Overlanding Prep Thread

[Spork]

I use a Kodiak tent with a pair of cots, I got the 9x8 model I think. They have a warehouse out by the airport and they advertise on KSL some good prices when you start comparing to Sportsman's or Cabela's. https://www.ksl.com/classifieds/listing/39745951

 

[mbryson]

I’m as big of fan of being over prepared than anyone... sometimes it’s fun to have to improvise? If you’re able to stay warm, you survive for a few days. If you have water, you add to the comfort level. Throw in a beverage, steak or some bacon and you’ve got some luxuries.

We just had a great trip a couple months ago to the Swell with my kids. Warmed some canned soup and/or ravioli by the fire. Got to bed early, stayed warm enough in our Eureka tents to survive. Got up and had a dry breakfast, swung by Swasey Cabin and drove down through Eagle Canyon.

We weren’t minimalist but didn’t really bring the kitchen sink either. It was a great trip

Jeeps don’t really allow you to carry a LOT but you can carry enough to get by.

 

[nnnnnate]

I won a fridge at an event last year and looked into slides before a club member gave me one he had. I think the "best" cheap slides were off ebay based on reviews from expedition portal. You'll spend at least $100 for one though. You could probably make one for much less if you didn't try to use drawer slides. Mine uses a few pieces of square tube and angle and bearings rather than drawer slides. Its pretty awesome and doesn't rattle.

You first said you wanted a tent you could stand up in but then mentioned a swag tent which doesn't meet that requirement. Any of the big canvas tents are going to take up a bunch of room. Like a ton. If you've got the space thats the ticket but you have to remember its the pole length and the rolled up canvas. Springbar, kodiak, turbotent, oztent, etc are all big. The other route is a tall fiberglass poled tent. Unless you get one thats built for 5 or 6 people it might be difficult to get a cot in there length wise. I've got a 4 man REI basecamp I bought off Moody thats a great tent but my cot barely fits. I also am nervous about punching a hole in the floor with the cot legs. I had a black pines turbotent but sold it because it was bigger than I needed and the packed up size was also too big. I have taken my parents springbar out a few times but its also a 7 person tent which was overkill. I use my RTT half the time and sleep in my rig the other half it seems lately. If my boy comes with me we take the RTT.

Does your fridge have an auto shut off? Mine watches the battery voltage and after draining to a set point will shut itself off as a "safety feature." I only have a single battery but did get a jump pack for Christmas as a backup. My fridge has shut off several times which was nice but I've also left on my ham or CB which has further drained the battery for me. Luckily I haven't been stranded so far since I've been with other people but its something I need to be more aware about when moving from the rig to camp setup and whatnot.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

I've set everything to turn off with the ignition. The only thing that will not are the running lights. But if I don't notice those on at night, that would be stupid. I'll probably add a third battery in the back for the fridge. We will see though. I'm not sure I really want 3 batteries, I'll need a battery management system if I add another one. I should probably get one now, but I don't think my current engine would start with just one battery anyway. There's just not enough cranking amps with only one battery.

My fridge is pretty old school. About 8 years old. Its a Norcold. I works good. I need to see if it shuts off automatically if the battery gets to low. Its so old its hard to get information on it. I think I'll probably upgrade to an ARB or Engel fridge in the next year or two.

I do have the roof rack on my Range Rover. Its covers almost the whole roof. I'm not opposed to sticking a good tent up there.

The interior is pretty much full with tools, fridge, recovery equipment, clothes, and food.

 

[Kevin B.]

I've set everything to turn off with the ignition. The only thing that will not are the running lights. But if I don't notice those on at night, that would be stupid. I'll probably add a third battery in the back for the fridge. We will see though. I'm not sure I really want 3 batteries, I'll need a battery management system if I add another one. I should probably get one now, but I don't think my current engine would start with just one battery anyway. There's just not enough cranking amps with only one battery.

Skip the third battery and get a lithium ion jump pack.

Regarding the fridge, just let it run overnight in your driveway and see where your battery is at in the morning.

 

[ID Bronco]

On the tent situation.

I have been using a Cabela's Alaskan Guide 8 man tent for a few years. It takes about 8-10 minutes to set up (and is alot easier with two people) and I have been really happy with it. I can stand up in the middle, I use cots in it if only a few of us go and have used it in every season. With the full rainfly it works great in terrible weather and packs up much smaller than a comparable canvas tent of any variety. Also, it's a Cabela's brand, so if a pole breaks or even the shock chord in the pole, they will replace the entire tent with no questions asked! I got mine on craigslist and they replaced it last week. I felt bad, I only needed a pole, but they said replacement is the only option. Darn!

I have seen these last years with scout use too. I really like mine, might be a good in between.

