ONE YEAR review of the Overland features of my Jeep Gladiator

It's time to take a closer look and evaluate all the different living systems built into my Overland Jeep Gladiator - what was it like to actually live?
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00:00 Introduction
00:50 Overland Kitchen Kitchen
07:49 Swag for sleeping
12:22 Driving Cabin
17:07 Locking Storage Box
20:22 Canvas Canopy
23:52 Conclusion
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Books I've published about my expeditions around the world:
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❱ The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
375 pages of misadventures, stories, characters, politics and more from driving all the way around Africa!
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❱ 999 Days Around Africa: The Road Chose Me
75 page full-color photography book from each of the 35 countries I visited in Africa
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❱ The Road Chose Me Volume 1: Two years and 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina
265 pages of adventure, inspiration and antics from driving the length of the Pan-American highway
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❱ Overland Travel Essentials: West Africa: Myths, Misconceptions and Misnomers
Everything you need to know to undertake your own Overland Expedition in West Africa
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❱ Work Less to Live Your Dreams: A practical guide to saving money and living your dreams
The tips, tricks, ideas and perspectives I've learned to save the money I need to live the life I want
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#JeepGladiator #4x4 #Overland

[@ricoman7981]

Years ago I overlanded in Africa several times for longer trips, Australia for a few shorter trips and once in India. Sleeping in small backpacking tents on a foamy worked fine, younger bones in those days but even then, 4 to 6 months at a time kind of wore on. Another thing was ants and other insects, mosquitoes and of course, the animals in Africa. As exciting as it was to watch hyenas enter camp within minutes of crawling into the tent, there was always a little apprehension involved. I’ve watched tons of videos of people on their fantastic and envious adventures driving the world and if I had the opportunity to do it today, and cost was secondary, I’d use a Toyota Troopy, with or without the pop top, build it out minimally and use only the lightest weight materials and equipment. Having the internal van like space of the Troopy combined with such a capable machine would be excellent. Keeping the vehicle weight below max is key, a fridge and plenty of purified water. After that I think the key to living on the road is being organized. You will have many things in many storage places in the vehicle but if you know exactly where those things are when you need them you will keep the frustration level to a minimum and enjoyment to a maximum.

[@mainelybuds8543]

I do a ton of research before I start a new adventure. Any adventure. When I see one of your videos on a topic that I'm researching, I smile because I know my work is done. You tell it like it is, speak from experience, and I trust and value your opinion. Thank you Dan, Dan the man.

[@wesleymcgonagle3394]

Gidday Dan, longwinded Aussie story, lol. 50+ years ago my Grand Parents sold up everything in Brisbane and moved to Lightning Ridge, NSW to Opal Mine (Crazy Right). anyway my Grandpa was jack of all trades and very inventive, could always come up wit a solution for anything, sometimes it took a few iterations to get it right, lol. So Bulldust out there was horrendous, not much blacktop out there then. So he had an old International 4x4 Station Wagon and towed a 30' Caravan, that he beefed up of course to handle the roads (More like Tracks). That van always was full of bull dust after every trip that they went on.(Annoyed my Nana to no end) So he got this cylindrical old pre filter fan box (looked like what you used to see on the mudguard on old Landrover's before snorkels) except it had a fan inside it and the dust collector bowl on top. Anyway, he mounted that on the caravan and wired it up to a switch, he would hook up the caravan to truck and turn on the fan, 12vdc powered off the caravan batteries which he connected to the truck to charge the batteries while he was driving (50+ years ago mind you) This would intern pressurise the van with filter air, the air would leak out of any holes or gaps where the dust would normally come in and almost kept the interior dust free. He was always ahead of the game.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Absolutely, pressurizing the interior to keep the dust out would be next level!

[@DeanShirley818]

"Least amount of clutter," I think sums up everything you do Dan. Not just the interior but the camp, kitchen, and rig. Less gear; more miles!

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Pretty much!

[@calsurflance5598]

The real voice of experience. You bought it and used it for a year. Who better than you to review the equipment. You even talked about power and fuel usage. Real world honest review! Well done !👍

[@montechie]

