Overlanding VS Rock Crawling VS PreRunning 

What's your opinion of "Overlanding", and why??

Great balanced point of view of this contentious topic! Love the presentation. I feel a lot of debates simply came from people trying to prove who’s “better” and make themselves feel superior. In the end, most of us are doing these for recreation. No need to make having fun into a competition

I'm a 60yr old overlander. Tacoma TRD off road is my rig. A few mods but not wild. I definitely enjoy camping away from everyone else.

I am building my 2020 GMC Canyon into an Aussie style touring truck for big miles, big gravel, logging roads, and off the beaten path touring. While I won't have a try and canopy, I will have a cap and inside sleeping and an equipped kitchen etc along with high clearance bumpers, a winch, and skid plates. The goal isn't to rock crawl, but rather to get into places that a stock vehicle won't make it easily and avoid the crowds and just experience the silence of the far north.

I just got a 06 LX for touring. It’s very nice, my first 4WD vehicle!

We love to categorize everything in life so we can identify with it. "Overlanding" is no exception. If it gets you out there safely, is recoverable and minimizes damage to the vehicle then call it what you like. 33" - 35" tires, 2.5-3 inch lift, skids, sliders and winch on a Tacoma, in my opinion, will get me "over the land" to a destination that I desire that I wouldn't have considered in a 2wd or comparable vehicle. On a seperate note, thank you for all the vids you guys put out there. It's always a refreshing, honest and down to earth take on venturing with a 4x4 vehicle.

I built the ultimate overlander. I took a Hummer H3, Solid axle swapped 3 link setup and put it on 37s. It does rock crawling, mudding, can cruise on the highway flawlessly and has about 260HP and 270 torque. But it gets about 16MPG. I put a rhino rack platform on it that I build my swag tent on top of and have an awning mounted to it. I also use clip a room with that awning from time to time and have a 1600 watt inverter that is fueled by two deep cycle marine batteries and is charged by my alternator and solar. I can run my projector, blender, George Foreman Grill and My fridge for the trip without issue. It keeps up with most rock crawlers on 37s. The front and rear lockers really help. Plus it is no slouch in the dunes either. All this without spilling my coffee. Long story short, if you want your rig to do everything great... yeah good luck with that. If you want to do everything, build an overlander the way you want it to be built. :)

Awsome way thinking. Loved the comment about the fact that we should all just be stocked about being able to get out there and do what we like and we should all just get along. 🤙

I enjoy all of the aspects of offroading. I'm building a rock crawler out of a 93 YJ, I have a simple offroader JKU, and I'm building an overlander Tahoe. I've been wheeling for over 15 years now and started with the YJ. The YJ has gone through a lot of transformations, and its newest is going to be a rock crawler. The Tahoe I've had for 8 years and has been my tow rig. I'm upgrading my suspension a little and installing a rear locker so it's more capable. My JKU I built for simple trail riding. Thank you for your content. Be safe.

I'd like to think that Overlanding is the older of the other two sports you're describing and should be taking a bow to. I mean old western chuck wagons were in someways overland for survival to get across vast lands; or nomads with their camels. Speaking of camels, the ultimate overlanding extremes can be found when they use to run Camel Trophies, Dakar Rallies (eventually becoming more pre runner style racing like Baja 500) and etc. If anything, overlanding is how rock crawl and prerunners were pursued; taking some overlanding challenges further as a specific technical off road sport. Great video piece! Thanks for sharing.

This video rocks and fits me to a T. I have been looking into getting a Tacoma and watching all these videos. I love going fast, as well as slow and technical.

I use my overlanding rig as a daily, for camping and for green and blue trails. For everything else, I use it to tow my rock crawler, SxS and pre-runner to wherever and go from there. As I get older, bashing the heck out of my body and truck flying through the desert is not so appealing anymore.

Overlanding is just getting to that sick lake or camping spot safe overlanding is so dope exploring no use for other ways unless I had money to waste .

This is a great video for someone like me that is finally getting into off roading. I knew of these three types of off roading, but never thought much about how different the rigs actually are. I think most people just figure an off road 4X4 is an off road 4X4, and they're all very similar. I guess that couldn't be further from the truth. Thanks for this. Explained so well, and great visuals. Nice editing, and a great message at the end, too.

