Words and Photos by Jorge & Jessica Gonzalez

After three years of living on the road, multiple purges of the items that we carry, and a constant refinement of what we currently have, we think it’s safe to say that we kind of have a handle on what it means to travel light in our overland vehicle. We want to share with you our approach, some of the questions we ask ourselves regarding what stays and what goes, and some of the products we use that help us stay sane and organized in a small space.

We went from living in a 2,500sq.ft. townhouse to living in an 80sq.ft. van and we’ve learned a lot about our needs, our wants, and our priorities along the way.

Sure, having a 60 inch flat screen TV to watch Monday Night Football or binge watch Game of Thrones is awesome, but living in a small space demands sacrifices.
So, that blender, the nice washer and dryer, the Sleep Number bed, the art hanging on your wall, the love seat, and boxes in the attic filled with memories have to take a back seat if your desire is to live on the road for any extended amount of time. Plus, all those things would probably break on the trail.

What follows is a practical synopsis of how to simplify. This post will be short on commentary about “minimizing one’s footprint”, “small is beautiful” and other en vogue notions that too often shoehorn an ideology into overlanding. Our advice is not to use a rock as a pillow or to brush your teeth with tree bark. If granola is your thing, grab yourself a Cliff Bar ‘cause that’s pretty much the only granola you’ll be encountering here.

Let’s make this as simple as possible: You need food, a way to cook it, water, some shelter and a way to stay warm. One of us is a former Infantryman and we assure you that other than a rifle and a few other combat essential things, our needs as humans are quite spartan. Luckily, we’re packing a vehicle for overlanding and not a rucksack for field exercises so we can carry a considerable amount more. The amount you ultimately carry will vary greatly depending on the vehicle and the length of your journey.

Because we live on the road full time, we will be writing from a perspective that takes into account long term functionality and efficiency. Feel free to subtract or substitute based on your needs and vehicle space.

Simplify Simplify Simplify

At this point, it’s a good idea to start making a list. It’s helpful to divide the things you’re bringing along into categories such as Clothing, Cooking, Cleaning, Sleeping, Tools, Leisure, and if you’ll be working from your vehicle, Work. Once you’ve compiled a list or perhaps gathered all these items on the floor in your living room, assign a value to each: Must-Have, Nice-to-Have, and Luxury. Go ahead and set those luxuries aside for later. Now, take your Nice-to-Haves and try to cut them in half.

No really, half ‘em. Now, those Must-Haves, take a hard look at each one and ask yourself the following questions:

• Is it cost effective?
• Is it light weight?
• Does it work or is it some gimmick
• What’s the quality/will it last?
• Is there a better option that can do the same thing?
• Is there room?
• Can I live with out it?

Chances are if it’s not food, water, or shelter (or a vehicle specific tool), then you can live without it and if that’s the case, go ahead and move that into the Nice-to-Have pile.

Save Space

Once you feel like you have a good handle on what you’re taking with you, these are the questions we like to ask regarding efficiency:

• Does the item have more than one use?
• Can you nest it?
• Could it be compressed?
• Can it be rolled, strapped, stuffed into something else or stored outside?

Space is at a premium so priority is generally given to items that meet at least one of the criteria mentioned above to make our use of space as efficient as possible. Another thing to think about is how you will pack your vehicle and what you will put where. Think first about accessibility.

• How often throughout each day will you be accessing that particular item?
• How important is it that that item be near the top or near the bottom or somewhere in-between?
• Is it a daily, weekly, or seasonal item?

Example: We access our camera on a regular basis so it’s kept within arms reach at all times, but our winter coats stay tucked away until it’s time to fish them out of whatever recessed abyss they happen to be stuffed.

Cut Weight

Overpacking leads to being overweight. Overweight leads to worn or broken parts on your vehicle. Overpacking also leads to clutter, frustration, and inefficiency. Being able to get to things you use often quickly will make your life on the road substantially less frustrating. Live by the credo: Everything Has a Place. Stick to that like white on rice.

Look back through your list and ask: Is this is the lightest possible item available for this purpose? If not, there should be a good reason for it.

This is How We Do It

Here are some items we have found to make life easier on the road, maybe these can inspire you to find some of your own. This list is by no means exhaustive because we’re simply not going to bore you with every little gadget and doo-dad in our vehicle but we think it might help you start thinking creatively about how and what to pack.

Clothes

Look at yourself in the mirror. Is Kim Kardashian staring back at you? I didn’t think so. Now that you know that, prepare to cut way back on your wardrobe. When overlanding, wearing the same clothes for a week or..dare I say…two, happens. You ain’t out to impress anybody with your fancy clothes combo so cut way back on all those precious garments. Dirtbag is the New Black.

