for cold or foul weather? A kitted out Jeep with a no-frills camping setup might be what you want. We wanted a shower, a comfortable bed, and an indoor cooking area since we have stints of full-time travel, so a van was the best option for us. Once you determine your need, it’s a great idea to rent a rig or two to get a better idea of what it’s like to drive and live in, as no amount of research can replace experience. Finally, make sure to get out and use your setup before doing any major upgrades! Different people have different needs, and the best way to identify what upgrades you want is to use your rig and see where it comes up short from your expectations.
Why did you choose your rig platform and how long have you had it?
I purchased both my Ram Power Wagon and Four Wheel Camper (FWC) in early 2018 brand new (I don’t buy used vehicles anymore). The primary reason I selected this vehicle and camper combo would be a surprise to most, and my reason is not common among those that purchase such a setup. I bought this vehicle combo because I personally did not own a 4WD vehicle in this category – long wheelbase 3/4 ton 4WD truck with an enclosed and comfortable habitation camper. I know what you are thinking, “Say what?”
My vehicles are a huge part of my business. I already own two other 4WD vehicles, a 2004 Jeep TJ Rubicon and 2013 Jeep JKU Rubicon. The TJ is set up strictly for rock crawling and day-long scenic backcountry touring and the JKU is primarily set up for international overlanding excursions. Additionally, my JKU overlander was a pain to sleep in and eat out of at the many crowded overland and off-road shows I attend. The roof top tent on the JKU is not very “private” at large shows and cooking outside of the vehicle is a pain with lots of folks around. The JKU is great for camping when alone in the backcountry, but not with close neighbors around. So, enter the Power Wagon with the very comfortable FWC. With all three vehicles in my stable, the purchase of the Power Wagon didn’t mean I had to give up, for example, my annual Rubicon Trailrock crawling trek.
So, why the Power Wagon and not some other brand of ¾ ton truck? The answer for me was easy. Off the showroom floor, and with almost no need for modification, the Power Wagon had all the trail worthy features I desired (modern gas engine, solid axles, a lift capable of handling 35” tires, lockers front and rear, front swaybar disconnect from the dash, a winch, and can tow my Jeep TJ on a flatbed trailer). Since I already loved the trail worthy features in a Jeep Rubicon, the Power Wagon just made since for me because the Power Wagon is essentially a truck version of a Jeep Rubicon. With the Power Wagon I love driving easy graded roads in the backcountry, but it has the capability of tackling difficult terrain.
Why the FWC? This was an easy selection for me personally. I’d had my eye on off-road campers for some time and when it came time for a purchase, I knew the choices. I even went to several of the factories that made off-road specific campers. At the time, there was one clear first place camper choice for me personally. FWC had all the features I wanted: 1) built specifically for off-road, 2) tough aluminum frame, 3) had a low profile for tree and rock overhangs, 4) would be very comfortable when the weather was bad, 5) full indoor kitchen, furnace, refrigerator, dinette, etc., 6) as a company, Four Wheel Camper is NOT going out of business anytime soon (this is huge), and 7) the camper was reasonably priced.
What mods have you done to it and why?
Since no vehicle is perfect for how you wish to use it, modifications are sometimes necessary. As purchased from the showroom floor, all I added was an AEV snorkel, rock sliders, and larger tires. Those are the only trail worthy modifications I made to the truck that have nothing to do with the addition of my FWC. I wanted larger tires to give the truck better traction and to increase overall clearance – axle and body. To run larger tires, I also added new rims from American Expedition Vehicleswith the correct backspacing. Since I knew that I’d occasionally be in the rocks, I added the rock sliders for door panel and underbody rocker protection. I added a snorkel and pre-cleaner to allow the engine to suck in cool clean air when crawling across dusty terrain for hours. Okay, it helps with stream crossings also.
To handle the addition of my camper, I added aftermarket rear axle airbags and a larger-diameter sway bar. I purchased both items from Hellwig as I knew from experience, they made tough equipment. I also mounted my airbags on Daystar Airbag Cradlesto allow for extended rear axle articulation when on uneven terrain.
