How much weight on your tacoma is too much weight for overlanding?

Great question OP, my truck is easily 1000lbs more than its stock weight and I have probably half the amount of shit on it some do. Take your truck off road with some buddies and find out its capabilities and what you like when off roading or camping. Could be as much as you want or as little as a case of water and favorite canned stew

 

ah ha ha, wonder if I have a pic of the "spare tire kit" in my friends BMW 750IL. when it was left by his grandpa, we were checking on things and in the safety kit was a bottle of Jamison, and 2 glasses wrapped up in a towel. that is when I knew my friends grandpa was cool as all hell. but I knew that when I saw his garage full of old Sun Diagnostic tools and spare parts for repairing them.

 

Every added pound decreases longevity and increases fuel consumption, even if only incrementally. Lighter is better in almost every way.

Part two of this is - what are your priorities? That can only come with experience, and then you have to balance what you think you need against your available weight and financial budget.

Personally, I think people bolt on entirely too much useless or single-use stuff and far over estimate “needs”.

If I were building something from the ground up and I felt pressure to add a bunch of stuff, I’d keep a spreadsheet that tracks my weight budget. It would include everything, people, personal gear, etc, and I would use the gvwr of the truck as a limit. Force yourself to make tradeoffs early.

 

When I first got my truck I thought that I needed all of the armor, racks, and suspension. But after owning my truck for almost 7 years, the biggest mod that I have done to mine is upgrade my stock OR suspension with some 5100s, 886 coils, and an AAL. I upgraded my tires to some all-terrains and put some sliders on, primarily to prevent people from dinging my doors (although they have come in handy from times I've taken it off-roading). I had to get into the mindset that this is my daily driver and that I am not an influencer, so why do I need to get all of the cool stuff if I don't necessarily need it. I'm happy with my slight lift, tires, and softopper now.

 

Lol those of us that are a bit older and have more experience look at the guys easily adding a ton of extra weight and go "That's not cool, that's silly." And we happily drive our stock trucks around with no problems.

 

Can confirm.

 

I have to agree. I can not see myself living East of New Mexico.

 

Hey, while we are at it, I recently installed this Victory 4x4 Strike front bumper on the Blue Taco. 48 pounds, I paid for the aluminum and yep it's 50 pounds at most installed. I am not a salesman or anything for them, but could be, this thing is sweet! 10K winch ready, I have a winch but decided to leave it off for now since I never use it. Anyways, been looking for chances to show off my new bumper...

 

Count me as “a bit older” too. Lol

 

Dalton Highway.

 

Ha.. i was gonna stay outta that debate.. cause jus like All the places I try’n order from.. it’s. “Continental USA”.

 

Well, there’s also the mostly dirt Trans-America Trail at over 5,000 miles long, but there are a couple paved sections and gas stations are closer. There’s some pretty remote dirt roads in Eastern Oregon and New Mexico, and their Backcountry Discovery Routes are over 1000 miles long (but with some paved road crossings and closer than 100-mile gas stations). But I think the Dalton is probably the closest to “overlanding” that we have in the US, but even that is still a “road”.

“Overlanding” should have been reserved for off-trail, off-two tracks and off any other roadway- more like what people do in remote Africa and Australia where they can drive across open country. With as many people as we have in the US, this type of travel would be very damaging to the environment and is not permitted even on BLM lands.

 

Jus as long as they Stay in. “Continental USA“

 

Odd, I always thought Alaska was larger than that.

 

I’m with @batt700 on this one. You are almost always within striking distance of a gas station in the continental US, even out West, even out on the trails. That’s why they put those signs up that say “no gas for 100 miles” so you will fill up and don’t run out. If you hadn’t loaded your truck down with so much unnecessary shit and brought an entire kitchen and bathroom and living room to go camping for a long weekend/week you wouldn’t be getting 5 miles to the gallon. Also, that extra gas you’re carrying so you don’t run out of gas is actually causing you to run out of gas faster from the added weight. Off roading, “overlanding” is just the new way rich people and remote workers show off their wealth while driving around town playing with their fancy new toy. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with that, just be honest with yourself. Although all of this gear and creature comforts ARE COOL, aside from recovery gear 80 percent of this shit is entirely unnecessary and actually more of a hindrance than a help in terms of actually getting “way out” however it does make you more comfortable once you get there. I personally don’t find it necessary to drive a Ritz Carlton out into the wilderness but that’s just me.

I’d say the only time most people would need the majority of this stuff would be AK, Africa, Australia and maybe parts of Central America, South America or Canada. With proper planning it’s unlikely you will run out of gas here in the lower 48 and if you’re getting 5-10 miles a gallon is that extra gallon or two in that rotopax hanging off your bumper really gonna get ya out of the woods? They are good for filling chainsaws and dirt bikes though. People have been doing all of this for decades with stock vehicles and minimalist set ups but now guys that belong in RV’s have decided they want to see what is out in the backcountry.

 

I'm just going to say that I towed my camper into the Solitario last year. How do I know that 4R has not been to the solitario? There are still shackles on the bumper.








...at least I found one of mine on the way back out.

 

My buddy just did the Rubicon, 7300lb truck weight

 

Another "overlander" just drive by presumably on his way to work. Why these guys carry all this shit around 24/7 is beyond me

Every time I see a rig loaded down with all that stuff it just reminds me of the Grapes of Wrath

 

I always heard an urban legend that the novel and/or movie was distributed in other countries as propaganda to demonstrate that life wasn't so great in America. It backfired as those who read it marveled at the idea that even the starving impoverished had a car.