 

[Cody]

my 2 cents on tents...I use Mountain Hardware mostly.....my 3 man weighs 8 lbs, packs up the size of maybe 2, 2 liter bottles and has withstood sideways rain and gusting winds well above 70mph, cold temperatures and snow below zero, and has enough ventilation for summer camping. I don't know how a giant springbar type tent does in those conditions, but I know RTT's have to be taken down in wind like that and are generally a flappy, miserable, mess in even moderate winds. Different strokes I guess, but when the weather is going south, I'd take my mid-priced ground tents any day over a big canvas tent of any make. Plus all the benefits of weight/size/ease of setup.

I've also never needed to stand up in a tent before, so that's not an issue. I'm perfectly fine changing clothes outside of the tent, or worst case scenario, laying down in the tent.

 

[DAA]

I have a MH 3 man too, might even be the same one, weighs about the same 8 lbs. My cot just fits in it, and I can at least sit up on my cot to pull on my pants and boots. When using it for two, usually me and my Son, we have to sleep on pads on the ground. I use it in places where I might not be able to get a tent stake in good and free standing might be a big asset. Slick rock areas, for instance. This is it at the Maze Overlook a couple months ago.

I also use it when I'm being cargo weight conscious, like when I did the Rubicon trail with my Son a few years back.

I can attest that it's bomber, as far as wind and wet go. The night the picture below was taken, was one of the top five most ferocious storms I have ever been in. The tent shrugged it off. The Coleman tents in our group utterly failed. Letting in tons of wind driven rain, before just collapsing. The people in them had really miserable nights. The story I am told, is that at one point during a very brief lull in the storm, my buddy was holding his collapsed Coleman up from the inside where he and his girlfriend were soaked and cold and miserable. So, wind and hail let up for just few seconds, and they said they could hear me snoring, in my Mountain Hardware. Said of all the times they have wanted to kill me, that was the strongest urge to kill .

I've only had a Springbar fail once. In one of the other top five most ferocious storms of my life. Upright pole snapped in really high wind at Flaming Gorge. Hi Lift handle to the rescue . Can't know, but suspect that Mountain Hardware tent would not have had an issue in the same situation. But, that is once, in my whole life, and I have spent an awful lot of nights in Springbars in my life. And, not for nothing, I had to go out and get wet to fix it, but it didn't take very long and then I was able to go back in my Springbar where nothing had really gotten very wet inside and fire up the heater and get warm and dry and go back to sleep. And, also not for nothing, but the remaining three, top five ferocious storms, were all in a Springbar without issue. So, I'm inclined to call it even, as far as storm worthy goes, for any practical purposes.

The MH is a lot noisier in wind and rain though, a LOT noisier. And the MH takes quite a bit longer to setup and take down, for me at least.

Most of my camping is in the winter. So being able to have a heater in the Springbar is a big deal. So at times is being able to bring my stove and a table and a chair inside to cook and eat in foul weather. Due to my back, my fused neck, my general feebleness and lack of flexibility, it really is awful nice for me to be able to stand up in the morning too. I sleep in long johns in cold weather, then take them off and change into my day layers in the morning. Being able to fire up a heater, then stand up, is a luxury I am appreciative of. I do enough backpacking in really small tents, I know what getting dressed laying down like a hobo is all about and I really don't care for it. It's just a lot more pleasant for me in the Springbar. And of course it fits two cots.

For me, the Springbar is just easier. Sets up and takes down just too much faster and easier - for me.

I actually just finished packing the Jeep, leaving for a trip tomorrow. I don't expect to even use a tent, weather should be good enough to just sleep on my cot under the stars. But I am taking a tent anyway, just in case. Started to throw the MH in, since it is much smaller and lighter, why pack the bigger Springbar when I don't expect to even use it. But then I thought, "ehhh, the Sprinbar is a lot easier to put up, if I do end up using a tent". And I'm traveling alone, so plenty of cargo space and I'm not trying to save weight on this trip either. So, I put the Springbar in the Jeep.

It's all personal preference. With a bit of golf bag approach thrown in. I have six tents that I actually use. Made by Springbar, Mountain Hardware, Big Agnes and Six Moon Design. I think they are all awesome tents. They each fill a niche and are "just right" for certain situations. But my smaller Springbar does get used more than all the others put together. "For me", it's usually the "easy button" for most situations.

Few gratuitous Springbar pics just because I am both a pic posting ho and a Springbar ho.

- DAA

 

[Unimog]

I have been using a Cabela's Alaskan Guide 8 man tent for a few years

I've used this same tent for about 15 years for most of my family, scouting, and personal use when I am near a vehicle. Not the lightest or easiest to setup, but you can configure it to comfortably withstand pretty much any weather, hot or cold. Definitely a high quality product with a corresponding price tag.

