Count the roof-top tents on your next commute—they’re everywhere. And it’s not just on SUVs.
Your vehicle can serve as an escape capsule. What that “escape” means to a person can vary greatly. You might want a fast car on a twisty road to take your mind somewhere else. Perhaps simply working on a project car is your escapism. For a growing segment of the industry, escape is provided via a dusty trail under your tires and a place to lay your head under the stars at night.
Overlanding has experienced massive growth in popularity over the past few years—and it shows no signs of slowing.
Overlanding is about more than simply combining off-road adventure with camping, though. There exists that yearning feeling to get away from the crowds. The feeling certainly existed before Covid, but that isolationist shutdown only stoked deeper fires. There’s been a mental shift.
But could overlanding be perceived as one of the current “it” fads among automotive enthusiasts? I can certainly understand such an argument, but there’s also evidence that overlanding is not only growing, but evolving.
Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter
Automakers are producing more vehicles specifically designed to appeal directly to the overlanding set. The TrailHunter trim from Toyota, for example, pairs smart suspension choices with packaging ready to handle loads of camping gear.
“We created an ‘out-of-the-box’ overlander,” says Randy Badia, Toyota’s General Manager, R&D Product Development.
“[The Trailhunter is] equipped to meet the overlanding lifestyle by adding equipment such as: standard 33-inch AT tires, standard high mount air intake, standard true rock rails bolted to the frame, a rear steel bumper with recovery points, high lift jack points directly in the frame, a trail tip exhaust for improved departure angle, an on-board air compressor, fog lamps that can be either white or amber depending on the environment and added ‘camp lights’ to the deck top rails, a roof rack for gear, an ARB deck rack which can support a tent with occupants, deck and interior molle panels, and of course plenty of under carriage protectors to name a few.”
Subaru’s entire Wilderness lineup is a vehicular dog whistle, as the automaker is one of the first to tout not just static roof rack load limits but also dynamic limits. Additionally, the added plastic around the fenders provides protection from trail pinstriping.
Mercedes-Benz, believe it or not, is especially popular among overlanders. Its Sprinter serves as a top-tier blank canvas for the more adventurous side of van-life lovers. The company recognizes—and embraces—its popularity in the space.
“While the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was originally engineered for cargo and commercial applications, it has evolved into a versatile lifestyle platform embraced by the van life and overlanding communities. Overlanding represents a significant and growing vertical for the Sprinter,” Advisor for Product and Technology Communications for Mercedes-Benz Emily Rieders tells Motor1.
“Mercedes-Benz takes great pride in the Sprinter’s adaptability and reliability, making it a trusted companion for adventure-seekers worldwide.”
Subaru Forester Wilderness
Enthusiasts also love stuff. And the marketplace for overland gear is immense. It’s hard to keep track of the myriad companies offering all sorts of solutions aimed at providing either a more comfortable experience when you’re off the beaten path—or products that let you go farther and stay away for longer.
Powered coolers, battery packs, solar panels, and incredibly cozy mattress pads make for happy faces around the firepits. All of these products comprise an industry with substantial dollar figures at play.
According to Overland Expo, which hosts multiple overland events across the country each year, over 28,000 people attended their event in Flagstaff, Arizona. Over 400 exhibitors were in attendance, while more than 300 classes and seminars were held. Additionally, of the attending throngs, 41 percent were there for the first time. And that’s just one of the five events Overland Expo held in 2025.
Still, overlanding is not a new idea.
“Overlanding is just car camping with better press,” says adventurer and filmmaker Sinuhe Xavier. “A marketing term dreamed up by Jonathan Hanson and Scott Brady, meant to dress up something simple and make it sound like discovery. The truth is, it’s a tent, a truck, and a road that goes somewhere quieter than where you came from.”
The industry is entering its evolution phase. Automaker support clearly exists. Gear suppliers are in overdrive—delivering products to a growing contingent of like-minded folks. But the turning point is a return to the simplicity of the act.
“Before overland, it was ‘expedition.’ What it meant to me was never the gear or the language. It was the stillness between towns, the sound of tires on dirt, the freedom that comes when you stop trying to name what you’re doing. The romance of it was always in the doing, not the selling. In the end, it’s just being out there long enough for the noise of the world to fade,” Sinuhe continues.
“People are remembering that experience matters more than equipment, that you cannot buy adventure. It is moving toward simplicity. Lighter footprints and quieter nights. Learning how to drive, how to recover, and how to read the land and the weather. The future is not about more products. It is about more awareness.”
That last bit, where he mentions simplifying, resonates with me. His words frame something I agree with tremendously. We will hit a saturation point where all of the Dometic coolers have been purchased and installed. The tents are bolted to the tops of the rigs. Solar panels collect sunlight, allowing our journeys to take place in more remote locations. Perhaps the industry will see a contraction at some point, but the desire to keep exploring won’t fade.
Those who stick with it will want to know more about the lands upon which they ride. A better understanding of how your vehicle works, how to recover it if needed, and how to assist others in doing the same are all skills worth exploring.
And the escape continues. You learn, you appreciate, you repeat the process.
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