I absolutely
LOVE overlanding my full size. You have to be willing to live with trail-stripes, and there will be trails where your size makes things more difficult. But I find it extremely uncommon (as in, hasn't happened to me yet) where a trail WILL fit something like a Tacoma, 4Runner, Gladiator, etc. but won't fit my 2500. Usually they're either big 'nough for a full size, or they're too small for something like a Gladiator anyway.
My full size is a '11 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (Duramax/Allison) that has been solid axle swapped (WFO radius arm kit with a SD60) and is currently getting a Kelderman rear suspension setup. Both axles are geared to 4.56 and have ARB air lockers and it sits on 37x13.5. I carry a Four Wheels Camper Hawk in the back. I have a 60 gallon fuel tank (in place of the stock tank, custom skid protecting the entire tank), bumper/winch//lights up front, a tire swing w/ table/chainsaw storage/etc., and a bunch more I am forgetting. I really think what I've built is the "Ultimate Overlander"
for me. I want to stress that last part:
for me I know it isn't the ultimate for everyone. There are many reasons it's my ultimate rig. It's comfortable on and off road, it's very capable and can get way further than anything this big has any right doing, with the FWC and all the storage of a full size I can bring everything I need (and then some), I have great range (at about 15 MPG on the freeway at 75 I have ~900 mi on road range, off road in 2wd with about 35psi in the tires I still get 12+ MPG, off road in 4L going down to 25psi I still do 10+ so at worst I have a 600 mile range), I can almost always recover anybody else in my group, etc. etc. The only downsides really are size and weight (if/when I do get it stuck I'm always the heaviest rig int he group so recovery will be more of a challenge) and a bit of side-to-side chucking when the trail has "staggered" bumps (think left-right-left-right bumps, generally I find it in soft/silty materials where SxSs drive a lot). To address the latter concern I'm currently doing the Kelderman rear setup (including sway).
I also have a XJ and a WJ (the former somewhat built, the latter VERY built), and had a 2nd Gen Xterra until recently when I gave it to my sister. There are trails (like The Rubicon) I'd take the XJ or WJ on, but I wouldn't take my Silverado on. I do think I could get my SIlverado (without the FWC) through the Rubi... but it wouldn't come out looking nearly the same. But for what *most* people would consider Overlanding, I haven't run into a place where the size has been a limiting factor. In fact, I find this setup generally easier (and definitely more capable on harder trails) than the WK2 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 5.7 Hemi and SoCal Teardrops off road trailer I was using just before it. When I'd put that trailer behind the WJ, maaaaaaybe it could get through some stuff my D'max can't... but *if* you end up in a jam in some rocks where you need to back up and reposition that is super tough with a trailer. I've towed trailers for decades, I can back 'em with the best of 'em, but when you're all bound up in some rocks, can't just steer wherever you want to guide the trailer, and the trailer has rocks dictating where it goes more than the rig... backing up is often not an option.
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