![]() They still want to get out and hike, and most of it’s getting them to those areas to do that, so they tend to be younger to mid-40s, probably 50s being the oldest that we usually help in our stores.” “But it tends to be a younger crowd, because most of our overlanders like to explore. “I would say it’s a very broad customer base, because you do have that ‘just overnight’ guy who wants an easy pop-up tent, and then you have the guy who’s building a whole van to live in and actually travel across the country for a year or two,” Thompson said. It screams “California” and echoes the “bohemian travel” culture of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The “van life,” made possible by conversions like this one done by the Van Speed Shop, is an important offshoot of the overlanding market. Now it’s full weeklong trips and hundreds of miles.”Īccording to Dixie 4 Wheel Drive General Manager Tara Thompson, the company’s overlanding customer demographic reflects a variety of backgrounds and needs. “Obviously, everyone’s had a lot more free time on their hands this last year, so they’re getting out a little farther than they generally used to on just a weekend trip. “I think it’s blowing up quite a lot, especially recently,” agreed Patrick Heiner, a sales spokesperson for Dixie 4 Wheel Drive, which operates off-roading shops in both St. “Everybody’s going camping-and as the campsites closed down, people started going deeper into the backwoods.” “COVID put a massive focus on the ‘staycation,’ at least up here in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia,” Funk said. However one defines the phenomenon, its popularity shot up during the 2020 pandemic. It’s more about the journey to get there than it is about just sitting at the destination.” Rooftop tents are obviously great, but then you’ll need lighting as we come into fall, so it’s more than just camping equipment. “The solar technology that’s now available means you can carry more electronics, so you’re bringing fridges along with you. “It’s camping, but it’s a lifestyle, so you need bigger tires and a lift kit to get into some of the places you want to go,” Funk explained. Some enthusiasts even ship their vehicles to other continents for more exotic treks. Overlanders tend to see the serendipity of expeditioning as their goal and enjoy immersing themselves in the environments and cultures they encounter. ![]() It’s becoming so mainstream now that your average consumer is seriously looking into it as an option.”Īs a result, manufacturers and retailers have had to think beyond traditional camping and off-roading paradigms to fully engage overlanding consumers. “There are new ‘glamping’ and creature comforts that are nice while you’re out in the bush off-roading, but it has really become more mainstream to where you’re sometimes putting tents on really small SUVs-and cars, for that matter. “What this market has brought to us is new manufacturers and better-quality products,” Funk said. Roading vehicles ranging from Land Rovers to 4WD trucks and Jeeps, but even that is changing, said Andrew Funk, president of Cap-it International, which operates an expanding franchise of truck-and-adventure accessory outlets throughout Western Canada. That exploration has historically been accomplished through dedicated off. At its real core, overlanding is about exploration.” “Overlanding is really a self-sufficient vehicle or adventure mode of travel where it’s all about the journey. “They identify as campers, they identify as adventure travelers, they identify as off-roaders, they identify as explorers, so really there’s a lot of different ways they see themselves,” said Lindsay Hubley, managing partner for Lodestone Events LLC, which presents the popular Overland Expo event series. However, defining the phenomenon isn’t so easy-perhaps because it’s largely a state of mind for true enthusiasts. The fact is, while closely associated with the truck and off-road segment, overlanding is evolving into its own market space embracing a dynamic consumer mix. However, the growing overland phenomenon goes far beyond camping and trail riding. Pop-up tents on 4x4 rigs like this one built by Dixie 4 Wheel Drive have become a ubiquitous hallmark of overlanding. But who exactly are these overlanders? What do they seek, and how is the industry discovering opportunities in helping them find it? We’re talking, of course, about the overlanding phenomenon, an outdoor addiction that many aftermarket companies have become keenly aware of-so much so that the SEMA Show added an Overland Experience feature dedicated to the trend in 2019. They say it started in South Africa and Australia, spread rapidly through South America, and now has gripped North America. BUSINESS The Rise of the Overlanders Who Are They and What Are They Searching For?
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