What Is "Overlanding Lite"?
Overlanding is the fast-growing intersection of camping and backcountry travel.
It combines our love of the outdoors, exploration, and wilderness access with motorized travel.
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But “overlanding” has acquired a negative connotation. The term has become synonymous with overpriced camping gear and excessive modifications to our vehicles. New people exploring this broad category are quickly dismayed when they read articles and watch videos that portray $500,000 motorhomes, $100,000 four-wheelers and $50,000 expedition trailers. This doesn’t include satellite TV and phones, electric fireplaces, and more.
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In contrast, Overlanding Lite has three defining characteristics:
1. Enjoying motorized travel across varied terrain at the lowest possible cost.
2. Traveling “lightly” with a minimum of gear and in the smallest possible vehicle.
3. Covering the most distance with the “lightest” environmental impact, primarily the lowest fuel consumption.
Some enthusiasts have a singular reason for rejecting what has become “mainstream” overlanding. Some Overlanding Lite specialists strive to minimize their cost, equipment, and environmental impact.
Many may say, “Overlanding Lite is just returning to basics.” And they would be correct! ALL overlanding was "lite" originally. It is only recently that technology and consumerism has produced a distorted definition.
Others might state, “Overlanding Lite is a response to societal excess.” They are also correct as the “minimalism” trend spreads to tiny homes, vanlife, the digital nomad lifestyle and now to motorized travel.
New to Overlanding? Confused by ALL the options?
Now you can Rent-to-Own
Check out the SHOP section to see our offerings:
Overlanding LITE and Off-Road trailers and rooftop tents are available to rent. Your FIRST rental is applied 100% to the purchase price of the trailer and/or rooftop tent!
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NOW you can try it before you buy it! You have NOTHING to lose. There is a three-day minimum rental. Rental periods are also available by the week, multiple weeks, and monthly for extended vacations. Contact The Great Out There for available equipment and open dates. Financing is also available on most purchases. (Details are provided for each item in the SHOP section.)
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OverlandingLite.com is here to encourage the return to a simpler, sustainable culture.
In the process, OverlandingLite.com helps to welcome new (and returning) minimalist travelers.
By definition, “overlanding” is motorized transportation and thus excludes bikepacking, backpacking, canoe tripping, and other forms of travel that are human powered. Overlanding DOES include both 4-wheel vehicles and motorcycles. (Technically, overlanding could also include any other motorized machine, including EVs, ATVs, ebikes, etc.)
I have thousands of miles of experience with both 4-wheelers and motorcycle tours. This website will discuss BOTH the "Lite" subsection of four-wheel motorized travel and the ADV motorcycle segment. Please Follow and Subscribe to the GreatOutThere blog for ongoing articles related to Overlanding Lite