Five Years In and what I'd start with today...

[socialpants]

@Viking1204 you raise a valid point, and it has been costing me a measurable amount of sleep during this version 3 journey. As I said in my original post, this whole mess started with the 90 second deploy machine [a Gazelle].

That said, while I genuinely enjoy my RTT, I absolutely despise the criminally undersized ladder it demands I scale twice a day (at least). I have nearly died on that thing more than once, usually during a pre coffee descent when my motor skills are still legally questionable. It is less ladder and more aluminum suggestion of a ladder, and it has no regard for human life. And then there’s the sheer audacity of RTT manufacturers having the sack to brag about the luxurious comfort of a two inch mattress. Two inches. For fuck’s sake, no woman on earth would buy that argument, so why in God’s name do we keep nodding along like it’s a Tempur Pedic miracle?

Now, to be fair, the Gazelle makes a compelling case. A cot is objectively more comfortable than those thin, shit grade mattresses, and the extra room to maneuver feels downright civilized. I cannot, in good conscience, mount a serious argument against that kind of comfort. The problem for me, of course, is that I live in the desert. And while I enjoy coffee, I do not particularly enjoy sharing it with diamondbacks and scorpions the size of watermelons. For longer adventures a tent is a flimsy, laughable suggestion when stacked against a grizzly bear. A modern day velociraptor with fur, claws, and a deep, personal disrespect for anything that wanders into its backyard. Going to sleep smelling like hot dogs and whiskey is basically the same as soaking yourself in honey for these bastards and ringing the dinner bell. A flamethrower I have summized, however, would not add much weight to the overall situation.

So I keep dreaming of a better ladder system, something stable, humane, possibly designed by someone who likes living, yet I keep circling back to the brutal, undeniable practicality of the Gazelle. And there I remain, stuck between convenience, comfort, and the ever present possibility of death. Either by ladder, snake, or bear. This will certainly take more whiskey to deduce.

 

[Viking1204]

@socialpants if I lived out West, I would have most likely gone to another RTT! I live in the Southeast and our Bears are nothing like the Grizzlys out West! I use a Wellax FlexFoam sleeping pad on the cot and after my Whiskey night cap I have no problems sleeping on it!

 

[rgallant]

@socialpants , @Viking1204 I know this is not helpful but bears can climb ladders just fine if they choose to, racoons are actually more of problem that way as they are very curious. On the west coast a grizz can easily reach 7 feet on it hind legs blacks around 6 so, which would let them peak in.
But then if we had a lot of poisonous snakes, and crawlers here I would not use a ground tent.

But on the lighter side I had a big bull moose look into my Pathfinder, one morning. That was one big surprise, literally.

 

[tjZ06]

I play this "game" in my head all the time...

For reference my current rigs are:

• '11 Silverado 2500 HD - Duramax/Allison, Solid Axle Swap/40"s/Lockers/Rear 4-Link Air Susp, Skids/Bumper/Winch/etc., long range fuel tank, delete/tune/turbo upgrade/full fuel system, Four Wheel Camper Hawk/much, much more (thread here).
• '03 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ) Overland - waaaaay too much to list, very custom long-arm, 426cui Gen III Hemi, on and on and on (thread here), almost never works
• '25 Wrangler Rubicon X Package (2 door) - currently stock, factory 35"s etc... getting a small lift etc. this spring

So if I was starting over, what would I do? I guess the best place to start would be with the flaws of my current rigs:

