Overlanding is off-roading, driving long stretches, and camping. Prepare your 4×4 for off-road driving and for camping adventures as well. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars just to have a good overland camping rig, because overlanding is a self-reliant journey. If you upgrade your vehicle to give you everything you need, it will defeat the purpose of overlanding, for it should develop your resourcefulness and survival skills.
But what makes a good overland 4×4 camping rig? The most important items are rooftop tents, exterior lighting, suspension, storage capacity, having the right accessories, solar panels, and camping gear.
Here, we’ll look at all the must-have components of your overland vehicle and see what makes the best overland rig ready for some camping adventures in the wild.
Rooftop Tents
A night of good quality sleep is every overlander’s struggle because the cozy mattress is now gone. It’s difficult to sleep in an area you’re not familiar with. This is actually a survival instinct. You are in a remote place where anything can happen, so your mind remains active. But you need a night of good sleep to get back on the road!
Convenient and comfortable. These are the main reasons why many overlanders choose to mount rooftop tents on their vehicles. You just place a ladder on the side of your vehicle, climb the rooftop tent at the top of your car, open it, and there you have it. A cozy place to recharge your mind and body. A rooftop tent is one component of an overland vehicle, and almost every overlander has one. They save time, are easy to use, and free up space inside your vehicle. There are budget-friendly yet good-quality rooftop tents if you worry about spending a lot on a rooftop tent.
Exterior Lighting
When the sun sets and darkness starts to take hold of everything, it’s time to switch on the lighting system of your vehicle. In overlanding, you have to find a camping spot before the sun sets to act as your temporary shelter. For safety purposes, the exterior lights of your vehicle will light up your camping site. Bright lights can scare away wild animals, and they can signal other passing vehicles that you are camping in that spot.
Overlanders go to great lengths to improve their vehicle’s lighting system. They upgrade their headlights, mount lightbars at the top of their truck, and take a portable floodlight to the campground. They prefer the brightest overland LED lights available on the market because they’re cost-efficient, energy-efficient, and good in quality. If you worry about installation, you can just purchase a lighting kit that comes with a complete set of lights and tools for easy mounting on your rig.
Suspension
When overlanding, you bring camping gear that can make you a mini-home anywhere you plan on setting up camp. You would want foldable chairs so you could relax and enjoy the view in front of you for a moment. You need to bring utensils to cook food. You will need to load your vehicle with a portable stove, a sleeping bag, a foldable table, a toolbag, a hammock, etc. With every piece of camping gear you load onto your vehicle, you decrease its ground clearance. Upgrading the suspension system of your 4×4 can save your life.
Do you want a comfortable ride no matter what terrain you drive on? Then you need to have the best suspension for overlanding. Suspension can increase ground clearance by 2-3 inches. It can help you find different camping sites no matter what terrain they’re on and can enable you to bring anything you want on your overland travels. In general, overlanders choose to upgrade their suspension to be safe and comfortable in their overlanding trip.
Storage Capacity
One deciding factor in choosing which 4×4 to use in Overlanding and which is the best one for camping adventures is storage capacity. With all the necessary camping gear that you have to bring with you, you need a large space to store it all in. But if storage is limited, then the only option left is to maximize the space to give room to all your stuff. There are lots of storage solutions for your overland vehicle, and most of them only require a small amount of investment.
A roof rack can make the most of the large flat surface at the top of your vehicle. It can store sporting gear, a rooftop tent, and a big rooftop bag for more space. If you’re the kind of person who stores most of their things in the trunk, a rear drawer system can help you organize these things. Aluminum boxes are overlanders’ favorite way to store all their stuff, even kitchen utensils. They can be stacked up in a way that you can take advantage of the height of your car as well, for space.
Accessories To Not Ignore
In order for you to enjoy your camping adventure, your 4×4 requires accessories needed for it to perform at its best. These small investments can have a large impact on the quality of your Overlanding trip, so they should not be underestimated or ignored.
An air compressor is of great help when preparing for flat tires and changes in terrain. Different terrain requires different PSI for improved traction and safe driving. To avoid greater damage from collisions, bumpers can absorb most of the impact saving the rest of the vehicle. In times of car repairs and maintenance and you’re the only mechanic your vehicle can rely on, you need to pack with you the necessary tools to successfully do the job. If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all the accessories that you want for your vehicle, you can visit ARB 4X4 Accessories.
Solar Panel
In today’s world, living without a power source seems impossible. Almost everything runs on electricity, even your vehicle’s battery. Your phone, laptop, camera, lights, mini-fridge, and electric cooling fans need a power source to give you the perfect camping experience in the wild. Do you plan on working even during your overlanding trip? Then you really need a reliable power source. But with all the power requirements of your electrical equipment and your overland vehicle, these can drain the life of your vehicle’s battery. A solar panel installed at the top of your vehicle can reinforce the battery as a power supply.
Solar Panels used in overlanding can either be portable if you want to save space or permanently mounted at the top of your vehicle. Solar panels are quite popular in the world of overlanding and off-roading, so guarantee, you’ll be able to find lots of solar panels to choose from that suit your needs and budget. There are also solar panel kits if you want convenience in setting up the solar panel. The kit comes with a carrying case, built-in USB charging ports, and other accessories. A solar panel on your overland rig is indeed life-changing.
Camping Gear
Camping gear is the most important component of an overland rig ready for camping adventures. With the right camping gear, you can enjoy a comfortable life in any remote place. You don’t need to buy every piece of recommended camping gear online. You only need the essentials. You have limited space, and low ground clearance can damage your vehicle’s underside, so bring only what you really need.
If you want your own mini-kitchen to enjoy cooking fresh produce in the wild or along the road, don’t forget the portable stove. Water containers, a shovel, a first-aid kit, firestarters, and a fire extinguisher are all essentials. Prioritize all the camping essentials and then, when you still have enough storage and budget, you can buy other things you want.
Aftermarket Support
All the upgrades you have to do to make your 4×4 capable of camping adventure are only possible if the vehicle is supported by the aftermarket. If your 4×4 is limited edition and not typically used for off-roading or overlanding, chances are you’ll spend a lot of money doing upgrades, or worse, you can’t find accessories compatible with it. Specifically, it will be easier to secure lockers, lifts, bumpers, and other components if the vehicle is commonly used in the United States.
The most common 4×4 vehicles used in overlanding are SUVs, 4WD pickup trucks, vans, and Toyota 4×4 vehicles. The aftermarket has lots of available spare parts and accessories to transform these vehicles into overland 4×4 camping rigs. Suspension is the first upgrade to make, and if your vehicle is a typical one, then upgrading suspension is easy. You are already set for overlanding.
If you don’t have a vehicle that is supported by the aftermarket, you can just rent one. You don’t have to buy a brand new SUV just to experience overlanding. There are lots of options, from second-hand to renting. If you just want to go on an adventure trip for a weekend getaway, you can just rent an overland rig in the United States.
Final Thoughts
A good enough 4×4 is the best vehicle for your overland camping adventures. Overlanding is in demand nowadays, and that means you’ll be able to find components to make your vehicle ready for adventure. If you don’t want to spend a lot, there are lots of products that are affordable and good in quality.
All of the things mentioned above are components of a good overland rig. For a comfortable and convenient camping experience, I recommend that you consider having them in your vehicle. Rooftop tents, exterior lighting, suspension, storage capacity, accessories, solar panels, camping gear, and aftermarket support make a good overland 4×4 camping rig.