On the Power Wagon, I swapped out both the front and rear bumpers. These were very personal utility modifications that many may not need to make – especially the front bumper. For my rear bumper, I added the Aluminess swing out tire carrier and storage box. When I need to change a spare tire, I don’t want to struggle to get the spare from the underside of the truck bed. Sometimes you can’t even get to the spare under the truck when in deep mud and snow. I also needed additional storage for my recovery equipment, hence the Aluminessswing out box.
It’s great that the Power Wagon comes stock with a winch (the only truck in North America that does). However, the winch is mounted in such a way that it is totally hidden from view. You can’t see the winch’s drum and winch line unless you lay on the ground and look up. Horrible. So, because I teach winching and winch a lot, I needed a better bumper that allows me to see the entire winch for proper winch line management when respooling. American Expedition Vehicles makes great Ram front bumpers that are winch-ready. If you only winch occasionally, you will be fine with the stock bumper and WARN winch.
One last modification that was right for me, since our kids are all grown, was removing the rear crew cab seats. This allowed me to lose some 200 plus pounds of unneeded weight. Next, I added the wonderful Goose Gear Rear Seat Deletes. This modification really helped with adding needed off-road equipment and securing it with straps. Because of the Crew Cab storage capability, we never have to remove boxes from the back of the camper to work, relax, or sleep in the camper. Just pop the top and relax.
What would you do differently if you could start from scratch?
I can only answer this question if I had more cash when making both of my purchases – truck and camper. If I had more money, I might have gotten an American Expedition Vehicle Prospector XL on a 3500 platform. I’ve found that I could really use the extra payload and towing capability. Regarding the camper, I would have gotten a flatbed Four Wheel Camper, rather than a slide in version.
Also, if I had more cash, I might have bought a new Ford E-Series Sportsmobile (now called Field Van). Vans have several huge advantages over any type of camper placed on a truck. First, once you are finished driving, you don’t have to get out to work in the living space. This is great for security in sketchy areas and when the weather is bad. Second, you have lots more living space as the passenger chair (and sometimes the driver seat) can rotate and point to the rear of the van. This adds comfortable seating and floor space in the living area. My next overlanding vehicle in this larger vehicle category may be a Field Van – their Classic E-Series.
What’s the one thing that make your rig awesome for you?
After years of camping in ground and roof top tents, I LOVE my FWC. To me it feels like a palace when it’s snowing outside and I’m quite literally in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Further, I love the deep growl of my Ram 6.4L Power Wagon engine when I pass at 70 mph other overloaded overlanding vehicles (you know who you are) struggling up a long hill on Highway 50 in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Did I mention the truck and camper combo rides better on the pavement than my wife’s Lexus IS300?
What’s not so great? What characteristics or components would you change if you could?
As I said previously, the Power Wagon front bumper is horrible if you need to winch repetitively. Secondly, the Power Wagon is purchased with a red sheet of paper in the glove compartment. On that sheet in white text, it reads: “It is not recommended that the owner place a slide-in camper in the truck bed.” The paltry maximum payload of the Power Wagon is 1466 pounds. This low payload for a 3/4 ton truck is due to the very soft coil springs used on all Power Wagons to allow for robust axle articulation on uneven terrain. I screwed up the off-road specific design of the Power Wagon by putting a heavy camper on the rear with a tight rear sway bar and airbags. I do have a set of stock RAM 3500 coil springs in my shop waiting to be put on the Power Wagon – just to experiment. I also wish this vehicle had more overlanding range. Off-road I can get about 230 miles on a full tank of fuel, when in 4WD high. That range is okay, but not wonderful. I typically carry two five gallon jerry cans of gas on long excursions.
Final thoughts and words of wisdom when choosing an overlanding adventure rig?
Regarding this question, I feel compelled to say that there is no such thing as the perfect 4WD vehicle. You decide on the perfect off-road vehicle for the terrain you wish to tackle, where you want to go, and how comfortable you want to be when driving and camping.
That being said, I’d like to cite Scott Brady’s “Ten Commandments of Modifying an Overland Vehicle.” As most know, Scott is the Publisher and Chairman of Overland Journal. I agree with all of his ten points. My Power Wagon violates a couple of these commandments, but my overlanding Jeep JKU does not. For example, my JKU is the vehicle I would ship to Cape Town, South Africa for international travel, not my Power Wagon.
