Traveler III
I just love that vehicle. It's like a mashup of a jeep cherokee, a wrangler, and a liberty all in one. I wish we could get those in NA.
Is Overlanding Dead?
- Thread starter Tommys
- Start date
Having driven an 87 Honda CRX for a while, and then a 94 Accord, I was a fan of the CRV when it came out. I liked the clearance, AWD and economy. Another one of those vehicles I love but have never owned. Even the Gen 2 was pretty good but I feel like the clearance diminishes with each new iteration. I wouldn't mind a 1st or 2nd gen in good shape
@ Jas...gotta agree...I love this mutt! A Saab engine...Japanese tranny...American transfercase...Toyota diffs...it gets us to our destinations. But she sure isn't liking the higher elevations this trip.
@ Andrew...this has been a great camp. Been here a month and thinkin' we better pull anchor before the snow flies and we consider it another challenge ;-)
Anyways...my short, sassy remark was from the hip. And like ALL things...even my online presence...a certain wax and wane exists. I think the real question is about living outside with nature...and for sure I have met some pretty crazy individuals that still gaze into the night sky on a regular basis. It's these individuals that have influenced and romanticized the whole idea of overlanding. It's in their DNA and it starts early. For me it started in our backyard, with a sleeping bag, when I was a young pup. Looking up at the stars and imagining I was on safaris...courtesy of the the National Geographic.
@ Andrew...this has been a great camp. Been here a month and thinkin' we better pull anchor before the snow flies and we consider it another challenge ;-)
Anyways...my short, sassy remark was from the hip. And like ALL things...even my online presence...a certain wax and wane exists. I think the real question is about living outside with nature...and for sure I have met some pretty crazy individuals that still gaze into the night sky on a regular basis. It's these individuals that have influenced and romanticized the whole idea of overlanding. It's in their DNA and it starts early. For me it started in our backyard, with a sleeping bag, when I was a young pup. Looking up at the stars and imagining I was on safaris...courtesy of the the National Geographic.
Ind
Indeed. That's how I started outdoors. I'm no frontiersman but I do love to camp. And drive. Again, National Geographic member here way back. A tent, a backyard. Some Hi-C juice, couple flashlights and my dad's old military sleeping bag. My friend and I woke up to it pouring on outside and the water rising in the tent. Ha ha.
My father - kind of an ass, but did certain things right. We hiked from an early age and learned to turn around every so often, so we knew what it all would look like on the way back, and we could tell we were in the right track.
Indeed. That's how I started outdoors. I'm no frontiersman but I do love to camp. And drive. Again, National Geographic member here way back. A tent, a backyard. Some Hi-C juice, couple flashlights and my dad's old military sleeping bag. My friend and I woke up to it pouring on outside and the water rising in the tent. Ha ha.
My father - kind of an ass, but did certain things right. We hiked from an early age and learned to turn around every so often, so we knew what it all would look like on the way back, and we could tell we were in the right track.
Haven't been here for ages. I never "overlanded", I travel to interesting places and camp overnight, almost always in my 2002 Pleasureway Traverse. It was stored for six years, from the end of 2019 until just a couple months ago. Had some work done to bring it out of its deep sleep, replaced the radio, did some suspension work and have done a couple three day trips to the SNRA so far with another overnighter to Craters next week. But the whole van life/overlanding thing was an offshoot of how they wrecked America (and other parts of the world) with the scamdemic. I think a majority of overlanders were into the hobby of building rigs, not actually overlanding. To me, people were camping like many of us always had but now they had "built" rigs so looked cooler than when our families took us camping when we were kids in the station wagon.
I've had the Traverse since January of 2008. Two wheel drive, KO2s now, and a Starlink Mini because I'm too old to not take advantage of that tech in places that don't have cell signals. I don't overland, I disperse camp in cool places. I don't know if overlanding is did but these old forums (here, Expedition Portal, and similar, pretty much are).[image=full]296204[/image]
I've had the Traverse since January of 2008. Two wheel drive, KO2s now, and a Starlink Mini because I'm too old to not take advantage of that tech in places that don't have cell signals. I don't overland, I disperse camp in cool places. I don't know if overlanding is did but these old forums (here, Expedition Portal, and similar, pretty much are).[image=full]296204[/image]
Enthusiast III
I agree with this sentiment.