We used to have a walk-in closet full of clothes, now our clothes fit into a carry on bag. Versatility and functionality are the key. Carry clothes that layer or work as a system so when combined can function in cold weather or be used alone in warmer weather.

We pack all of our clothes into packing cubes. Why? Because packing cubes compress bulky clothes into cubes that are easy to organize and fit into tight spaces. Think of them like legos only with clothes inside them and less devastating were you step on them barefooted.

Something we’ve learned in our time on the road is to find clothes that are multi-purpose, look fly, and can pack well. Jorge uses these pants from NorthFace exclusively. They are great for hiking, walking around a city, wearing to work when we have to go into an office to perform our duties, and they can become shorts which means hot days are less hot because pant-leg-air-conditioning. Oh, and you can also use them as swim trunks. Boom. These are pretty much the unicorns of the trouser world.

We pack t-shirts as well. Probably 3 or 4 a piece. Roll these puppies and save space. No really, rolling instead of folding saves huge amounts of space in the packing cubes. Do it.

As far as shoes we both carry four or five pairs of them. Jorge has one pair of flip flops for summer gallivanting and showers in unspeakably gross places, one pair of high top Chucks that are pretty much the definition of sex appeal, a set of water shoes for walking in the ocean and creeks and rivers oh my, and one pair of hiking shoes in the event we’re feeling froggy enough to take a walk in the wild.

Jessica also carries flip flops which means her toes are always perfectly pedicured, she has a pair of boots made for walking, a pair of trail running shoes that double as hiking shoes, water shoes for rivers, creeks, the ocean etc and then one pair of Chucks ‘cause she’s a straight baller.

We kind of have a lot of shoes. You could probably get away with flip flops and a sturdy pair of hiking/running shoes. We just like footwear though so…yeah, we go a little overboard on it.

We also carry a handful of winter clothes. When your house is on four wheels you can mostly avoid the cold but from time to time we like to check in with Father Winter and see what’s crackin’ (usually our lips), in which case we both have a heavy winter coat and some Long-Juans™ (the hispanic version of long-johns). We manage to pack those into a pretty small space as well. We like the NorthFace jackets because they compress down into small ball of cute space savings.

Cooking

Nesting pots, a spatula, some tongs, a knife, and a stove of some sort. Our fine friends at Overland Bound sell the skottle but other options abound. We’ve had good luck with stoves from Coleman. Currently our rig has a built in stove which makes our rig pretty much cooler than Vanilla Ice in 1990.
The nesting pots have been a godsend meaning they take up very little space and have been up to the task for 3 whole years of overlanding. These pots are teflon coated and some of our compadres on the road don’t dig on teflon because cancer but we’re immune to all forms of weakness so we use these pots to show off our super natural resilience. Also, we can store bowls inside the nesting pots thus saving even more real estate.

Real talk though, if you want to use a cast iron skillet because you like the baked in flavors of left over food and grease then get the smallest one you think will work for your needs. Oh, and get one cutting board. We like wooden ones because they look like we have class and they are lightweight, but you can find uber thin plastic cutting boards that take up less space, weigh less and have less class.

Cleaning

Check it out, we use store bought real cleaners you get from Walmart and not the Trader Joes or Whole Foods crap that is pretty much scented water in a bottle made from mud and polar bear dreams. Specifically our main go-to cleaner is the Windex MultiSurface cleaner. It cleans windows, dog poo, grease after cooking two pounds of bacon, and it wipes away sadness caused by seeing too many forest road gates closed. One bottle to rule them all. Take that Sauron.

Other cleaners we use are bio-degradable dish washing soap from Mrs Meyers that’s safe enough to feed to a baby seal* and brake cleaner when things go terribly wrong with the vehicle. We’ve heard brake cleaner is the safest product known to man. We aren’t sure that’s entirely true because after each use we seem to die a little bit on the inside. Use sparingly.
*Don’t feed soap to baby seals. They don’t like it. Fact.

Sleeping

Minimal is better, but many folks including ourselves like to splurge on space a bit in the sleeping department. We use full size pillows, blankets, and foam mattress toppers because we can spare the space. But others choose to use sleeping bags and inflatable pillows. Go with whatever option works in your space and affords you the good night’s sleep you need on a regular basis. Our good friends over @Bound.For.Nowhere were genius’ and just cut their fancy memory foam pillows in half to save space AND keep it comfortable. Sleeping is awesome, make it comfortable. Feel free to use that line if you’re in advertising.

Tools

Because we don’t have a garage to head back to when things go sideways, we carry an ungodly amount of tools, each of which has thus far come in handy, mind you. In our opinion, carry tools that can change a CV, a belt, and a hose. Beyond that we think it depends on your vehicle and where you’re going. If you’re in a VW Vanagon, consider having a mechanic on retainer to live with you. If you have a Toyota, you probably have no idea what the engine compartment looks like because you’ve never had to open the bonnet.

