Products, Concepts, and DIY Inspiration at Expo West ‘21

[@OverlandUnderBudget]

You are to kind! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to film. Couldn’t be more excited when I hear my videos helped push someone to start doing projects or start welding.

[@softroadingthewest]

Thank you Micah, it was great to meet you, see the truck in person, and chat a bit. I'm certain many of my subscribers will be thrilled to discover your channel.

[@RVingwithG]

I have a 2000 NISSAN Frontier that I would want to get a dash mount for

[@skinnyguycampersusa]

Donald, thanks for stopping in and checking us out. We appreciate you sir.

[@dylanmerker9901]

I would definitely put an expedition essentials mount in my 2nd gen frontier!!

[@softroadingthewest]

Good to hear, might be able to make this happen!

[@brunopaulin7038]

Thanks for stopping by our booth Donald! and thank you for the shoutout! Reika Vehicle Solutions at 18:10

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks for chatting with me, I'm always excited to see new wheel options and the Reika designs are excellent!

[@Ebrettner]

Frontier mount!!

[@patrickrbourgeois]

Hello Donald! I would like that Expedition essentials offer a setupe for the Xterra / Frontier! That's will be so cool! Thanks for your work! I love your channel!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks for chiming in! I'm really hoping I can get enough people on board. The Xterra didn't even occur to me as possibly expanding that market...is the dash the same as the Frontier?

[@patrickrbourgeois]

@@softroadingthewest second generation, I think so. My dash is really like yours, in your ram install video. I have a 2015 pro 4X Xterra.

[@patrickrbourgeois]

@@softroadingthewest It is the same frame, for sure.

[@utahjohnnymontana3373]

From what I can tell Nissan used the same dash in the Frontier, the Xterra and the previous gen Pathfinder.

[@brulew976]

I am definitely interested in a Frontier version of the Expedition Essentials dash mount. I've watched their vids and if I had a Tacoma, I would already own one!

[@garyaaron8425]

This was the best video of the overland expo. Simple, clear, and quiet video showing and explaining. Not much other noise, if you will which is greatly appreciated. Wonderful job!

[@thelazyoverlander]

Those 'kitchen in a box' ideas were very cool.

[@RamblingRuters]

Having lived in Europe for 6 yrs I can tell you they're extremely minimalist & very innovative that us Americans could learn more about, great quality, I've used some of tips and tricks for my motorcycle camping. Thanks Donald for the walk around there, great products.

[@kryos0627]

I know! I wish America would recognize how inovated Japan is with camping/RVing, I think most Americans want smaller affordable campers/camper vans, then shelling out 10s or 100s of thousands of dollars on some gaudy looking RV/camper that nobody needs.

[@axerxes3981]

Don... I was just about to criticize you for not saying anything about pricing on this wonderful "stuff" and then found the links below!! Nice review, my friend. This is a new world to me and I am amazed at ALL that is available today!! Thanks for your excellent vids and presentations!! Best wishes.... Ax

[@UMAMITORA]

an Xterra Gen 2 mount from expidition essentials would be a dream I'd love to see in reality!

[@CascadiaDog]

It would definitely be of great interest if Expedition Essentials developed a dashboard accessory mount for the Nissans out there. My Xterra dash looks identical to your Frontier dash. There are lots of Nissan owners who are looking for this type of product. Great video, as usual - much appreciated that you are taking the effort to create these.

[@jimt2316]

Agreed.. Xterra/Frontier +1 as the interiors are pretty darned close

[@trashboat5295]

ICS Fab makes a nice dash tray mount that fits the Fontier/Xterra

[@lonetreeoutdoors]

Agreed

[@brianfloster2609]

That Skinny Guy camper setup is slick. I like that it folds down to the size of a regular bed cap, leaves room underneath for additional storage, and the ladder is low (would be easier to get the dogs in and out than a RTT). If I had a pickup rather than an SUV this would be a difficult option to overlook...

