HELP! 2 Door Overlander - Am I foolish to think it will work?

[Old Guy]

Hell man, people been camping in rigs smaller than the door since people had cars.

2/4 man tent, cots, food, water. Get a roof rack and basket if you need more stuff. Camping (overlanding now), is not that complicated. Seems like people get stymied if they cant fit the largest fridge in the rig now. I was looking at car fridges couple days ago. Damn this Overlanding is tough. smile.

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[bodean]

Hell man, people been camping in rigs smaller than the door since people had cars.

2/4 man tent, cots, food, water. Get a roof rack and basket if you need more stuff. Camping (overlanding now), is not that complicated. Seems like people get stymied if they cant fit the largest fridge in the rig now. I was looking at car fridges couple days ago. Damn this Overlanding is tough. smile.

Isn't that the truth. "Overlanding" is the just marketing hype, all you're doing is camping out of a car, which people have been doing for decades out of every size of vehicle imaginable.

 

[srotier]

Lets be honest with ourselves here for a moment, if you're rooftop camping, you aren't going anywhere with the Bronco while the tent is deployed anyway, so what's the difference between pitching a tent without having to find a perfectly level parking spot in the woods?

Since my OP I have pretty much decided that I'm a ground tent person. It's all I've ever done and from what I've learned over the past while, some newer ground tents can actually be deployed and picked up faster than most RTT anyway! I've personally only ever campground camped, but I am looking forward to doing more Overlanding type camping and just sleep in a different place each night. I enjoy exploring, so not sure why I never camped this way before.

::General Rant (not directed at Rick Astley)::
Being able to spend the day finding a new epic camp location will be fun. I know there are more "overlanding is just camping" people on here when you mention the "O" word. But honestly, why do so many people care what you call it? I don't have a lot of interest in instagramming or youtubing my experiences, but maybe I will. Why do so many people get concerned with what other people are doing? Before I got super excited for the Bronco, I really had never heard of the term Overlanding or knew what it was, but once I figured it out and what it meant to me; it opened a new window to outdoor adventure. For me, camping before was setting up a tent at a campground surrounded by travel trailer campers. Now camping or Overlanding is going to mean a lot more to my family and myself!

Just because someone says they want to Overland, doesn't mean you need to chime in every chance you get to inform the world that "Overlanding is just car camping". You wouldn't need to do a lot of searching on the forum to find "overlanding is just car camping" comments. The general idea of a forum (or at least my idea of a forum) is for people to help other people out. We're not here to tell other people how to do it, we should be here to help guide people if they're asking for help. Rick Astley is actually one of the people on here that genuinely try to help people out on a regular basis. Thank you Rick, for not telling me that Overlanding is just car camping and over priced. That wasn't the question I asked in the first place, but you did answer my question and I appreciate that.
::Rant Over::

 

[dejones64]

Since my OP I have pretty much decided that I'm a ground tent person. It's all I've ever done and from what I've learned over the past while, some newer ground tents can actually be deployed and picked up faster than most RTT anyway! I've personally only ever campground camped, but I am looking forward to doing more Overlanding type camping and just sleep in a different place each night. I enjoy exploring, so not sure why I never camped this way before.

::General Rant (not directed at Rick Astley)::
Being able to spend the day finding a new epic camp location will be fun. I know there are more "overlanding is just camping" people on here when you mention the "O" word. But honestly, why do so many people care what you call it? I don't have a lot of interest in instagramming or youtubing my experiences, but maybe I will. Why do so many people get concerned with what other people are doing? Before I got super excited for the Bronco, I really had never heard of the term Overlanding or knew what it was, but once I figured it out and what it meant to me; it opened a new window to outdoor adventure. For me, camping before was setting up a tent at a campground surrounded by travel trailer campers. Now camping or Overlanding is going to mean a lot more to my family and myself!

Just because someone says they want to Overland, doesn't mean you need to chime in every chance you get to inform the world that "Overlanding is just car camping". You wouldn't need to do a lot of searching on the forum to find "overlanding is just car camping" comments. The general idea of a forum (or at least my idea of a forum) is for people to help other people out. We're not here to tell other people how to do it, we should be here to help guide people if they're asking for help. Rick Astley is actually one of the people on here that genuinely try to help people out on a regular basis. Thank you Rick, for not telling me that Overlanding is just car camping and over priced. That wasn't the question I asked in the first place, but you did answer my question and I appreciate that.
::Rant Over::

Howdy,
I'm from MN but make it out to AZ to see family couple times a year. Maybe meet up for some rides or camping, as I plan on an RTT (2-dr Badlands). My cousin in AZ hit's the trails and camps all over the west and is getting the new Bronco also.