Here’s another pro-tip: Use a tool roll. It’s tempting to get a tool bag but we have found after 3 years of tool bags that a tool roll or two saves an inordinate amount of space. Something else we do is we have a little bag that contains often-used tools like screwdrivers, allan wrenches, an adjustable wrench and a cutting tool. That bag lives in a different more easily accessible place than our “oh shit” tool rolls. Also, consider having a multimeter. Buy a good one. Don’t skimp on that.

Leisure

Do you have a hobby like photography, drawing, knitting, or fishing that you’d like to pursue while on the road? You’ll need to plan for space for these items. Ask yourself all the same questions you did before with your essential items:

• Is there space?
• Is there something smaller or lighter that would work just as well?
• How often will I need to access these items?

We like to read and we used to carry a stupid number of books with us. Now we have switched to using the kindle app on our Apple device and have nearly unlimited space for things we want to read. Yes, we still carry some books but it’s vastly fewer than before. Bound books are like the missionary position of consuming content these days but there’s just something about holding a real book in your hand, ya know?

We also like to photograph and shoot video meaning we carry an assortment of cameras, mounts, and stands. We have managed to whittle our camera gear down substantially and to find ingenious places around the van to attach accessories using a combination of Quick Fists and velcro straps. Get creative with how you attach things, get even more creative with cutting down on what you take in the first place.

Work

This category will obviously vary widely depending on the type of work you choose to pursue while on the road. That being said, use the same sort of thinking here and ask yourself what is the minimum amount of gear you can get away with and still get the job done. Keep in mind that security is key for valuable items like computers or other valuable gear and you should think about secure storage when building out your rig.

Wrap Up

Living on the road doesn’t have to suck but it does require sacrifices. Going from a huge house to a typical overland vehicle like a Syncro or Land Cruiser or Defender is going to entail cutting way back on the stuff you have. That’s totally ok. You decided to hit the road because you’ve reached a crossroads where enjoying vehicle dependent travel is now more important than enjoying a life of flat screen TVs and a Sleep Number Bed.

No, there isn’t anything wrong with having things and enjoying them, but if you’re like us, what you happen to be in love with at the moment simply doesn’t include the things one typically fills a house with. If that’s you, welcome to Overlanding. We’ll see you out there!

Should I disconnect my sway bar and why would I need to in the first place? If you are a seasoned off-road driver, you already understand how sway bars works. But those newer to off-road pursuits might not be as familiar. Don’t worry. We’ll bring you up to speed.

Welcome to Great Question! – A series of articles that focus on basic questions new drivers might have while preparing to venture down the road less traveled.

What is a sway bar?

Sway bars, stabilizer bars, anti-sway bars, anti-roll bars and torsion bars all refer to the same part. They are a fundamental component of the suspension system that helps keep the vehicle’s center of gravity in a safe zone to avoid excessive body lean. The balance provided by sway bars contributes to keeping you safe when cornering, driving up/down a hill or driving over trail obstacles.

Where are sway bars located?

Modern vehicles use a U-shaped steel stabilizer bar that connects the front suspension to the frame and another similar torsion bar that does the same with the rear suspension.
What is the purpose of a sway bar?
In simple terms, the purpose of a sway bar is to prevent a vehicle from rolling over. To achieve this goal, sway bars limit the movement of each wheel and its suspension components to reduce the leaning that could roll over your vehicle during curves or uneven trails.

Keep the phrase “sway bars limit the movement” in mind, as we will return to this shortly.

Which cars have sway bars?

All modern vehicles have front and rear sway bars. However, many vehicles before 2000 only had a front sway bar, and even further back, many vehicles did not have a stabilizer bar. That might make you wonder how necessary sway bars are, which we’ll cover next.

Can you drive without a sway bar?

Well, technically, yes, you can drive without sway bars. But if you think about it, the same could be said for seat belts, airbags and even bumpers. As time passes, manufacturers improve vehicle safety by incorporating new components. Sway bars are one of them.

That said, the real question to ask yourself is, under what conditions should you consider disconnecting your sway bars?

Why would you disconnect sway bars?

Thanks to sway bars, off-road vehicles offer reasonable cornering stability and even safety during mild off-road activities. But what about driving on more extreme trails? Do you really need a sway bar in such cases?

If you disconnect the stabilizer bar from your SUV or truck, you COULD benefit from a greater range of suspension travel. That kind of trail fix is definitely handy if you’re rock crawling at slow speeds. However, you pay a high price as you forgo the suspension’s only body roll control mechanism.