• D'max
  • Pros (overall a pretty perfect BROverland/Expedition vehicle):
    • Great range - 60 gallon tank... ~15mpg freeway, > 10 even in 4L with the tire aired down crawling
    • Great comfort - FWC has almost all the comforts of home. I've added a TON of power, niceties like AC, and basically everything an actual RV would have other than a bathroom (but I do have an exterior shower and drop-down privacy tent)
    • Great capacity - between the cab with the rear seat delete and FWC I can, and do bring way too much stuff
    • Great capability - it will wheel trails people never expect something this big to actually do. I'd argue any trail that would be considered "Overlanding" (not pure rock crawling, or "Rocklanding") it is capable of *as long as the height isn't a limiting factor (e.g. low tunnels, low rock overhangs, etc.)
    • Emotional connection - it is the first vehicle I ever bought new, and I've owned it for 15+ years. It has been everything from my DD to tow rig to current "life" as my primary Overlander
    • Great "support" vehicle for larger groups - I always have tons of tools, recover gear, 12.5k winch, and the weight to pull just about anyone else out of just about anything. I also have the capacity to cook for large groups or whatever else needed
    • Comfortable - rides great, seating position is perfect for me, and after 15+ years driving it, it just feels like "home"
    • Unique - yes, to me it matters... kind of
  • Cons:
    • Size/weight - I'm almost always the biggest/heaviest thing on the trail at > 10' tall with the top DOWN and ~11k lbs loaded out with me in it. I have to be mindful of that, and make sure I don't get myself into a spot my winch and/or lighter rigs can't get me out of. That said, I can only think of one time I was really stuck-stuck and that was in snow, which I don't actually have a ton of experience in. I was trying to be the "hero" and get around another stuck rig to pull it, and got myself in deep. My winch got me out, but it was a good reminder it's never as simple as just having another rig give me a light tug with this thing
    • Can be tiring on long road drives - despite being so comfortable it's not a vehicle you can just zone out and drive 12hrs half awake. It did have a lot of bump steer, but we just fixed a lot in the front susp/steering setup and now it's MUCH better. Still, it's a big, top-heavy rig on 40" mud tires with a solid axle. Being older it doesn't have stuff like adaptive cruise either
    • Age - it's starting to get older and has ~160k miles, so I'm starting to have little issues here/there. It's always been over-maintained, and all of the suspension/axles/steering/etc. are much newer. That said, the engine itself (obv not the turbo and some of the peripherals) and trans are all original. "Someday" the long life of very hard use (from towing ~17k lbs trailers to being wheeled like a Jeep) will catch up
    • Ummmm, that's about it!
• WJ
  • Pros:
    • Capability - obviously it's built more like a rock crawler and is far beyond what Overlanding calls for
    • Comfort - as an Overland trim it has a lot of nice features for a '03 Chrysler product. The seats are mega comfortable, and it fits me well (WJs are pretty small by modern standards, for anybody taller than me at about 6' they can be cramped)
    • Extremely unique - you don't see many WJs this clean or but built this far
  • Cons:
    • Extremely unique - so much stuff on this is custom/bespoke, when problems arise there's a good chance it's one of those custom things. Granted, a lot of things are OEM products, but you need to know things like "what year RAM do I get an alternator for?"
    • 10lbs of sh...tuff in a 5lbs bag - a GenIII Hemi isn't exactly the smallest motor, and a WJ doesn't exactly have the biggest engine bay. Add in a complete hand-made exhaust including beautiful long tube headers, cats, X-pipe, and mufflers all tucked up inside the full belly skid and the belly skid itself and just about any trail repair takes some doing to even get access
    • Always broken - 'nough said
    • Always evolving - every break ends up with "well we might as well upgrade..."
    • Relatively small for a 4-door SUV - in theory I could sleep in it, but it's not practical. Other than that if I'm packing for say 5 days it is a little tight, but that may be a "Pro" since it actually forces me to think about what I'm packing vs. just throwing EVERYTHING in
    • Thirsty - the big Hemi uses a lot of fuel, and the WJ only has a ~20.5 gallon tank. On top of that, it needs 91 or better so in a pinch if I need to bum fuel from someone else that can be an issue
• JL
  • Pros:
    • Capability - with the short wheelbase, 35"s, 4.56s, lockers, great flex (for stock) etc. like the WJ (and to an extent the D'max) it'll do any trail anyone would consider "Overlanding"
    • New - it "should" be reliable... but it is a late-model Stellantis product, sooooo
    • Common - JLs are like belly buttons, so generally it's always going to be easy to find parts and places to work on it if something does happen
    • Parts/Mods availability - anything/everything you can think of is available for JLs, and anything you can dream of doing somebody else has already figured out (polar opposite of my WJ)
  • Cons:
    • Space - being a 2 door this one is obvious. My tent (Gazelle T3) doesn't even fit in the rear going straight front to back *with the rear seats out*. It has to go diagonal, which then makes packing everything else awkward. Obviously there are "fixes" like a tent that packs down smaller, I've removed the back seats and added a "storage shelf"
    • Wheelbase - the wheelbase makes the ride a bit bouncier, and a bit more ponderous when it comes to cross-winds and such. Off road steep ledges can be a bit hairier in something this short, but those situations are more "wheeling" than "Overlanding" trails
    • Range - the 2 door JLs only have a 17.5 gallon fuel tank, I have the 2.0T and it's pretty efficient, but I'm still on the low end of "acceptable" range for my trips, even with a few Rotopax of extra fuel

