ULTIMATE OVERLANDING JEEP GLADIATOR WALK-AROUND TOUR (ft. the Alu-Cab Canopy Camper) 

Stacie that was so kind of you! Not only are you already our Patron, but this was over and above. It really means so very much to us, and I just called Brittany over to show her your additional support. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. It is folks like you who are making our journey around the world a reality. ~ Eric + Brittany + Caspian ❤️

Super kind of you to say. Happy to be a resource if you have any questions along the way. Also, I do my best to respond to every comment but it is getting harder. We just published a video about Barichara which is the most highly recommended place to visit here in Colombia. Hope you check it out! ~ Eric

Brett Elizabeth, super kind. Glad you enjoyed the video. Treasure your prayers for my family and our journey. Glad to have you here on the channel. ~ Eric

Christopher, appreciate your love on the video and best wishes for our journey, but we treasure your prayers most. Thank you for being part of our community. We appreciate the Georgia love. ~ Eric

Maybe as our Patron, one day you'll fly out and visit us, and we'll give you an in person tour! We've already had Patrons visit us in Mexico, and Costa Rica. We'll be in South America soon. Any country interest you? ~ Eric

Solid advice. We actually have a hatch on top of our Goose Gear accessible from inside the cab which I thought we showed? Maybe we didn't. But yes, we can access our recovery gear in a pinch from inside the cab without opening the doors. It wouldn't be a lot of fun, but it is doable. ~ Eric

Right on Michael! Man you are our people. Love seeing a Jeep family taking this one with their 5 year old. Sure you don't want to ship to South America and give Caspian a playmate for a bit? Haha! Just kidding, there is SO MUCH to see in North America, and you are going to have a blast. We traveled full-time all over North America for 8 years prior to setting off on our global journey. I have a TON of good info to share with you and your family. Not sure if you are interested, but I invite you to join our Patreon www.patreon.com/hourlesslife where we give tips on extended overlanding, overlanding as a family, gear, overlanding rig builds and much more. It is a great community and helps us to continue to create content while on this global journey. If not, no worries, welcome to the channel. We are glad you are here and whether you join us on Patreon or not, we are always happy to be a resource for you and your family as you set off on this adventure. ~ Eric

Thank you Craig. It is all about purpose right? I have another Jeep parked in Denver at my brother in law's house that is built completely differently. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment. Hope you subscribed. ~ Eric

Hi Brent! Really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a detailed comment. Appreciate you joining us for the journey in the past year. Happy to field all of your questions here publicly. But if you'd ever consider joining our Patreon we'd really appreciate that as it helps us create this type of content. No pressure from us but take a look at the page and see what you think. We're going to be adding to one of our benefit tiers advice on building and designing overland rigs and thoughts on gear. If you search for Hourless Life Patreon you'll find us pretty easily. Having said all of that, here's my thoughts on your questions: Your first question was about weight and space. Payload is king. We have often said when speaking at public events that "Payload doesn't go away if you ignore it." You are right in making this a major consideration of your build. In October of 2021 we did a fully loaded weigh out and we factored in a bunch of information that would fluctuate over the years. We are pretty dialed in with this setup. I'm glad you are considering it throughout your build process. The best advice I can give you on keeping weight down is the following. 1. Don't carry extra fuel unless you need it. A gallon of fuel weighs 6lbs. So you can imagine that carrying extra fuel when you don't need it is a mistake. It costs you wear and tear on the vehicle, engine, and decreases gas mileage. 2. Don't carry more water than you need. But make sure you ARE carrying what you need. Water weighs 8.34lbs per gallon. Those liquid weights can vary your loadout weight significantly. 3. Buy backpacking gear instead of camping gear. Backpacking gear costs more, but typically is more durable, always weighs less, and has a much smaller footprint. This will save you space and weight at the cost of money, but will likely last you longer than most typical camping equipment which generally isn't designed as well. 4. Go with aluminum front and rear bumpers if you are replacing them. This can save a significant amount of weight. 5. Go with a synthetic line on your winch vs the steel cable. 6. If you are not full-timing like we are then only pack for the trip you are currently undertaking. You don't need to be prepared for 4 seasons if you are only traveling in one for the specific trip. Your next question was about insurance. Yes, we are concerned. But we set aside a fund in lieu of insurance that should cover us to repair or replace damage. If our rig becomes a total loss that's another story, but we do have some funds set aside for at least a down payment on another vehicle should that be necessary. All of these countries in Latin America require you to carry liability insurance to cover the other person, but don't offer local insurance to cover your own. There are policies out there, but they are extremely expensive. Depending on your budget and piece of mind, I can share some of those companies with you if you like. Your last question was about Caspian's bed when he gets bigger. Truth be told, I can fit in his bed with all of the sleep platforms down. But we figure that by the time he wants to move out of the house so to speak, and have his own space, he'll get a ground tent that he can put up and tear down and have some of that teenage privacy he'll want. But we'll see. We'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it. He's a pretty big boy already. If we need to make a change for our son, of course we'll do that without exception. Family first. Hope that answers all of your questions. Thank you for being part of our journey. If you'd like to check out our Patreon, here is a direct link. If not, feel free to keep asking questions here, I'll do my best to field them as I'm able. ~ Eric www.patreon.com/hourlesslife