I have an OVRLND on a Gladiator in the US West and Montana Rockies for the past year. The bed IS tight for two when staying inside if the top is down, but with the straight pop-up open you can use the full bed area with ~6'6" of standing room AND the loft area is still usable (can sit upright and work up there while someone cooks downstairs) makes the back huge for two and easy to hangout. HUGE advantage over the wedge styles where it's hard to use the bed area AND stand/move around in the bed. We've stayed in the back working, cooking, etc during some blizzards and torrential rain/wind storms. For living space the straight pop-up > wedge, straight vertical walls are > slanted (Project M/OVRLND vs ATs), and sturdier tent material of the OVRLND/Project M/AT Atlas is > the lighter weight material of most wedges (GFC) for wind/bad weather sleeping, and windows are a must when staying inside vs the coffin like Alu-Cab. Toppers/Campers with the slanted sides like the ATs might allow you to squeeze on tight trails more, but so far it hasn't been a problem for us and the OVRLND. The GFCs are probably the lightest and slimmest profile, but it's more of a "only spend time in it for sleeping" and forget getting much sleep in the wind. Most of the topper style popups are > slide-ins for more challenging roads, tracks, and shelf roads. Even with customizations my OVRLND is ~330lbs, others will be closer to 250lbs. For dust it's the same story as your canvas topper, the tailgate is the biggest issue. However people are adding marine vents with a basic filter on the front to create a pressurized topper, works like a charm. Some of the Aussie companies do similar with their toppers. (PCOR?)

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

That's really interesting Wes, thanks for all the info. My canvas top has a vent to allow air in so it can pressurize.. it works, but not brilliantly. Next time I might ad a fan to really suck clean air in.

[@mrickerd]

Dan, I don't have the exact setup that you are asking about towards the end of your video, but I can share my experiences with what I do have. Double Cab Long bed (6') Tacoma with an AluCab Canopy Camper. It is a full time house on wheels; it is no longer responsible for regular truck duties. It is fully dust and water proof, bed and all. This took approximately 20 hours to do, as every nook and cranny is sealed with Sikaflex. This was a massive pain, and required a lot of disassembly, but it is so worth it to never have to worry about water or dust getting inside the camper, even in multi-truck convoys. Also, the ACCC has a rear door, so there is no more tailgate to worry about sealing. The lady and I do prefer being outside as much as possible. However, the interior of the bed is very easy to spend a long time in. With the tent opened and the bed platform raised out of the way it is a very pleasant place to be, especially if you open the upper canvas windows, as they let a lot of light in. The pivoting bed platform allows us to fully stand up in the back. It even has a smaller pivoting platform (~18 inches deep) at the rear that we use as a standing desk. I built custom storage that gives us places to sit, and there is still enough room in the rear half of the bed to sit at an angle on the ground, with your legs fully outstretched. The floor has a Bed Rug on it, which is plenty comfortable (think bearing full body weight on one knee without discomfort). A well placed pillow or two gives great back support. It is no couch, but it isn't painful at all either. I would not attempt to live out of the back of the same Tacoma with only a 5' bed. Three of my friends have this setup with GFC's and it is much too small. 1 foot doesn't seem like a lot, but it makes a massive difference. The entirety of my on-demand water system (20 gallons) and power command center, and some storage, all exist in that 1 ft of space that they don't have. I also wouldn't bother trying to live out of the back of a camper that either did not lift/raise up (as in your case) or if the upper bed platform did not easily move out of the way. Getting dressed on your knees and butt is no fun, even after just a few days! Anyways, I'm a huge fan. We are just two years away from going full time in the truck. You were and are a massive inspiration to me. Thank you Dan.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Hi Michael, thanks for all the great information and details on your setup. For sure a longer bed would make a huge difference for living in there, which leads me to start thinking about the monster full size pickups in the US. If I were staying in North America exclusively I'd be very, very tempted, but alas I have a lot of other places in the world I want to explore, and I just don't think a vehicle of that size (and fuel consumption!) is workable.

[@slybyer12]

I’ve got a Ford Raptor with an AT Habitat. I’ve got it built out to primarily live outside, have a slide out kitchen for example, but climb into the bed to get gear, dressed, etc. Climb into bed through the truck bed. Plan is to have a simple setup built with a plywood floor, and cabinets over the wheel wells for storage (water, batteries, etc.).

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Nice, I'll be interested to hear how that works out for you. I still wonder about living in the bed like that.

[@Defender110SLO]

Still love the kitchen. Cheers Dan. 🍻

[@manimalworks7424]

You need positive air pressure inside the canvas to prevent dust from coming in.

[@motoprof3672]

Great video!

[@timewithtofu]

I have a go fast camper on my truck. It’s a live in or live out-type setup. When there’s inclement weather, then I’ll set up inside. Nice weather, then I’ll treat it like you do with your gladiator setup

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Thanks Michael. What is the dust like coming in the tailgate? When you do live inside do you just feel like you're hunkering and can't wait to get out again?

[@noah-vk7zc]

Great video as always. :D

[@wildcatoutdoors]

Everyone has different wants and needs for sure. On long term basis i think no interior living is a killer, your wrangler is an excellent set up!