So, let's say I was starting over and replacing all 3 with one rig... what would I get? In my case I have other vehicles so my Overland choice isn't limited by needing to be a "daily driver." There are a few ways to go...

• The going big option:
  • Rossmonster Baja Trail - basically a newer, nicer, roomier version of what my D'max/FWC does
    • Pros:
      • Comfort - all the comforts of home (including a bathroom with shower in the floorplan I'd get) and way more "living space" than my FWC (though, I don't tend to be *in* my FWC when on trips other than sleeping, or if it's dumping rain)
      • Capability - Probably the most "trail capable" of the factory built "Expedition Vehicles." With the top down it's actually *shorter* in height than my D'max/FWC (also with the top down). IIRC I ran the numbers and it's also only a foot or so longer than my D'max/FWC which is pretty negligible. It's not ultimately as trail-capable being on a 37" vs. 40", having way lower approach/departure/break over angles, etc. but if I'm honest 99% of actual "Overland" trips I'm not pushing my D'max/FWC past what this rig can do. IIRC it has a rear locker stock, and you can option a front, which helps a lot. It comes setup with good bumpers, a good winch, etc. etc. In all of my trail time, I've literally *never* seen a EarthRoamer or anything of that size on the trail. I've seen ERs and such in RV parks, or at trailheads/campsites just off the road, but never *on* a real trail. I have already seen Rossmonsters on trails, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it that way
      • On road comfort - to be clear, I have not driven one yet. That said, all reports are that they drive very, very well on road. Being new they have adaptive cruise and things like that too
      • Cool - it's just damn cool, period
    • Cons:
      • Price - MSRP on what I'd want is around 400k. In the general RV industry the rule of thumb is you should pay about 24-28% below MSRP, but it doesn't seem to hold for these. Even if it did, you're still talking ~$300k. They are super nice, and I understand just a decnet pickup is $80-100k these days (my '25 Silverado ZR2 had a sticker price around $90k IIRC - not that I padi that) and they are a low-volume manufacturer so they have to amortize way more expense (and profit) into each unit, but $300k for an Overland rig just doesn't make sense to me. I know there are folks that full-time out of them, so essentially it is their "house" so the cost starts to look a lot more reasonable, but that's just not my scenario
      • Size/weight - same story as my D'max/FWC
      • Capability - even though it's on 37"s with a rear locker, there's still only so much something that size can do on that package. I believe you can option a front locker, which would help. But it's still a big, heavy, long rig that's not sitting that high. It has bumpers, but not much under-chassis protection, no sliders, and the corners of the "box" seem very susceptible to damage (and I can't imagine what repair would entail/cost). And yes, I know they have the bigger Baja on even bigger tires etc. but it's just that much more $ and that much bigger trying to fit through trails
      • Still needs mods - on the Trail I would consider there are some glaring omissions that just aren't acceptable at the cost *to me.* The biggest one for me is the fact that the Trail is on static suspension (the larger Plus is on Liquid Springs). With my D'max/FWC I love having the rear air suspension to help me level (I try to park nose-low, so I can drop the rear to level and make the step-up lower, but I can also jack it side to side with the air bags). It's crazy to me that with a ~$400k MSRP rig you'd still be stacking rocks and stuff to get level at camp. Beyond that, you can't raise it for tougher obstacles or drop it to clear lower passes. I'd also need to add some skids and sliders... which brings me to the next issue:
      • GVWR - that is an "issue" with my D'max/FWC... I won't expand on that here, but if I spent a small fortune on a new rig already being right up against the GVWR is a deal breaker... which would push me to the bigger, more expensive, less road-friendly Plus
      • Tank capacities - they are just too small for what it is, particularly in the Trail. What's the point of having a full bathroom and shower when the tank capacities are so limited? Sure, I could prob add under-chassis aux tanks and transfer solutions, but again would I want to pay hundreds of thousands to have to engineer my own solutions... then there's that whole GVWR thing
      • Range (though, solvable with aftermarket fuel tanks like I have in the D'max)
• The 'tweener option:
  • Midsize (probably Gladiator, but maybe Colorado ZR2) with a GFC or FWC Project M
    • Pros:
      • Smaller/Lighter - it would provide most of the comforts and conveniences of my D'max/FWC in a smaller, lighter package
      • Better road manners - debatable for a Gladiator with a pop-up topper, but something like the Colorado ZR2 would be nicer on road
    • Cons:
      • Smaller - less room for gear, less fuel range
      • Capability - again debatable if it's a Gladiator, but an IFS rig would ultimately be less capable
      • GVWR - any of the midsize trucks with a pop-up topper (not even a full built-out FWC) is pushing GVWR
• The minimalist option:
  • 4 door JL Rubicon, sleep in the back
    • Pros:
      • Simplicity - just a Jeep and some basic gear, sleep on a pad/mattress in the back
      • Capability - even with just a mild lift and something around a 38-39" we all know JLs are super capable
    • Cons:
      • Comfort - I'd lose all the great things about the D'max/FWC like a "real" bed, a place I can stand up and move around and hang out in the rain, heat/AC, etc. etc.
      • Range - even with the bigger 21.5 gallon tank in the 4 door, range isn't great, especially once you factor in lift/bigger wheels and tires and the weight of armor and camping gear
      • Snowball - I know me, if I was getting a 4 door it'd be hard for me not to get a 392. But with a 392 I'd "have" to do an Atlas right off the bat, and I'd want to do axles or portals and on and on

