Dear Overlanders,

My best friend (German) plans to drive from Germany to Australia. He bought a Suzuki Jimney, loaded an air bed and some equipment and plans to start in a few weeks.
As far as I understood, he just plans to go east and then find a way around Iran and Ukraine because of the wars, and drive-through China and somehow make it to Southeast Asia and in the last step ship his car to Australia.

When I talk to him, it all sounds easy, he plans on getting the Visa and needed insurances on the borders.

That all sounds crazy and dangerous to me.

Am I overthinking or is he naïve?

Hey there.

We are planning a road trip to Bosnia with my family. We are looking for a smooth casual ride, on totally legal trails. We don't mind scratching the car but surely we want to make it out on the planned routes. I checked the TET route for Bosnia, which i included in my map. My main concern is that TET is mostly recommended for motorcycles, and we want to do it by car. Many of these trails looks manageable according to satellite images, but im not sure about the forests, since i cannot check them directly.

Our car is nothing crazy, just a Duster 4WD diesel, with full shield under it (engine + trans + differential + fuel+adblue tank + bottom EGR valve), fresh A/T tyres, i also always carry some basic stuff: HiLift jack with accessories for winching with it, a compressor, a set of recovery boards and the spare tyre. No lift on the car, just the factory 21-22cm ground clearance.

We travel with my small daughter, no company this time, so i rather not want to just jump in it and we will see :)

Anyone did this route by car? Would you recommend it? We want to do the yellow sections from Mostar to Ramsko Jezero first day, and after a camping in Ramsko Jezero going for the second part which is flexible, it can either start from Ramsko Jezero on the TET route, till Glamoc M15 road crossing, or starting from this road crossing in Glamoc heading to Strmica. After we finished we are heading to Croatia. We are mostly looking for a manageable ride with great views in no rush pace.

How's the red route around Rumboci, Rumsko Jezero?

Heres my map, with yellow our planned tracks: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1qjOCOoquE2D6vkIdvVQlNVhNN5gAWHU&usp=sharing

And heres the full TET route: https://transeurotrail.org/bosnia-herzegovina/#2.22/53.69/6.35

Any info or help is more than appreciated :)

Fairly new and I see a lot of different numbers online. Live near the sierra nevada and trails are a bit rocky. I carry about 200 LBs of weight with the RTT out back.

I’ve always been told not to leave food in your car, cook where you sleep etc etc so what do you guys do with pop campers in bear country?? Especially with drawer systems that hold your stove, food etc and you’re sleeping in a pop with a mesh/fabric lining up top?

Just got this trailer, 4'x6', any options for the premade holes on the sidewalls of the trailer for a rack or side walls?

I've been working on a personal project to solve a problem I've run into while overlanding, and I'd really like some feedback from people who actually spend time on the trails.

I realized I was constantly juggling maintenance records, service reminders, gear checklists, trip costs, and notes across different apps and spreadsheets. So I started building something to keep everything in one place.

Before I keep adding features, I'd love to hear from this community:

• What do you currently use to track maintenance and trip planning?
• What's the biggest pain point?
• Is there anything you wish an app like this could do?
• What features would be a deal breaker?

I'm looking for honest criticism more than compliments. If you'd like to see what I've built and give real feedback, just let me know.

Was just looking for opinions on materials for a drawer system used for car camping, overlanding, and remote work.

Narrowed it down to two companies really so just comparing the materials between the two (Open to any other recommendation too):

B3 Customs: Pre-finished birch + carpet
Solid Wood Worx: Black HexPly birch core + phenolic finish

For anyone with real-world use or input:
\- Which has held up better over time?
\- How do they compare with scratches, moisture, and cleaning?
\- Is carpet worth it for noise reduction, or does it just trap dirt?

So, I have been to Moab (fun), spend most weekends in the and dunes at home, and now I am heading to TN to do some additional off-roading/over-landing. I added steel diff guards before Moab, and now need some additional protection for TN. I was going to go with steel from the same manufacturer to keep things consistent. It adds 200 lbs but I feel steel is the way to go. I welcome opinions and suggestions with respect to aluminum vs steel! Thank you!

I’ve got a rooftop tent with a hard 3” mattress clearance and I’m trying to figure out the most comfortable setup possible in that space.

Has anyone built their own out of high-density foam with a topper on top (memory foam or latex)? Something like a firm HD base layer for support plus a thinner comfort layer to keep it under 3” total. Curious how those held up over time, whether they hold heat, and how they packed down.

