Has overlanding become elitist ?

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

i know the government is very interested in Uranus.....

They are the only one ! :-)

 

[Sinocai]

Me, I am waiting for Elon to announce the new Tesla personal space ship so I can go explore the moon and beyond. Then I will rank myself among the elite.

Even after getting that we'll still have to upgrade it somehow. Gotta find a way to get those maxtrax on it hahah

 

[Anak]

Oh! Your not on the list? Uhh wow. Mine will be ready next year. Guess your not one of the cool crowd.

Oh ... we get two badges also.

Figgers.

I am always a day late and a dollar short.

I will have to settle for getting in on the second edition after all the elite get the bugs worked out of the first edition.

 

[RAMM]

When I started I would just drive my 1988 Ford laser to trail heads and walk most the way.

Nowadays I have a good mostly stock 4wd and my old bush walking gear. Which still works fine.

But I keep looking at most accessories for 4wds and thinking "that's just an expensive piece of kit thats going to break".

And fridge's! Why is everyone acting like fridge's are a must have?..

 

[Sinocai]

I do sympathize with you thoughts. When I started the process into it I was flabbergasted at the cost of things. And yes...if you look at all the primo kit and price everything out, it can seem very elitist.

HOWEVER...

I started to look at second hand items and items that are not at the top end of the "overlanding" parts world.

My truck...a stock dodge ram 1500, a used contractors topper with used 25 dollar roof racks. used roof top tent and a home made pressurized pvc water heater/storage.

Throw in some camping gear and bam...your overlanding...don't need the fancy gear heck don't even need a tent...nothing should stop you from adventure and overlanding. All the best!

Cheers from Canada

 

[Kevin108]

If you haven’t noticed world has gone elitist. Especially true in the US where the gap between the haves and have nots continues to grow and the middle class has been all but decimated over the last 40 years.

That the middle class is shrinking is actually a myth. Even those "in poverty" are better off now than they've ever been.

 

[Billiebob]

The market responds to the consumer, are there a lot of expensive choices which many of us cannot afford? of course, overlanding has become the newest flavour so the manufacturers are building products for profit. But none of them are needed to overland. Set a $10K budget and buy a 40 year old pickup, motorhome, trailer, 4x4 and do it. People overland on the cheap everyday, if you think it is elitist and you cannot afford to overland, well yes it is elitist for you, but not me. My overland budget is a $10K Jeep, an $2K trailer, maybe another $2K in gear. After that all I need is food and gas. And the Jeep is my daily driver.

Technically the homeless are full time overlanders, nothing elitist about being homeless.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

When I started I would just drive my 1988 Ford laser to trail heads and walk most the way.

Nowadays I have a good mostly stock 4wd and my old bush walking gear. Which still works fine.

But I keep looking at most accessories for 4wds and thinking "that's just an expensive piece of kit thats going to break".

And fridge's! Why is everyone acting like fridge's are a must have?..

I think because in the southwest (where I live and play the most) the heat melts the ice in a cooler too fast. Ice is costing $3 a bag in the small towns. So it's cheaper to own a frig in the long run as well as being more convenient. It also allows the owners of them to stay out in the boonies longer. Just my view of things but if I didn't own one it wouldn't stop me from getting out anyway.

 

[tjZ06]

Overlanding is whatever YOU make of it. If it's become elitist, it's because you're paying attention to the wrong people and buying into their hype about what you need. That said, if somebody has the funds and buys a turn-key rig like this or a brand new diesel rig and a brand new fourwheelcamper or whatnot, that doesn't make them elitist. What would make them elitist would be if they told you that you can't come along because you don't have one too.

-TJ

 

[Brian Glendenning]

Every hobby has its people who like the activity and are minimalists about gear, and the gearheads who love the gear and don't use it that much. Everyone has varying amounts of disposable income, and varying amounts of good health and time left on earth. Anyone who is enjoying their hobby however they conceive of it and are able to carry it out is winning. (And the people who are disparaging and envious? Well you already know, don't you).

 

[Dlnuckolls]

Overlanding will only become “elitist” if the folks doing it become that way. Most folks I run into in this area, are good down to earth folks who are passionate about spending time outdoors. If that is elitist, then I am all in!

 

[Morehouse Expedition]

I have run into elitist twice neither were OB members but both were quite snobbish when criticizing my current build 98 Grand Cherokee and my work as simplistic and redneck. Well my response to them after their shock wore off, they had no idea I was the owner or that I was standing behind them. My response “I like simplistic means its easy to fix without spending a fortune on a complete replacement. Redneck probably so seeing how that’s I was raised you see I do 99.99 percent of my own work and I cant wait for a appt at a shop. One gentleman even went as far as saying ground tents should only be set up where nobody can see them

 

[RickR]

I don't think it has become elitist at all, and my publicist, agent and house manager as well as my full time cook agree with the live-in maid and full time grounds keeper on this, however my masseuse, personal trainer and nutritionist agree with you.