"Overland" has gotten so opinionated and people have created such a strict definition of what it is and isn't. I never really liked putting myself in a category.
I basically like to go car camping, being prepared and comfortable, seeing views, and doing whatever I feel like doing each day... even if that means I'm returning to the same campsite for 3-5 days in a row while I explore a region, check out trails and fishing spots, etc.
Off-Road Ranger I
- 3,507
- First Name
- Mike
- Last Name
- Roots
- Member #
16968
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- GMRS: WSGB862
- Service Branch
- USAF Spook
Like Expo Portal, this place is also in its final stages. Too bad about both places and so many of the hobby forums that used to be prime gathering places for their community but, like so much else the internet has touched, it's all turned to crap. Sad.
There seems to be a bit of natural market contraction happening in both overlanding and RVing after the COVID market bubble.
Yes, for some folks overlanding was a passing fad during the Covid era and they have lost interest. But overlanding lives on, not only through those of us who have been doing this for many years, but with the numerous people who discovered their love for the outdoors over the last five years. I have camped more than 100 nights in 2025 throughout the U.S. and have observed that both campgrounds and dispersed sites remain far more crowded than pre-2020. Maybe there’s less online chatter because we have our rigs figured out and don’t need to seek advice? Or we have established local overlanding communities with whom we interact IRL? There may also be a bit of social media fatigue around the subject, too. But dead? No.
Yes, for some folks overlanding was a passing fad during the Covid era and they have lost interest. But overlanding lives on, not only through those of us who have been doing this for many years, but with the numerous people who discovered their love for the outdoors over the last five years. I have camped more than 100 nights in 2025 throughout the U.S. and have observed that both campgrounds and dispersed sites remain far more crowded than pre-2020. Maybe there’s less online chatter because we have our rigs figured out and don’t need to seek advice? Or we have established local overlanding communities with whom we interact IRL? There may also be a bit of social media fatigue around the subject, too. But dead? No.
"overlanding" isn't dead, its just that people interacting with each other is not as enjoyable as it used to be and we are seeing the social decline on that aspect of it.
luckily, for a lot of people, overlanding is about nature and getting out and away from people and social media and for THOSE people, overlanding will never die...
"As long as there are titanium sporks and cans of SPAM...there will always be overlanding..."
------- Grubworm 2025
luckily, for a lot of people, overlanding is about nature and getting out and away from people and social media and for THOSE people, overlanding will never die...
"As long as there are titanium sporks and cans of SPAM...there will always be overlanding..."
------- Grubworm 2025
Last edited:
Influencer III
- 4,312
- First Name
- Rex
- Last Name
- Drake
- Member #
19540
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KI5GH
- Service Branch
- Air Force
Off-Road Ranger I
- 3,507
- First Name
- Mike
- Last Name
- Roots
- Member #
16968
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- GMRS: WSGB862
- Service Branch
- USAF Spook
Last edited:
Enthusiast III
I have started to pay attention to the "new posts" section of the forum and can confirm, I see this alert every week and you'd never see it in past years even if you were checking in daily.
To be fair, very few forums have that type of activity anymore... only two of them that I frequent.
To be fair, very few forums have that type of activity anymore... only two of them that I frequent.
Last edited:
Explorer I
A recent MIT Media Lab study reported that “excessive reliance on AI-driven solutions” may contribute” to “cognitive atrophy” and shrinking of critical thinking abilities.
But I hold out the hope that my generation will be part of the resistance.
rgallant
Rank III
Advocate I
- 808
- First Name
- Richard
- Last Name
- Gallant
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- VE7REJ
- Service Branch
- RCAC (Reserve) 75-00
@highboy4x4 mine already is the resistance, I argue with GPS so I have a leg up 
Advocate III
Well, it is dead for me for now my old xterra has died one to many times and with 400,000 miles on it, it is not worth putting more money into. Does anybody need shock works armor? I will sell at a decent price. I also have two sets of 16” Toyota rims with the center hub spacers.