Furthermore, the gain in suspension travel varies widely from vehicle to vehicle. If you add to this that many Overlanding-ready vehicles have fridges, extra batteries, modified bumpers, and additional equipment, then the issue becomes more complex as the center of gravity is no longer the same as the factory vehicle.

For this reason, if you like to enjoy extreme trails, our recommendation is to replace your factory sway bars with aftermarket parts designed for this purpose. That is adjustable sway bars that can be connected and disconnected as needed. However, keep in mind that the latter is only recommended for expert off-road drivers who have additional protective equipment and know exactly what they are doing.

Again, disconnecting the anti-roll bar is not a universal solution as it only provides real benefits to certain vehicles under specific road conditions. For the vast majority of Overlanding enthusiasts, a quality sway bar that is thicker than the original will be more than enough to handle lateral movement while driving through challenging trails.

Why do stabilizer bars matter for Overlanding?

For most, Overlanding is about connecting with nature by taking the road less traveled. In that sense, it is essential to be self-reliant and take care of safety at all times. In some situations, sway bars limit your ability to overcome obstacles, so if you choose to disconnect them, proceed with caution. And remember to reconnect them once the road runs smooth again.

More of a visual learner? Here are some great videos that break them down even more.

Sway Bar Basics

How Electric Sway Bars Work

Why Use Sway Bars Off-Road

The purpose of the Great Question! Series is to always be learning. Everyone starts somewhere, and there are no dumb questions when it comes to overland vehicles. Shoot a message to us if you have a topic you’d like us to review in depth! For those wanting more, check out our write up on vehicle considerations before taking your truck on an overlanding adventure.

Safe travels out there!

If you’re an Overlanding enthusiast, the Land Rover Defender needs no introduction. Like the Toyota Land Cruiser, the Land Rover Defender is inspired by the legendary Willys MB. And like the Willys, it has earned a place in automotive history as some of the most iconic 4×4 SUVs and trucks in the world.
Let’s dive in and explore some of its history to better understand how the Defender evolved over time.

Land Rover Defender Overview – The Good & The Bad

The Good: The Land Rover Defender has won the hearts of off-road enthusiasts not just because it is an iconic vehicle used by British royalty or because it appears in a wide array of Hollywood movies. (Looking at you, 2001 Tomb Raider.) It has earned the respect of connoisseurs for its proven ability to take you anywhere, no matter the weather or terrain conditions. It’s a work horse. We have sat in the drivers seat of many a classic Defender and marveled at its ability to Billy Goat up a steep dirt incline, or power over rocks. It’s a dream at 7-12 mph off pavement.

The Bad: Try to get a Defender to accelerate to 55 mph quickly and still be able to have a conversation without yelling. Or getting single digit MPGs because the wind happens to be blowing against you. Or working up a sweat turning the wheel…you get the picture. The Defenders are also known for their high maintenance nature. There’s a reason people lovingly say Land Rover Defenders have been making mechanics for 70+ years.
What is the end result when you merge both the good and the bad together? You get a passionate driver/fan base that sticks with the Land Rover brand and celebrates the good while completely embracing the… less than ideal.

Regardless of the mechanical realities of the Land Rover Defender, its box shape and rugged design spark dreams of adventure. It’s one of those vehicles that most people drive on pavement with an attitude of “Well, I choose to be on pavement right now, but if I wanted to I could be driving <insert epic remote destination>.”

And because of the evolution of the Defender they would be right.

Defender Evolution in a Nutshell

1948-1958, Land Rover Series I

Although the prototype based on the Willys dates back to 1947, it was not until 1948 that the Rover Company officially launched the “Land Rover” at the Amsterdam Motor Show. The first model, later known as the “Series I,” was a pick-up truck with a 1595cc, 50 hp gasoline engine inherited from the Rover P3. Later that year, the first Land Rover Station Wagon with an 80-inch wheelbase was introduced.

The original design underwent few changes during this decade. The most notable was a facelift in 1950 and a lengthening of the wheelbase to 86 and 107 inches in 1954, which was later changed to 88 and 109 inches in 1957. It is worth noting that from its humble beginnings, the Land Rover featured 4WD.

1958-1971, Land Rover Series II

It is during this period that the utility vehicle defined its unique style, which has served as an inspiration to this day. In addition to the changes in its body, the available engine options were improved during these years, which contributed to the Land Rover’s recognition as one of the toughest SUVs in the world.

1971-1985, Land Rover Series III

While the overall design was little affected, 1971 saw the introduction of the Series III, which featured a full-width dashboard and a new headlight design and location. Among the notable events that occurred during this period were reaching one million units built and the introduction of the V8 engine option for the first time.