There's a couple AZ Bronco clubs out here, check them out:
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/groups/ford-bronco-club-of-arizona.9/

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/groups/arizona-bronco-club.54/

 

[ScrunchFace]

If someone thinks overlanding is just car camping, then they must not be very bright

 

[Squatch]

Is pitching a tent on the ground not acceptable anymore? It sure would cut out a lot of the BS debates about gear and roof top tents. Is it a requirement of overlanding that you not sleep on the ground and have some form of refrigeration?

Let me know what the unwritten rules are before I accidentally go camping instead.

 

[srotier]

Is pitching a tent on the ground not acceptable anymore? It sure would cut out a lot of the BS debates about gear and roof top tents. Is it a requirement of overlanding that you not sleep on the ground and have some form of refrigeration?

Let me know what the unwritten rules are before I accidentally go camping instead.

I certainly don't think so. I will likely always be a tent camper for a few reasons.

1. I have a ground tent
2. I would rather spend $1500+ on something that would give my rig trail capability
3. I'm cheap

As for the cooling of liquids and foods, I've been considering a powered cooler of some sort, but I also live in Central AZ and the fridge will be used every week for groceries. Being a midwesterner at heart, I never worried about chocolate melting into a puddle on a 2 minute car ride from the store to home, now that's something I get to deal with. So for us, the fridge would get used more for everyday use than for camping use, but would be very nice for camping as well.

So go ahead and camp, but watch out you might end up overlanding, so make sure you have a means to document your adventures (not a bad idea anyway, for future viewing pleasure).

 

[Squatch]

I certainly don't think so. I will likely always be a tent camper for a few reasons.

1. I have a ground tent
2. I would rather spend $1500+ on something that would give my rig trail capability
3. I'm cheap

As for the cooling of liquids and foods, I've been considering a powered cooler of some sort, but I also live in Central AZ and the fridge will be used every week for groceries. Being a midwesterner at heart, I never worried about chocolate melting into a puddle on a 2 minute car ride from the store to home, now that's something I get to deal with. So for us, the fridge would get used more for everyday use than for camping use, but would be very nice for camping as well.

So go ahead and camp, but watch out you might end up overlanding, so make sure you have a means to document your adventures (not a bad idea anyway, for future viewing pleasure).

Not envious about that AZ heat and I "overlanded" in Iraq in the summer, lol, but I got to come home afterwards.

Get a 2-door--outside of your grocery-getting--and I would leave the gun fridge and take the cannoli MREs and water. Maybe head to the high desert like the Prescott area? I took my 79 Bronco there and saw some patches of snow/left over slush near there. Miami summers suck with heat and humidity, but I still get my groceries home nicely; Ford's A/C has always been great in my experience... except this lack of rear vents debacle.

 

[AcesandEights]

Anyone wondering about overlanding a small rig, or less capable rig, you can check out this guy. He's doing more overlanding than most, by a long way, and he's doing it his way:

https://www.softroadingthewest.com/

If you think you can't overland, off road, camp because you have a 2D versus a 4D, it has nothing to do with that. Just make sure you opt for the RTT, because you don't want to get caught camping...just kidding.

 

[Rick Astley]

Since my OP I have pretty much decided that I'm a ground tent person. It's all I've ever done and from what I've learned over the past while, some newer ground tents can actually be deployed and picked up faster than most RTT anyway! I've personally only ever campground camped, but I am looking forward to doing more Overlanding type camping and just sleep in a different place each night. I enjoy exploring, so not sure why I never camped this way before.

::General Rant (not directed at Rick Astley)::
Being able to spend the day finding a new epic camp location will be fun. I know there are more "overlanding is just camping" people on here when you mention the "O" word. But honestly, why do so many people care what you call it? I don't have a lot of interest in instagramming or youtubing my experiences, but maybe I will. Why do so many people get concerned with what other people are doing? Before I got super excited for the Bronco, I really had never heard of the term Overlanding or knew what it was, but once I figured it out and what it meant to me; it opened a new window to outdoor adventure. For me, camping before was setting up a tent at a campground surrounded by travel trailer campers. Now camping or Overlanding is going to mean a lot more to my family and myself!

