Hi great program, keep it up. Short story, We were crossing Botswana in a Land Cruiser and broke a drive shaft. Stuck on the road/path for 2 days when a gentleman came down the path on a bicycle, asked us what was wrong, we showed him and he said he would solve it and kept on riding his bicycle. A day later he returned with a perfect usable drive shaft strapped to the frame of his bicycle. We fitted it and could continue our journey. I will always be thankful to that individual.
A few years ago I did a solo mountain bike trip through the deserts of Mexico for a few days. I was on my way back on the dirt road and came upon a van from Oregon on the side of the road. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with the front suspension. I went underneath and within a few seconds noticed their control arm had come loose because the nut came off (I suspected this because I had just dealt with this issue on my 4runner lol). I had to point it out to them specifically to get them to see it. I then told them about Coco's Corner a couple miles down the road where he has a bin of miscellaneous nuts so they could limp there. Then I left and continued pedalling on down the road. Pretty funny, how a guy on a bike in the middle of the desert shows up out of nowhere and fixes their broken down van. It would have been even more hilarious if I had a replacement nut for them. But bicycles are metric, this was an American van. I think the guys were a bit jealous of me, the girls seemed impressed at me, and wondering why their men couldn't figure it out. LOL
Interesting thing that those 'Bring a cooler' people don't mention is...when the fridge dies, it's STILL better insulated than a foam cooler. Just put the ice in it. That's how I do the fridge in my travel trailer. A few frozen water bottles lasts hours, and then I switch on the propane when I get to camp.
I actually carry an electric motorcycle now. I've had about 3 instances now where I wish I had a bike and didn't have to walk 5 miles because of a break down.
"Need is the mother of ALL invention." "Adapt, Improvise and Overcome!" "Where there is a need there is a way." The idioms are too many to be carrying excess of anything. Thanks for sharing.
The key word here is Convoluted. The entire premise of an adventure is that you push yourself and meet new challenges. That's where the buzz comes from. Those folks in their grand edifices are relying on kit for comfort. They are innately scared of the unknown and of the dark. They seek solace in numbers and mass materialism. In short, some folk are not suited to expeditioning. The channels on You Tube clearly show this with all the effort and bank credit poured into keeping up with the Jones's Less is so much more. It's laughable that they turn up in camp with a 200k dollar "build" and a packet of 2 minute noodles.
I forgot what channel I was watching for a second, and when you walked in front of the camera, I was really expecting an awkward Ronny Dahl "Hey There!"
Ronny's current myths series runs along the same lines as Dan's current series. Worth watching both to get the viewpoint of two very experienced tourers (but also quite different).
I used to be one of those people that have 6 of everything. Now I find myself getting rid of more and more equipment after every trip to save space and time. Great advice here.
I totally overpack food. Always get some feeling I’m going to want more choices or need more. Then I get home and about 1/3 of the food has been uneaten. Need to trim back.
I am planning on buying a one ton pickup to tow my toy hauler trailer I live in full time. I also want to install a more off road friendly suspension to do some off road camping on multi day trips. This is what led me to wanting to investigate "overlanding". Though i will not be traveling internationally as you do, I have great respect for your experience and advice. You have me thinking different than the "overlanding" market has had me thinking. My truck isn't going to change. My roof to tent probably won't change. How I equip the truck probably will. Thank you for the videos, I'll definitely keep going through them.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but a packing line I like to use is, “Critical or Multiple.” Everything packed needs to either be mission critical, or have multiple uses. If not, nope. Of course there are a few luxury items that make things nicer, but 1-3 of those usually means 2-3 unused. Yeah, easier said than done, but definitely simpler. And, to anyone who knows how I pack everything, and over prep, it’s easier to give advice than take it! ;)
Almost half of my pantry was dedicated to spices and condiments! I like flavorful food! And I like making it! I do tend to have a bigger kitchen though.
Overlanding for me and my wife is flying to a country, renting a 4x4, and driving through the country for a few weeks. So we only take what we can check on the plane, or ship to a destination. I would love to take a few years off work but we’re working towards early retirement so we can overland full time in our early 50’s
Hey, Mate! I agree with you 100%. Most of countries in the Southern continent recycle most of the items we take for granted; we've got to appreciate life.