So, as you can see basically I have no idea what I'd actually do if I started over, so I'll just keep refining what I have.

TLDR: as the saying goes, "the best Overlander is the one(s) you already have."

-TJ

 

[JimBill]

I'd go back to my old weekend hunting setup-

76 Jeep Cherokee widetrack with CB Radio and box of maps stuffed permanently under the front seat, my 45 lb backpacking setup, cooler with a 12 pack of soda, log of salami, and block of cheese. Small toolbox (with bailing wire and duct tape, 6 way screwdriver, and 9/16-1/2 box wrench), fire extinguisher, hi lift, shovel, axe, 5 gals gas and 5 gals water. Maybe add a few beers (in summer) or bottle of moonshine (winter) and a lot of leftover pizza from the family size I bought on the way in. If rain or snow was expected i'd throw in a heavy duty come along.

But alas, my co-pilot needs a few more creature comforts than that, so will continue to play Tetris and stuff the WJ to max GVW, or take the RAM 1500 on milder trails loaded with anything she might need- especially the full camp kitchen and canvas tent she is so fond of. And privacy tent for the privvy. And..and...and.

I really miss my old 76. I think the full size Jeeps or Scout II hit the golden ratio of wheelbase to width . And coolness.

 

[socialpants]

@socialpants , @Viking1204 I know this is not helpful but bears can climb ladders just fine if they choose to, racoons are actually more of problem that way as they are very curious. On the west coast a grizz can easily reach 7 feet on it hind legs blacks around 6 so, which would let them peak in.
But then if we had a lot of poisonous snakes, and crawlers here I would not use a ground tent.

But on the lighter side I had a big bull moose look into my Pathfinder, one morning. That was one big surprise, literally.

Grizzly Bears are domestic terrorists with better coats and worse manners. I remember standing in Montana under that enormous sky and making a private agreement with myself: if I so much as see a grizzly, I am gone. Not cautious night at camp. Gone. There is no tactical value in waiting to see if he returns for a snack, especially if the snack is me. But, alas, I never saw one. The ladder thing does cross my mind but, like many of my relationship, I tell myself everything will be just fine.

