What is the best piece of advice you can give a new overlander?

[DintDobbs]

@MidOH That certainly covers how to maximize outing time!

There's a balance to be struck for everybody though in time spent doing what you enjoy, versus time spent maintaining your equipment. Generally speaking, packing lightly maximizes the former and minimizes the latter. It also saves wear on your muscles and your machinery.

Nevertheless, you should definitely, absolutely, determine what you are ACTUALLY GOING TO DO (not what you think sounds like fun) and bring what you need to do it. Think you'll be going on a backpacking expedition and find fish? Bring a pole next time. Came to fish and found a good spot to camp? Bring a tent next time.

Experience is the best guide. Know what you're into and don't bring what you didn't use last time (except obvious things like a shovel, jumper cables, first aid kit, etc.) We all hope you don't need the jumpers or the first aid kit, but you might find somebody else who does.

 

[rtexpeditions]

Do you need a lot of money?

No.

You just need a vehicle (preferably one you already have) and some basic camping gear.

Your main monetary concern should be what is it going to cost me to get out of here.

To qualify that it will really depend on where you are, who you go with and how much you know, which you can improve on incrementally.

So if you go by yourself and get stuck or break something that stops you and you are alone and a long way from home, it could cost you a lot.
If you are with friends who can help you it could cost a lot less because they can help you get back to civilisation.
That improves further if you have some mechanical or overlanding knowledge.

My first vehicle was a $500 VW type 3 followed by a very unreliable Landcruiser. I used to take friends and scouts on trips to do other pursuits. We would get bogged, trapped by floods and break down. There was always a way out and in some cases that was to leave it and fix it later. That might allude to my username. But we had great fun.

Of course, having a really capable expensive vehicle might help prevent some of the issues, but it could also get you into more trouble.

 

[shansonpac]

Go out with experienced people in a group. I have learned so much by overlanding with people more experienced than me.

 

[MidOH]

Do you need a lot of money?

Yes.

This hobby costs as much as Rv'ing or Scuba Diving. Mountain biking may be cheaper.........if you don't get halfway dismembered.

Used vehicles need a ton of repairs. New vehicles are expensive. Lockers, gears, and tires ain't cheap.

Time is the biggest expense. Ill never overland for more than 9 days ever again. People that csn do it for months, are wealthy indeed. (Even if theyre broke)

The best cheap option combo I can recommend........is 26 years old.

 

[genocache]

Do you need a lot of money?

I'd have to go against the norm and say no, with some qualifiers.
If you want to go and travel like Life Style Overland or TrailRecon, Yes the initial investment is high.
If you want to travel like SUV RVing not so much.
I rode a bicycle down the Pacific Coast and a mountain bike down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, Waaaaaaay cheaper and I think a better experience.
I've ridden a motorcycle from Monterey Bay, Calif, toured Arizona for 2+ weeks and back, I rode the same motorcycle to Oklahoma along the 40 and back through Colorado.

So my point is it depends. How do you want to travel? Where do you want to go? What do you already own that can help get you out there?

 

[rtexpeditions]

I'd have to go against the norm and say no, with some qualifiers.
If you want to go and travel like Life Style Overland or TrailRecon, Yes the initial investment is high.
If you want to travel like SUV RVing not so much.
I rode a bicycle down the Pacific Coast and a mountain bike down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, Waaaaaaay cheaper and I think a better experience.
I've ridden a motorcycle from Monterey Bay, Calif, toured Arizona for 2+ weeks and back, I rode the same motorcycle to Oklahoma along the 40 and back through Colorado.

So my point is it depends. How do you want to travel? Where do you want to go? What do you already own that can help get you out there?

I've ridden the Pacific Coast too, great trip.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Yes.

This hobby costs as much as Rv'ing or Scuba Diving. Mountain biking may be cheaper.........if you don't get halfway dismembered.

Used vehicles need a ton of repairs. New vehicles are expensive. Lockers, gears, and tires ain't cheap.

Time is the biggest expense. Ill never overland for more than 9 days ever again. People that csn do it for months, are wealthy indeed. (Even if theyre broke)

The best cheap option combo I can recommend........is 26 years old.

^^^ this

You are buying a new vehicle that needs nothing, at considerable expense. Or you are buying a used vehicle that will undoubtedly need work.

If you well off, the first option is easy. If you are not well off, I hope you are handy.

