Excellent video. I'm getting sick of seeing overlanders test out compressors and go by which is the quickest, or come out with the most crazy and complicated kitchen setups. You provide practical advice for those who want to travel on a budget, and without screaming money. Thanks

This concept is common for evaluating US military gear, as well, and is known as "SWaP"--Size, Weight, and Power

I figured it was my engineer's background, I'm so glad that others are thinking in terms of size/weight/power/cost tradeoffs when it comes to gear. Great video!

I'm glad there's an "overlander" with a brain. I do local expedition type adventures every now and then here in the central USA and I carry a single compressor, single battery, decent cooler for food, and minimal cooking by stuff, etc.

4th criteria: how much does it cost ?

This video is right on. Bigger isn’t always the best. Last year I spent six months in my Jeep traveling across North America. I only have a 2dr but I could stock it up with a weeks worth of food and water pretty easily because I was careful with my build. My goal for the build was not having a ton of stuff in the cargo area so I can still take the windows out.

Great video! I agree with all the points and would add another one. Use what you have until it needs replacement. I don’t overland full time,but really enjoy it when I can get away. My small inexpensive fridge, air compressor and pop up tent get the job done👍🏼👏🏼

Glad to see we have the same approach to equipment. I installed in my Land Cruiser 78 a 32l fridge and single quite small air compressor. So far it’s been enough even for 3 people. You don’t have to keep cold all the drinks you carry in the same time. Some of them can wait for their turn in a normal storage.

Dan, you are definitely killing your chances of sponsorship by the marketers! In an ocean of nonsense you are a wave of logic and common sense! That is exactly why I subscribe and watch your stuff over a lot of the other "overlanders" that are on youtube. I see a lot of rock crawlers with roof top tents on here and on the videos at overland meets and FOR THE LIFE OF ME I DON'T UNDERSTAND THESE PEOPLE! I've always been a believer in doing what makes you happy but I'm not really convinced a vehicle heavily laden with stuff and huge tires can be anything more than a total pain to drive across a state or province, much less a continent. Keep doing what you do, and I hope your successful at it because I need something to watch!

I couldn’t agree more. Weight is probably my most thought about advantage when purchasing a mod for my Jeep.

Once again, excellent advice. So many buying decisions are driven by ego (bigger is better) rather than reason.

I would be the last to argue with your reasoning, Dan ! Having traveled in Africa since beginning of the 80s with various 4x4 vehicles (and motorcycles) which were 99% stock and having minimal equipment with me, I can only attest that the overlander needs haven't changed over the years (at least mine didn't). What has drastically changed is .... marketing and business. I have always put main focus on the trip itself, before as after departure, and minimal focus on my vehicle. Thanks for your good advice !

I love your simplicity. The focus is to get adventure not stacking ourselves with stuff. Lovely content Chief

Great video as always. Really helpful in the planning and prep of my vehicle. As well as keeping down the weight, how to make sure the weighty items are built-in to the vehicle as low as as possible will be important. Taking only what you need is key as well. So often folk buy all the gadgets and extras, but find after a few weeks of travelling they’ve not used it, and it just takes up space and becomes dead-weight. Hard to get it right first time, but after a few trip, you get to know how to prioritise what is needed and what’s nice to have. Keep the videos coming - really enjoyable.

Love your common sense. You're one of a very few guys on youtube that practice what they preach and you preach simplicity. Too many people talk about how a person "must" have a monster truck or military grade machine to go over landing. The fact you've traveled Africa and North America in basically a stock Jeep proves them wrong. I know you've got a couple of books about your travels but do either of them contain info on your Jeep build? I've watched your videos about the build but I'd really like a how-to manual. Thanks for all you do. It's very inspiring!

Excellent insight from someone who has actually been there and done that. Your thoughts are highly credible on here!

Every point you made is spot on in this one! But to me I also add quality / durability to the equation. Cheap gear that's likely to fail when you most need it is never a good thing.