If DIY isn’t worth the hassle, what 3” (or under) mattress do you actually sleep well on? Looking for real recommendations, not just whatever came stock. Thanks in advance.

Quick release mount. Can be removed in 5 minutes.

Needed a fridge slide, but wanted more functionality than a simple Amazon aluminum slide provided. Wanted enough space on the drivers side for mattress/sleeping.

Xterra rear deck is sloped down, so had account for angle so that it pulled out level. Rear seats can be up or down.

Where did you apply for the carnet de passage? We heard that apparently the Czech carnet de passage is cheaper? Does someone have experience with this?

I’m looking for reliable camping cookware for weekend camping trips, simple outdoor meals, and occasional backpacking. I want a set that is practical for cooking for one or two people, easy to pack, and durable enough to handle regular use over a camp stove or fire-safe cooking setup.

My main priorities are:

• Lightweight and compact enough to pack easily
• Pots and pans that heat evenly without burning food too quickly
• Durable material that won’t dent, warp, or rust easily
• Easy to clean with limited water at a campsite
• Handles that feel secure and fold away for storage
• Includes useful pieces rather than unnecessary extras
• Works well with a portable camping stove
• Good size for cooking meals for 1–2 people

I’m currently considering MSR Alpine StowAway, Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set, GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper, Odoland Camping Cookware Set, and Sea to Summit X-Set.

For anyone who has used these while camping: which set has been the best balance of durability, weight, cooking performance, and ease of cleaning? I’m especially interested in whether stainless steel, anodized aluminum, titanium, or nonstick cookware is most practical for regular camping meals.

Open to other recommendations too—especially sets that pack down small but are still useful for more than just boiling water.

Hi everybody,

before I start, sorry if this post is somehow against the rules.

I need to decide whether I should keep my car or buy a different one. Right now I have a 3rd gen Pajero/Montero 3.5l V6 (6G74 ) I like everything about it but the fuel consumption is around 15l/100km on a normal driving and offroad can exceed 20l/100km which is around 15-12 mpg. And also it's supposed to get 95+ octane/ron minimum.

What is your opinion and fuel consumption? I need to sort it in my head :D

Anybody buy from/know much abt aegon? I’m looking for a more budget friendly roof rack for my 1g seqoia they seem to have the best prices and even a steel option, however it being a smaller company I can’t find many reviews of the quality of their product and was wondering if anyone here had any experience with them?

This was us a few weeks before we took the "traffic jam" trail I posted 2 days ago. 😂😂

This trip was an absolute blast. One rig, countless islands, and the only challenge we had was making it in time for the next ferry. 🤣

One more trip to the north to complete the "Philippine Loop". We can do the middle left island, but not anytime soon. 😂

Sorry if this is the wrong place, I’ve acquired four S2 Pros that I’m looking to throw on my 4Runner. All four lights have GX aviation connectors installed with what looks like 20 awg wire. I’m hoping to replace these to at least 16 awg using weather pack connectors so I can just use the premade BD harness. I bought the weather pack connectors in the pic that are already wired. I started to replace one but having an incredibly difficult time getting the thicker wire into the connector on the board.

Is there an easier way to go about this or a different connector I could use? Doesn’t seem very sturdy to just push the wire in and hope it has enough contact to make a connection.

Hi there - I am heading there at the end of the year and I would like to know if there is any community of Toyota 4x4's maniacs? :p

Scored a CVT Single Track Medium (Mt. Hood) for a steal on FB Marketplace.

Catch: it'd been neglected, sealed up wet, and had mold + a nasty mildew smell throughout.

What I've done so far: - Killed the visible mold with vinegar - Washed the canvas with Star brite Sail & Canvas Cleaner - Ordered Gear Aid Revivex Odor Eliminator for the felt panel (haven't applied it yet)

The mildew smell is mostly gone, but still lingers faintly on some panels if I press my nose right up to them, and the felt panel still stinks.

Where I need help:

1. Cleaning — am I missing anything? Any heavier-duty deep-clean methods to get it back to near-new?
2. Seams — the seam tape is failing on basically every seam and I need to reseal. What's the right product/process for canvas RTT seams?
3. Mattress — didn't come with one. I've got a vapor barrier for the floor, but what mattress do you run? Working within a tight thickness range because of the single-track fold.
4. Ladder — also missing. What length/type should I be looking at?

Totally new to RTTs, so any other tips and tricks are hugely appreciated.

EDIT: updated truck description to say that it’s 4x4 extra-cab “Edge” model.