It's become that old argument of "mine is bigger than yours" - its dumb! Call it what you want, just do it! We don't all have all the money to afford all the toys, so build what you want and get out there. Great video man!

Really enjoy your very practical contents. Keep posting them and thank you.

Always enjoy your videos and topics. Last point is key, whatever it is you choose to build / drive, use it! Enjoy it.

2015 4 runner trail premium here. My truck has the creature comforts my wife and I need to get out to far away places. I’m 68 years young with a lot of mileage to my back and legs. I have no wish break my body anymore than it is now. No need for speed or high drops My truck , the same . Respect to those of us hitting back road less traveled .

I love your channel!!!! Great info! Thank you!

Good light hearted clarification of terms. Started building a long distance touring rig to drive to Mexico ++. Covid came so we Started camping backcountry. My build is now a capable, comfortable camping truck that gets us out and back then to work on Monday.

i’m eventually turning my truck into prerunner but without tearing up the bed so i keep my soft topper on and camp when i want to lol

You’re absolutely right, you can’t build a pre-runner/rock crawler/ Overlander rig in one vehicle that performs good at 3 categories, there are always compromises. I have an Overlanding rig and I enjoyed staying within my realm of Offroading.

Hay! Nice video. I have a 1989 Land Rover Defender 90 which I use for off roading (not the professional extreme stuff) and I’m building my 1990 Land Rover Defender 130 for “overlanding”. both trucks are right hand drive and are equipped with 2” lift kit. The D90 has a lot more work done to it and is more capable to go out into the woods but it is way smaller than the D130.

Excellent info!!! You hit it right on the head. Just bought a ‘23 Tacoma Off Road a few days ago ( my 3rd one over the years ) and I just want it to handle a few things off road but not go nuts on the mods !!!

I’m in the same boat, love it all! Dual locked 3rd Gen taco 35s RTT and all the broverland goodies! Lol

I really enjoyed your video. Thanks for the explanation.

Very good info. I just got into Overlanding. We purchased a Gen 3 Tacoma just for the camping, Got our ARB RRT 2 weeks ago. We slept in it on our property and slept pretty good. First real camping will be Memorial day weekend at the Ocala National Forest. Since I live in FLA, no rock climbing here, lost of swamp though, lol

I plan on putting together a rig that compromises over landing and rock crawling. 35's tops. Sounds like a rubicon with 2/3 of the seats in back removed or both. Doesnt sound too complicated.

would love to see a video from you guys on tires you recommend for folks here in BC. Maybe recommend some based on light, medium and heavy wheeling.

07 6mt Fj cruiser and I run it stock through as much as I can. In MI there are tons of trails and public lands that are very easy, only a handful of places exceed intermediate wheeling except Drummond island. It's just fun to explore nature in a comfortable manner and be able to escape the chaos that's the active society.

I’m actually just getting started. Just bought a 17 Tundra, with a leveling kit and aftermarket wheels. I got it mostly cuz it looks awesome but I’ve been looking into overlanding because I love camping with friends. I’ve decided my first addition will be a bed rack and tent, kayak and bike rack too. Then we’ll see. I kind of feel like that’s the minimum maybe? A place to sleep and able to bring some toys, lol. Thanks man. Great video. I’m one of those guys who put a cold air intake on my truck, lol.

I have a 92 Toyota pickup rock crawler, here in the Alberta rockies it's definitely the best build for the terrain out here, definitely something to be said about the highway though😂

Great vid Dude.

I’m a Ram 3500 fan for overlanding style adventures. I’m limited on vehicle height if I ever want to drive to work and with 35” and no lift I’ve only got 6”s to play with for a low profile roof rack possibly. I definitely agree that everything is a compromise and getting out there and learning what you need and don’t really makes trips more focused on the trip than the accessories that just break and never get used anyway.

Summed it up perfectly 👌No need to bash each other over what a truck should or should'nt be capable of. I consider my Tacoma to be an "overland" style rig (34" tires, roof top tent, sliders...) but I built my truck that way because it can handle 90% of the terrain I come across close to where I live and I dont need it to climb rocks or jump sand dunes. Build your truck to tackle what you enjoy doing and what you plan to encounter.