All very sensible advice as usual. We have a Toyota hilux for work in Sierra Leone and the local mechanics can literally fix anything , no booking required!!
We are repairing many parts here in America and Europe too, the part like a starter is replaced at shop for a reconditioned unit and you need to send the core back, so you don't have to wait the time for the part to be repair ! This is true for most serviceable parts on a motor vehicle !
We roverland in Southern Africa as a lifestyle, in our contented Defender crew cab, we carry no fridge, no welder and even no GPS. We have two spare wheels, two 25 liter diesel containers to assist our two tanks of 100 liters and a 25 liter water container. We do have a winch on the front bullbar but in my 43 years of doing this have never yet used a winch. We have a high-lift jack and some snatch straps and chains, a spade and an axe. We have a two-plate gas stove and all cookware etc and have just spent the past six months of virus lockdown living in the roof tent.
My philosophy is to look at what I can carry on my back for back country hiking / camping, add few luxuries like a decent pillow and a few more changes of clothes, plus a fridge and call it done.
I recognize myself in with the food, the first time i traveled internationally with my Jeep i brought so much canned food. 2 months later i had ½ of it left when i came home. Now when riding my motorcycle the pan American i have no food on the bike except for a granola bar in the tank bag for a quick snack. Bring water tho, water is important.
All good advice mate. You don't need heaps of gear to have fun offroading and over landing. My Pajero doesn't have a winch but it has factory lockers and goes everywhere that I want it to.
Although welding machine is absolutely wasted space it's good to know that there is alternative. Every overland vehicle have dual battery system and it can be used for welding in emergency. I would definitely take few welding sticks as you can weld with dual battery and jump-start cables that everyone carry in their vehicle anyway. There is few videos on RU-vid how to weld with dual battery and it's one of the skills that every overlander should learn. It's not permanent solution but it can maybe save you and take you out from some remote place where help is not available.
I’m really intrigued by payload of vehicle and the weight is distributed over the four wheels. Many vehicles today have a really small payload if we put 4 passengers in it + camping and max out. I don’t know if it’s necessary but 4 scale under each wheel when we build a rig ? Really good video by the way.
I used to carry around a heavy pack when I tramped around the backcountry. I got shoulder problems! Now all my gear fits in a pocket. ;-) I only take stuff I've actually used in 71 years of tramping around.
Honestly Dan I've only thought of maybe 2 items on the list. 1) foods, 2) parts. And your absolutely right about those also👍. There's a 4 word line from an old Kinks song,,, " Paranoia will destroy Ya! " And it goes like that. 🤷♂️ I just dated meself 🙄. Thanks, and safe travels. G.🍻
Great list. So all I need is: vehicle, fuel, phone (all -n-1, communication, gps, camera, resource for information), a tarp (shelter and everything else it can do), blanket, source of fire, a bar of soap, a change of clothes, two MRE’s (just incase I can’t find food), jug of water and a life straw, 1 pot 1 pan, a towel (could be replaced with another spare shirt, multipurpose) and a smile.
got my alternator rebuilt in Albania, got in the shop around 9 am, I was back on the road at noon, total cost about 80 euro. I do carry electrical stuff like fuses, wires, crimping tool, some plugs, a multimeter, few bolts, duct tape, small stuff like this.
Regarding the welder - a small MAPP torch and good bearing rods are a light weight replacement that brazing would likely hold up to get you out of the rough.
Even after taking an over 2 month long trip recently, I still got something out of watching this video watching it again a year later. I was using paper plates on that trip. I just looked, theyre still in the boot! Time to ditch those and save space. I still have a few cans of food too, but nothing major. But they do take up a lot of space. I will add to the list of things I didnt need and wont bring again- I bought one of those camp kitchens, you know, a big table that fold up swiss army knife style- its huge and heavy. I like it for what it is, but out of the 66 days I was on the road, I used it a total of 3 times. I also had a jerry can for gas that I bought. I didnt even bring it with, and never regretted leaving it at home. I never once came close to running out of gas.
Am actually in the planning stages of a Canning Stock Route trip now. Hopefully all the Covidiots calm down and we can actually go. Have already done the Simpson desert. Cool video.
Another great video!! Best nuts and bolts videos on the real world of overlanding on the internet!! Keep up the good work of educating to the real world of driving around the world!