[@softroadingthewest]

For sure, there's a lot I liked about their concept. I think the tent on top worries me the most though...looks like a lot of complicated moving parts, and the tent seemed a little on the floppy side for dealing with stormy or winter conditions...I wonder how it would handle a 6" overnight snow accumulation. But man....folding down to cab high but still preserving bed space under the camper...really amazing design work there. It never would have occurred to me not to have the bed of the truck be the floor of the living space.

[@RVingwithG]

It's Funny how I found you, and I that I have a Subaru Forester and then I bought a Nissan Frontier before you did and yet we both love the outdoors. Great channel you have here!@!

[@StacySalmans]

This was perfect Donald. A good highlight of the expo. The T-N-G kitchen box is fantastic.

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks Stacy! Those boxes seem awfully pricey for what they are but the concept is definitely interesting!

[@StacySalmans]

@@softroadingthewest They are a bit pricey. The nice thing is you can buy the components from them. All the mounting brackets and modules can be purchased separately and build from there.

[@eagriggs1]

I love the Chuck box kitchen Idea. I just with I was handy enough to make something I would want to use. Those premade boxes are pretty nice.

[@swidahooverlanding2867]

There you go bashing on trailers again! Thanks for taking us along! George.

[@softroadingthewest]

Haha...next time we get together, we should do a debate segment on the pros and cons of trailers. :-)

[@swidahooverlanding2867]

@@softroadingthewest Sounds like a plan.

[@Old_Dans_Travels]

Great information, Donald. I have gone down the proverbial rabbit hole investigating a lot of these products. Thank you so much for the links!

[@danhohman]

Well now I’m inspired! Thank you Donald for sharing some really clever camping and overlanding solutions. Good stuff!

[@largemarge1603]

1995, for an expedition trailer, I used a service-body mounted on a one-ton Ford frame... cut off behind the engine, then angled together for the pintle-hitch. I replaced the truck axle with an electric-brake 10k trailer axle. All those compartments are sure handy, the open doors make swell shelves. But!, at 8x11 and all steel, it was noticeable. A plus -- with the car-camping gear out, it served double-duty as a utility trailer for collecting firewood or hauling gravel.

[@BackroadExploration]

I love the selection you showed. Unique products that you don’t need to sell your house to buy. Those accessory docks are awesome. Love the power integration. They need to use your frontier as a test vehicle. I like the pull out kitchens. Chuck boxes are an intriguing concept. I like the idea of never having to pack up the kitchen. Like you said it can be a pain to do overnight knowing you will just open need it again in the morning.

[@NQExplorers]

Enjoy all your videos Donald, this walk around the Expo revealed some interesting items for consideration. Nice to combine a bit of DIY with the off the shelf items in our off-road adventures. Cheers mate. Warren.

[@ricomacpherson6845]

Thank you, Donald. Very insightful

[@hosank]

17:51 - if all the Frontier owners could just get together and Naruto run towards Expedition Essentials, you'll definitely get your ram mount

[@solosaga5091]

Nicely done Donald. Most the manufacturers you included have not been featured on the other channels I watch (which overlapped each other significantly). Micah from Overland Under Budget is quite the entrepreneur, is extremely talented, and seems like a genuinely nice dude. Talking to him would have been a highlight of the show for me.

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks! Yep, Micah is (unsurprisingly) a super nice dude and such an inspiration.

[@chuckrf1502]

Very nice tour of the available options out there, thanks Donald!

[@george_KC1TQF]

I would love one of those dash mounts for my 2021 Frontier.

[@BradMangas]

Really good video Donald. Thanks for sharing all this information with us all.

[@cb3652]

You do an awesome job! You have a great voice and your content is always well explained, practical and interesting for both genders. Thank You!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks! Heh, per the current analytics, my audience is 90% male, but glad I'm finding viewers on the other side of the aisle so to speak. :-)

[@tpseeker3367]

Thank You for taking your time & getting all these Great things & Ideas on vid. My mind is just going over so many New ideas & I know yours is doing the same. Thanks for showing that there was a Subie hiding in there. Thanks for all that you do Donald. I've been a fan for over a year & to me (think I've mentioned this before) you could pack up & strap things to a Yugo & I'd still be a fan. Keep up the Great Work & Adventures you get into.