 

[frieed]

I'm really happy with my Kodiak clone of it. The Kodiak is 8x9 vs 7x8 for the Springbar which when coupled with slightly more vertical walls leaves room for 2 cots (well away from the walls) and a large table. As said above, it's a heavy beast at over 65lbs.
When the soil is shallow over rock, I've piled large stones on top of the stakes.

 

[DAA]

Eric, I actually carried a cordless hammer drill and masonry bits for a few years before I got that Mountain Hardware tent. Works way mo-betta than rocks! The bit goes through slickrock like butter, takes literally seconds to drill each hole. Have put my Springbar up on solid rock that way before.

65 lbs is hefty! That's almost twice the weight of my Springbar pictured above, which weighs 34 lbs. That Kodiak is just a much bigger tent though, packed up, it takes almost twice as much space too. I don't think it would travel all that well in my Jeep on a typical two person winter trip with hunting gear and stuff.

- DAA

 

[Kevin B.]

Eric, I actually carried a cordless hammer drill and masonry bits for a few years before I got that Mountain Hardware tent. Works way mo-betta than rocks! The bit goes through slickrock like butter, takes literally seconds to drill each hole. Have put my Springbar up on solid rock that way before.

65 lbs is hefty! That's almost twice the weight of my Springbar pictured above, which weighs 34 lbs. That Kodiak is just a much bigger tent though, packed up, it takes almost twice as much space too. I don't think it would travel all that well in my Jeep on a typical two person winter trip with hunting gear and stuff.

- DAA

Yuh. My 10x10 Kodiak is a chunk in the back of the truck, and is unwieldy enough that two people to set it up is definitely handy. But it's weatherproof, and big enough to sleep two adults on cots and two kids on the ground, plus a dog. It's a keeper.

I haven't had it in a monster wind storm yet. I only break it out when the fam is along anymore, and if the fam were out in weather like that I suspect I'd be getting harassed to find the nearest hotel anyway, so...

 

[nnnnnate]

@DAA I've probably asked before but what model is your springbar?

 

[DAA]

The new version of it is the Outfitter 3.

Me and my buddy Tim actually bought a new one last fall. My 20 year old one, in the pictures above, is definitely showing lots of wear and tear. It has been used and abused well beyond normal. Still weather proof, but has a bit of a funk to it . Didn't bother me, doesn't bother me - I still use the old one on solo trips, only taking the new one on trips with Tim. The new one has some small differences, but it's essentially the same tent and I weighed it because for some reason we both thought it was lighter, but it's not, weighs within a pound of the old one and I'm sure that's just dirt and coyote blood on the old one .

- DAA

 

[frieed]

I'm really happy with my Kodiak clone of it. The Kodiak is 8x9 vs 7x8 for the Springbar which when coupled with slightly more vertical walls leaves room for 2 cots (well away from the walls) and a large table. As said above, it's a heavy beast at over 65lbs.
When the soil is shallow over rock, I've piled large stones on top of the stakes.

oops, just checked and it's 55lb not 65. I guess I'm just old and feeble.

 

[Cody]

@DAA, yup the same MH...good old hammerhead 3 which is now the Lookout or something like that. I also have a trango 3, but it's too hot for summer camping and they way the hammerhead zips up, I've opted to leave the bulkier trango tent home the last few years of winter camping.

I also have a nice Kelty 2 man that I'm super fond of that I bought because if folds into a flat pack and would fit in my motorcycle boxes. It doesn't get much use these days because my dog usually comes and it's just a bit small for us both plus gear.

Funny, one of the top 3 storms I've weathered was also at the Maze Overlook. Both of the RTT's were taken down in the middle of the night and the owners slept in their trucks, and the coleman-esque ground tent didn't fare much better. The MH tent was actually set up opposed to the wind and still held up just fine. Chairs that had been folded up and stashed under vehicles were blown off the cliff and had to be retrieved the next morning.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

The ideal solution will vary as much as the definition "overland" these days. For context, let's assume you are planning trips of a week or more and perhaps crossing a border or at least a handful of states i.e. a good deal of driving. Will all of those landing spots have you at a place able and appropriate to set up a ground tent? If so, there is no practical reason to look at anything but a quality ground tent. For me personally, the selection comes down to the actual trip. I've got a 4 person SpringBar that gets used if we (the Mrs & I) are base-camping for 3-4 days. We have cots and can set up a very comfortable camp for the two of us and the dogs. I've got a relic 2-man Springbar that literally gets used only on the Relic Run and most commonly I use a Kelty 2 person back-packing tent. Then I have a massive uber crappy Coleman tent that the Mrs. just loves as it sets up in a few minutes and I don't get all bent out of shape if a dog rips a hole in it

I've had many roof-top-tents in the past and will be using them again in the future. While it's hard to stomach their cost and mpg hit, it's also impossible to dispute their ease of use and quick setup. The ability to setup in a parking lot, gravel pit, driveway, border crossing, ferry terminal, hell even on the ferry itself, all things difficult or impossible to do with a ground tent. Keep in mind while the RTT is a big heavy thing on your roof, it's also your mattress, sleeping bag, pillows, etc. 100% self contained and ready to climb into bed for 2 people in under 5 min regardless of ground conditions. They totally come with downsides, cost, limited room for families, and all your bags/pillows are stored inside so if you decide to hotel it or sleep under the stars, you still have to open it up.