Thank you! We've made it down to Lima, Peru as of this writing. The Jeep is a great means to an end. But ultimately that's what it is. Anyone can build a cool overlanding vehicle. But what you do with it makes all the difference. I hope that you have a chance to watch some of our latest videos. The one coming up this afternoon at 3:30 Eastern time, is on one of the most dangerous roads in the entire world. DAUNTLESS performed well on this drive. Hope you can check it out. ~ Eric

My Costa Rican brother! Thanks for the kind words on the video and rig brother. Please tell the Costa Rica crew I said hello. Keep chasing your dreams. ~ Eric

Hey Clffrock! Really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Glad you enjoyed the walk-around and hope you've decided to subscribe to our channel. Welcome. Hope we see you as a regular commenter. ~ Eric

Hey Daniel! So Brittany is working on a book about our travels, and I'm working on one about the value of time. Appreciate the kind comment. I do my best to respond to every comment but it is getting harder. Sorry it took so long to respond to yours. With the holidays, we took a short break. But we just published a video about Barichara which is the most highly recommended place to visit here in Colombia. Hope you check it out! ~ Eric

Thank you Andres! Glad you found us. We look forward to visiting Cali! ~ Eric

Hey Unorthodoxx. Glad you liked the concept. After 9 years of full-time travel, we've learned quite a bit about this lifestyle. If you ever have questions don't hesitate to shoot them our way. I do my best to respond to every comment but it is getting harder. Sorry it took so long to respond to yours. With the holidays, we took a short break. But we just published a video about Barichara which is the most highly recommended place to visit here in Colombia. Hope you check it out! ~ Eric

Thanks Troys Hobbies! Appreciate you taking the time to take a look at DAUNTLESS and the kind words. Welcome to our channel if I haven't welcomed you before. ~ Eric

Really appreciate that Scottie. Thanks for tuning in and being part of our community. ~ Eric

Thanks so much Glen. We used to put a video out a week but it has proven to be too difficult with the limited connectivity here in Central America. But we are going to shoot for 1-2 good videos per month. Appreciate you being here, and if I haven't welcomed you yet, welcome to our channel. ~ Eric

Thank you jpl! Glad you enjoyed it! ~ Eric

Thanks so much. We've been really hard on this rig, and overall we've been very happy with it considering! We're in Peru now, but still releasing our Ecuador content. Hope you get a chance to check out some of the travel videos. That's what the build is all about. ~ Eric

Ryo, appreciate the comment. In North America alone it would have had 35 or 37 series tires, would have been a diesel no question and would have had propane as part of its build for sure though the heater would have been diesel as well. I would have done more on the dash for navigation if I wasn't crossing multiple international borders as well. ~ Eric

Thanks Prohodaction. Glad to share our home with the community. ~ Eric

Hey Laloo, thanks for the comment. So rock sliders add weight. Even aluminum ones. We aren't rock crawling, we're attempting to drive around the world. Weight is everything in an overland build designed for a family capable of travel during all four seasons. We aren't packing for a specific trip, so we have to be prepared for much more than the typical overlanding loadout, and weight often gets calculated in ounces instead of pounds with this type of full-time global travel. As far as why not a Rubicon, man I would have loved to have one. But again, weight you are carrying for full-time travel is the primary reason, more specifically, payload capacity of the vehicle. The Rubicon payload is 1200lbs. The Sport S with the Max Tow package and automatic transmission (which is what DAUNTLESS is) has a payload of 1,565lbs. That 365 extra pounds over the Rubicon trim makes a huge difference. Hope that answers your question. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife I got your point. Atleast got a plastic steps😃.