[@softroadingthewest]

There were a handful of Subarus set up in vendor displays...about five out of the 400+ booths included a Subaru. If I remember right, I only found three booths which included a Nissan truck as part of their display.

[@tpseeker3367]

Thanks @@softroadingthewest. Seems like you are the leader of things to come. Well besides Red Shirt Jon. Watched this vid a few times & still getting ideas of things to do.

[@ChrisZBr0wn]

I was able to score a chuck box that a guy on Facebook made for $0. Beautifully built. Going to take it and use two aluminum rails to be the slides. So I can do very similar to the other forester

[@softroadingthewest]

That's awesome! I think whenever I develop my "final" build in the truck, the kitchen will definitely take some inspiration from the chuck box concept.

[@pala4833]

Very enjoyable. Thanks for sharing Donald.

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks! There was so much there I didn't cover. It's unfortunate I couldn't look closer at more of the 427 booths spanning the fairgrounds.

[@pala4833]

@@softroadingthewest Well played sir.

[@kryos0627]

"A pressurized water system, but I find myself using a low tech system"... A jug of F****** water 😐, is what you ment. I laughed so hard! 🤣

[@therootedprogress]

So many awesome products! Wished I was able to swing overland expo this year. But I'll make it a goal for next year! Loved the overview video of the brands and products that really caught your eye. It was refreshing to see different designs and purpose built products/rigs. That was really cool that you got to see overland on a budget. I've seen a couple of his videos and they are super helpful in regards to design and the why he does what he does in his given circumstance. I still find it difficult to expand my creativity with diy with the inexperience of welding, cutting fabricating and so forth. The investment in machinery and tools as well kind of repels me at the moment. But I do admire all his work as well. Idk if I'll ever have enough time and money to invest in more diy equipment, but I hope so. I'd love to do more diy stuff down the road. He's truly an inspiration! Nice hike btw 👍

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks Marc! It was both overwhelming and inspiring, and while I'm not a super social person, I think what I enjoyed most was interacting with so many like-minded people. I had always been a little unsure about this event but I'm glad I went and definitely thinking about hitting it again next year.

[@largemarge1603]

Marc, Design your concept, build it in cardboard to verify fit and access, then take that template to a fabricator. As Donald can verify, I built numerous rigs as a welder-fabricator, and the template method is my go-to. . Although... an advantage to DIY is instant feed-back, modifying ThePlan, then experimenting again and again. . Every rig constantly evolves. 2003, we built our ExpeditionVehicle, after nearly two decades full-time live-aboard, it is still evolving! . It does not need to be perfect the first time. Even if it was perfect, I would probably still tinker with it.

[@douglansburg4545]

Great job ,very interesting, Thanks

[@fwdadventuresza254]

DIY... Adding value from within😊 Thumbs up from me 👍🏻

[@DJthumpDJ]

Any further information about that vertical slide out kitchen/burner setup? Name of the product? Name of the company?

[@softroadingthewest]

Do you mean what we see at 2:11 ? That's looking again at the Egoë system I had mentioned earlier. If that's not what you're referring to, give me a time stamp and I'll take a look. :-)

[@DJthumpDJ]

@@softroadingthewest I was refering to the one starting at 03:52 (out of the back of what looked to be a teardrop trailer). Thnx

[@softroadingthewest]

@@DJthumpDJ Oh gosh, no idea. I assume it was a system developed by the trailer company but I guess I don't really know that for sure. It caught my eye purely for the concept and I didn't take note at all of the trailer company or anything else. Sorry about that!