Now you tell me. After I bought most of my gear. Timing... Timing Dan. Anybody need a 95 liter Dometic twin freezer fridge? It is just me and I eat out for every meal possible, uh oh...And I just realized this week that my cooler will not open if I have my solar electronics under it in the rear. I think my tortilla just developed a rip. Sadly I buy the biggest and best and think afterwards. Really to be honestw with you, thank you Dan for teaching us how to fish instead of just throwing us a couple fish. I subcribe, literally, to your way of thinking, when I can be mentally stable. Please keep the videos coming. You are inspiring me with every video. I am getting closer to exiting the USA every week. Soon Baja beaches for a test run over the winter. Then Tuktayaktuk and across Canada to Nova Scotia and Labrador next summer. Eventhough it makes sense to drive to Ushaia afterwards. I am shipping my jeep to Africa as soon as the jeep is paid off. I cannot wait to go to Africa and I am honestly afraid that I may not get there soon enough. Yes, Africa! Jessica Hippo, my love, I am coming to you! Thanks again Dan. I would not be doing this if it were not for your Africa videos. I increased my Patreon donation to you. You deserve at least a tank of gas from me each month, but this overlanding stuff is crazy expensive. See you on the road someday soon, I hope. Let all of us know if you attend any events or expos in the coming year and I will drive there to shake your hand. Maybe a fist bump wearing my mask of course. All destinations planned are COVID willing. I am a US citizen and we are not all that smart at times. Herd Immunity anyone? Hopefully the world will be open to us again in the future. Unless Trump is King and then we will attack all of our allies and make our empire bigger. (Please vote Biden everyone.) Eventhough I am personally insane. I believe that sanity is a plus in a ruler. Please turn me over, I think I am burning on this side.

I think that you make a good point with your 3 criteria. I bought a 60 L dual zone fridge freezer and I regret it! It’s just too big! It’s almost always just me out there camping so I don’t really need that much cold food storage. I would add two more things that really matter. Performance/durability and I mean these as pretty much the same category. Not how fast it works but how well it works and how durable it is. The other category that I think is important is the cost $$$. Great video as always!

If you have to run over 45 lbs per tire I suggest getting a double ARB. I have a single ARB for over a decade and had it installed in my last 3 vehicles including the current one. It's been in a Jeep TJ w/ 32" BFG KO2s running at 35 psi all around, it's been in a Chevy Suburban 2500 8.1L w/ 33" BFG KO2s running at 55 psi all around and now in my Ram 2500 Power Wagon which is actually about 2,000 lbs heavier than the Burb but with 37" Toyo Open Country M/T running 45 psi front and 35 psi back. My experience is that it is fine for the Jeep TJ running at 35 psi. The Burb / BFG KO2s I had to run at 55 psi which very much challenged the limits of the single compressor. It would overheat and shut off midway through the 4th tire and would take way too much time (hence additional run time causing too much heat). I would actually pour some water on the compressor to get it restarted in order to finish the last tire. My current vehicle is where I really got to learn how different tires are really constructed differently and need to be run at different PSI given that vehicle weight / tire combo. My previous MTs on this truck I had to run higher pressure. The Toyo MTs I found have a much thicker / stiffer sidewall, and although my truck is much heavier, I actually run pressures much less (validated via chalk test). At 45 psi front / 35 psi rear I feel I am pushing the limits on this truck in terms of run time (due to the fronts needing 45), but it is sufficient enough and not enough justification to invest in a new double given I have a working single. If I didn't have the single already, or for some reason it fails, I would definitely invest in the double for this particular vehicle. I agree for a Jeep Wrangler or similarly weighted vehicle that the double is overkill and unnecessary extra weight and extra cost. Oh, and I think your next discussion point will be cost...because why spend money on something you don't need instead of spending it on actually getting out and traveling.

You're a practical man, Dan.

Marketing is sometimes the invisible nefarious culprit to the off road enthusiast.