Either way, expect and be at peace with some damage to your vehicle. Pinstripes from tree branches should not make you cringe. If it does, your vehicle is too new or you are concerned about the wrong thing. Rock might take out your tire or bend your frame if you aren't careful

Most importantly of all...make sure your vehicle is mechanically tip top before worrying about any add-ons. Who cares if you have a nice roof top tent if your gas tank is leaky, for example.

So, yes, you can go out there, devil-may-care. Easy to do if you have an old Jeep or something, packed with camping gear, and are handy. That's about the cheapest way to do it.

But you could unnecessarily blow a lot of money and have less than a good time

 

[Kevin108]

You'll never need most of what you bring.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Kevin108 This. Don't take what you didn't use the first time (but ALWAYS take food, water, and safety/recovery gear!) and you'll save a lot of time, stress, and weight.

If you need it and don't have it, then take it next time, OR, decide to do some thing differently so you won't need it next time.

 

[Outlandish_Mits]

It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, when it comes to gear don’t go cheap it’ll save you in the long run, connect with the more experienced overlanders the knowledge they have can also save you countless headaches, plan your trips out down to the last detail, you don’t have to have a decked out fancy rig to get out and explore, enjoy the journey both planned and unplanned, never stop exploring

 

[DintDobbs]

@Outlandish_Mits Agreed, except for planning out every detail - that might serve better in some trip styles than others; I find that keeping it loose generally yields better results for my short trips, because some times you'll find great places to do things that weren't on your list.

If you're taking long solo trips or have lots of distance to cover or have a schedule to keep, planning becomes much more important than it is for, I dunno, spending your day off exploring old logging roads with a few buddies.

Overplanning can result in undue complication (check to see if there is a hurricane coming before starting a trip to the east coast, don't plan every place you're going to stop and use the toilet), underplanning can result in personal injury and/or vehicle/gear damage (didn't bring a spare tire, had to walk 1000 miles back to town, got attacked by a rabid pterodactyl that had flown south for the winter - or drove back to town on the rim, nice repair bill after that).

 

[Flatland woodsman]

First time overlanding. My advise. Keep it simple. Start with what you have. Sometime you worry about what you think you need.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Flatland woodsman Good advice!

Think more, worry less! Take what you think you need, stop taking what you don't use, buy what you needed but didn't have, or figure out how to do what you wanted without what you thought you needed.

And for crying out loud, leave the bedroom and kitchen at home! You can live just fine for a week on dried fruit and granola bars, and if you're actually tired, you'll sleep fine wherever. Ask me how I know.

 

[Advtres]

So yes to everything everyone has said, and a couple other notes from my trips so far.

#1 - Some type of way to contact family/friends if things go pear shaped - garmin/star link/carrier pigeon whatever works for you, just always take it, and know how to use it.

#2 - Warm clothes and hiking boots - call it your bug out bag in case your rig is stuck/broke or [fill in blank here] and you need to solo or hike back to a road.

3# - Spare gas, even if you think you won’t need it, 2gal min - maybe someone else will

4# - Get out more and buy less first - There is no need to wait until next week, or next month, commit and get out there.. I have never regretted any trips, even when they went pear shaped :)

#5 - Leave no Trace - though it seems extra wood never goes under appreciated :P

Have fun, make friends and memories!

See ya down the trail!

 

[Escape 4x4]

Keep things simple the adventure will be much more enjoyable
But make sure that your vehicle is well maintained !!

 

[FJCWEEE]

Don't be afraid to scratch or dent it.
Always be safe.
Enjoy the journey and have fun!
Be prepared. (Should have been listed first.)

Cheers,
FJCWEEE

 

[K12]

Most everything has been said. Only thing I can add is to be respectful. Repectful of nature, always leave it better than you found it, repect others, be courteous on the road and repect other's and their space and dont invade their campsite if you can avoid it.

 

[OverlandFaction]

The best advice is just to get out and work out what works for you, don't over gear yourself and only do what you are comfortable with.

Remember you can go over-landing on a bicycle

 

[Dimitri_Raptis]

Travel more, plan less. Don’t worry about not having all the expensive gear in the world. Choose the rig you love most, not the most practical one. No labelling in overlanding. Just explore.

 

[grubworm]

What is the best piece of advice you can give a new overlander?


if you travel with a wife/girlfriend, you WILL argue and the very worst thing you can do is to have a 2nd set of car keys she has access to. travel with ONE set of car keys that stays on your body at all times....