I agree to everything that was said with one exeption. I would carry an alternator. My alternator once seized, it was totally blocked. As a result the fan belt failed because of riction-generated heat. This meant that my water pump wasn't moving either so that I could not limp home.
Bringing a spare starter or alternator is redundant but stocking a basic rebuild kit for each is cost effective and takes up about as much space as 3 packs of Raman....lol
Excellent list. The more I overland, the less and less I tend to bring with me as I learn on every outing that I have to unpack all the crap I didn't use, eat, drink........
Re food - We take a few days worth and then put money back in the small towns we pass on our adventures. Feels good helping them out. We need them to prosper for future travellers.
Hey Dan, nice channel. I've been giving a lot of thought to heat management. Did you tend to use your AC much (if at all). How much of a difference did the thermal insulation you did before the trip make? Would some kind of anti-UV window clear coating be worth it? In one of the videos I noticed the interior of the jeep was dusty, did that bother you?
In regards to the food thing. Its also nice to spread a little money around to stimulate the local economy by buying food when you're passing through. I've never been on a big overland trip but I try to do this anywhere I go.
Dan, you should make a separate video about the importance of the the differences between the winch and the wench. Proper mounting of both is extremely important ! And believe me there IS a difference! Also proper placement should be carefully explained and demonstrated as you won't go 10 feet if you get it wrong. Chalk this up to a hard learned lesson, perhaps the most important video you ever make.
I brought a small pair of binoculars that I only used once. I was in Costa Rica on a mountain looking for a coffee shop. They got wet and fogged. I eventually ended up giving it to a policeman who really liked it.
Something I've noticed that I bring on every trip but never end up using is a large selection of my pots/pans. Usually I bring a couple different size pots and two different pans, but I only end up using one of each. I think that most people could probably name at least one thing that they are constantly bringing into the bush and not using a single time (past tools of course). It wouldn't be a bad prompt for overlanders to ask themselves while they're packing up for the weekend! When was the last time I used X on the trail?
I drove Alaska to Argentina without them, and never once thought I might need them. It depends entirely on where you want to go, and the kind of driving you like to do.
You don't need them if you stick to the tracks used by the locals. Locking diffs are expensive and add a lot of complexity. I have a limited slip diff at the rear which isn't much more than a standard diff, it does add useful traction and it's mechanically simple. For me a goood compromise.
Great video very informative and so true . Thanks for sharing . Enjoy your adventures , and informative and inspirational videos . Thanks again for all the great advice you give to us on over landing travel . Cheers from Steve Stott in Sutherlin Oregon U.S.A.
About the only spare part I would think to carry would be few fuses, U-joints "depending" and few bolts nuts. But I did Overlanding "vehicle camping" in Europe in mid 90s. My spare stuff was 2 or 3 5 gal gas cans, that was due to questionable fuel supply and my cooking stove ran on unleaded gas to. A qt of oil that I never needed to use with out 5 more and a filter for change 😉. Now going "off-roading" a different game. Some don't understand the difference.
it’s a great list - I guess you could have added not bringing too many clothes as well. It might be just a few of everything rather than the entire wardrobe, making allowance and anticipating for temperature and climate changes along the route.
some sort of water pump or a cooker you willl find in most market towns, cutlery, hand tools, etc. anyway. Something about food poisoning : happens rarely with street food, rather in Restaurants or Hotels, where they serve western cuisine, but are not really up to the Hygenic standarts
Ask and you shall receive! Here's my stove ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bi4opxsQmn0.html And here's me cooking and talking about the kinds of food I had access to on the Pan American Highway and around Africa - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gYi17mZfNek.html
Great video. I use the exact same philosophy. I spent 4 weeks and 4500km's in and around the Simpson Desert. ( in the summer, not winter months ). Its surprising what u really don't need, and can still be comfortable.
I felt exactly the same way, and I didn't have one for Alaska to Argentina and never wished I did. Three times in Africa it saved my bacon, and and handful more times I pulled out locals which is fun. Without the winch I can't imagine how I would have gotten the Jeep back on it's wheels in Uganda.
I would like to know your thoughts on the American safari jxl. It extends the Jeep longer and also adds a similar sleeping setup as your system. Looks interesting. Thanks for all the great videos.