Great video as always Dan! Quick point though: a fridge technically doesn't run 24/7, as it only powers on when it needs to bring the temperature back down. I'm looking at the ARB Zero 44L/47Qt for my JKU, and the size and power consumption is what I'm considering.

Very sensible advice, as always. Cliffhanger will probably cover price. Smaller fridge and smaller compressor both add to travel range, right?

All good points and ones that I use to argue for and against each piece of equipment added. Keep the vids coming. They are great !!

Agreed on the ARB single. I have space for a dual, but the single is cheaper, is adequate, draws half the amps, etc, and I use an indeflate, so I have even more time :-) The single will happily reseat the bead on my 33" tires, but I've also reseated 35s with it no dramas

Hey Dan. Great video, excellent points! There is one significant advantage to the ARB Dual compressor vs. the ARB Single: If one of the two sides of the dual compressor fails, the other will very often continue to work, albeit at half the air flow. In other words: you get failover redundancy. If the single compressor model fails, you're done, with no working air compressor at all.

When I motorcycle toured around South America my "air compressor" was a 70 gram road bicycle pump. It was cheap, tiny, reliable, and didn't need a battery to operate. Well worth the tradeoff of the extra 5 minutes of flat repair time.

Your common sense is much appreciated! So is your tact and tone of saying, "Go to hell!" in such a manner we (at least me) look forward to the trip! LOL! Always GREAT info. Thanks for sharing!

The most important part for an overlander vehicle is reliability . . . for the vehicle and all the stuff you will install and take with you... If you go off the beaten track the stuff has to work...

I am guessing reliability is Number 4. Build it into your vehicle before you go. Recondition your starter motor and alternator before that big trip and not bother carrying those as spares. Great video as always Dan.

Good advice. Your fourth criteria will probably be quality (or price which is often the same) as there are some accessories on which you should not compromise on quality and others where you probably can go cheaper if necessary. I am sure you would have kicked yourself if you had gone cheap on your winch in your last video :-)

Very well thought out and put across Rgds steve

I enjoyed the perspective thanks for sharing

To me the forth criteria should be reliably

Great video , liked the thinking and approach,.

You can absolutely do an epic trip without a fridge... if steak dinner with cold beer isn't high on your priority.

#4: Is it stopping you from actually getting out there and traveling? and/or cost. Same thing

I love this video. My wife and I are rather frugal and minimal in our camping. I take your three things into consideration. I go for quality. How long will it last?

Another oh so true video, speaking from experience and having the t-shirt. The 4th, I would venture is buying on impulse, or being influenced by an influencer in buying something without applying your mind - I have a storeroom full of stuff, discarded when common sense kicked in. But beware of inverse also, I have a lot of quality super lightweight gear (hiking), and find that carting it around on corrugations, sharing space in a crate, etc destroy the kit, much harsher in back of overland vehicle than in a backpack, and one tend to be out longer than backpacking, so harsher wear and tear - apply balance, actually, apply your mind, and your series is all about that to me. Great series of videos, when will your book be out?

Just read you article in Tread, Nov-Dec 2020! Great piece.

Awesome info! It's great to hear perspective that is based on expereince. Loving these infomrative videos, thank you!

Reliability and ease of use.

Very helpful video thanks 👍🏻

a very pragmatic approach-thanks

not quite sure that you are 100% right about the fridge part.From what I see they are all using around the same amps, plus they "cycle" and are not running all the time. Also, a larger fridge could be used to store that extra water enabling you to stay out longer.Of course, they do take up more space etc. But what do I know? lol

Your criteria seem like excellent choices and thought processes. Unfortunately, when using the air compressor as your main example, the space criteria ends up being immaterial. I mean, what else are you using that extra leftover space under the hood for? Nothing. The weight and power aspects of it are dead on. Maybe it would have been a better choice to use the fridge as your primary example, since it absolutely meets all the criteria and also leads into those other aspects you discussed. Great video though. Makes me think about going out and pulling my took boxes from inside RedPool to see what I could eliminate, or reduce numbers (like all the sockets I have on board) or find a smaller, lighter version that works just as well. Even though I am not an overlander, the criteria should be important to me as well. But with today's high being 18F, and tomorrow's being 15F, I think I might wait until later in the week. Keep up the great content. You delivery is one of the best out there, calm, thoughtful, entertaining, and spot on.