Just because someone says they want to Overland, doesn't mean you need to chime in every chance you get to inform the world that "Overlanding is just car camping". You wouldn't need to do a lot of searching on the forum to find "overlanding is just car camping" comments. The general idea of a forum (or at least my idea of a forum) is for people to help other people out. We're not here to tell other people how to do it, we should be here to help guide people if they're asking for help. Rick Astley is actually one of the people on here that genuinely try to help people out on a regular basis. Thank you Rick, for not telling me that Overlanding is just car camping and over priced. That wasn't the question I asked in the first place, but you did answer my question and I appreciate that.
::Rant Over::

No insult taken. Besides, I didn't even use the word "overland" in my post . It's the massive cost-of-entry into car-tents that doesn't make any sense to me considering the alternatives only date back to the dawn of human kind.

I get free national park access due to military service so that saves the big bucks, but really, driving in somewhere to park then set up camp that excludes you from moving the vehicle is no different than on-ground tent camping. Our plan with Bronco is going to be a series of 3-5 day trips with an offroad portion to/from along with some days of hiking since we're still young enough to have climbed up to a few glaciers at Glacier National Park or the Pacific Coast Trail.

You're very right though, the word itself seems to trigger a series of typical responses. When on the forumwebs you have to keep your wits about you and not fall for their traps!!!!! I ran into a version of this in Thailand when trying to meet girls in the clubs while a bit tipsy. Like a midget at a urinal, you have to stay on your toes, because that's just the tip of what problems could await you with some wrong words or phrases!!!


Full disclosure: I do a little bit of "extreme environment" camping on occasion and certainly tents get insufferably hot when external temps are over 110 degrees by noon. Others will make insulated structures, or stay in an air conditioned RV, but over the long haul, every form of camping other than tenting comes with either incredible expense, or constant repairs & maintenance that eventually become expensive and form an over-reliance upon technology to function as expected in all environments and under all conditions, without fail. A simple UV reflective coating on your tent and boundry layer of air between outer and inner materials will get you sleeping in like a kitten well past noon. Here's my tent setup in what ended up being 8 days in a row where nighttime temps never dropped below triple digits. You can see others went for yurts made of home insulation or RV's.

 

[Squatch]

No insult taken. Besides, I didn't even use the word "overland" in my post . It's the massive cost-of-entry into car-tents that doesn't make any sense to me considering the alternatives only date back to the dawn of human kind.

I get free national park access due to military service so that saves the big bucks, but really, driving in somewhere to park then set up camp that excludes you from moving the vehicle is no different than on-ground tent camping. Our plan with Bronco is going to be a series of 3-5 day trips with an offroad portion to/from along with some days of hiking since we're still young enough to have climbed up to a few glaciers at Glacier National Park or the Pacific Coast Trail.

You're very right though, the word itself seems to trigger a series of typical responses. When on the forumwebs you have to keep your wits about you and not fall for their traps!!!!! I ran into a version of this in Thailand when trying to meet girls in the clubs while a bit tipsy. Like a midget at a urinal, you have to stay on your toes, because that's just the tip of what problems could await you with some wrong words or phrases!!!


Full disclosure: I do a little bit of "extreme environment" camping on occasion and certainly tents get insufferably hot when external temps are over 110 degrees by noon. Others will make insulated structures, or stay in an air conditioned RV, but over the long haul, every form of camping other than tenting comes with either incredible expense, or constant repairs & maintenance that eventually become expensive and form an over-reliance upon technology to function as expected in all environments and under all conditions, without fail. A simple UV reflective coating on your tent and boundry layer of air between outer and inner materials will get you sleeping in like a kitten well past noon. Here's my tent setup in what ended up being 8 days in a row where nighttime temps never dropped below triple digits. You can see others went for yurts made of home insulation or RV's.

I see it as the difference between eating vegan and telling everyone you're a vegan; the latter being the O-word, lol.

I'm somewhat forced into overlanding--start and end in civilization with multiple nights in different primitive locations in between--due to my health and backpacking along the Pacific Crest Trail on foot falling somewhere between long-shot and death sentence.

My beef is with the Overlanding Starter Pack proselytizers and using the O-word to act as the gatekeepers. I just want to GTF away from people for a while every now and then.

 

[Rick Astley]

I see it as the difference between eating vegan and telling everyone you're a vegan; the latter being the O-word, lol.

I'm somewhat forced into overlanding--start and end in civilization with multiple nights in different primitive locations in between--due to my health and backpacking along the Pacific Crest Trail on foot falling somewhere between long-shot and death sentence.

My beef is with the Overlanding Starter Pack proselytizers and using the O-word to act as the gatekeepers. I just want to GTF away from people for a while every now and then.

Well you're in Miami, that's pretty far away from uncivilized and crazy people. Right?

Riiiiiiiiight???????

 

[Old Guy]

Since my OP I have pretty much decided that I'm a ground tent person. It's all I've ever done and from what I've learned over the past while, some newer ground tents can actually be deployed and picked up faster than most RTT anyway! I've personally only ever campground camped, but I am looking forward to doing more Overlanding type camping and just sleep in a different place each night. I enjoy exploring, so not sure why I never camped this way before.