“Gear Question” isn’t the best flair to use, but it’s something.

My wife and I like to camp, and like to be in beautiful places that are away from other people (or at least people we don’t know, with their screaming toddlers, noisy movie watching at 2:00 a.m., and whatever other ills they bring). We live in the PNW, between Olympic NP and N. Cascades NP, so we’re well-positioned. And we’re sixty-ish with health problems that keep us from major backpacking (or toting gear any significant distance; it’s “car camping” or nothing).

We own two vehicles: a Kia EV6, which is cheap to drive long distances and can carry a surprising amount of camping gear, particularly given the recent addition of a roof rack. This is our most-used camping vehicle. It’s AWD, but doesn’t have a lot of ground clearance, so we’re limited to relatively-well-maintained back roads. Our other vehicle is a 2002 Ford Ranger 4x4 extra cab Edge model (no extra features — like carpet). It has a canopy shell, but nothing fancy. We can throw all our camping gear in it and go, but it’s not very comfortable for long trips, doesn’t have things like 110v electrical outlets to run appliances and accessories (the Kia does), and is super expensive to drive any significant distance (we mostly use it for trips to the recycling center, Home Depot, or anything that requires hauling significant loads. Also it’s a good second car when we need one).

The advantage of the pickup is that we don’t have to deal with the range issue. Both vehicles can go about the same distance without stopping to “fuel up”, though if we put the roof rack on the Kia (which we don’t need to do if it’s just the two of us), the range drops pretty significantly. But currently it’s far easier to find somewhere to put gas in the pickup than it is to charge the car. With the roof rack, we could go about 70 miles from a fast charging point with plenty of power to run camp for a couple days and get back to the charger. Without the roof rack, make that ~120 miles. The pickup can go ~150 miles from a gas station, but won’t provide a lot of service in camp.

I’m looking for insight into how we can get the most out of our situation. We don’t have a lot of money to put toward adding all the amazing gadgets we see overlanding YouTubers have on their pickups (fancy canopies, expensive battery stations, etc.), so putting $30K into developing our old beater pickup into an overlanding palace isn’t in the cards. We have the gear we have, and will add a bit more, but nothing extravagant. We prefer to take the Kia if we can for the above reasons of comfort, per-mile savings, and in-camp utility.

What’s your advice?

I'm looking on going on ~2 month overland/road trip around national forests/parks in the western US where each night I'll try to do dispersed camping within like <5 miles max from my car/trailhead (or sleeping in my car or just doing a national park campground reservation if those don't work).

But I don't want to plan everything in advance like "on day 42 I'll arrive at campground A in X national forest by 6 pm and then leave by noon the next day to head to . . .". That just takes all the fun out of it for me. Instead I'll probably not be deciding where exactly I'm going to sleep until that afternoon and the only planning I'll have done before I leave my home is "I'm going to visit these states in roughly this order and I need to be back here by this date".

So then how do you find dispersed camping spots efficiently? I've read a few posts on r/camping that basically amount to "pick a national forest and start driving down dirt roads until you see a clearing", but in my experience lots of roads don't just have good camping spots on them or even places I could park my car overnight and go exploring, so I'm worried if I only follow that advice I'll end up spending hours each day looking for a spot. I'd rather be able to spend 30 minutes on my phone at noon to find a specific road or trailhead I can drive to later that day and be guaranteed to find a spot either along the road or hiking not too far down the trail.

I know going to the ranger station and asking them is one solution and I've done that before and gotten good spots, but they all close at 4pm so that's not always an option. Do you guys have any better reliable ways to find spots like that?

I'm planning a trip to Russia almost covers 10000 KMs possibly next month. What are your suggestions and experiences with such long motorcycle trips. Is Aprilia Tuareg suitable for this trip ? I made 5000+ KMs long trip last year in Turkey and I had a ATC error that gave me trust issues. There is no authorized Aprilia service in Russia.

Recs on tool bag? Ideally water resistant/proof. Able to be strapped to the rack would be ideal but not required. Not being total garage is required however. Would be great if it were big enough to fit some EGO batteries in but I know now we’re getting kinda in the weeds. Let me know what you have/like. THANKS!

I’ve gone from a tent and hiking to a Subaru driving down challenging dirt roads, to a minivan that couldn’t handle the challenging roads, to an all-wheel-drive camper van. H progression has been a step along the way and learning what I need and what I don’t need. After each trip I’ve written down what I overpacked or what I wish I had brought.