Is overlanding just glorified car camping? I know it is a loaded question. But it is one worth asking in light of the fact that overlanding has become big business. So many people spending untold amounts of money to do what amounts to car camping seems a bit suspicious.
Looking at overlanding from a business perspective leads to the unavoidable question of whether most people who consider themselves overlanders could continue doing what they do while spending a lot less. At least one guy whose video I caught on YouTube thinks so. You might want to watch it if you are looking to get into overlanding but scared that you don’t have the budget.
The Overlanding Market
It is really tough to put a dollar figure on the overlanding market as a whole. The best we can do is look at the vehicles hardcore overlanders prefer to drive. These are off-road vehicles with all wheel drive, heavy duty suspensions, and a boatload of accessories designed to make them capable of withstanding harsh environments.
The market was valued at $762 billion in 2021. It is expected to eclipse $1.3 trillion by 2031. When you add in all the specialty equipment associated with overlanding, the price tag only climbs. For example, the U.S. rooftop tent market was worth more than $155 million in 2022. It is expected to grow at an annual rate of 7.9% through the end of the decade.
It’s clear that overlanders are collectively spending billions of dollars on vehicles and equipment every year. It is going to reach trillions if something doesn’t change over the next 10 years. But is it all necessary? I don’t know. I am not an overlander.
Overlanding vs. Car Camping
Getting back to the previously mentioned video, the guy behind it contends that what most people consider overlanding is little more than car camping. He makes a pretty compelling case. A lot of the overlanders who post videos on YouTube show themselves enjoying outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, and mountain climbing. They rely on their overlanding vehicles to get to the places where those other activities are enjoyed.
But, and here is the tricky part, could those same people still get to the destinations in question in a production truck? Do they need the huge tires, skid plates, roll bars, and beefed-up suspensions? As for their camping gear, is it really necessary to spend money on all of the latest and greatest gadgets?
In theory, the big difference between overlanding and car camping is the journey. Overlanders ostensibly travel to places inaccessible by stock cars and trucks. If you are a hardcore overlander who engages in that sort of rugged, all-terrain travel, you are obviously doing something that car campers are not. But is that the way most self-proclaimed overlanders approach the hobby? I am not so sure.
Getting by With the Basics
As I see it, one of the advantages of car camping is that you can get away with the basics. You need a sleeping bag, your food and water, some basic tools and safety equipment, and a few Rollercam cam straps to secure everything in place. What you don’t need is a tricked-out truck that costs as much as the down payment you put on your house.
There is nothing wrong with spending tons of money on overlanding if that is what you want to do. It is your money. Spend it however you like. My only question is whether the overlanding industry has convinced you that you are doing something other than glorified car camping.
