{"id":15247,"date":"2026-06-19T10:27:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15247"},"modified":"2026-06-19T10:27:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:27:23","slug":"overlanding-secrets-to-success-from-veteran-explorers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15247","title":{"rendered":"Overlanding Secrets to Success from Veteran Explorers"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Published June 19, 2026 04:15AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Overland Expo West has two important resources: gear and people. It\u2019s a showcase for new and innovative products, but also a gathering of folks who have lots of experience on the road. This year we went looking for veteran overlanders, people we\u2019re calling \u201cOverland OGs,\u201d to get their best gear and travel tips. It wasn\u2019t hard to find overlanders who\u2019ve spent five, 10, or even 40 years out adventuring. Here\u2019s their best advice.<\/p>\n

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Many overlanders advise to build your rig out slowly and work with the gear you\u2019ve got. (Photo: Courtesy Yogaslackers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Keep it Simple: Start with What You\u2019ve Got\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Lots of newby overlanders overdo it in the gear department. They think $10,000 worth of stuff guarantees a great trip. The OGs we spoke to said nothing could be further from the truth. Too much stuff weighs you down, makes it harder to pack, and often doesn\u2019t get used.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy main piece of advice for people who are thinking about moving onto the road is to go and do it with what they have, or build your rig very slowly,\u201d said Raquel Hern\u00e1ndez, who travels with her partner Sam Salwei and runs the Instagram account @yogaslackers<\/a>. \u201cDo a third of [the upgrades] you think you want to do, go use it, figure out what you actually like or don\u2019t like\u2014before you go out and spend a lot of money on something you regret.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lesa NeSmith (SimplyLesa<\/a> on YouTube) has been car camping since 1978 and lives on a $1,000\/month fixed income, so she can\u2019t afford to splurge on the latest gear. But that doesn\u2019t stop her from heading out. She drives an affordable 1998 Chevy Tracker and doesn\u2019t feel the need to keep up with the Joneses when it comes to flashy gear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI buy some of my stuff from Walmart. If I can figure it out, if I can go [on adventures], you can go. Just go do it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

David Jenden has been adventuring in various four-wheel-drive vehicles since 1988. He currently drives a large Iveco 135E18, but says he graduated to something complicated after starting simple.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor off-roading and enjoying the outdoor life, I think it\u2019s probably about making the most of what you\u2019ve already got. You don\u2019t have to have a brand new super shiny rig. You can actually go out and have a really fun time in a $2,500 old pickup truck with a tent in the back and an old mattress,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

When it comes to fancy navigational tech, he advises staying analog.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m old school. I like to look at a proper map and go, \u2018Oh, that looks like a really cool road, I\u2019m going to drive up there. And then of course there are always stunning views and all the fun things that happen on the way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Allan Ivy and his wife Fancie started overlanding in 1980 back in South Africa. Like Jendem, they now drive a large and well-equipped overland vehicle\u2014a refurbished fire truck from Switzerland\u2014but they started simple and advised others to not let a vehicle be a barrier.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy only advice is don\u2019t look back. Get out there with whatever you have at your disposal,\u201d Allan said.<\/p>\n

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Overlanding means you\u2019re self-reliant when exploring off the beaten path. (Photo: Courtesy J&K Hosea)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Be Prepared, Be Smart, Be Flexible, Be Mindful\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Overland OG\u2019s also had advice on how to approach the unpredictability of off-road life.<\/p>\n

Stan Dietzman, who\u2019s been off-roading since 1971, said he learned over time that he has to be self-reliant if he\u2019s going to explore anywhere off the beaten path.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy biggest piece of advice is: Get comfortable with helping yourself out of a hard spot. Don\u2019t rely on others, because that\u2019s kind of setting yourself up for failure,\u201d he said. \u201cI have put myself into a bind more than 12 times, but it\u2019s the idea of being able to get out of that bind that has made it enjoyable for me. I feel like I can go pretty much anywhere now and feel like I can get home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steve and Sioux Tobueren, who\u2019ve been adventuring together for the past 50 years, take a different approach. When they know something could go wrong, they stop before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe conservative. Turn around instead of pushing the limits,\u201d says Steve.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want your wife to keep going with you, turn around,\u201d adds Sioux.<\/p>\n

When Bradley Enlow<\/a> built out his off-road 1982 Toyota Sunrader he thought it would be his ticket to pristine camping spots that he had to himself. Instead, he found himself camped next to other people all the time. At first he hated it, but eventually realized that meeting people is part of the adventure.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople pull up with their 40-foot fifth-wheels with their generators going, and you think, \u2018Take off, get out of there.\u2019 But when I stay, I end up meeting some of the most genuine and incredible people,\u201d he said. \u201cThe challenge of living on the road is when you break down, you need to be rescued, you need help. I have met some people who\u2019ve just said, \u2018Hey, if you are ever in our area, reach out to us. We have a place for ya, whatever you need.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeff and Kristi Hosea<\/a> have been overlanding since 1994 and said they\u2019ve learned that if they veer off-course or run into an unexpected change of plans, it\u2019s a chance to learn and explore.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to be flexible and adaptable out on the road. Don\u2019t panic,\u201d Jeff said. \u201cYou never know what\u2019s going to happen and you should take that opportunity to go see something that you didn\u2019t plan on seeing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kristi revealed her secret to be ready to keep adventuring, no matter what comes your way: \u201cHave a daily ritual,\u201d she said. \u201dI think it\u2019s important to kind of ground yourself every day\u2026practice a little mindfulness. It helps set you up for whatever you might encounter that day, because you don\u2019t know most of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n