[@mainelybuds8543]

Yup.

[@GATORADDAM]

Yes!

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

For sure, once the weather is bad then interior living space becomes the most important and just about the only feature of an overland vehicle that actually matters.

[@ML-ws6ce]

We use the Coleman aswell and in our opinion it´s the best and reliable burner we ever had. Our main travel destinations are northern Europe and the Alpes and therefore we use a pop up camper van due to the temperatures and rain. For two adults and a dog it´s perfect for us. But as you mentioned it depends on your specific needs. Stay safe all together and have fun on the road, kind regards

[@erichughes9098]

Thank you 😎👍

[@capt.stubing5604]

dust coming in a tailgate thing. It’s a pickup/Ute thing, they all leak. My RLD topper on my Gladiator has the best dust resolution. It’s a pop up forward facing vent that positively pressurizes the bed and works very well. The bed is to small to sleep in. Considering going to a GFC or Super Pacific topper.

[@Malc664]

Very good review. I'm interested in looking at the Batwing.

[@yorkchris10]

I thought about a roll-up tray with sealed alu-boxes and just a hose out bed, but living for any length of time would be gritty. Canvas is probably okay in winter, but GoFast with RTT might be my preferred. A lot of nautical similarities when you can batten the hatch and weather a storm in some kind of atrium container.

[@Rebel.Matt555]

Good video Dan, always interested in your logic for your set up. I use the Alu-Cab explorer topper on my Gladiator and can put a RTT on it if I choose. To your point, I don't live in the bed, but live out of it. Yes, the Alu-Cab adds weight but all 3 sides open which gives you access to the entire bed. Because of this, I have no moving parts, no sliders for fridges, just one simple drawer I made. Because of this, I think I save some weight by not having a giant slide out. I also utilize the rear bed as my kitchen and have it set up so that my stove and cooking stuff is right there for use. Finally, because alu-cab uses M8 slots throughout, I have gotten creative with my water pump and some storage spots on the under side of the topper. I'm really happy with the Alu-Cab topper and how I've designed the back without having to spend a ridiculous amount of money

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

That sounds like a great solution Matt! Where do you hangout and cook when the weather is really nasty?

[@Rebel.Matt555]

@@TheRoadChoseMe I've used the ARB 2500 x 2500 awning. I hate it. I actually use a tarp more often than anything else. It actually gives me more options than a vehicle awning and I can set it up pretty quickly. And it certainly isn't expensive. However, those batwings look pretty good....

[@mariebaribeau8374]

I , we are looking to buy a Alucab canopy camper on a gladiator, you probably know about it ! I know weight can be a issue but the fact that you can be inside and stand up is a big deal for us for the BC rainy days:) I always learn something from you and I can wait to see your next set up bilt:)

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

It's guaranteed you will exceed the legal maximum weight of the Gladiator with one of those... think long and hard about if you want to do that.

[@dlansburg2673]

I’m in the process of building a slide in camper for my Nissan Frontier,in an effort to eliminate dust and easier to heat

[@DriftaholiC]

You need to infect filtered air via a blower to keep the air pressure higher in the bed area.

[@k53847]

I live in the folded up back seat. Gear goes in the bed. But thinking of doing a flatbed + al canopy conversion.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

I think that can work for a weekend or week long trip, but it's not going to make a happy healthy person after a year non stop on the road. Also a non starter for two.

[@roberthill5162]

Dan, I have an AluCab Canopy and separate RTT and don’t live “in the bed”. I subscribe to what you’ve called the outdoor habitat. But I still don’t like dust in the bed!! Check out the ECOOLogical GapShield. I’ve been using it for over a year and it superior. I used to run the typical tailgate seals but they pale in comparison.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Huh, I just looked up the GapShield. Does it also go up the sides of the tailgate opening? I find a lot of dust comes in there!

[@roberthill5162]

@@TheRoadChoseMe It does not go up the sides. I have some other weather stripping (Truxedo I think) on the sides. What I found makes the real difference was cutting the GapShield for a tight fit on the bed side and then leaving “wings” where it lays on the tailgate. The “wings” then allow a very tight seal area at the corners where the closed tailgate meets the bed.

[@JaySims]

I’d love to know your next vehicle once this one is gone!

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Details coming to Patreon very, very soon!