 

[rgallant]

It took me 15 years to get a picture of grizzly that was not a blurry image of a butt as the booked into the trees. A young wet Grizz that walked by 14 Land Rovers cooking dinner. People were freaked out but I went for my camera, and finally got a decent shot, he was about 25 -30 yard away.

As usual the shotgun was in the back the truck. But this has been my experience with bears when you are not near any regular camping spot, they really are not interested, (mostly)

View attachment _DSC0044.JPG

 

[grubworm]

when we go into bear country, i might "accidentally" leave some taco bell around the campsite...

 

[Viking1204]

@socialpants , @Viking1204 I know this is not helpful but bears can climb ladders just fine if they choose to, racoons are actually more of problem that way as they are very curious. On the west coast a grizz can easily reach 7 feet on it hind legs blacks around 6 so, which would let them peak in.
But then if we had a lot of poisonous snakes, and crawlers here I would not use a ground tent.

But on the lighter side I had a big bull moose look into my Pathfinder, one morning. That was one big surprise, literally.

When I had my RTT I had my pistol under my pillow and I sleep pretty light, pretty sure I would notice or hear a big bear climbing up the ladder and he would get several rounds to the face!

 

[MazeVX]

Picture this: It is six in the morning, 40 degrees, and I am on my knees in the dirt like a penitent sinner, wrestling a ground tent that has turned feral overnight. Jagged rocks are poking my fifty year old knees with the enthusiasm of a prison riot, and the tent is fighting back like it knows it has already won. This was one of those ninety second deploy miracles, allegedly engineered by cheerful people who have never tried to stuff nylon rage back into a bag the size of a loaf of bread. At this moment it was less a tent and more a personal vendetta.

The rest of the group was already packed, standing around sipping coffee and watching me perform what could only be described as interpretive dance with profanity. During that 20 minute episode I could only keep thinking: Next time I'll be in a rooftop tent! I will sell blood. I will sell organs. I will sell other peoples organs. Whatever it takes.

I love the exploration part of overlanding. The off road wandering. The camping. The camaraderie. But this particular brand of bargain basement suffering, this doing it on the cheap nonsense, felt suspiciously like work. That was one of my first trips. Start simple they said. It will be fun they said. I started simple. It was maddening. But, bare with me. That is what I thought at the time.

Fast forward a little over five years. I have crossed the country coast to coast, knocked out multiple back country discovery routes, and even ran the full Continental Divide from Mexico to Canada. Thousands of miles later, with a truck that looks like it has opinions about things, I am rebuilding the whole rig again. Version 3.0 is in the works as I type this post. The twist is that this time I am tearing things off instead of bolting them on.

I am pulling more than 1500 pounds off the truck. Boxes. Gear. Gadgets. Dreams. I am simplifying, because experience has a way of slapping you upside the head and taking your credit card away.

I have approached that new version with this thought: If I were starting over, knowing what I know now, what would I do?

First, the platform. I would still choose my Raptor. I am a large man of advancing age and long distance comfort matters. The suspension is comfortable straight from the factory and that counts for a lot when you are rattling your skeleton across entire states. Tacomas are excellent. Tons of aftermarket support, which I absolutely did not have when I started. Jeeps are fantastic too. If I were smaller and younger, I would happily run one of those and never look back.

What you do to the platform depends entirely on how you use it. When I first got my truck, I talked to my dad and became convinced that I needed a winch for self recovery. Over all those miles, all those trips, I never once used it to pull myself out of trouble. Not one time. It is gone now. The lesson is simple. Do not overthink modifications. Take the truck out. Have fun. Live with it stock for a while. Your wants will very quickly turn into needs, and the difference will become painfully obvious.

I would throw a cheap tonneau cover on the bed just to keep the dust down, because if you go off road, dust will find you. It always does. I would add a basic water cooler. A cheap Walmart camp stove and some propane. A dust and waterproof box for dry food, which is worth spending a little money on. Grab a shovel because sooner or later you are going to need to dig a hole to handle personal business. Bring good toilet paper. Not the John Wayne kind that is rough, tough, and does not take shit off anyone. Put it in a zip lock bag. The toilet paper. And, some man wipes are also a gift from the gods.