Haha. Ain't no mosquitoes getting into our habitat. We just reinforced everything at a shop here in Panama City in preps for South America. As far as the Shadow Awn by Alu-Cab, it is actually incredibly effective against the rain as a whole. It has kept us sane during this leg of our journey. But the rainy season in Central America is no joke. We actually just had two stanchions made that provide the awning a little more slope and re-sealed all of the areas that have been impacted by the journey thus far. More to come of course. Glad to see another Jeeper here. Welcome to the channel. ~ Eric

Happy to help Fred. Let us know if you have any questions, always happy to be a resource. ~ Eric

Thanks Jeeplife! Not sure if you saw our latest video but we are waiting on it to arrive here in South America. Can't wait to get our home back. ~ Eric

Appreciate the love on the build. And I'm not trying to be argumentative regarding your statement, but I honestly have no idea where you are getting that information. Every single international overlander I've spoken with here in South America who has had an ultra low sulfur diesel regrets having made that decision. Some have even left their rigs and rented vehicles to go various places. Even our friends at Next Meridian expressed their frustration to us. It sounds like you know what you are talking about though, and I'd be interested to see the chart you are talking about. The reality however has been that all of our friends who are in that situation have been more than frustrated down here. ~ Eric

Thanks so much. We are enjoying the journey. Hope you get a chance to watch some of those videos because that is what the build is all about,. ~ Eric

Thanks Taco. Appreciate it. We're really happy with DAUNTLESS. ~ Eric

Hey Mike, sorry for the delay in response. Brittany just had a surgery. I posted about it in our community tab here on RU-vid. No issues with leaking in our setup when it comes to the tent. As far as the Jeep, all Jeeps naturally leak, it comes standard. No other ventilation other than the two fans and opening up the sidewings and windows on the Alu-Cab Canopy Camper, but we've found it to be sufficient. ~ Eric

Awesome. Thank you for joining us Joshua. Appreciate the sub. As far as the video from Panama to Colombia, that's going to be a tough one. It is a long process with several government offices involved. So not sure that is going to be a video, but we'll see. ~ Eric

Thanks Art! Hope you learned something new about our home. If you ever have questions, don't hesitate to ask! ~ Eric

That's our hope. Appreciate the kind words Maurice. ~ Eric

Hi A Barabas, appreciate the thoughtful comment and glad you liked the walk-around tour. I'm happy to answer your question here, but I invite you to join our Patreon if you'd be interested. We talk all the time there with patrons who are pursuing the extended or even full-time overlanding life, family overlanding life, and are building out rigs. We share our experiences, thoughts on their build decisions based on experience, knowledge, and tips daily. By joining our Patreon you help us have more time to create content like this while we are on the journey around the world. But no pressure from us to do so. I'm happy to answer questions publicly whenever I have a moment. So to answer this question about trailers, which I think is a very good question, we considered EVERY option, and I mean every option. We too looked at Patriot, Turtleback, and various other options. But the more we considered it for global travel, the less sense it made. Here's why. 1. Vehicle and Trailer are tagged separately. This means you need to get two TIP (Temporary Import Permits) when crossing each border. This doubles the complication and chance for error on your paperwork which could end up in a really difficult situation. 2. There are MANY places in Latin America, where you won't want to be pulling a trailer. Trust me when I tell you that you'll be going through narrow streets with vehicles, pedestrians, carts, animals, potholes, and speedbumps all around you. There have been many times where we've barely squeeked DAUNTLESS past and that was with no trailer being pulled. 3. Unless you are caravanning with a group, you'll need to leave your trailer by itself when you decide to head off and explore. There are very few places where I think you might feel comfortable enough to do this, unless you don't plan on wild camping at all and only plan to stay at established campgrounds. 4. Parking will be a hassle everywhere you go. The cars here are much smaller as are the parking spaces. 5. When shipping the vehicle, you'll need to pay for the entire container instead of splitting the cost with another traveler. This will be thousands of dollars difference over the course of your journey.There are more reasons, but those are the primary reasons to consider not bringing a trailer along. Hope that was helpful. If you are interested in taking a look at our Patreon here's the link: www.patreon.com/hourlesslife As I said, feel free to always ask questions publicly too. I have no problem helping you navigate these important decisions and being a resource for you. ~ Eric