[@roblynch9219]

Great Vid.. Living in is the question I am dealing with now.. Do I get a truck and do an AT/4WC/Etc or just build up a D110 with an All-cab.. mt LC200 is built to sleep in but you live outside of it.. Really need to be able to hang out inside of the truck hence the truck vs D110 issue (I have. D90 already so can literally fix everything on it in the field.. which is why the LR starts making sense :))

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Living inside Vs outside is always a huge question, and I usually make the decision based on where I'm going - obviously with the weather for Australia outside was great, but I wouldn't do it for an arctic winter trip, or someplace where it rains non-stop.

[@Bigcountry_littlelegs]

Hi, with the coleman did you have any issues with blockages in the generator? Love the kitchen setup hiw do you think it would hold up if it was exposed to the elements in a ute tub?

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

In Australia I had no problems at all. In Africa the bad fuel clogged it up quickly in West Africa. .. I personally wouldn't leave it fully exposed to the elements.. I think it will die over time with rain and dust.

[@shannonkohl68]

Given the issue of dust, I recall you had an ARB? air compressor under the hood? Does that not have a sprayer attachment for blowing that dust out?

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

I can do that, but it's pretty annoying to have to do it every day or two. Any job like that you have to repeat each day becomes such an annoyance on a long trip - you spend too much of your life on stupid repetitive tasks and not enough enjoying the actual trip!

[@jeepncj7]

If you continue for more ground tent camping, would you look at something like an Oztent for more room and quick deploy?

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

I honestly don't like "regular" ground tents too much. Not only do you have to find a spot to pack away the tent, you also have to pack away your sleeping mat, pillow and sleeping bag (or blankets). All of those will get wet and you move them back and forward in the rain, all of those will be nasty and dirty unless you keep them in the passenger compartment of a pickup. Also once you put the tent away wet it's only a matter of time until all your sleeping stuff is wet, and if it keeps raining for days there's nothing you can do about it long term. I've had a lot of adventures in ground tents over the years and they certainly work, though if I was going somewhere known to rain a lot I doubt I'll do it again.

[@jeepncj7]

@@TheRoadChoseMe - That is where I have a hesitation to go the route with a tent, and keep coming back to the usable space you mentioned with an awning. I'm setting up a 4runner for sleeping inside, so an awning like you had makes a lot of sense for changing, hanging out etc. The only drawback I see for me is you can't leave something like an awning room as a Basecamp (at least I don't know if any detachable ones) . But for my use case it may not really matter. I'll have to rewatch your awning video to see what brands you looked at. I'm targeting a setup that I can make fully enclosed like a tent, but probably just straight out and not 270 since I have the lift gate.

[@robertvoss9111]

What about the drinkwater system?

[@SoCalSurfer69]

Hi Dan, what do you think about the older Jeep Commanders as overland vehicles?

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

I honestly don't know much about them, but see no reason they can't work well. Think about where you are going to sleep, eat, cook and hangout when the weather and bugs are bad. That's what will determine a good vehicle vs. "tolerating" it.

[@mojjjoz240]

Hi Dan, Im looking at buying a 2021 Gladiator Rubicon for overlanding in Australia and put the Alu Cab canopy camper on it. Would you recommend it for reliability, and how many Km can you travel with the duel fuel tanks? Thanks

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

The Gladiator was excellent, and gave very close to 1000km of range with both tanks. Be careful with the alucab, you'll exceed the GVM very, very quickly

[@sierramantrvlnus]

I am wondering what the total count was on deadly Critters you ran across.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

haha, it went well into the hundreds once we started seeing the big saltwater crocs in the north! But actually very few snakes and spiders in total.

[@comfort_in_discomfort]

Great review. Curious why the offering from your Australian "D" didn't match the needs?

[@GATORADDAM]

I can't believe it's been a year. Seems to have gone by quickly. I've been thinking lately as I get older that a 4x4 van would be good. Not as capable, you're not going to do extreme trails with it, but there's virtually no setup and the comfort level is way better. Not like a Sprinter or high top, but a short Chevy 4x4 conversion.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

It sure would be nice to have all the interior living space, but I just can't bring myself to give up low range and diff locks. While I don't do the extreme stuff, trying to get as remote as possible on the planet it's reassuring to know you have the extra capability if you might need it!

[@GATORADDAM]

@@TheRoadChoseMe I plan to have low range, at least.

[@blurglide]

Get a 3" memory foam mattress topper. I sleep almost as well as I do at home on that thing.

[@cyclemoto8744]

Thanks for the content. Curious, have you determined that most of your audience is North American based? I ask this question because many of your comments are specific to the US. e.g. comparing Gladiator to other US based utes, referring to imperial measurements, etc. Cheers.

[@TheRoadChoseMe]

Yep, it sure is. Being based in Canada and driving Jeeps the vast majority of my audience, the magazines I write for and the shows I speak at are North American.