Yes, I would use that same ninety second deploy tent again. I just would not waste time trying to wrestle it back into its bag until I got home. This is a simple truth that somehow escaped my brain on that first trip. Get a cheap heavy sleeping bag. A cooler is a cooler. Buy a Yeti if you want, but over three days you will not see much difference in my experience.

As for recovery gear, without a winch you are not really self recovering anyway. So get a toolbox. Put JB Weld, duct tape, and bailing wire in it. Flex Seal and a good silicone lubricant are worth carrying. Hit Harbor Freight and buy sockets and screwdrivers specifically for your truck. And buy five ten millimeter sockets in various configurations. Socket. Drill. Driver. You will never find all five when you need them, but hope springs eternal.

Your real recovery tool is communication. Being able to call someone who can come get you or bring you a part. For that, Starlink has been a revelation. It is not cheap, but you can turn the service on and off when you are not using it. The ability to make calls and access the internet from basically anywhere makes it a piece of kit I would never go without again.

And honestly, that is it. Go out and live with your setup. Take short trips. Take long trips. Go solo. Go with groups. You will start to notice things you want because you think they will make everything easier or better. Sometimes they will. Often they will just make it heavier. Fight the urge to add weight at every turn. Weight kills a platform faster than almost anything else. Trust me. I have the receipts.

If I were spending money early on, it would be on Starlink, a good ninety second deploy tent, and a refrigerator. Yes. A refrigerator. Expensive, sure. You will need constant power and probably another battery, and I would stick with a portable unit for flexibility. But compared to a cooler, a fridge is a complete game changer. If you do this kind of travel more than a few times a year and not just weekends at the lake, you will never go back. I do like my roof top tent though. I'd probably end up with a sub $1000 version, eventually.

Was that a rant. Probably. I hope there was something useful buried in the madness. I am thinking about doing a new video on version three of the build soon. I am also deeply lazy at the moment, so that may take a while.

Good luck. Welcome to the overland community.

I absolutely loved the way you wrote that!
And for whatever entity you believe in, it's true!

The fridge was my personal game changer and one of first things I bought.

 

[OTH Overland]

@socialpants you may be looking at the group camping issue from the wrong angle. If you find that you are always the last one packing up each morning and it bothers you, changing your vehicle setup and buying quicker easy to pack gear can be far more expensive than sabotaging your fellow campers perhaps by simply unscrewing all their valve cores during the middle of the night when you are already answering nature's call. you should be able to calmly pack up at your leisure in the morning, although that particular stunt is best left until the last night. Also, Michelle &I had a chance to watch your CDT video recently, great job we really enjoyed it, and have that trip on my bucket list in the next year or two:)

All fun aside, we have been working for years to reach a goal of less than 10 minutes from arrival to camp set up and a meal started and the same for takedown. After 4 years and several renditions of our camping gear and overall set up we have finally reached that point. We went from ground tent to sleeping inside a Grand Cherokee (always a garage sale of gear to make room at night for sleeping) to a soft shell rooftop tent on a JKU to most recently a wedge style RTT with a quick deploy self supporting 270 awning. Michelle & I each have a set list of jobs to do, and everything has its place in the Jeep. Once camp is set up, I check the Jeep for any issues, clean the air filter and check all the fluids etc while Michelle prepares dinner. This way the Jeep is ready to go in the morning and I do not have to get dirty first thing crawling under the rig to check for loose or broken items.

Biggest Issue we still have is weight. One of the problems is combining my background of emergency services (Fire/EMS), a prepping lifestyle and an engineer with an attempt at minimalism when loading the Jeep. Even when I used to backpack for a week at a time, I carried too much. Well over half the gear we carry falls under the 'what if' category (first aid, tools, spare parts, recovery, survival) almost all of our adventures are solo and even though we have starlink and garmin, help can be a long time away. being solo means you can not spread this type of gear across several rigs. We have pared down our 'comfort' items to a minimum (even camera gear on most trips now gets cut down to a min.) We have added approx. 800 lbs to the Jeep in vehicle weight (tires, winch, racks, rock slider steps, batteries) and approx another 800 lbs in RTT awning, gear & equipment. Its heavy but still handles well due to upgrades suspension, brakes etc. We do not tow with it ever. Next steps are to spread all the gear out and weigh every item to see what we might be willing to part with or at least find a lightweight alternative, looking to rebuild our interior cabinet/drawer system utilizing something lighter than 1/2" plywood (aluminum / composite perhaps). Have tried totes in place of cabinets and neither of us liked that option as it is nowhere near as efficient for accessing gear at camp or on the road.

