Huge props to Overland Expo West 2019! It was an amazingly, well-run, logistically thought out event, with at least double the people! WOW!

[Drafter]

We went Saturday morning and had a great time. It was the first “overland” type of event we’d ever been too. Amazing array of stuff and friendly vendors. Fun to see what’s out there. The suppliers guide they handed out is a gold mine of vendors for everything you can think of. That alone was worth half the admission.

 

[Jason_Over4Runner]

Sign me up as a first timer who was impressed by the experience.

To the cell service question. I am a Verizon user. In the area for campers, little to no service (though I did learn in one of the classes what equipment to buy to get service in the area I'm speaking of). In the expo area and the volunteer camping area I had full service.

I did the classes so whatever that "experience" is called. As a newbie it was impossible to not learn a lot. Here is a list off the top of my head:
1. How to improve my access to cell signals (buy good equipment)
2. How to properly use a winch
3. How to plug a tire
4. Wife took recovery and marshalling courses and we've both benefited from it already
5. Got to see all the gear I have been looking at online to figure out what I really wanted or needed vs just wanted
6. Got to see a hundred other products I just thought were cool or thought, wow, I want to do that
7. Seriously, every kind of rig, set-up for can imagine from the rented live in vans, to traditional campers, to every single flavor of expedition, overland, off road, VW van, etc etc etc. The weirder the better. I even saw a VW Toureg on the instructors off road obstacle course (that was a sight).
8. What to look for when buying an off road trailer (or building one)

I am missing a lot, but that gives you a flavor of it. I heard everyone say it has doubled in size the past couple years. From my vantage point, it was well run and everyone had a good time. I will say on Sunday I expected everyone to be there late...wrong! With snow and wet weather moving in it started clearing out by lunch. By 4pm Sunday it was basically a ghost town. I got good deals on demo equipment.

 

[mep1811]

Internet/Cell service get any better?

I had great Verzion 4G service all over. I was able to stream the news in camp when I wanted.
Much better than last year when there was nothing.

 

[mep1811]

I was impressed on how well things were running. Even though the line getting in seemed slow, the parking was organized and people weren't blocked in .

An Expo first, trash containers , were nice to see placed all over. Also they were being emptied regularly.

The amount and placement of porta pottys was good for the crowd with few lines of people waiting. They too, were serviced regularly. There were even a few hand washing stations.

A great job.

 

[Vantams]

Sounds like I need to finally put it on the calendar!