1983-1990, Land Rover 90 and 110

During 1983, as part of its diversification strategy, Rover changed the official name to 90 and 110. This designation was a direct reference to the wheelbase of each model, with the 90 being a three-door short chassis and the 110 the traditional 5-door station wagon. The new versions replaced leaf springs with coils (inspired by the Range Rover) and introduced a new 5-speed manual gearbox.

1990-2016, Land Rover Defender

To end the confusion generated by the 90 and 110 designations, Land Rover took advantage of the new iteration of the SUV to relaunch the original Land Rover with the name we all know and love, Defender. The “new” Defender reinstated the three classic versions, now called the D90, D110, and D130, all of which featured high-performance turbodiesel engines. Major mechanical upgrades were introduced during this generation, such as the 6-speed gearbox and Euro V-compliant engines. The safety and comfort of the SUV were also significantly enhanced.

The Camel Trophy Years

It is hard to look at the Defender from an overland viewpoint without imagining the iconic stature of an original Camel Trophy expedition truck. Sponsored by Camel Cigarettes, the Camel Trophy’s goal was to place individuals from all walks of life, in the most capable vehicles on the planet, to show what the vehicles were capable of in the hands of “just plain folk”.

Although the Camel Trophy races became synonymous with the Land Rover Brand, it actually started in 1980 with three Jeep-equipped German teams in the Amazon Basin. After that first year, and for the next twenty, Land Rover supported the race events with the Defender participating from 1983 – 1986 and 1988 – 1989. The Discovery series ran the race with Defender support from 1990 – 1998.

During their time, the Defenders were specially equipped by Land Rover Special Vehicles for the rigors of the expedition races. The races took place in the most remote destinations in the world including Brazil, Australia, and Indonesia.  The vehicles were only used for one event with some purchased by race participants afterwards. Some vehicles were left behind in the country the event was held, and all became highly sought after in the years to follow.End of an Era.

After nearly 70 years of uninterrupted service, in 2016, Rover announced the decision to retire the iconic Land Rover Defender from its SUV lineup. As expected, the outcry from the worldwide enthusiast community was overwhelming. Whether public pressure had anything to do with the Defender’s return 4 years later (or if it was all a big marketing ploy) is a matter of speculation. What is certain is that the beloved SUV returned in 2020 as the Land Rover Defender L663.

2020-present, Land Rover Defender L663

After a brief period of absence, the Defender was reintroduced to the market in 2020. While its exterior and interior design resembles the classic Series II, it is safe to say that the new generation Defender is a completely revamped SUV to meet the demands of our times. The all-new Land Rover Defender comes in two versions that use the brand’s classic designations, the Defender 90 and Defender 110.

Unlike the spartan design used in the Land Rover Defender of the 90s, the new model comes prepared with all the amenities and technology you can expect in a modern SUV.

We’re talking about 3D surround cameras with 360-degree Parking Aid, LED headlights, 10″ Touchscreen Infotainment system, 6 airbags, a generous driver assistance package, and much more. Other technologies included are Wade Sensing, Driver Condition Monitor, Twin-speed transfer box, all-wheel drive, and Terrain Response, just to mention a few 4×4 focused features.

In terms of engine options, you can choose from a conventional 2L engine with 200 hp and 430 Nm of torque all the way up to a 3L hybrid engine with 400 hp and 550 Nm of torque.
All in all, the new iterations of the Defender are in line with the luxury and comfort that has characterized Land Rover for years while maintaining most of its rugged capabilities.

From Utility Vehicle to Iconic Figure of Overlanding

To understand why the Land Rover Defender is an iconic figure in the world of Overlanding, it is first necessary to take a step back and think about “the perfect SUV” that you would want to drive during your adventures.

You need a 4WD drivetrain and suspension ready for anything. You need a rugged design capable of withstanding the elements and enough space to carry all your Overlanding gear. You need to also add water and food to the pack out. It would require different configurations and have a wide range of aftermarket accessories available. The Land Rover Defender meets and, at times, exceeds all of these requirements. This largely explains why it maintains its hold over the overlanding world.

All that being said, what do you think? What is your favorite version of the Defender? Do you go for the proven reliability of the classic Defender or the comfort of the new Defender? Let us know your opinion in the comments.

We recently took the time to talk shop with Overland Bound Member Blake M. about his Titan swapped 2006 Nissan Xterra build. Blake chose to be very hands on with his build and did many of the modifications himself.

Learn how his love for snow boarding and snowy mountains was the driving factor behind his build process.

You typically won’t find a Nissan Xterra on any top 5 overland platform lists, but his modifications and gear choices makes the Xterra a viable overland travel solution.

2006 Nissan Xterra SE

Name: Blake, Overland Bound Member #2055

Home Base: Snohomish, Washington

Occupation: Aerospace Mechanic

What’s the Year/Make/Model/Mileage of your rig?