Hey Aaron, so glad they have been helpful to you. We did not upgrade brakes, although if you are going through the Andes like we are, definitely a worthy investment I would think. We haven't had any issues yet, but we're only in Peru. We still have all of Chile and Argentina to go and then back up the eastern seaboard. I think that's a great idea. ~ Eric

Thanks so much Yaniel! Appreciate your kindness. Great to have you on our channel. ! Eric

@@HourlessLife i wish i can find the way to send you pictures of the overland gladiator im building now is same jeep of yours sport towing package with 4.10 gears the white jeep jk that you see in my youtube channel i soldit last August I bought 2021 gladiator so i can travel with my family im a truck driver owner operator for 17 years I been everywhere in thi country and part of canada but I want to take my wife to the nice places jus put the tent in the jeep last weekend

@@Jeep79 you can contact us through our website at hourlesslife.com/contact-us/ we'd love to see some photos of what you've done. ~ Eric

They are OEM and brighter than any others we’ve seen down here. Seriously the oncoming motorists aren’t used to seeing them. Sometimes we’ll get people flashing their high beams asking us to turn our high beams off. I’ll typically just flick my high beams to let them know I’m not being a jerk. Thanks for the love on the video. Glad you are on the channel. ~ Eric

Hey Lefty, so that's a great question. So here's the situation. I got your comment just after I loaded our Gladiator inside a container to ship to South America across the Darien Gap. Normally I'd be happy to take some measurements for you and get you a solid answer, but I likely won't have our overland rig until somewhere around the middle of November. I'm happy to do so if you remind me. With that said, keep in mind that for the JT Goose Gear makes a high seat delete and a standard seat delete. We have the high seat delete so that we can slide it out of the back door. If the measurements worked out and you had the standard Goose Gear seat delete you would have even more vertical room for access to the fridge. Also if you don't need to haul a 5 year old around you could opt for the 100% seat delete instead of the 60% like we did giving you even more room to play with fridge placement. Not sure if that helps, but hit me up towards the end of November and I can break out a tape for you and get you some measurements. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife Thank you

Thank you Ricardo. Appreciate the comment. It’s been good to us so far, but we have a long journey ahead of us. ~ Eric

Hi Archers. So essentially we extended the restraining strap and the wires. Measured carefully for the Goose Gear platform and the National Luna fridge from Equipt Expedition Outfitters and it came out perfect! If you want to send us a private message on Instagram @hourlesslife I'd be happy to do a one off quick video for you. Thanks for being part of our community and best on your travels. ~ Eric

Hey Tim! Welcome to our channel. Glad you found us. There are a LOT of videos to get through. We did an entire build series that you might find helpful. As far as the inside being dry. The inside doesn't really get wet. However, the fabric on the tent, awning, and shower cube do. So depending on what was out in the rain, whenever you get to a place where it isn't raining, it is advisable to open it up and let it all air dry. The nice thing with our setup is how fast it all deploys and stows. So it makes this process easy. Also, since we travel full-time we open ours up every day anyway regardless of weather. But there have been times where we normally wouldn't have opened up the awning lets say, but since we stowed it damp we go ahead and deploy it just to dry. Hope that's helpful, and happy to answer questions and be a resource. Glad you found our channel. ~ Eric

Hi Craig! If you are looking to travel the world, as in overland internationally like we do, you want to make sure that your vehicle is a good fit for you personally and the style of travel you envision. Really all you need to travel the world are water, food, shelter, warmth, and sleep. There are many ways to do it. But what you don't want to do is break the bank so you can't afford the things you want to do while traveling. I'm happy to talk about this with you more specifically to your needs. Feel free to send us a contact form at hourlesslife.com and I'll be happy to respond to you. Either way, we wish you and your dreams the very best! ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife Thankyou Eric, I will definitely be reaching out for information and help to find the best fit for me… cheers Craig

Thanks Randy. Appreciate you watching the vid. Let me know if you have any questions. And if I haven’t welcomed you to our channel yet, welcome! ~ Eric

Thank you Daniel. Yes, the Freedom panel operation is unaffected by our build. So they are completely operational. ~ Eric

Gracias! Mauricio. Que es Putumayo? ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife un departamento. Al.sur de colombia. Pasen por el pueblo de SIBUNDOY, Si vienen a finales de febrero se celebra el betsnaté. "Carnaval del perdón" de los kamentsa comunidad indígena.