I like all of it, my truck isn’t perfect at any of it lol. I’m in CO so more of a rock crawling over landing build. 3G Taco 37’s dual cased fully locked with an RTT. It’ll run 75 on the highway and run 8’s. Good enough for me. Who cares what other people think 😂

A good thing to remember when building your rig dont buy everything you see on the internet or other builds, build your vehicle for your needs and go test it out see what works for you. Maybe you live in an area with larg rocks so a 35 makes sense vs a 33

Growing up in the 80s there weren’t all these terms- we just went offroading or wheelin’ and that encompassed it all. When I first heard the term Overlanding it was primarily an Aussie thing, but with social media I think it came to the US. I still usually just say I’m going offroading. i consider my rig an adventure vehicle- it’s my daily that takes me to places where I can have adventures- sometimes the getting there is the adventure, sometimes the adventure doesn’t begin until I get there, be it in the rig or by mountain bike, or hiking or kayaking or whatever. So it’s built to be able to carry all my stuff I need 24/7 so I can get outta town easily without a lot of packing and pretty much be able to do whatever when I get there. So leans more towards overlanding rig I guess, but Im always cautious of going too far in that direction because I do just like crawling around the woods over stuff too. Bottom line, just get out there and have fun. Who really cares exactly what you’re doing.

I think you hit it on the head hear. great video...

I've been pondering this same idea of a unicorn "do all" vehicle too. An Ultra 4 would be perfect but I feel like a high end SxS is economically more plausible. Besides, in my state (NV) a SxS can legally be driven on the street and if I ever wish to drive far I can just tow it with my F-150 "overlanding" rig. An Ultra 4 rig or pre-runner would be so much more fun though

I have a 2wd (bought it because I needed a truck bed) toyota gen 1 tundra srv that I'm going to be turning into my summer rig for mountain biking and camping. I wish it was a 4wd because I ski every weekend in truckee and would love to build it up for the snow but need something safe for the family.

Overlaking VS Wood Crawling VS AfterRunning, that is what I do in my 1993 Pathfinder.

I live in Florida, so I would consider rock crawlers in the same category with mudders. My Monteros probably leans towards an "overland" build. The elitist mentalities of some groups are comical and toxic in the overall community. There will always be those types....you just have to focus on what you want and just go be happy and enjoy your rig.

I think a 4x pre-runner with roof tent seems to check a lot of boxes. Custom build some fiberglass boxes between your rear frame components for a bit of light-storage. It's obviously sacrificing luxurious camping, for more capability, but it seems like a good compromise. If only it could also tow on occasion. I don't think airbags would be enough for longer trips. Some day someone's going to invent the ultimate suspension solution that is adaptable, light weight, high clearance and highway capable.

I just ordered a canyon 23 edition 1 , it does a little of everything my fifth truck in my life and its everything I want, I dont want to be the guy your talking about with everything crawling in the mall parking lot , I didn't want a fullsize been there done that , I wanted 33's stock , I wanted good on road manors with off road chops and I feel like I have it , front rear lockers decent spool valve shocks 3 inch lift and leveled and a winch that I always wanted but could never afford and I just want it all to be stock not pieced together like some other stuff I had in the past. I cant wait till it comes in so I can tint the windows and undercoat it and call it a day except for the snorkel when it becomes available. I haven't been overloading in a while but I can only imagine how busy it is out there because its the in thing now

I feel attacked 😂

I drive a 5th gen 4runner 2019 Limited. I just want a little better suspension and tires, maybe a 1.5 inch leveling kit/lift. I will use it for fishing, camping with myself ..

I have an 06 taco, I am trying to make mine perform similar to a side by side, kind of an all arounder myself. I don't crawl extreme , i like to haul ass on dirt roads and dunes. ( i live in the desert) but i also want road manners . I don't care about huge tires or max lift. i want suspension travel . its all about the droop !. I'm sticking with a 31" ish tire ( toyo at3s) with lockers , and working on figuring out a +2" arm travel coupled with the right shock set up, and to make it harder on myself I don't want fiberglass fenders. i want to spring under the rear but i want no interference with using the pick up bed . and o ya i want to use a towbar or trailer. and to add to the mayhem i have a 140" wheel base double cab.

