so you want to build an overland

you should be!

ill look into it thanks! they look a little lower than id care for, im probably going to have to end up making one myself... or at least designing and buying parts. i still havent talked her into the tent yet. no tent no rack.

 

story?

 

Thanks! To stuff the 35s I had to do a lot of cutting, beating, and chopping. 285s were not a big deal though.

 

I purchased a set of rock sliders from him just a few weeks ago. Very well made. I am considering one of these, but haven't decided if I want a soft topper or not. His build quality is excellent.

 

I haven't read through the entire thread so this may have already come up but if Ur going out alone make sure you have an emergency jump start with you. For under $100 its one of the most important safety devices you can carry.

 

i have this weird habit of keeping a spare battery around. i think that with the light bars and other accessories to add and be self sufficient (ive come around to the idea of a fridge) it might be a bit more reasonable to carry a jump box instead... or in addition to.

thanks for the suggestion!

 

As it's been said take baby steps. As you do trails add armor that you think would have been peace of mind or necessary rather than spending a pile of money all at once. That's the system I'm using.

You've mentioned cooking and here is what I do. I have a 2003 AC Tacoma with a camper shell which is 3" taller than the cab. The bed has a sleeping platform I built. Under the sleeping platform I keep as much stuff as I can. One of those things is a plastic bin that fits just right. That bin is filled with all my kitchen stuff. A pot, a non stick pan, can opener, plates, bowls, bottle opener, knives, utensils, cooking spray, olive oil, salt, pepper, canned stuff, hot sauce a lot of lighters (you can never have too many lighters)...basically all the stuff I know I'll need and then some back up stuff. It also has my stove and fuel. After every trip I make sure everything is nice and clean and returned to the bin. I also have some smaller containers inside the bin to keep it nice and organized.

For cleaning I just use a small plastic wash basin thing I found at Target. I just add some hot water a little bio degradable soap and a sponge. For a long time I'd just cut off a bit of pine tree branch with the needles and use that for scrubbing pots and stuff. One small 2-3" branch could last a week. For most trips it's just my girlfriend and myself so we just try to cook one pot meals and eat right out of the pot.

I'm also a formally trained chef so we go fancy from time to time but usually we're so busy traveling and hiking and climbing along the way food stays simple.

 

And.......wait for it.........sub'd

 

any tried and true recipes you bring with you? im sure the wife could cook up some really awesome stuff easily.. she laughed when i took he camping the first time. growing up in brazil her childhood was pretty close to what we call camping apparently! but im curious what youve found that stores best and works out well for you.. one pot wise. and until you said it.. i never would have thought about bio-degradable soap. perfect!

im not going crazy with armor just yet.. but im pretty paranoid about rocks, since thats primarily what i have on trail around me. its not like being home in the swamps of virginia and north carolina.. so straight out im getting rock rails and skid plates for the stuff on the belly. bumpers and other stuff will come as i find its necessary. its a truck and im going to use it like one.. but if i can protect the paint and the driveline, i think i should.

 

Rock sliders. I slipped off a rock and caught the cab just under the drivers back door. What looked minor cost $600 in body work to fix. I now have rock them. The peace of mind is well worth it.

 

agreed, i would have done the same to my 4runner rather quickly had i not had side steps to break off instead

 

beer, did anyone mention beer. The most important part of camping.

 

that goes without saying! the 4runner incident... my girlfriend was only pissed because the bump that took the sidestep off made her spill the molson we imported from back east! haha its the key to a successful camping and offroading trip!

 

also I like having an air mattress, specially down here in SoCal where soft dirt isnt a thing.

 

holy shit dont i know it! went camping at lake isabella... and then at big bear... and at joshua tree... seriously.. nothing even remotely flat or soft... i jumped at the RTT group buy. i bet id even find the sharp rocks at pismo -_-