Long Term Overland Set Up Questions

[Texdoc77]

I cannot remember if I have posted here before though I lurk often. Our family has been overlanding a few times over the last couple of years, but we are planning to take the larger plunge into long term (months) overlanding in the next couple of years. We have had lots of discussions of what that would look like but ultimately we have it somewhat narrowed down, maybe. It will be my wife and I along with our 9y and 6y children. What we want to do is be able to travel the continental united states, national parks and off road trails. For discussion purposes I currently own a 1995 Land Cruiser, 1987 Suzui Samurai, 2017 Ford F350 and a 2009 32 foot travel trailer. Our initial plan has been to overland from place to place in the land cruiser, but long term my wife has made it clear will not work even with an overlanding trailer. She does not see this as a long term solution and as much as I hate to say it I agree the kids and her would not thrive in that spartan of a setting. This is also an issue with the LC because it does not tow super well. Either way towing a trailer with the LC is out of the question for now. We began to think about getting a class c motorhome and towing the suzuki behind it. That way we could travel from place to place and have a "home base" from which we could do more off road overlanding. The problem with that is the suzuki while being an off road beast just does not have the storage for any kind of multi day overlanding trip for all 4 of us. My wife and I did do a trip in it and it was packed to the gills for that outing. With the kids, not so much. So then we could tow the LC behind the motor home, which is actually plan "A" at the moment. But as we began to look at motorhomes some of the issues with Class C is that they often only tow at max 7500-8000 pounds, which pushes the limit of a LC on a trailer, plus finding campspots that would be accessible for that length. Of course I have looked into flat towing the LC and while it is not recommended plenty have done it with the right set ups, so again flat towing the LC with a Class C motor home is currently option A. However, we looked at a smaller class A motor home which is bigger and with things like a bath and a half really make the idea of being out that long seem not just doable but appealing. So then a Class A motorhome flat towing the LC is probably option "B" at the moment. The smaller Class A motorhomes though with the Triton V10 often only tow 5000 lbs, for flat towing that is fine, but just something to consider. Finally with the F350 I considered just getting a larger bumper pull and going off road in the 350, but it is not nearly as capable as the LC off road and we may not be able to access quite as many places as we would like. Plus that means leaving my sweet LC at home. For the Class A and Class C motorhomes I am looking at pre covid builds for price and reliability, plus there are just so many used ones out there. We are wanting bunk beds for the kids and plenty of floor plans come that way. But I was hoping this community could give some insight (pros/cons/tips/tricks) into my current options which I will summarize below:

1. Class C motor home either trailering or flat towing the 80 series land cruiser
2. Class A motor home either trailering or flat towing the 80 series land cruiser
3. F350 with bumper pull trailer
4. Some other option I have not considered yet

Thanks in advance!!

 

[grubworm]

the wife and i started off sleeping in the back of a pick up and then went to tent camping and then a small tear-drop and i just recently bought a cargo trailer and built it out the way we want. point is, there will probably be an evolution with the way you camp and no matter what you start off with, you will probably change as you spend more time doing it and as the kids grow, they might want to get into canoeing or taking bikes, etc.

unless you are 100% certain that you will be camping a certain way from now on, i would aim at keeping things flexible. the class A as a base camp sounds really solid and it will give room and comfort to the wife and kids, which will help keep them interested in going. it also allows you to tow the LC so you can set up somewhere and then go exploring during the day and come back late to the class A and not have to worry about unloading gear and setting up camp, etc. plus having the nice bathroom and shower will definitely be nice. if the kids later want to get into canoeing, e-bikes, regular bikes, atvs, etc...you can easily load a small trailer to tow behind the class A.

i'm sure your 32' travel trailer is very nice, but that is a long thing to have to find parking for and that will limit your offroading to the F350. i had a F-350 and while i certainly appreciated its interior room and raw towing power, i would not want to take it offroad. i had the 4-door with 8' bed and it took an acer just to turn around...

also, with the class A and a tow vehicle, you have 2 motorized vehicles in case something happens to one. if youre in the boonies and the starter goes out in either one, you have the ability to easily make it into the nearest town for parts. i like having a back-up plan when possible.

the class A with the LC as a tow vehicle sounds like it would check off a lot of boxes as far as being easier to find a parking place...if the spot is tight, unhook the LC and park it on the side and now you have a nice base camp and a very capable vehicle for exploring

on a side note... its very cool that you are taking the kids on such great adventures. no matter what you end up doing, just the fact that you all are out exploring together is going to make a lifetime of great memories and THAT is what will matter most...