 

[pnwcruiser]

I think it's what people make of it. If they want to geek out on gear and have the cash, more power to them. It doesn't mean they'll have a better experience than the person that packs the necessities and might have less to worry about. I have great memories of duck hunting and camping from the back of a '77 GMC Sierra Camper Special. Nothing fancy, sleeping bags, propane stove and lanterns + food and water. Good times.

 

[Fly_hippie]

I'd like to think that most folks see the beauty in all rigs. Was out on the trails for 5 days this past week. After a day or two, a fully built Taco parks down the road a bit. This thing was nice, all the bells and whistles. Mind you, I run a 02 TJ with some nice upgrades and I love her and she loves me, but she's not a fully built Taco by any stretch. So the Taco guy comes down to my camp starts asking me about my girl (TJ not wife). I tell him all the upgrades I made to her and we talk for a while. At some point he tells me how envious he is of my rig how impressed he was by the build. That was a surprise and very insightful to me. Here's a guy who has probably one of the top 3 builds I've ever seen and he was still appreciative of the simple little TJ and all the work that went in to her. I like those type of folks.

 

[MMc]

Everybody has there own vision, I like my truck as it is for what I do. I am not the RTT with a awning and attached shower guy. I am the truck with a shell and rack guy. Everything goes in and comes out, the volume is the veritable. Surfboards, fishing gear, kayak all go on top. I have a 15 x 15 swap meet awning that goes up if I post up for a week, other wise it’s a silver trap and pools for shade when I am flying solo, hit and run. It’s all what you want. My gear is for the south west and No. Mexico and Baja. It would not work as well in the northeast.
Elitist is a state of mind, I have meet plenty that have well built rig, it would not work for me. I bring more toys and camp large I camped small for years, I am past that. I decided to give a pass on serious rock crawling for doing other stuff and exploring dirt roads that go some place.
I love looking at others builds, the best ideas I have I stole. Most of the people I meet on the trail are great, open, engaging and will to help if needed.
I am thinking about driving the southern Pan American, if I do I will change my rig to a pop up, ether a flat bed or slide-in. I can screw up up faster and better than most, and have many times. When I quite screwing up I start thinking about being elite, till than I’m just a chuckle head.

 

[Kevin108]

That greatly depends on your definition of “better off”.

Literally: they have more money, live with fewer heads per household, are subsidized more heavily, live in larger housing, and own more modern appliances and electronic devices.

 

[Dlnuckolls]

Literally: they have more money, live with fewer heads per household, are subsidized more heavily, live in larger housing, and own more modern appliances and electronic devices.

As a society in the US we work more hours, have less vacation and free time, more health issues, less savings, more debt, less financial stability, less job security, etc... I can go on but yea we are "better" off.

This description may fit some folks in the US, but certainly is not typical of all. Many folks work long hours, but they just don’t take time off, I disagree that they don’t have it available to them. Just because they choose not to use the time does not mean they don’t have it!

The same could be said about health issues. If we spent more time out and enjoying the outdoors, I suspect we would have fewer health issues.

Debt is a choice, so should not even be a consideration. Poor financial choices may be traditional American habits, but not a fact. And overlanding does not have to be expensive at all. I spent around 150 bucks for some camping gear and it works just fine. I could spend more, and perhaps will eventually. For now just getting out there is relaxing and keeps me healthy and sane!

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Literally: they have more money, live with fewer heads per household, are subsidized more heavily, live in larger housing, and own more modern appliances and electronic devices.

I'M SAFE, THAT DOSENT SOUND LIKE ME !
LOL

 

[MMc]

‘Debt is a choice, so should not even be a consideration. Poor financial choices may be traditional American habits, but not a fact. And overlanding does not have to be expensive at all. I spent around 150 bucks for some camping gear and it works just fine. I could spend more, and perhaps will eventually. For now just getting out there is relaxing and keeps me healthy and sane! “
Going into debt for toys isn’t very smart. Most America does it! I started investing in my 20s, I started with $10.00 a paycheck into a mutual fund. The only thing that ever changed was the amount that was invested. I save a live below my means and pay for stuff as I can afford it. The only reason I am not on the Pan American is my Dad and caring for him is more important. Travel is the best investment one can make. IMHO.