2017 Tacoma trd sport. Kick myself everyday for not getting the off-road with the locker. Of course I want resi shocks over my 5100s and gears and lockers but my family of 4 keeps me grounded with what I got.

If I want to do all three, do I need a RU-vid channel for each?

I got 2014 DCLB on 34s with bilstein 5100s and arb medium. I keep up just fine with guys with larger set ups 🤷‍♂️ I don’t like the term Overlanding I know people have all this gear and they’re gone for like 3 days max , I got an RTT , could I use a ground tent and be fine of course but sleeping up the air like that kind of makes you feel like a kid in a treehouse 😅.

Overlanding is car camping where cars cannot go. I’m just thinking about starting to build out my 2015 Lexus LX 570. Should get me anywhere my 65 year old body should go. Except, I also recently started mountain biking and will be trying not to break anything this year. Upgrading my Lexus might get me to places where I can get hurt mountain biking. So my first upgrade was a watch that will let loved ones know to help I’ve fallen and cannot get up🤣🤣

Running a JD fab LT on my 2018 taco on 37’s, dual locked and on dual T cases. Set up to be all of the above but in my mind it’s more of a bug out truck in case WW3 happens and at this point right now with what’s happening in the world, it ain’t too far fetched, just saying.

Overland is what we used to call camping. It uses your daily driver to get u there and back

Some harsh truth was realized in this video, lol. Can't do them all. I'm making my 3rd gen trd offroad a go anywhere truck. Caplable of light pre running and also overlanding. Not really down for rock crawling in this thing, it's too big.

FWC project M on a 2020 limited Tundra TRD OR, I am an overlanding nerd lmao :)

you left out another category: mall crawlers

Definitely not just you lol. I need the license plate holder. "I'd rather be overlanding "

Someone in your crew have a 1st gen Tacoma?

my 2016 access cab taco is daily. i am finding out there is no perfect vehicle to suit all needs and everything cost MONEY.

Rock crawlers and prerunners are really just recreational vehicles, like sand rails.

Overlanding it is the way.

I love going fast off-road, why go slow in open vast terrain? On my 15 tundra I just have king shocks and a tonneau cover, stock size tires all camping gear fits in the bed and that’s it. I enjoy camping and being able to drive highway speeds off-road, you don’t need long travel to go fast. You don’t need all the gear people have

By definition, overlanding is vehicle dependent travel, where the main goal is the journey itself, not the destination. So, wouldn't it be nearly required for most of the trip to consist of driving to even categorized as such? Everyone's definition of the word varies greatly. The definition goes on to include that it often involves off-road capable vehicles where travelers can discover remote trails and areas that are less frequently visited. An expo, a campground, or a forest service road is not by definition a remote location. You have cell reception, proximity to infrastructure, and locations for food or fuel. In most of these locations you are limited to a stay no longer than 2 weeks. Yet, most popular "overlanders" stay for only a day or two. Driving 8 hours to wheel trails and camp doesn't make it remote. Remote by definition is situated far from the main centers of population. That changes based on where you are. For instance, the Georgia Traverse is in a rural location but you are never more than a few miles from food or fuel. It may feel remote to you, but it's not by definition. I realize that this is just my opinion. However, I feel everyone can find common ground in that there are many comical misconceptions surrounding this hobby. The term is a synonym for camping now and the vast majority don't know the difference. This is camping. This is a road trip. This is an adventure. Sure. But, just bolting provisions and gear to your vehicle like you're about to drive the road of bones to only end up driving some forest roads and camping in a marked dispersed campsite somewhere you've never been for 48 hours is just not overlanding.

I’ll take an ultra4 over lander with 30mpg pls. 😂

For me an overland truck is like a swiss knife. Its got all basic tools to get you out of most edgy situations.

IMO overlanding is everything you said, but I’ll add my take. Overlanding is car camping that requires a more capable vehicle than most, and doesn’t involve a ground tent.

IMO, car camping would be driving on the roads to different campsites.

Is "overlanding" Australian cultural appropriation?

Overlanding is extended multi-day and multi week Backcountry travel while living in and out of a vehicle. Typically without resupply for fuel and food.