#Best of overland expo west full#

Ural's designs are based on prewar BMW motorcycles that had been converted to military use by the Russian government. Overland Expo is more than just a show – it's an opportunity for attendees to sign up for classes to gain real-world experience The lessons taught by seasoned overlanders have included uprighting a heavy vehicle that has flopped on its side, building a raft large enough to shuttle a vehicle across a raging river, and extracting a 10,000-pound rig buried up to its axles in mud or sand.Īs an added bonus, check out the Ural sidecar motorcycle that followed the Camel Trophy Rover. Among those was one true stand out: this ex-Camel Trophy Discovery that is still regularly exercised. If you ever wanted to see the world's remaining stock of running Land Rover Discoverys, Overland Expo West may have been the place.

They're simple and durable, but considerably more modern and comfortable than a classic FJ40. Most of the diesels are right-hand-drive, but a handful were sold new in LHD countries and thus have their steering wheels on the side most Americans are used to. Private importers have made 70-Series Cruisers somewhat common now that they're old enough to be legally brought into the US. The right-hand-drive, manual-transmission, diesel 200-Series Land Cruiser next to it is a pig by comparison but still desirable for its long-range comfort. Still sold in many overseas markets, the 70-Series is the ultimate embodiment of rugged simplicity. On the left sits a 70-Series Cruiser, a direct descendent of the beloved FJ40. We didn't see nearly as many as we thought we would at Overland Expo West, and those we did stumble across generally didn't stand out.Īn exception could be made for this pair lurking outside of Australian mapping firm Hema's tent. That's because the Land Cruiser has deservedly earned its reputation as the vehicle most likely to get you there – and, more importantly, to get you back home.

When we think overlanding, we think Toyota Land Cruisers.

#Best of overland expo west full#

Overland Expo West was full of built-to-the-hilt rigs, as the following slides will illustrate. We recently attended Overland Expo West, the original overlanding exhibition held annually on the shore of a lake deep in the piney woods of northern Arizona. There are cheaper ways to live the overlanding lifestyle, but you don't go to Overland Expo because you want to drive down a dirt road you go because you want to drive to Mongolia. The price of entry easily exceeds $100,000 for a fully outfitted SUV with a kitchen, a rooftop tent, and all the modifications required to leave the slab. Outfitting top-tier rigs is a rich man's sport. In today's increasingly connected world, modern adventurers seem to be eager to get away from their offices and explore where few dare to travel. Think of it as a cross between exploring and off-roading, a pursuit of adventure so popular that it has spawned a pair of shows dedicated specifically to loading up Land Cruisers and G-Wagens with a Manhattan apartment's worth of equipment.Īt its core, overlanding is self-reliant travel to remote places to satisfy curiosity and the need for adventure. Overlanding, in case you haven't heard, is the big thing in the off-roading world right now. 7 Cool Off Road Rigs We Saw At Overland Expo West