Thank you John, Super kind comment. It was hard to film with all of the wind and background noise. But we got through it. Really appreciate the encouragement. Hope you'll subscribe and follow the adventure. Working on editing our next long form content today. Wish me luck. ~ Eric

I have to agree, You have not only demonstrated the alu cab and vehicle very well but also all the items that should be on board. Kudos

Thank you. Appreciate that. ~ Eric

Hey laloo, I actually answer that question specifically in the video. You may have skipped over it. Basically because DAUNTLESS is purpose built for a global overland journey and we're not rock crawling. Weight is a premium consideration, every ounce we can save we are saving. Also, I do my best to respond to every comment but it is getting harder. Sorry it took so long to respond to yours. With the holidays, we took a short break. But we just published a video about Barichara which is the most highly recommended place to visit here in Colombia. Hope you check it out! ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife it won't hurt to run a light weight step/slider combo made of aluminium. In my humble opinion. However as long as you guys are fine with it it's okay. It's just my thing cuz every 4wd i got has a slider. Good luck guys.

I have no idea on the payload of the BU / Renegade, but surely it is not anywhere close to the Gladiator in our configuration. Glad you enjoyed the video. Merry Christmas back to you! I do my best to respond to every comment but it is getting harder. Sorry it took so long to respond to yours. With the holidays, we took a short break. But we just published a video about Barichara which is the most highly recommended place to visit here in Colombia. Hope you check it out! ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife Don't worry....you're on your trip and not in a office 😁✌🏻thanx for your answer and a Happy New Year to you and your family. Stay safe 🌈🥂

Thanks so much Doug. No, there is nothing on DAUNTLESS that is diesel. The heater is a Webasto heater that is plumbed directly to the stock fuel tank. It uses about 1/10th of a gallon per hour. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife that is awesome. Thank you. I spoke with you at expo west 2021. You mentioned insisting on 1 fuel type. I know the diesel versions are becoming popular, but for me that is fuel 3, after propane. I plan to stay in the USA. Would you still stick with gasoline for heat?

Believe it or not, the angle to the Alu-Cab from the outside on a Gladiator is not cumbersome at all to get in or out of. The door is a lot larger than it may appear. Definitely recommend that you visit a distributor and step in and out of one before making the purchase. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help! ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife will do, I have some friends who have them I will ask them

Cool weber. Hope it works out for you. Keep us posted. Happy to be a resource. ~ Eric

Thanks kjohnson, so we have an article that breaks that all down which you can check out here: hourlesslife.com/cost-to-build-jeep-gladiator-for-overlanding-the-world/ ~ Eric.

Thanks Jeff. Build weight is a hard thing to determine as every single change has to be calculated. For example removing the stock tires and wheels, adding the new ones and calculating the difference. In addition there are fuels and liquids that aren’t always at the same levels which can vary the weight hundreds of pounds. Plus the change in our own weight and the fact that we get rid of things and add things as we travel. Having said all of that the only way we can determine maximum weight of the build is to fully load out the rig with all fluids topped off (extra water and fuel) and fridge full and every piece of gear and equipment loaded. Then we had to add weight equivalent to Caspian’s projected weight as an adult and subtract his car seat. All that to say that there is no exact science to your question but one that we were really curious about too. After all that we needed to weigh both the steer and drive axle. We did that in October 2021 just before departing on the journey and the steer was 2980 and drive was 4500 for a total of 7480 however we don’t actually carry that weight. That was the max our rig would ever be loaded. We also have to subtract the allowance that Jeep gives for the driver. So those are the numbers, realistically and for all practical purposes we are driving with about 2900 on the steer and probably around 4320 give or take on the drive. This is based on the average extra fuel and water we carry and our current load out. Really complicated answer to a great question. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife Thanks for taking the time to post this. No one I've asked has ever answered! I know it is hard to estimate it prior to the build, but it seems like everyone should have weighed it after the build, fully loaded, as you did. This build is very similar to what I have planned, although I don't plan to do it on a Jeep. But I find it difficult to find weights listed. For instance, unless I'm missing it on their site, I have never found weights for any of the Goose Gear products, and these would be a big part of my build. So I'm flying blind when trying to figure out what the full camper build and the rear seat delete would be, in order to compare it to the payload of the vehicle I have yet to decide on. Thanks for your time. Looking forward to following your South America adventures.