2006 Nissan Xterra SE with 130K miles. I’ve had this vehicle for seven years now.

Overlanding Since…

Since I bought the vehicle. I always slept in the back, before I knew overlanding was a thing. We slept in the back up until about two and a half years ago when we got our first used RTT from a friend at CVT.

What is it about Overlanding in your Nissan Xterra that you enjoy most?

The drive. No matter what the trail or fire road is or where it leads. We sometimes find ourselves driving over ten hours in a day just because we are enjoying the ride, the scenery, and the navigating. We get itchy staying in one place longer than 12hrs because we love the aspect of exploring.

Longest trip completed/planned?

Not sure what the longest would be. One of our longer trips was six nights and seven days on the WABDR. We saw one truck and a dirt bike the entire time. Most of our trips are three days.

What influenced your Overland vehicle choice of a Nissan Xterra?

I was in the market for a 4WD capable vehicle that I could sleep in the back of for snowboarding and other activities. That was all I cared about at the time. I wanted it to be easier for me to stay at the mountain and snowboard.

I rode in my friend’s first gen supercharged Nissan Xterra and I was sold. Seven years later I’ve not regretted that decision once.

What are 3 things that you *really* like about your rig?

Uniqueness – I try to make it as different as possible from other Nissan Xterra’s. But what I think is cool is the Xterra is not a common build that you see on the trails or on the roads. Far and few between are the built ones.

The roof. I have always liked the curve in the roof, since I first saw the Xterra. It’s a little different.

Nissan. I love that I drive a Nissan Xterra in what seems like a world full of Toyota’s in the off-road community.

What modifications have you made so far on your Nissan Xterra?

Quite a few. Here’s the run down.

Simple Titan swap is what is on the truck currently. This is when you take Nissan Titan suspension components (stock or aftermarket) and bolt them on to the Frontier or Xterra as they are all on the same build platform.

This involves the upgrade to a front Titan M205 differential and axles from the stock R180. (Learn more about a Titan swap here.)

• We upgraded to the UpTop Overland roof rack a few months back, so far so good.
• Front bumper/skid with Smittybilt winch.
• Rear storage build out.
• Rear seat delete DIY storage platform.
• Onboard air for air ups/air tools/air locker.
• Ditch lights and headlights that do pretty decent.
• Put a 4.56 Yukon gear set and yolk in the three-rib M205 Titan diff up front and rebuilt the diff.

The rear axle we rebuilt and then did a 4.56 nitro gear set with a ring gear spacer from Nisstec. This is paired with an RD149 ARB air locker. Then capped it off with the Ruffstuff/Offroad Gorilla diff cover.

Currently in the process of installing the onboard air system to run said locker, air up tires and run air tools.

Camping & Kitchen:

Currently we just use a Camp Chef Sherpa table that works out great for us, along with a camp chef dual burner stove. We use a 5lb propane tank in the back next to the drawers for that.

Organizers that came with it worked perfectly for our left drawer which keeps coffee/tea, utensils etc. all organized and easy to grab. Right drawer is the pantry with some tools and fluids on the bottom.

Shelter:

Have been using an old CVT Shasta but recently upgraded to a clamshell style aluminum tent from a company I am really excited about, that I will be working with as the west coast rep.

Electrical:

Nothing special yet though there’s big plans for the future. As of now we are using a Goal Zero Yeti 500x paired with a 52l Costway fridge and it works great for that and charging cameras and phones, etc.

Lighting:

So far all I’ve done for lighting in the Nissan Xterra is put on some ditch lights and different headlights. I changed the projector and the bulb in the headlights (now using Morimoto 2stroke LED’s) but still plan to retrofit my old ones myself.

Storage:

We have built a nice dual drawer storage system in the back out of ⅜ birch and some outdoor marine carpeting. There’s more storage underneath the drawers with the weird floor storage area that comes in the Nissan Xterra, and more storage on the sides of the drawers.

We also did a rear seat delete and have a platform for the dog and fridge, with storage underneath.

What would you add or improve on your Nissan Xterra?

I plan to add a rear tire carrier swing out hopefully before Christmas. It will be a custom one off design, which I have lots of ideas for.

I’m also planning to make full skids. Was going to before the prices skyrocketed. There are some sliders sitting in the garage right now that I need to put on as well. I’ll eventually get a little rowdy with it and build a VK56 block and put that in it, and I would SAS it as well.

Have you ever had to make a trail repair?

None so far on this Nissan Xterra. I’ve helped with trail repairs before though. Replacing CV axles, changing a flat, bending back a tie rod and chasing a loose ground are some trail repair memories.

What’s the one piece of overlanding equipment you can’t live without? (Besides your rig.)

Toilet paper. Definitely toilet paper

What’s your favorite destination?

Basically anywhere in the mountains with a good view.

