Our motors editor and resident overland expert, Bryon Dorr, scoured Overland Expo West 2022 in Flagstaff, Ariz., to find some of the coolest adventure rigs out there.
I’ve been to every Overland Expo West since 2012 — and a majority of the other overland expo and rally events across North America over the past decade. Needless to say, I’ve seen just about every type of overland adventuremobile out there. It takes a lot for a vehicle to catch my eye these days, but the really cool vehicles still get me as excited as ever.
This year’s Overland Expo West was a bit of an odd one, as it was just 6 months since the last event happened — due to pandemic rescheduling. What that meant is that there was a slightly smaller attendance than the September event, and a lot of the same vehicles and gear on display.
I like to bring you the new and interesting, so here are 15 vehicles that caught my eye at the 2022 event. Some new, some old, but all being shown at Overland Expo for the first time — as far as we know.
(We also found the hottest new overland products at the show, which you can read about HERE.)
Overland Expo West 2022: 15 Head-Turning Vehicles
Jeep Farout Concept
I’m partial to this build, as I was able to take it out for an overland adventure along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon leading up to the show.
In the end, it was my home and transport for over a week. The Jeep Farout concept is a diesel Gladiator on 37s with a custom AT Overland Habitat truck camper on the back. It also features a ton of custom touches, like paint, orange spray liner and teak wood camper buildout, and custom tartan orange seat inserts.
Much more on this build and my adventures in it soon.
XOverland Tundra ‘Orion’
Take a brand-new Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and let the XOverland crew, with their many years of experience and top-quality build partner parts, at it and you get “Orion.” This 2022 Tundra is specifically designed as a post-production video vehicle for editing in the field.
As such, it is set up with an Alucab Canopy Camper with a custom Goose Gear interior. It rolls on 35s, and it has a new CBI front bumper, lots of Equipt Expedition Outfitters racks, awnings, boxes, etc. It even has a Webasto heater.
That heater will be put to good use very soon as the XOvelrand Team heads out on their latest overland adventure for the Nordic Series.
Ten weeks of adventure should produce 10 new video episodes, starting with some aid work in Poland. Orion was completed just before Overland Expo and will be on a boat very soon, headed to Europe.
Overland Expo Ultimate Overland Build
This is Overland Expo’s idea of the “Ultimate Overland Vehicle 2022.” It is built on the just-released 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X and was built out by Mule Expedition Outfitters. All in, it features parts from over 21 different Overland Expo exhibitors.
This vehicle will be circulating around with media throughout the year as it makes it around to the four Overland Expo shows. At the end of the year, it will be auctioned off on Bring a Trailer with 100% of proceeds going to the Overland Expo Foundation charity.
Redtail Overland Sprinter
Redtail Overland is still hard at work refining its carbon hard-sided roof-top tent camper system. This latest (and super high-end) prototype is about ready for full production and was displayed atop a fully built-out camper van.
There is a ladder and passthrough in the van to the Redtail camper, which is essentially a second bedroom in this application. Van life elevated for sure.
TAV Stage 3 Tacoma With Bed Replacement Camper System
TAV builds next-level capable, go-fast off-road machines, with a focus on Toyota platforms. Its latest build is this beast of a Tacoma that has all the tires, suspension, lights, and accessories you could want. What truly sets it apart from the crowd, though, is the Bowen Customs bed replacement for pop-top truck campers.
On this first proof-of-concept build, the camper is an AT Overland Habitat camper. The TAV Spec Bowen Customs bed system has integrated rear stairs and tons of locking storage — and it even offers seating inside the camper. Cool quality gear doesn’t come cheap, however, as just the bed replacement will run you over $17,000.
Maverick Custom GFC Camper
Take a new Ford Maverick, add a 2-inch lift, rear airbags, quality AT tires, and a custom-built (by Justin at Tubeworks) camper with a GFC tent on top, and you have a pretty awesome little overland adventuremobile. This is @wanderingtheweekend‘s build.
The entire slide-in camper system is said to weigh in at only 700 pounds.
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Nimbl Evolution F-550
The Nimbl Evolution is an updated version of the XPCamper V1 composite pop-up truck camper. The latest iteration of this camper — with 62 units in circulation so far — has a bigger driver’s side window, new dropdown safety catches for the pop-up mechanism, uses a hydraulic lift mechanism versus electric, and has a ton of other small evolutionary improvements.
Nimbl is making about 12 campers a year now. The camper weighs in at about 2,800 pounds and ranges from $267,000 to $427,000, depending on options.