@@jeffhatfield.1 no worries. I saw your question as soon as it came in and I do my best to respond to people as soon as I can, but I wanted to find our weight slip and give you the actual weights. So, it took a little longer to answer your question fully as I wanted to give you a complete answer. Congrats on your upcoming build by the way and your future adventures! Several thoughts, the reason that most people won't answer you is that 1. They don't know because they haven't considered the importance of the payload due to ignorance as to its level of importance. 2. They know what it is and don't want to say because they are grossly overweight. Honestly it could put them in legal trouble if they are to put that information out publicly if they were to get into an accident. An insurance company may refuse their claim because the exceeded the stated payload of the vehicle. As far as Goose Gear, (full transparency, they are one of our sponsors) but they are a great team. If you email them and ask them the weights they will provide them. I suggest you do exactly that. Also please know that I'm happy to be a resource publicly, and hopefully you can see that I'm responding at length to help you out. But I don't always have internet connectivity on this drive around the world. We do have a Patreon account which I invite you to join. That is the platform we always check first and respond to first when we have internet. Your patronage would support our journey, and I'm happy there to dive into any questions as you continue your build. Again, we'd appreciate the consideration, but not required at all. If you ask me questions here on RU-vid or on Instagram, we will respond as well to the best of our ability. ~ Eric

Thanks. Sorry for the delay. Just posted about why the long delay on our community tab. But to answer your question we are running the BF Goodrich KO2 34 10.50. Essentially a 33.5" A/T tire. Glad you liked DAUNTLESS. ~ Eric

Hi Peter. I’m sorry I don’t understand what you mean by open the back seat? We removed the 60 section to put our fridge there which I explained the multiple reasons behind that decision. Does that make sense or can you clarify your question for me? ~ Eric

It isn't as scary as you might think, and it is full of wonder where everything you see, and all that you experience is something new. Totally worth it! My advice is to dip your toes internationally. If you haven't been to Mexico at all, start in Baja, if you like that, dip into interior, and then the horizon is the limit. ~ Eric

Great question. Diesel is readily available in many countries. However ultra-low sulfur diesel is not. All of the newer diesels require it unless you modify the vehicle. However, in every corner of the world you'll find a motorcycle. And where there is a motorcycle there is unleaded fuel. This was our decision since this is an attempt at a global overland journey. If I were building this rig just for North America, it would have been a diesel Gladiator. But for this trip, a gasser was the right call. I do my best to respond to every comment but it is getting harder. Sorry it took so long to respond to yours. With the holidays, we took a short break. But we just published a video about Barichara which is the most highly recommended place to visit here in Colombia. Hope you check it out! ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife Thank you so much for the information. I was actually considering the new-ish Chevy 1/2 ton truck with the new 3.0 liter in line six turbodiesel as my base truck for my overland build. I have the Bundutec Wild camper being built...now, I guess I will move forward with my current 2014 Tundra with the 5.7liter V-8. I was thinking that the diesel would be more fuel efficient, and world wide compatible for fuel...So, now I know that will not work...So, my Tundra will not be sold off to get the Chevy diesel!