What else should we know about your rig?

It’s a never ending, forever changing build (but aren’t they all) that I’ve had much fun with. I’d like to focus more on suspension and drivetrain upgrades from this point forth and improving its capability.Suspension:

• 2.5” Radflo Coilovers w/ 600lb Eibach Springs
• Total Chaos Chromolly Rebuildable Titan UCA’s w/ 1” Uniball
• Nissan Titan boxed lower control arms
• Nissan Titan Inner/Outter tie rods
• Alcan Custom 4” lift leaf pack +550lbs
• Bilstein 6253 Shocks
• Nisstec Adjustable Shackles
• Timbren Extended Bumps
• Axle Degree Shims for pinion angle
• U-Bolt Flip Kit
• Extended Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines (front & rear)

Tires: Milestar Patagonia

Wheels: KMC Grenade bronze

Recovery: Running a Smittybilt XRC Gen3 9.5k full synthetic winch. This is sitting inside a DIY garage fabbed front winch plate bumper and front skid plate.

Security: Just my master lock steering wheel lock and manual trans is usually a good deterrent, but if they still feel like getting after that, there’s still a fuel cutoff switch that’s hidden. Good luck!

Nav/Comm: Currently running a CB radio on my Nissan Xterra and looking at Midland GMRS options.

Up Next in the Member Spotlight: Chris Solis gives us the full run down on his vintage Camel Trophy Truck

Photos by Barry J Holmes

The LX 570 is Lexus’ flagship SUV for a good reason. It’s powerful, spacious, ultra-luxurious, and boasts unquestionable off-road capabilities thanks to the latest Toyota-Lexus advances. That said, it wouldn’t be the obvious first choice for an Overland build, right?

That’s what we thought, at least until we got a call from Lexus to meet in Palm Springs, California, with Nate Martinez, their Global Communications Manager. The reason? To put their first Overland-oriented prototype, the J201 Overland Concept, to the test. The J201 was developed and built in partnership with the team at Expedition Overland (who kinda know a thing or two about this stuff).

Better yet, the J201 already had some serious off-road mileage put on it during the 2020 Rebelle Rally. Rachelle Croft & Taylor Pawley of Team The X Elles drove this beast to 2nd place in the 4X4 class during the grueling 8-day, 2000 kilometer navigational course. It had definitely been put through its paces.

Naturally, we weren’t going to miss out on taking the J201 out on the trail and seeing what this promising LX-based SUV was capable of in person.
In case you haven’t seen it yet, you can also check out the in-depth review of the Lexus J201 Concept on our YouTube channel here.

Lexus J201 Exterior
Our first impression of the J201 overland concept was striking. We had seen pictures on the socials, but still, we weren’t ready for what awaited us. At first glance, we could recognize the lines of the Lexus LX 570; however, as we got closer, the many upgrades added to the J201 Concept were evident.

Starting with the front, the Lexus J201 features a custom steel bumper that integrates a WARN winch along with a Rigid Industries LED bar. All this while maintaining the original LX 570 design. In fact, the bumper is so well built that both the winch and LED light bar could go unnoticed from a distance.As a matter of fact, Lexus went to great lengths to make the exterior of the J201 functional but without losing the sporty and sculptural styling that characterizes the brand’s SUVs. A goal that we must say they achieved flawlessly.

This balance between style and function was again evidenced in the rear of the J201. The original bumper was replaced by the CBI LX570 steel rear bumper, which includes a swing out tank mount with two high-capacity water canisters on the driver’s side along with a swing out spare tire carrier on the passenger’s side. This swing out design was comfortable, nearly identical to our FZJ80, and my preferred design – extreme utility, with a drop down tailgate for much needed flat space on the trail. The build quality and functionality of the rear bumper are echoed in the custom ladder and roof rack. Speaking of the J201’s roof rack, we were pleased to see that it is made of aluminum, saving a lot of weight. Also, it has waterproof compartments with enough space to store all kinds of gear. An advantage of this design is that it does not require ratchet tie-down straps, another plus of the J201.

As expected, Lexus and the XO crew did not miss the opportunity to include another LED bar discreetly integrated into the roof rack. Other must-have accessories included in the J201 Concept are a snorkel, signature steel side steps, special off-road wheels, and premium all-terrain tires. It is yet to be seen how well the sliders support the full weight of the vehicle on the trail, a test we did not have the stomach to execute.

All in all, we were happy to see that Lexus included the accessories that every Overlanding enthusiast would want in the J201.

Suspension Upgrades
The suspension of the Lexus J201 Concept was the first indication that this SUV is meant for serious off-roaders. In Nate’s words, the team tried to keep the J201 “as much OEM as possible” by avoiding making significant changes using custom parts. Instead, what they did was enhancing the amazing suspension system of the Lexus LX 570.