What we do know is that we are not parting with our rooftop tent. comfortable in all 4 seasons, ultra fast, fairly lightweight, super low profile. We are also not planning on moving away from the 4 door wrangler platform, its the perfect size for the tight NW trails, very capable off road and we love it despite its inherent issues.

As we love winter travel/camping we are looking to build a second rig with interior space, likely a 4 wheel camper or some type of canopy camper on our 1 ton RAM. This would provide somewhere climate controlled where i can work evenings during our travels, but would not to be a replacement for the Wrangler, more a replacement for the diesel pusher motorhome we never use anymore...lol

 

[socialpants]

@socialpants you may be looking at the group camping issue from the wrong angle. If you find that you are always the last one packing up each morning and it bothers you, changing your vehicle setup and buying quicker easy to pack gear can be far more expensive than sabotaging your fellow campers perhaps by simply unscrewing all their valve cores during the middle of the night when you are already answering nature's call. you should be able to calmly pack up at your leisure in the morning, although that particular stunt is best left until the last night. Also, Michelle &I had a chance to watch your CDT video recently, great job we really enjoyed it, and have that trip on my bucket list in the next year or two:)

All fun aside, we have been working for years to reach a goal of less than 10 minutes from arrival to camp set up and a meal started and the same for takedown. After 4 years and several renditions of our camping gear and overall set up we have finally reached that point. We went from ground tent to sleeping inside a Grand Cherokee (always a garage sale of gear to make room at night for sleeping) to a soft shell rooftop tent on a JKU to most recently a wedge style RTT with a quick deploy self supporting 270 awning. Michelle & I each have a set list of jobs to do, and everything has its place in the Jeep. Once camp is set up, I check the Jeep for any issues, clean the air filter and check all the fluids etc while Michelle prepares dinner. This way the Jeep is ready to go in the morning and I do not have to get dirty first thing crawling under the rig to check for loose or broken items.

Biggest Issue we still have is weight. One of the problems is combining my background of emergency services (Fire/EMS), a prepping lifestyle and an engineer with an attempt at minimalism when loading the Jeep. Even when I used to backpack for a week at a time, I carried too much. Well over half the gear we carry falls under the 'what if' category (first aid, tools, spare parts, recovery, survival) almost all of our adventures are solo and even though we have starlink and garmin, help can be a long time away. being solo means you can not spread this type of gear across several rigs. We have pared down our 'comfort' items to a minimum (even camera gear on most trips now gets cut down to a min.) We have added approx. 800 lbs to the Jeep in vehicle weight (tires, winch, racks, rock slider steps, batteries) and approx another 800 lbs in RTT awning, gear & equipment. Its heavy but still handles well due to upgrades suspension, brakes etc. We do not tow with it ever. Next steps are to spread all the gear out and weigh every item to see what we might be willing to part with or at least find a lightweight alternative, looking to rebuild our interior cabinet/drawer system utilizing something lighter than 1/2" plywood (aluminum / composite perhaps). Have tried totes in place of cabinets and neither of us liked that option as it is nowhere near as efficient for accessing gear at camp or on the road.

What we do know is that we are not parting with our rooftop tent. comfortable in all 4 seasons, ultra fast, fairly lightweight, super low profile. We are also not planning on moving away from the 4 door wrangler platform, its the perfect size for the tight NW trails, very capable off road and we love it despite its inherent issues.

As we love winter travel/camping we are looking to build a second rig with interior space, likely a 4 wheel camper or some type of canopy camper on our 1 ton RAM. This would provide somewhere climate controlled where i can work evenings during our travels, but would not to be a replacement for the Wrangler, more a replacement for the diesel pusher motorhome we never use anymore...lol

Genius!