The quality of their products have not disappointed. It would be interesting for sure. It will be interesting to see what they continue to innovate. ~ Eric

An interesting idea. Not sure how annoying that would be inside your tent though. ~ Eric

You are most welcome. Thanks for being part of our RU-vid community. ~ Eric

Starts around 10k. Remember it is an empty shell. ~ Eric

We don’t have hot showers in DAUNTLESS. However the shower nozzle is plumbed to the Alu-Cab 13 Gallon tank and powered by a water pump. Because the tank is inside the habitat, it is normally lukewarm. If we are in an extremely cold climate, our Webasto heater is on which again warms the inside of the habitat thereby affecting the water temp of our shower. Hope that helps. ~ Eric

Sorry you had that experience! That has not been our experience at all. We've been really happy with our front bumper, and the light weight of the aluminum for our build. Hope you found something that works well for you. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife I did. I loved that it was so lightweight too. As long as you don't need to be pulled out of mud or snow or sand or whatever by that bumper, you'll be fine. But personally under a really heavy pull I don't trust those mounting points not to just rip off and go flying. Just look at how they're built, and you'll see what I mean. The recovery points themselves do not mount to the frame, and that is the problem.

It is actually over 10 years as of this writing. We actually do carry a toilet. It is called the Thunderbox by Thunderbox USA. Surprised we forgot to include it in the video, but good catch. ~ Eric

Dudley, I'm sure you mean well, but this isn't really a thought through comment for our type of journey. Shipping a vehicle across oceans requires specific measurements for container shipping which is the most cost affordable. Our rig was designed to fit inside a container intentionally as I mentioned in the video. The Jeep Gladiator is more than capable for what we've designed it to do for this drive around the world. A "real pick up with a camper" would have to go RORO across the oceans (roll on roll off) and there are all kinds of issues with that including price, security, time, etc. DAUNTLESS was designed for the specific journey we are on. We mention in the video that the build of the viewer might be entirely different for their type of travel, for our type of travel DAUNTLESS is exactly what we were hoping for. We're really glad with how he turned out. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife @dudley Baggerman - I am building out an F250 for a similar purpose. I am not planning to go all continents though. Mostly the Americas, Newzealand and Australia. The F250 can carry a lot of weight, but I will face challenges when it comes to container shipping. I will make it work, but I have to spend more time planning (and money) to do so. It would be easier if I would go with a smaller vehicle, but I am putting a pop-up camper on there.

@@ChristophPuetz thanks for the comment. For what it is worth, we see all kinds of overlanding vehicles down here in Latin America. Everything from huge expedition vehicles to mini vans. Every vehicle build is going to have its strengths and weaknesses as a platform. The bottom line is taking the one that is right for you and your type of travel. This of course includes budget considerations. To give you an idea, just shipping from Panama to Colombia is going to cost us about $6000 less than it cost some friends of ours with a truck and camper who couldn't fit inside a container. So that is a consideration. As is parking, navigating extremely narrow streets, and low clearance bridges and sections specifically in more remote areas. The most important thing is to take the journey. I'm excited for you and your future adventures. If we can ever be a resource for you as you are building out your rig, let us know. ~ Eric

Super kind. Appreciate the super thanks. ~ Eric

HI Scott and Chele, we would LOVE to visit New Zealand someday. Sorry for the delay in response but Brittany had a surgery. I posted about it on our community tab just a few moments ago. ~ Eric

Hi Oscar. I have two full videos on the shipping of the vehicle here on our channel. One for the process in Panamá of sticking it in the container and all the hoops you have to jump through. The other is getting it out of the port in Colombia. Once you’ve watched those, let me know if you have any questions. Hope they are helpful to you. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife thanks

We are really looking forward to Africa. However we have 2-3 years first in South America. Can’t believe we are loading the vehicle to ship across the Darien Gap this Tuesday. It feels surreal. Would love any tips on Africa when the time comes though! ~ Eric

Thanks Hanlons, always happy to be a resource. Appreciate you taking the time to watch it! ~ Eric

Stephen, I'm so glad this video helped you in your decision making. We've been swamped with our travels here in the USA visiting family. Sorry it took so long to respond. Appreciate you getting behind us on Patreon, it means everything to us on our journey. I hope you enjoy our behind the scenes community there. If you have any questions about your build that I can help with, please send me a PM on Patreon. I prioritize answering questions there. ~ Eric

Glad you found the answer. In short for anyone else reading. Unleaded fuel is available globally while DEF is not. Someday it may be, but as of now it is not the wisest decision for global overland travel. In every corner of the world you will find a motorcycle. Wherever there is a motorcycle there is unleaded fuel. ~ Eric

