How to Choose the Best Vehicle for Overlanding?

Overlanding is an extreme entertainment that is rapidly gaining popularity. Freedom and unlimited opportunities for adventure are the words that best describe it. This activity allows everyone to make long trips to remote places, where there are always few people and many outdoor activities.

But, before you study this checklist, it is worth understanding how ready you are to leave your favorite sofa in front of a vast TV and surrender to the power of adventure.

Desire is not everything. You need to understand that by the standards of our measured urban existence, overlanding entertainment is extreme and unsafe.

In addition, this is the most expensive entertainment compared to other outdoor activities. How else? In any extreme situation, you will want your safety to be ensured by the best equipment. Logically, you must pay to see the Mercedes badge on your car, Apple on your phone, or agm nvg on your night vision device. This is true, as is the fact that each of your investments will pay off.

If the game’s rules do not seem scary, let’s move on to the most interesting ones. Below are the criteria for choosing the perfect vehicle for Overlanding and recommendations for finding them.

Vehicle type

Overlanding is where the traveler will spend a lot of time in the car. Because of this, it is best to use the most spacious and comfortable vehicles for this entertainment. A motorhome is a priority option for those cases when you have to drive on asphalt. It is ideal for long trips, as it provides a person with a comfortable place to sleep, relax, cook food, etc. For off-roading, full-size SUVs are the right choice. They will open up unlimited opportunities for traveling on dirt, gravel, sand, and other roads and allow easy access to hilly areas. However, when choosing an SUV, you must spend the night in a tent, not on a bed. Van is another good option. This versatile vehicle makes it possible to convert the interior space into a motorhome.

Off-road characteristics

Overlanding fans often prefer to choose their route rather than use paved roads. If you are one of them, pay attention to the off-road characteristics of the vehicle. The leading indicator here is the all-wheel drive. Its presence will make it possible to distribute power between all wheels. This will make the car’s behavior on slippery and uneven surfaces more stable and predictable. The following important indicator is high ground clearance. With it, the vehicle can overcome various obstacles without damaging the bottom. Adaptive suspension is another aspect that travelers should pay attention to. It adapts to current road conditions and makes the trip more comfortable.

Reliability

Overlanding fans often find themselves in places that are remote from populated areas. In this case, any minor breakdown can become a severe problem and cause the premature end of the trip. Moreover, there is a possibility that the lack of help nearby will turn an exciting adventure into a multi-kilometer hike to the nearest city and a fight for survival in the wild. In this regard, reliability is one of the key parameters to consider when choosing a vehicle. It is ensured by the high quality of various parts and their good condition at the trip’s start. Reliability is also affected by the frequency of vehicle maintenance.

Efficiency

Long trips always mean high fuel costs. To make them less expensive and make overlanding affordable, even people with limited financial resources must choose the most economical vehicles. They will consume fuel more slowly, so they must visit gas stations less often. In cases where the trip is to areas remote from civilization, fuel economy is a critical parameter. Thanks to it, travelers will have to take less fuel, making it possible to leave more space in the car for various valuable items. Vehicles suitable for Overlanding are not the most economical to begin with. However, if you choose the optimal tire pressure, eliminate unnecessary cargo, and avoid sudden braking and acceleration, you can achieve an acceptable result.

Safety

Overlanding is an activity that is associated with certain risks. If they add the probability of accidents during the trip, the desire to travel disappears, even for extreme sports enthusiasts. To prevent this from happening, need to choose the safest vehicles. You can find them among the many models in dozens of different ways. Studying the results of crash tests and available safety elements is the most obvious. Most often, modern cars have not only safety systems and elements but also options that make the probability of collisions, rollovers, skids, and other troubles less high. Such options are a prerequisite for purchasing a vehicle that will be used for overlanding.

Load Capacity

Long trips are impossible without many devices, items and devices that a person will need during overlanding. A tent, various equipment, fuel for the entire trip, spare tires, tools for car repair, food, and water are only a tiny part of everything that needs to be taken on a journey. Because of this, for overlanding, we need to choose vehicles with the highest possible load capacity. Large values ​​​​of this parameter will make it possible to travel with massive cargo. It will also eliminate the need to choose which items to put in the trunk and which to leave at home. Sometimes, travelers have to use a trailer. In this case, should also pay attention to the towing capacity of the selected vehicle.

Controllability

Pleasant and easy car control is the key to a successful trip. For overlanding, these two aspects are the most important since you will have to travel for many days, weeks or even months. When choosing a vehicle, you can only determine whether the models in question meet the specified criteria by experimenting. A test drive is the best option. You can also be guided by the opinion of experienced overlanding fans who have driven many kilometers and know exactly which car has the best control. Studying reviews of unknown people on the Internet is not the best solution. You should also remember that each person has their preferences. Therefore, a car that one traveler finds easy and pleasant to drive may not be the best partner for another on his trip.

Maintenance and repair

Overlanding is a long event, so participants must regularly take care of the car. This is the only way it will remain in good condition and will be able to reach the final destination without breakdowns. In this regard, Overlanding fans must choose the most straightforward models to maintain. They will not create additional problems for travelers and will help minimize the loss of time associated with vehicle maintenance. The longer the trip, the higher the likelihood that the car will break down one day and must be repaired. Because of this, models for which spare parts can be found in any city, region, or country are ideal for overlanding. This way, we can quickly fix the breakdown and continue the trip.

Overlanding is an exciting and memorable activity. It allows you to travel freely and discover unique places only the bravest tourists have ever reached. Having the right vehicle is the key to the success of the entire event. It is the only way to avoid many troubles and reach the destination. Using the information in this article, everyone can find and select the ideal vehicle that will become the best assistant in an unforgettable adventure.