It’s worth remembering that the LX comes standard with Adaptive Variable Suspension and Active Height Control, which combined, can raise the SUV a little more than 3 inches when necessary. So to leave the Adaptive Variable Suspension system intact, they added ICON Vehicle Dynamics upper arms along with a spacer originally used by the Australian Toyota Land Cruiser. The result? In standard mode, the J201 is 2 inches taller than the LX 570. In other words, when using the 4LO mode, the J201 is approximately 4.8 inches taller than the LX model. This extra height, coupled with its excellent approach angle, puts the J201 in the same league as many heavily modified 4Runners. Quite an achievement for a luxury SUV. A factory 4.8″ lift is crazy considering the design engineering that has to go into the suspension geometry – We were shocked.

Performance
One of the most distinctive aspects of Lexus is its passion for performance. And the J201 is no exception. The base Lexus LX 570 comes with an impressive 5.7L V8 engine that produces 383 hp and 403 lb-ft of torque. It would be reasonable to think that such a level of power would be enough for the J201. However, to our good fortune, the team behind the J201 thinks otherwise.

Upon opening the hood of the Lexus J201, we found an upgrade we didn’t expect.None other than a Magnuson TVS 1900 Supercharger. This particular supercharger is specially calibrated to take the J201’s 3UR-FE engine to mind-blowing 550 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque using a 7-8 psi boost. So, if you were concerned about the extra weight of the steel bumpers and roof rack, don’t worry. This upgrade offsets all the weight of such accessories and then some.

Moreover, one of the advantages of superchargers is that they enable the engine to keep a “flat” torque curve across the rpm band. So this supercharger will not only allow you to enjoy great thrust on the highway, but it will also give you plenty of torque during the most demanding off-road adventures.

Interior
While the improvements in power and off-road capabilities are important, a crucial aspect for outdoor adventure enthusiasts is the available cabin space. If you are just starting in the fascinating world of Overlanding, you should know that space is a precious commodity. You have to find a suitable place for food, water, clothing, vehicle recovery tools, first aid, and other gear, so every inch counts. Literally.

In this sense, the J201 once again surprised us.

The inspiration for designing the interior of the J201 had a lot to do with the Omotenashi principles deeply rooted in Japanese culture. As described by Nate himself, it has to do with “anticipate the needs of our guests before they even know.”

To this end, Lexus did their homework by studying the needs that may arise when camping, specifically, the importance of making the most of the available space.

Proof of this is the handy compartments inside the new J201. As soon as you swing open the J201’s split bumper and electric tailgate, you can see a pair of Goose Gear drawers perfectly integrated into the cargo area. One of them contains the winch accessories in rattle-free moldings, while the other offers storage space for all kinds of things.

Efficient use of space is also provided by the swing-out shelves that are part of the spare tire carrier and the water cans holder.

Simply put, if necessary, the J201 can provide enough flat space to cook comfortably, tidy up your tools, or any other activity you may have in mind. Furthermore, if you need more space, you can fold down the rear seats, which are level with the rest of the cargo space. Awesome!

When we thought we wouldn’t find any more surprises, we came across some improvements incorporated into the cockpit. For one thing, the J201 has an ARB LINX system strategically located above and between the front passenger seats on the headliner. This digital touch control allows you to control the LED light bars, the onboard air compressor, the front/rear air lockers, and the winch. The ARB Air-Lockers are just on the edge of finicky for real offroad use. They work, but there is no positive visual indication they are engaged. (And sometimes they aren’t.) If your vehicle does not come standard with e-lockers they are a good solution, but we hope the team comes up with a OEM solution similar to Land Cruisers should the J201 be produced.

The J201 is not only luxurious and super space-efficient but also offers unparalleled convenience.

Our take on the Lexus J201
With the Lexus J201 Overland Concept, Lexus has raised the bar of the ultra-luxury SUV space like never before. This vehicle is the dream of any off-road enthusiast. It combines Toyota’s decades of experience building the world’s most capable SUVs with Lexus’ astonishing attention to detail. The result is the ideal balance of luxury, convenience, performance, and functionality.

Is the Lexus J201 Concept suitable for Overlanding? You bet it is. The J201 is one of the toughest and most reliable 4×4 vehicles we have had the opportunity to drive in a long time—two thumbs up to the Expedition Overland, X Elles and Lexus teams.

PROS

Impressive fly-by-wire off road features and great capability
Already proven on an intense off road navigational course
Mind-blowing power and torque
Intelligent use of available space
Tough but still ultra-luxurious
Fully upgraded for Overlanding

CONS

Unfortunately, it’s a concept. Not available for sale (yet)
Some aftermarket parts fall short of OEM