One new option is a full-carbon layup. It makes the camper stronger and stiffer, but not lighter — yet anyway.
The display truck at Overland Expo is also the first version of this camper to be put on a bigger than a one-ton truck. It does look good on an F-550 and 43.6-inch tires!
Goose Gear 60 Series Land Cruiser
Brian Fulton is the owner of Goose Gear and continues to have truly inspiring personal overland vehicles, which he puts big miles in while on big adventures.
One of his latest builds is this LS-powered 60-Series Land Cruiser on full 80-series suspension and axles. It also features a full Goose Gear platform system, Alu-Cab RTT, Scheel-Mann seats, and a ton more.
TouRig F550 Camper
Best known for its custom aluminum van build-outs and interior components, TouRig is now going big and applying its expertise to big expedition-style trucks.
Its first offering is this F550-based monster that features a boX Manufacturing camper box with a full TouRig powder-coated aluminum interior. It has 95 gallons of water on board, hydronic floor heating, 800 amp-hours of batteries, and so much more.
The entire vehicle is just shy of 27 feet long — so it is eligible to legally enter all National Parks — and the camper box floor is 12 feet long. This full adventuremobile will cost you $500,000-600,000, depending on how you outfit it.
Pure 4×4 GX460
This 2021 Lexus GX460 Premium build in the Toyo Tires booth was a head-turner! Not just because of the graphics, either. This build has every part you can think of on it and is rolling on 35s — a big project to make happen on this platform.
You can find out more about this rig and its owner, @pure_jmatt, on Instagram.
Equipt Sleepy 2.0
I’ve personally spent some time in the first iteration of this Equipt-built 4.7L supercharged V8 2004 Toyota Tundra Access Cab SR5 truck, nicknamed “Sleepy.”
While it might look gray and basic, this truck packs a punch with big power and all kinds of top-quality components. It’s also in really good shape for an 18-year-old truck with high mileage.
The truck recently got a full makeover that included an all-new OME suspension, rear-seat delete, EzAwn 270 awning and Cube privacy room, an AT Overland Atlas camper topper, and a unique bed buildout.
Instead of traditional cabinets or drawers, the truck bed was built out with a Goose Gear plate, fridge slide, and AluBoxs. The AluBoxes are the storage and cabinet system. Not only are they a cheaper option — $3,500 versus $10,000+ for a full cabinet system — but they also allow for easy change-out of gear and quick reconfiguration to use the truck bed for whatever you plan on doing.
Out of Routine Xterra
The Xterra doesn’t get enough love, and for sure needs to come back into Nissan’s lineup soon. This is Jonathan’s — @outofroutineproductions — 2001 example that he lives out of full-time.
It has a 2-inch lift, quality AT tires, a custom interior drawer system, a hard-shell CVT Mt Hood RTT, a Dometic CFX3 55IM, and a ton more little details for a quality life on the road.
RRE Global G-Wagon
Prices of Mercedes G-Wagons have gone insane lately, as it’s nearly impossible to buy a new one with a V8 these days. This particular G-Wagon is fully kitted out with LeTech portal axles and other components, a QuQuQ interior all-in-one camper system, and more. It’s a show truck for RRE Global, which imports all of the upgrade parts.
To me, this vehicle just screams adventure. Sure, you’ll find more in Beverly Hills than in the remote reaches of the mountains, but this one is set up to actually get way off the beaten path.
CBI/Prinsu Tundra
The new Tundra is an impressive truck that is already all over the overland industry landscape. This build has all the latest bumpers, roof racks, rock sliders, bed racks, and more from CBI Off-Road and Prinsu Design.
It looks ready for a proper overland adventure or family off-road/camping adventure to us!
K5 Blazer
This soft-top K5 Chevy Blazer has been fully refreshed and looks amazing with the shiny Grumman canoe on top. We spotted it in the Milestar Tires booth at Overland Expo. It is just done right, both for authentic old-school looks and adventure worthiness.
For example, custom 8-inch wheels that accept the original hub cabs and allow for 33×12.5 mud-terrain tires. It’s a two-owner truck that has been a project of love and adventure for 8-years now by its current owner Ryan Kennelly. Other build highlights; ARB AirLockers at both ends, a 40-gallon custom gas tank, a hidden winch, and a vintage A/C unit.
Kennelly says he sleeps in the back of the truck on a custom mattress he built when on solo adventures. He also tends to carry vintage stoves, tables, chairs, tents, etc… on his adventures to complete the look.
You can follow this very cool rig and its adventures @Dirtstar2002.