[@DJthumpDJ]

@@softroadingthewest any chance that some footage left on the editing room floor could have the name of the trailer company? (I saw a sign on the trailer shelf "Coolest Thing Utah" award and tried to google that but didnt find anything)

[@softroadingthewest]

@@DJthumpDJ Good idea! I took a look at the uncut raw footage and was able to make out just enough of the logo to figure out that this is the Black Bean by Bean Trailers. Looks like the kitchen is their design. beantrailer.com/black-bean-off-road-trailers/

[@bajasoobnut]

This is awesome and I'm having ideas now... If you want help with learning more with welding I can come down and help out. 10-32 not 10/32 screws like that guy was trying to say. But if anything custom for that ram mount that needs to be made I can at least look and see if it's feasable as I might be doing that with the sequoia as well but that mounting system seems like an idea. That antishanty trailer is a good idea and I have seen them shown on mixflip among others and tempting to look into when I finally move out of the apartment into a house and can tackle getting a trailer and building it up.

[@softroadingthewest]

If anyone can do it, you can!

[@NarleyAdventures]

A very informative Vlog, thank you.

[@cedarspaw4180]

I really want a dashmount for a 2009 Xterra

[@softroadingthewest]

Cool, thank you for posting!

[@montechie]

I really like the Egoe removable kitchens. I'm planning to build something similar for the back of my truck to be removable between trips and contain a water heater/sink.

[@softroadingthewest]

It's a neat concept. As I work from home with no commute, my vehicle's main purpose is camping excursions so I've not felt hugely compelled to make it easy for the camping setup to be removeable, but I think this makes all kinds of sense for many people and would love to see some DIY takes on it.

[@richardcarnahan6335]

I would love to see a bracket specifically made for the frontier I’m so tired of searching and searching and searching and finding so little

[@keeganbay3490]

Nice informative video! Sure are a lot of options out there for camping setups these days

[@lonetreeoutdoors]

Would love a custom dash mount for my 2nd gen xterrra!! 🔥 great video

[@gobear83]

Great video… so informative , thanks for sharing

[@tommatheson5855]

Hey Donald, I noticed and liked your Expo 21 jacket. Who made that? Nice .... rugged and warm looking. How about a vid on practicle / functional camp clothing. You always have such well thought out .... interesting content.

[@softroadingthewest]

Oh gosh, that's just a cheap Old Navy jacket I've had for at least 15 years. It's actually not particularly warm or rugged. I generally wear it when it's chilly but not very cold, haha. :-)

[@silver_rd1545]

Great video on your experience Donald! Thanks for sharing your experiences at expo. ASFIR seriously is missing out on the lifted Honda skid plate market though! 👀 Our options are limited and costly. It would be interesting if they could make up another option from what’s out there. Atleast for the 1st/2nd gen Crv and element

[@L-lp9fl]

Worth watching. Thank you

[@benjaminjonholman]

The Expedition Essentials dash mounts do look pretty amazing. It looks like they're local to me. Too bad they don't make anything for our trucks.

[@madcratebuilder]

I like the dashboard mounts, may order one.

[@softroadingthewest]

I'm hoping I can muster up enough support from Frontier owners to make it viable for them to develop one for us...really impressed by this product.

[@rocksolidadventures184]

I have a 2012 Xterra and would love to have a mount made by expeditionesstials.

[@softroadingthewest]

Excellent, thanks for chiming in! Crossing my fingers we can make this happen!

[@rocksolidadventures184]

@@softroadingthewest let's hope so! I enjoy watching your channel and following along on your adventures. I'm on the east coast but I am planning on venturing out west in 2022.

[@Jantonvid]

I mounted my ram mount with sugru. Believe it or not I’ve had the same mount on my car for almost 4 years now with the same Sugru. Hot summers cold winters mount has not weakened in any way whatsoever. Give sugru a try, you literally just plop some sugru onto the base of your mount and then just place it wherever you want on your dash, you will totally think that there’s no way that’s going to be solid for long but you will be surprised.

[@Old_Dans_Travels]

Does this glue allow you to remove the mount without damaging the dash?

[@BorderlineExplorer]

Asfir 4x4 has some sweet skids! I totally missed a lot of the other cool stuff at expo. How you finding these gems?!

[@softroadingthewest]

Haha, I walked the entire grounds at least three or four times I'm pretty sure. I lost like 10 pounds that weekend, heh. You made some awesome discoveries yourself. I was too overwhelmed by it all to look closely at many of the booths and strike up conversations the way you did, and I'm sure I missed stuff that I would've found interesting.