Even though Scott’s list primarily speaks to how you modify a vehicle for overland travel, it also speaks to choosing an overland adventure vehicle.
Complexity is the enemy
Weight is the enemy of performance
Suspension performance
Keep engine stock
Isolate and minimize all electrical modifications
Use high quality tires in an appropriate tread
Avoid heavy roof loads
Be able to self-recover (take professional training)
Always secure your load in the cab
Quality and design over quantity of “stuff”
Simplicity and reliability are the keys to vehicle preparation for long-distance adventure travel.
The Tacoma: So what is the Ultimate Overland Vehicle? Well, that depends on who you ask and I think we’ll all agree that it tends to be the one we’re driving, or at least we want everyone to think that! That being said, we reached out to a few of our friends from the overland industry and asked them to give an honest opinion on what they’re driving, why they chose it and what they’d do differently if they could? This is a multi part series, where we take a look at several popular overlanding platforms.
Why did you choose your rig platform and how long have you had it?
I’ve had my Tacoma for exactly 1 year now and have several reasons why I chose it specifically. My last vehicle was a 2000 Jeep TJ, which had a short wheel base, solid front axle, limited storage/seating, and was very analogue and basic. No lockers, no power locks or windows, and even no A/C from the factory. That vehicle was a beast offroad after regearing and running 35’s, and was small and nimble enough to fit anywhere, but it suffered with long distance travel, had zero creature comforts, and had quite a bit of reliability issues. After learning from the weaknesses of my previous vehicle (which I believe everyone should experience for themselves and not just buy something because someone recommends it), I discovered I wanted something that was more suited for long distance travel, something that had large aftermarket support, something that had some decent tech, something that had a good offroad package, and something that had great reliability. I landed on the 4Runner and Tacoma platforms as my main contenders, but was still unsure of which generation to go with. I liked the idea of a 4Runner because you could keep all of your gear contained inside and out of the weather, but you wouldn’t have the benefit of leaf springs, towing, and hauling things like you do with a truck and bed platform. After much consideration, I landed on the 3rd gen Tacoma because I wanted as much versatility and amount of different configurations as possible. The track record of the 2nd gen Tacomas is really what sealed the deal for me. I almost went with a 2nd gen, but wanted more tech and comfort. The Tacoma is my platform of choice because a truck bed again, gives you so much versatility – you can add a bed rack/tent, camper shell, Go Fast Camper style setup, etc. The double cab also allowed me more passenger space and made for a better family daily driver, something I didn’t have with the TJ. What I eventually did was more or less convert my Tacoma into a 4Runner by adding the camper shell. So far, I’m still very happy with the Tacoma. It seems to be the transformer of overland vehicles.
What mods have you done to it and why?
I bought the truck used with 39k miles and it already had a lot of work done to it. I somehow lucked out and got a screaming good deal on it. It already had King 2.5’s suspension all around, 4.88 Nitro gears, some decent wheels and tires, camper shell, and a few other odds and ends. Since then I’ve added all Backwoods Adventure Mods armor (aluminum Hi-Lite front bumper with bull bar, aluminum/steel rear high clearance dual swing out bumper), locally made sliders, Warn synthetic 12k winch & Factor 55 fairlead and Flatlink, RCI full aluminum skid plates, AEV Crestone wheels and 34″ BFG KM3 tires, Pathfinder lighting, Safari Snorkel with Syklone pre-cleaner, low pro Front Runner roof rack and camper shell roof rack, All Pro aluminum dual jerry can holder, Decked drawer system, Alu-Cab tilting fridge slide, Dometic CFX45 fridge, Maxtrax, Zarges storage box, Viair 400p hardwired air compressor, Clazzio leather seat covers, and a prototype Backwoods Adventure Mods popup roof top tent. I’m going to be honest, all of the mods are spectacular, and I love each of them, but you don’t need every single thing. The biggest thing with mods in general in my opinion is not to buy one single thing without realizing that you need it first. Go out and learn what exactly you need first.
What would you do differently if you could start from scratch?
