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Can you Overland in a UTV?
Aug
Overlanding is a popular way to travel. You may have seen challenges or custom builds tailored around overlanding in a UTV. We’ve also found a lot of products on the market designed to make a UTV overland friendly. But how easy is it to overland in a UTV?
What is overlanding anyway?
If you’re unfamiliar with overlanding, it’s a little difficult to define exactly what it is. Overlanding is basically a style of off-road travel. It combines camping, off-roading, and heading to remote destinations that are not often explored. It also has a self-reliant or survivalist component to it. It’s more than a weekend trip and some rough trails. To truly be overlanding, you venture into the unknown while being off the grid for days or weeks at a time. Given the nature of this style of travel, it seems that it would be difficult to do in a UTV. But some UTV enthusiasts are up for the challenge.
Challanges that you may face overlanding in a UTV.
You’ll face several challenges overlanding in a UTV. One is being able to carry all the gear you need to safely overland. Figuring out how to haul your supplies could be difficult. You may need a bigger utility-style UTV to hold your gear. It would be hard to do it in a two-seater sports machine. We’ve seen a few custom trailers built that you tow behind your rig, which may help you out. Another big challenge to UTV overlanding would be tackling the highway miles. Some overland trips take people all the way across the country, and it would be hard to stay on the dirt 100% of the time.
UTV Overlanding Trailer Examples
Can you do it?
So, can it be done? We say yes. You would need to make some modifications to your machine to allow you to carry the gear or find/or build an overlanding trailer. You’ll want to make some upgrades that will allow you to sustain yourself for days, or weeks while being fully off the grid. You might also be selective about where you go. If you pick a lengthy trail, like the Arizona Peace Trail, or the Paiute Trail, and spend a long time exploring it. Each of these trails is hundreds of miles long and would give you loads of adventure off the grid.If you’re looking to go all the way across the country, several people have used a truck or SUV as their primary overlanding vehicle and brought a UTV as a secondary.
However you do it, overlanding is bound to be an amazing and memorable adventure. We’re wondering how many of you out there have tried it. Let us know in the comments below what has worked for you, or not when overlanding with your UTV.