It looks interesting for sure, though it's expensive, and giving more interior storage space just means the ability to carry more stuff, which means going even further over the GVWR of the Wrangler.
Essentially all wrangler builds are over GVWR. If going for a weekend, maybe it's not a big deal (although it is illegal). But for years on the road in tough conditions, it's a serious issue.
I bring redundant survival items, more than one way to start a fire, that i can use to cook if the stove fails, Duct tape if i need to weld something. if the fridge fails dump some ice in it. Water might be a good idea to have more than one container. but how far out are you going to be from water you can make potable.
Great ideas, Dan. I want to know how much does your RTT weigh? I have the Gobi rack and JB RTT, which is about 300 lbs. I'm thinking about changing up my system and getting the Ursa Minor.
I have a request. I like all the talk about vehicles, technical stuff, things to bring or not. But I have some questions about your experiences with people, and not just the officers trying to extort you. Like how and to what extent do you engage with people, local or not, that you meet along the road? Do you ever befriend them, eat, drink and party with them? Get into bed with them? (Sorry, has to be asked.) How do you deal with poverty and deprivation you encounter, do you ever try to help? Or is it just better not to? What are your personal ethics in this, is there some code of conduct? Perhaps you can go into this in one or two of these "5 things (not) to do" videos. Thanks.
Hi lift jack for me. Lb for lb there are better things to carry...But I am one of those that packs a crap load of food and water so I have basically swapped it for that lol. But I do sometimes stay out 2 weeks w/o resupplying so at least occasionally I can justify it.
What kind of stove so you use? I have a Coleman propane stove but I've been thinking I should go electric so I don't need to worry about bringing our finding propane.
Can you get your hands on a new Land Rover Defender at all? Be interested to hear how you think it might go for an overlanding vehicle. I haven't seen one in person yet (in Australia) but am keen to check one out, having had 3 or 4 Defenders previously. Looks to be a huge amount of tech and computers compared to the old ones. And airbags for springs... I'm not convinced. Anyway, if your local Land Rover dealer would lend you one for an afternoon, I'd be interested in your thoughts, as would a lot of other people I'm sure.
Great videos Dan. I love your down to earth thought process on these things. What do you recommend for toilets? And would love to know if you have any ideas that would help for the wife.
If you can't think outside the square and your not a multitasking problem solving person you shouldn't be out there !!!! I've come across so many people that just have no idea.... And I say what are you doing all the way out here ????? It's a good thing I've come along and I just shack you head. So yes de papered but better still know a bit and have commence. Great video 👍👍 thanks. From 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
.. I'm getting comments on FB of people justifying bringing the welder! "I'm going around the world, so I know SOMETHING will break, and I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it".
You're not the only one, quite a few people are saying things on similar lines. But there are also comments from people who have crossed continents or multiple countries, and every single one of them says "you don't need it". So I think there's a divide between people at home planning compared to people who have actually done it. That's the gap I hope to bridge.
Acumulating gear, mostly unneeded, has become the parasite companion “sport” of overlanding. You see 2 people in a vehicle (helpless victims of influencers’ magical powers to relentlessly pimp said gear!) out for their weekend “expedition” 🤔 and they’re dragging a fully kitted trailer plus junk inside AND on top of their chariot to the brim, Mad Max ‘end-of-the-world’ style. You can bet a heated discussion was had about the grand piano. After they brag about the latest acquisitions, they invariably bitch about how underpowered their rig is, how pitiful the MPGs 🤷, and lament all the cool places they can’t go to because... of the trailer!
Lol, I see it all the time out in the Mojave Desert! I personally drive an old Toyota 4×4 with an old shell, very basic, one Ice chest & a few tools. I use an old can and gather twigs to cook with. Stay light and you can go anywhere!🦾🏜️
Well I agree with most of what you are saying but in Australia, and where I go, there will not be any shops etc for many days and you might not see anyone for a week or more. In desert country, it is essential to take additional water in particular as well as food in case of breakdown. Deserts get to >45-50C during the day and
those unthinkable scenarios where youre "stranded" are always gonna pop up no matter how prepared you are.. to me half the fun is figuring out how to navigate them.. a trip with the local offroad club isnt as fun if no one brakes anything for everyone to chip in and make a plan to sort out