Part of me wishes I bought the truck new, but considering how much I paid for it with all of the suspension and gearing done, it was a no brainer. I’m still finding little things here and there that the previous owner did to the truck. There’s a certain sense of security knowing every single detail that’s ever been done to your rig, but at the same time it would be hard for me to buy a brand new truck and wheel it through the woods. From a modifications perspective, I wouldn’t change much. The only thing I would change would be the gearing from 4.88’s to 5.29’s.
What’s makes your rig awesome for you?
One of the most unique things about the rig is the camper shell/rear storage setup. I have a whole philosophy on truck bed setups and gear organization which you can see on my YouTube channel, Arkansas Offroad, but the idea of a camper shell (with side window access) on a truck keeps things so accessible, protected from thieves, its super clean and organized, and it opens up so many configurations for gear placement. I have a Decked drawer system and a fridge slide mounted on top of that. On top of my camper shell, I have a hard shell roof top tent. That combo in my opinion is money. Besides the camping gear setup in the truck, the other thing that works super well for my setup is running as much aluminum as possible. These trucks can get super heavy when we add all of our gear, armor, and camping equipment. I knew this truck was never going to be a rock crawler and didn’t need full steel armor. I built this truck to be a very capable daily driver, so I went with aluminum everything. It helps significantly with weight, but also is super easy to drill into or modify, and it doesn’t rust.
What’s not so great? What characteristics or components would you change if you could?
The number one thing I don’t like about the 3rd gen Tacoma is the transmission. That extra overdrive gear (6th gear) is super annoying on the highway. Even with 4.88’s, sometimes it battles between 5th and 6th gear. On a fully built Tacoma with stock gears, it’s a nightmare on the highway going uphill. I’ve been in a couple buddies rigs. The transmission constantly hunts for the right gear. I know you can get a tune, but it would be nice to simply regear and be done. The other thing I can’t stand is cruise control. I legit get angry and don’t even touch it anymore. If you set it at 70mph on the highway and you even barely start to go up a hill, the truck will downshift from 6th to 4th and scream until it gets back to 70mph, even if you only drop to 69mph, it freaks out and goes full throttle to get back to whatever speed you set. So actually, maybe that’s a transmission issue too. I’m no expert in that, but that’s been my experience and several of my friends as well.
Final thoughts and words of wisdom when choosing an overlanding adventure rig?
Biggest thing when choosing an overland rig to me personally is to evaluate what type of trails and terrain the vehicle will be in most of the time. There’s a massive difference in someone choosing an overland rig who lives in California compared to someone who lives in Virginia. If you live and wheel somewhere where trail width isn’t an issue, then a full sized rig might be a great option. If you live and wheel somewhere where the trail is super tight and technical, then maybe a vehicle with a smaller wheel-base or midsized platform is better. I live in Arkansas where we have super tight trails and my Jeep TJ was a champion getting through them. My Tacoma is a little harder, but definitely doable. Out of all of my friends that wheel with me locally, I don’t know anyone with a full sized rig. So be sure to factor the overall size of the vehicle first and how it will work in your environment. From there, I would think about your gear storage and what you plan to carry in your vehicle. I’m guessing most people will be using their overland vehicle as their daily driver as well, so to me, comfort is a huge factor too. Biggest thing I’m trying to stress is think how you will use the vehicle. Period. You might think you need lockers, etc. but are you ever going to put your vehicle on trails where they’re really needed? Lastly, don’t get caught in the Instagram world and think you need everything. Nobody needs 500 lights on their rig, etc. I would add modifications as you see a need for them by personal experience. There’s nothing more I love seeing than a barely modified vehicle make it through an obstacle where a fully built, over the top, vehicle gets stuck. As far as modification order, I would think of your vehicle build in stages. Stage one: Think about overall weight first and dial in your suspension, UCA’s, wheels/tires, leaf springs, recovery, etc. You need a good base to start with and don’t ever want to have to come back to something to fix it because you’ll end up doing something twice. Then move to stage two: armor – sliders, bumpers, roof rack, etc. Then stage three: camping accessories – drawers, fridges, tents, luxuries. Overall point, get out there and LEARN WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE slapping the whole catalog of parts on your rig! And lastly, Keep in mind that there is not one vehicle or platform out there that is perfect in every way. There’s never going to be a perfect vehicle. That’s the beauty of modifications – you build and customize it to exactly your needs and circumstances.