Thanks Dan, for more sound sensible advice. I am building out an F-150 Supercab 4x4, so with a higher payload and larger volume (with canopy) I hope I’ll be okay with exceeding your limits for your Jeep. 🤨

No. 4 -- reliabilty!

Great video Dan and very practical - thank you.Would you have advice on the style of jack you prefer - hi-lift, bottle, exhaust etc...I like the hi-lift for its multiple uses but it is very heavy compared to my bottle jack. Cheers

As a minimalist it makes absolutely sense. Does a auxiliary air tank do the trick?

I'm thinking the fourth criteria is reliability, which ultimaly affects cost.

You are very recouse ful man

I have been following your channel and have really benefited, thx. Question is How many of these things did you figure out before you started your trips?

Hello Dan as always quality themes and points to be discussed. Would you please share a video what kind of overlanding navigation app you use. Thanks ans stay safe!

With concept 1; If you are going to use the space, why not get 2 separate air compressors so you have a backup if 1 quits working?

While motorcycle camping and touring, I use a 3 litre camelbak for all uses (excluding shower), for one person, for 24 hours. Do you have a formula for your context?

Cost

Thanks again for another great video. I have not purchased an air compressor as of yet, but I am considering it for my build. I feel like one of the pushes for dual air compressors are air lockers. But are those even really necessary to overlanding? My 2 door Jeep JK is still pretty much stock, with the exception of the ARB rock rails and 33” BFG KO2 all terrain tires. Recovery ropes, soft shackles, a tire repair kit, tool bag, Maxtraxs, the Outback Trailgaiter and a Coleman stove are the only other things I have. I probably can start an overlanding trip with just those. If I may add a build question to this. I would like to add the ARB front/rear bumpers and a winch. Will I need to upgrade my suspension right away or can I manage until the other heavy items are added? A Gobi roof rack and Goose Gear system are later plans for the Jeep but I don’t want to go any higher than a 2.5” lift. ARB also has a suspension upgrade kit I am looking at, somewhat similar to your AEV kit.

#4. Reliability.

Thanks for another great video. Which ARB compressor did you get?

Quality is the fourth.

Great advice Dan. An off topic question perhaps but..: Wheel alignment? Is that something you bother with while out on the roads? I hear some people recommending doing this after a hard 4x4 session or long trip. Should it be part of the regular 5-10,000 km service? Do you rotate your tyres when you change your oil?

Smart

Great stuff. There is too much “arms race “ commentary from other overland “experts”! If you follow all their advice your truck would be overloaded and cost a fortune and probably be more complex and therefore prone to failure and harder to fix in the bush.

Awesome

4th criteria: reliability

You forgot a rule of the fancy jeepers, is there enough chrome on it to impress everyone!

😎👍

Did you add the hood vents yourself?

If you don't have a 2 port espresso machine, slide out kitchen and 2000 Amps of Lithium you're just a loser and need to upgrade to be like real over landers. If you're not driving a grand edifice that would make the Taj Mahal blush then you're not spending enough of your kids inheritance. Go max out that credit card and join the team. If you're not lining the pockets of the Chinese trinket makers and filling your vehicle with "Must Have's" then you need to get with the program. If you've not got the latest instant on-demand hot water and NASA Mission Control Centre electrics then you can't go overlanding. You have to stay at home. Call your bank manager and re-finance.

It may not be a race but most no one wants to spend 15-20 minutes airing up tires. Also, most people want the bigger one because they have 35” tires or bigger (me included).

Notification gang!!

Do you really need it?

👍👍👍👍👍

Good stuff. I bet #4 is reliability.