Fwiw there is a reason so many traditional "overlanders" use roof-top-tents or even more commonly sleep inside their vehicles, it provides more reliable ability to use. That isn't to say they work 100% of the time, as Cody mentioned there was a single night in my several hundred RTT nights that I had to take mine down in the middle of the night and suffer in the cab. But even those sleeping inside their vehicles didn't exactly have a nice slumber so it is what it is. One the flip side I can count a few dozen camps in my most recent trip alone that would have been rough or impossible with a ground tent. Solutions like the Habitat, Flippac, Go-Fast Kamper and others really bridge the gap for truck owners, almost enough to make me want a truck. I've spent quite a few nights in an AT Habitat mounted on a Tacoma, damn that is slick. Sets up in a couple minutes, good mattress, room for 4 adults and if you have just 2 adults you have a large standing area in the back of the truck too! For the past 5-6 years, my preferred solution has been a sleeping platform inside of my Land Cruiser. It's fantastic for 1, mediocre for two. So if the Mrs. or a friend is along, a tent still gets packed.

As for needing to drain some fluid in the night. Two words: Pee Bottle. Regardless of whether I'm in a ground tent, RTT or sleeping inside my Cruiser, why get out?


Secure parking lot in a small town, we set our tents up over the top of a few vehicles, totally ghetto but it worked nicely.

Cooking: Some make a big affair of it and I love being at their camp. I'm a grilled cheese sandwich in a Pie Iron kind of cook so I appreciate going to be with anything in my belly.

Fuel: Where are you planning to go? You can drive from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia without a single jerry can if you plan your route accordingly. Or you can do a loop through Utah and Nevada and need every drop you can handle.

Plan a trip and go do it. You'll quickly determine the things you needed, the things you didn't and the things you should have for the next go around. Don't let gear be an invisible roadblock to planning a trip and going. Baja is a perfect "overland" example. You don't need a fridge (though it's nice), you certainly don't need solar, you might need a single jerry can and cooking is a waste when taco's are so plentiful and delicious. One reason you see so many "overlanders" (I'm going to keep putting that in my air quotes for the next few years) pacing things like Maxtrax, solar panels, etc is because assuming they are heading out for weeks or months at a time, they simply don't want to let the lack of a $300 item put their $30,000 trip in jeopardy if that makes sense. Using the Maxtrax as an example as you've mentioned that one, I've been on trips where they not only saved the day but perhaps saved a vehicle or two. Then I've been on month+ trips where we used them to level the vehicle for sleeping lol. But, when I'm packing I remember the day they saved our bacon.

Lastly, it's my experience that the "buy-once, cry-once" principle will really shine when it comes to enjoyment of trips. Crappy gear such as poor tents, sleeping bags, stoves, etc will only sour your camping experience. Hell even when things go 100% you're still beholden to weather and the environment, don't skimp on cheap camp stove when it's tasked with keeping you healthy and happy.

 

[Kevin B.]

^ Kurt, you sold me on the pee bottle. It's gross AF, but it's so nice not to have to put on shoes and stagger out into the night.

The more I get out the bigger a fan I am of a simple kitchen. Brats in a skillet or over a fire are quick and simple, sub sandwiches from the deli case at Winco are quick and simple, oatmeal-raisin cookies for breakfast are quick and simple. The less time I spend setting up and tearing down a kitchen, cooking and cleaning up after myself, is more time I get to spend sitting on my butt at the campfire and enjoying myself. On a longer trip I might add in some real food just to keep things, ah, "regular", but for just a couple nights? Keep it simple.

 

[DAA]

^ Kurt, you sold me on the pee bottle. It's gross AF, but it's so nice not to have to put on shoes and stagger out into the night.
.

I do neither. The pee bottle just ain't me. Maybe someday I'll have to have one strapped on and running all the time, but until it becomes medically necessary, uh, not me, no thank you. But I don't put on shoes or go outside, either. Just unzip the door. Winter time I usually have a coyote fur rug to stand on just inside the door.

- DAA

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I do neither. The pee bottle just ain't me. Maybe someday I'll have to have one strapped on and running all the time, but until it becomes medically necessary, uh, not me, no thank you. But I don't put on shoes or go outside, either. Just unzip the door. Winter time I usually have a coyote fur rug to stand on just inside the door.

- DAA

I've done that a time or two, works just the same from a roof top tent too