 

[Texdoc77]

the wife and i started off sleeping in the back of a pick up and then went to tent camping and then a small tear-drop and i just recently bought a cargo trailer and built it out the way we want. point is, there will probably be an evolution with the way you camp and no matter what you start off with, you will probably change as you spend more time doing it and as the kids grow, they might want to get into canoeing or taking bikes, etc.

unless you are 100% certain that you will be camping a certain way from now on, i would aim at keeping things flexible. the class A as a base camp sounds really solid and it will give room and comfort to the wife and kids, which will help keep them interested in going. it also allows you to tow the LC so you can set up somewhere and then go exploring during the day and come back late to the class A and not have to worry about unloading gear and setting up camp, etc. plus having the nice bathroom and shower will definitely be nice. if the kids later want to get into canoeing, e-bikes, regular bikes, atvs, etc...you can easily load a small trailer to tow behind the class A.

i'm sure your 32' travel trailer is very nice, but that is a long thing to have to find parking for and that will limit your offroading to the F350. i had a F-350 and while i certainly appreciated its interior room and raw towing power, i would not want to take it offroad. i had the 4-door with 8' bed and it took an acer just to turn around...

also, with the class A and a tow vehicle, you have 2 motorized vehicles in case something happens to one. if youre in the boonies and the starter goes out in either one, you have the ability to easily make it into the nearest town for parts. i like having a back-up plan when possible.

the class A with the LC as a tow vehicle sounds like it would check off a lot of boxes as far as being easier to find a parking place...if the spot is tight, unhook the LC and park it on the side and now you have a nice base camp and a very capable vehicle for exploring

on a side note... its very cool that you are taking the kids on such great adventures. no matter what you end up doing, just the fact that you all are out exploring together is going to make a lifetime of great memories and THAT is what will matter most...

There is no question our setups will evolve over time. That said a lot of what we are looking at is part of an evolution as well. I appreciate the perspective and I agree with what you are saying. One thing I was kind of forgetting about is that with the F350 the kids are just stuck in their seats in the back, and although there is a lot of room, it really does not compare to being able to roam around a Class A motorhome while moving down the road. At this point I think it is about deciding if I feel comfortable with flat towing the LC. I suspect I won't feel really comfortable until I am doing it day in and day out. Then it will be about how much I want to spend on a motor home. I mean these things can get to half a million dollars which I think is crazy, just crazy. However, for a slightly used one you can get into it for something that is quite a bit more palatable.

 

[Texdoc77]

Curious if anyone else has any thoughts...

 

[John and Mandi]

I think what you are going to do is more important at this point. Two years out is a lot of time and hammering out exactly what travel mix you are after will help to hone in on a rig combination. For example, if you plan on mostly visiting NP then you have to factor which parks you will camp in vs which ones you'll drive in and out or day visit. The big ones are more economical to stay in since getting in and out means lines and lots of unnecessary driving. Not even mentioning the ticketing/pass systems that are being implemented. Some parks also have length limits, not just for driving around but a couple have camper length restrictions IIRC. Forests are a crap shoot. Some have decent dirt roads a Class A or C can drive down but others not so much and depending on dispersed sites you may or may not fit, many are road side parking with walk to sites. If you are more after base camping with some amenities for the Class A or C and mostly day driving tracks then a big rig with TOAD is a fine way to go. If you are after very technical tracks, kind of sounds like you are, you'll have to account for getting to and from the track from where your big rig is parked. Since months can mean 2-24+ it's hard to make a solid suggestion but if it's on the shorter end then putting up with being in a smaller rig is a bit easier. We know families that traveled in RTTs but something like a decent truck camper would be a better compromise. While a full size truck may limit the tracks you tackle, many manage driving all around the US (and the world) in 1 tons. A used pop-up truck camper would leave a lot of coin to handle occasional splurges for hotels or a weekly rental with a full kitchen and bathtub. The traditional advice for selecting a rig is get the biggest you are comfortable driving and the smallest you can comfortably live in. We travelled in a 1 ton 4x4 pop-top van so we may be a bit biased towards the smaller side.

 

[Alanymarce]

I suspect that we have a very different mode of travel, however our current mode of travel is in a Mk IV Montero, with a bed set up in the back, storage, and a refrigerator. For our last trip we didn't take this (shipping costs were astronomical) so bought a Wrangler in the destination country and did the same thing - bed, storage, and refrigerator. In Africa we travelled for 10 months in an 80 Series LC set up the same way.

When travelling with more than two of us we took the bed out, replaced the rear seats, and travelled with ground tents (not ideal in Africa but perfect in the USA or Canada). So this would work for the four of you (or perhaps a RTT and a ground tent, although the wind noise and additional fuel consumption with a RTT is not insignificant).

We've travelled in this way for up to 11 months at a time.

Now, based on the conversation so far, I'm not seriously suggesting that this mode of travel will suit you, however I'm suggesting that you could seek to establish a more "minimalist" approach. Any of your three primary options will give you huge fuel consumption and restrict access to many areas.