::General Rant (not directed at Rick Astley)::
Being able to spend the day finding a new epic camp location will be fun. I know there are more "overlanding is just camping" people on here when you mention the "O" word. But honestly, why do so many people care what you call it? I don't have a lot of interest in instagramming or youtubing my experiences, but maybe I will. Why do so many people get concerned with what other people are doing? Before I got super excited for the Bronco, I really had never heard of the term Overlanding or knew what it was, but once I figured it out and what it meant to me; it opened a new window to outdoor adventure. For me, camping before was setting up a tent at a campground surrounded by travel trailer campers. Now camping or Overlanding is going to mean a lot more to my family and myself!

Just because someone says they want to Overland, doesn't mean you need to chime in every chance you get to inform the world that "Overlanding is just car camping". You wouldn't need to do a lot of searching on the forum to find "overlanding is just car camping" comments. The general idea of a forum (or at least my idea of a forum) is for people to help other people out. We're not here to tell other people how to do it, we should be here to help guide people if they're asking for help. Rick Astley is actually one of the people on here that genuinely try to help people out on a regular basis. Thank you Rick, for not telling me that Overlanding is just car camping and over priced. That wasn't the question I asked in the first place, but you did answer my question and I appreciate that.
::Rant Over::

I think Rick actually stays away from the Overlanding is Camping discussion. I am guilty of it though. I don't really care what its called, though I do make fun of it sometimes.

I think often, those of us, chiming in, its just camping, are doing so to hopefully convey the feeling, that it can be done in various low tech, small rigs, with what was the usual accommodations when we did it. I think there is small percentage of folks who really use their Vehicle to its full extent on the terrain they travel, and equipment they bring. Most of us fall in a lesser category of off roading and what we need for those excursions.

Just like any hobby, hearing about really cool, ultra capable builds, makes us yearn to try that, even though we never will. Sometimes having the vehicle that can do those things, and the equipment for extended overlanding trips away from civilization, lets us feel like we are part of that.

We all spend our money on things that make us happy. I apologize if my sarcasm was
misplaced, and felt like belittling. For the most part, it was meant to convey the idea, that you don't need the best of vehicles or equipment, to enjoy going off the pavement. I think this has made me consider moderating my sarcasm.

Best of luck on your adventures, whatever they may be.

Edited for grammar (though poorly, lol)

 

[Old Guy]

No insult taken. Besides, I didn't even use the word "overland" in my post . It's the massive cost-of-entry into car-tents that doesn't make any sense to me considering the alternatives only date back to the dawn of human kind.

I get free national park access due to military service so that saves the big bucks, but really, driving in somewhere to park then set up camp that excludes you from moving the vehicle is no different than on-ground tent camping. Our plan with Bronco is going to be a series of 3-5 day trips with an offroad portion to/from along with some days of hiking since we're still young enough to have climbed up to a few glaciers at Glacier National Park or the Pacific Coast Trail.

You're very right though, the word itself seems to trigger a series of typical responses. When on the forumwebs you have to keep your wits about you and not fall for their traps!!!!! I ran into a version of this in Thailand when trying to meet girls in the clubs while a bit tipsy. Like a midget at a urinal, you have to stay on your toes, because that's just the tip of what problems could await you with some wrong words or phrases!!!


Full disclosure: I do a little bit of "extreme environment" camping on occasion and certainly tents get insufferably hot when external temps are over 110 degrees by noon. Others will make insulated structures, or stay in an air conditioned RV, but over the long haul, every form of camping other than tenting comes with either incredible expense, or constant repairs & maintenance that eventually become expensive and form an over-reliance upon technology to function as expected in all environments and under all conditions, without fail. A simple UV reflective coating on your tent and boundry layer of air between outer and inner materials will get you sleeping in like a kitten well past noon. Here's my tent setup in what ended up being 8 days in a row where nighttime temps never dropped below triple digits. You can see others went for yurts made of home insulation or RV's.

Where is that Rick? Almost looks like Alvord desert, but I am sure it isn't. I don't see any mountains in the background.

 

[Rick Astley]

Where is that Rick? Almost looks like Alvord desert, but I am sure it isn't. I don't see any mountains in the background.

Black Rock desert, Nevada. It only exists for a few weeks per year as a city, the rest of the time it's a primordial lake bed. Brutal arid desert so we are forced to bring plenty of beer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Rock_Desert


Ten days rations. This isn't the military, we can work while drunk.

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