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A Clear Vision of Overlanding – What It Is and Isn’t!
A Clear Vision of Overlanding – What It Is and Isn’t!

A Clear Vision of Overlanding – What It Is and Isn’t!

If looking for a new, fun way to enjoy a Jeep especially if you are a lucky owner of the great Jeep Gladiator, overlanding is one of the best ways to do it!

Overlanding is a different kind of off-roading, one that combines the challenges of driving over the terrain with the enjoyment of the environment, especially when experienced with the reliability of a Jeep or whatever another 4X4 brand.

Yet there some misconceptions about what overlanding is and what it is not.

Read on to get a bit of a clearer view about real overlanding and what it is before heading in order to enjoy it to your heart’s content!

What Isn’t Overlanding?

It is easier to start with what overlanding isn’t to make explaining what it is more understandable.

Though it has been called car camping by many over the years, overlanding really is not that at all.

Sure, camping in or on your Jeep with an overland rack is a part of overlanding; however, to say overlanding is car camping misses the whole point of what it actually is, namely exploring.

There is a lot more to overlanding than driving out to a campsite, pitching a cool roof tent on an overland rack, enjoying the surroundings for a few days, and then driving home.

Yes, a lot of amenities can be brought with so your campsites are enjoyable and well set up; however, the camping should only be the icing on the cake.

What Is Overlanding?

Overlanding is a lot more than simply camping on top of a Jeep or SUV equipped with an overland rack.

  • As mentioned above, it is exploring more than anything.
  • About going on an expedition and enjoying the trip along the way.

Aptly named for the way it involves traveling over the land, overlanding continues the journey that started as far back as Marco Polo in the 13th Century with people traveling from point-to-point, sometimes with purpose and other times just to wander and see what there was to see.

This is the spirit behind overlanding, which is based on the desire to explore but also doing it in comfort.

So what is overlanding?

  • Traveling - At the very basic level, overlanding is traveling from Point A to almost anywhere with no defined Point B necessary.
  • Exploring - The fun of exploring is really appreciated by leaving the pavement and just going in whichever direction seems right, following whichever trail comes up next or a trail that will lead you to the sights wanted to be seen along the way, no timeframe or agenda written in stone other than to eventually reach certain spots and places.
  • Camping - Overland camping might involve the simplicity of putting up a rooftop tent thanks to overland racks on vehicles or making a whole elaborate campsite with fellow explorers; either way, it is just another layer of fun to experience while exploring.
  • Off-roading - Overlanding is not just about exploring; it is also about taking advantage of your off-roading skills and making the most of the terrain being traveled to have some fun using and expanding off-roading skills.
  • Adventuring - More than anything, overlanding is about throwing away the books and just going out to have an adventure when hitting the trail to experience what is encountered while traveling to your destination, whether a specific spot was pre-planned or the whole adventure was just see where the trails lead.

Overlanding Is A State of Mind

More so than it being a thing, a place, or even an activity, overlanding in your Jeep or truck is a state of mind, the point being not about a destination but just enjoying the adventure of getting there.

It is not about playing by rules but rather just pushing boundaries - safely, of course!

It is about having the freedom to just go to test your skills and off-road truck no matter what is encountered along the way.

It is about exploring the land and turning a camping trip into an actual journey, even if there is no defined end to that journey and you just appreciate the surroundings and the trip.

That is what overlanding is.

The camping part, with or without an overland rack, is just the start!