Hey Alan! Welcome to our channel and thanks for subscribing. Sounds like you have quite a bit of experience under your own belt. I'm sure you'll have fun building out that taco. If I can be a resource for you, don't hesitate to reach out. I wish you the very best on your upcoming adventures. ~ Eric

Justin, welcome to our channel. Thank you for the sub. We do our best to respond to each comment whenever we have internet down here. Glad you liked the video and our rig DAUNTLESS. Hope to see you as a regular commenter. Let us know if you have any questions. ~ Eric

Helllo Jim! So glad you enjoyed the video. Happy to be a resource for you if you have questions as you build your Jeep someday. Also we look forward to visiting Germany when we get to Europe! Appreciate you leaving a comment. Welcome to our channel. ~ Eric

We send our love to you and Ivan! Miss you guys. Glad you got a chance to meet DAUNTLESS. ~ Eric

Sorry for the delay in response. I love the Alu-Cab and it has put up with all of the use and abuse of daily living for a family of three for two years so far. I've heard really good things about the James Baroud as well. Obviously I can't speak to that one from personal experience. But the Alu-Cab has been a solid performer. ~ Eric

Hey Mike, thanks for watching and for the kind words. If you ever have any questions, or need a resource to bounce ideas off of, feel free to message me. Appreciate you watching. ~ Eric

Thank you Whitley! It is a lot of work to maintain considering how much we put DAUNTLESS through. This month here in Panama City, Panama is all about getting him ready for South America. ~ Eric

Thank you. Glad it was helpful and informative. If you’d like a deeper dive on anything, let me know! ~ Eric

About 7000-7400lbs depending on fluid load out. ~ Eric

Hi David! Sure that is the VSS (Vehicle Solar System) panel by Cascadia 4x4. They make them for various makes and models. www.cascadia4x4.com/ Thanks for watching the video and let me know if you have any further questions. ~ Eric

Appreciate that David. So yes, we removed the stay, and we extended the electric cables so that they wouldn't be too tight when fully opening the door. But that was a little extra on our part just to keep wear and tension off those lines. You could probably get by without going that extra step. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife Thanks Iric. We are currently working out a new vehicle camper for our Gator Gladiator here in Brisbane Australia, currently we tow #toughtear . Looking a Alu Cab, Skinny Guy and Camp King.

Can you please explain how you extended the rear door electronic cable for a wider door opening? I can’t seem to find anything to have a wider door opening. Thanks!!

Definitely brings us joy. :) ~ E

Great question Detroit and thanks for the love on the video. The Alu-Cab Canopy Camper comes with two mattress pads for the upper sleeping area. One that covers the main bed platform, and one that covers the smaller platform that folds down. Because Caspian is still so little, we've just removed the mattress from the smaller platform and we put that down below on top of the Goose Gear sleep deck system for Caspian to lay on. That will obviously change into a larger mattress as needed. But for now it is our current solution. ~ Eric

@@HourlessLife thanks Eric. That’s a great idea. We are using a separate foam pad now for our four year old son and it’s just another thing to move around. Didn’t even think about re-using that piece of foam in ours!

@@TakeNoSpace cool! So glad that was helpful. Had no idea you were also Alu-Cab Canopy Camper owners and were traveling with a 4 year old. You are OUR kind of people. Super nice e-meeting you. Would love to have you consider joining our Patreon if you'd like. We offer all kinds of really great tips, and talk builds and travel all the time over there. No pressure from us, but we love other traveling families and invite you personally to check it out. www.patreon.com/hourlesslife ~ Eric

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the tour. ~ Eric

That's a really good question. Yes, we did consider the Khaya. It's a gorgeous product. But at that point, we were already sold on using a Jeep Gladiator as our base vehicle, and the Khaya would be WAY over payload for that vehicle. -B

I don't understand your comment, but if you have any questions, I'm happy to help, The reality is that to travel anywhere in the world all you need are 5 things. Water, Food, Shelter, Warmth, and Sleep. Everything else is nice to have and makes the journey more enjoyable. We've seen folks in South America that have made it down there in a 2wd minivan and are having an amazing journey. So don't get discouraged if your heart is international travel. ~ Eric

We have 27 gear sponsors for our global overland journey. We're on our 10th year of full-time vehicle travel. ~ Eric