 

[Texdoc77]

I think what you are going to do is more important at this point. Two years out is a lot of time and hammering out exactly what travel mix you are after will help to hone in on a rig combination. For example, if you plan on mostly visiting NP then you have to factor which parks you will camp in vs which ones you'll drive in and out or day visit. The big ones are more economical to stay in since getting in and out means lines and lots of unnecessary driving. Not even mentioning the ticketing/pass systems that are being implemented. Some parks also have length limits, not just for driving around but a couple have camper length restrictions IIRC. Forests are a crap shoot. Some have decent dirt roads a Class A or C can drive down but others not so much and depending on dispersed sites you may or may not fit, many are road side parking with walk to sites. If you are more after base camping with some amenities for the Class A or C and mostly day driving tracks then a big rig with TOAD is a fine way to go. If you are after very technical tracks, kind of sounds like you are, you'll have to account for getting to and from the track from where your big rig is parked. Since months can mean 2-24+ it's hard to make a solid suggestion but if it's on the shorter end then putting up with being in a smaller rig is a bit easier. We know families that traveled in RTTs but something like a decent truck camper would be a better compromise. While a full size truck may limit the tracks you tackle, many manage driving all around the US (and the world) in 1 tons. A used pop-up truck camper would leave a lot of coin to handle occasional splurges for hotels or a weekly rental with a full kitchen and bathtub. The traditional advice for selecting a rig is get the biggest you are comfortable driving and the smallest you can comfortably live in. We travelled in a 1 ton 4x4 pop-top van so we may be a bit biased towards the smaller side.

I think this is part of the problem, but I appreciate you shedding light on it. We have a relatively vague idea of what we want to do and how we want to do it, but you are right in that every situation may call for a slightly different set up. Even more than this is the idea of my favorite Mike Tyson quote which is, "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." I mean we could get out there and the things we think will work may not and things we may have worried will be trouble may be just fine. I guess this is a little bit of the reason behind the question to see what kinds of things have worked for you all and the things that did not. I like the idea of the biggest you can drive and the smallest you can live in. I'd also say the biggest you can afford, but that really goes without saying. Ultimately my plan would be to base camp in easy access areas and drive in and out of the difficult parts. However, you bring up a good point, I had kind of thought I could stay in the NP's without much trouble, but that may be something to consider as well. Thank you very much for your insight.

 

[Texdoc77]

I suspect that we have a very different mode of travel, however our current mode of travel is in a Mk IV Montero, with a bed set up in the back, storage, and a refrigerator. For our last trip we didn't take this (shipping costs were astronomical) so bought a Wrangler in the destination country and did the same thing - bed, storage, and refrigerator. In Africa we travelled for 10 months in an 80 Series LC set up the same way.

When travelling with more than two of us we took the bed out, replaced the rear seats, and travelled with ground tents (not ideal in Africa but perfect in the USA or Canada). So this would work for the four of you (or perhaps a RTT and a ground tent, although the wind noise and additional fuel consumption with a RTT is not insignificant).

We've travelled in this way for up to 11 months at a time.

Now, based on the conversation so far, I'm not seriously suggesting that this mode of travel will suit you, however I'm suggesting that you could seek to establish a more "minimalist" approach. Any of your three primary options will give you huge fuel consumption and restrict access to many areas.

I realize the fuel consumption issue is not insignificant, but what I really need to do is put pencil to paper and start to add things up on a monthly basis. We plan to homeschool the kids and we both plan on remote working so I am simply assuming a bigger base camp is what we need. This will also be an interesting experiment as we move from a large house for the kids most of the time to a large motorhome. This will be a bit of a culture shock for them and as they adjust to a more spartan existence I am absolutely willing to bet they can do with less. As for my wife she is such a trooper, but really needs to be able to "see" herself thriving out on the road in order to limit the anxiety of the jump to this kind of living, again which may be able to be limited over time. As previously stated the two of us did a short term overlanding trip in the San Juans in just the Samurai so she does have a bit of an idea, but of course the addition of pre adolescent kids does change the dynamic, esp for a mother. And did I mention we have a cat and two dogs... They are family and will not be left behind.

 

[Sea Diamond]

Personally I think the bigger question is how often do you want to move camp...given the fact that you are a large family with animals. We do extended trips and our best camps are the long term stealth ones. I now find myself leaning towards seasonal camps with a minimum amount of movement. And like Grubworm mentions above...for sure your overlanding will evolve.



These have caught my eye and can get into remote areas much easier than what you have mentioned. Coupled with a good Base Camp plan, it could leave you with plenty of time to homeschool and surround yourselves with a whole lot of nature.

 

[Texdoc77]

Personally I think the bigger question is how often do you want to move camp...given the fact that you are a large family with animals. We do extended trips and our best camps are the long term stealth ones. I now find myself leaning towards seasonal camps with a minimum amount of movement. And like Grubworm mentions above...for sure your overlanding will evolve.

View attachment 286848

These have caught my eye and can get into remote areas much easier than what you have mentioned. Coupled with a good Base Camp plan, it could leave you with plenty of time to homeschool and surround yourselves with a whole lot of nature.

Very interesting. Yes, I want to move base camp relatively infrequently, but that is a vague answer. My hope would be moving every 10-14 days depending on where we are. Of course BLM land is cost effective, but off grid and not always super easy with a large motorhome. We have looked into KOA and Thousand Trails but KOA seems expensive and TT has quite an interesting split of those who like it and those who feel it is an evil corporation running a scam.