[@BorderlineExplorer]

@@softroadingthewest It didn't really help that we skipped most meals and brutally endured the #expolife day after day.

[@softroadingthewest]

@@BorderlineExplorer Yep...I ate almost nothing the entire weekend. Well, at least now I know how to lose weight when I want to. :-)

[@zackdemundo]

So cool! Remind me not to bring a credit card to the show next year!

[@ryanjewell9832]

I don't have a frontier, but do have an xterra which is the same dash, I'd be interested in a ram mount set up for it. 👍

[@softroadingthewest]

Excellent, thanks for commenting! I'm excited to learn the Xterra has the same dash...between that and the 15-year run of the 2nd-gen Frontier, seems like a pretty good sized market!

[@ryanjewell9832]

@@softroadingthewest and don't forget the few that might be out there wheeling their 05-12 pathfinders.

[@troymilks7342]

Another fellow Frontiersman here; who is interested in the Expedition Essentials dash mount.

[@softroadingthewest]

Great to hear! Thanks for commenting, much appreciated!

[@danielbeaulieu8339]

2017 frontier, yes please for dash mounts.

[@softroadingthewest]

Excellent! Thanks for commenting! We're gonna make this happen!

[@Tastewithnewdrinks]

Awesome.

[@martingindulis5310]

I could use these for my frontier. expedite essentials.

[@blessedveteran]

Thank you

[@craigmiller3437]

Add me to the list of Frontier owners interested in Expedition Essentials product. I'm constantly amazed that, as popular as the Frontier is, it is virtually ignored in regard to aftermarket support.

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks Craig!

[@sierramantrvlnus]

Yay!

[@Azntrutek2012]

I take 3/16 steel skid plate over 1/4 aluminum any giving day. Period !

[@metaxaanabeer]

Regarding "no interest in a trailer" (which I respect!) we camp and road trip with a 5x8 Teardrop. 10 years now and we've been in every province and territory in Canada except Nunavut which you can't drive into. We extensively camp northern Vancouver Island, our home territory but road trip into northern BC, Yukon and Northwest Territories chasing glaciers, running down abandoned mine access roads, etc. I can think of only once where I had to un-hitch the trailer and manually turn it around and it sure is nice to have a Queen sized bed inside, warm and safe as well as a fully set up chuck wagon kitchen available at all times. Although if I was to be going solo I'd be copying you, Donald, for sure.

[@softroadingthewest]

Oh man, every single trip I find myself in situations where a trailer would be a headache at a minimum and a major hassle often. What I know would happen is, I would end up just bypassing exploring some trails rather than risk the trailer becoming a problem. But total respect for those who use them! Believe me, I look at that living space wistfully! :-)

[@metaxaanabeer]

@@softroadingthewest Understood. If we are going somewhere we bring the trailer but if we are exploring we leave the trailer in camp and just take the SUV. (A soon to be 17 year old, 300,000 km Nissan X Trail btw.) Backing a short, twitchy trailer down from 9,000 feet to your first turn around or pull out at 3,000 is zero fun.

[@robaldridge6505]

You're gonna need a BIGGER truck LOL maybe a Kenworth......

[@nicolasblanc816]

Interesting how everything is made for Jeeps and Toyotas these days....some of us are forced to diy.

[@odys3803]

Yeah that's a Czech way for you. Trying to make money on something you can put together in your garage. The best part about their product is the modularity.

[@softroadingthewest]

To be fair, it was a pretty nicely engineered product. Better than I could do in my garage for sure. :-)

[@joshua.harazin]

Asfir: Shows Hyundai logo, claims new products weekly. Asfir website: Hyundai Santa Fe as recent as 2012. 😕

[@softroadingthewest]

I believe he actually said "every other week" - though I'm not sure that was a statement intended to be taken literally, rather just a manner of speaking to emphasize that they are constantly R&Ding new items. Assuming it's an ongoing process, it stands to reason they can't possibly already have skid plates for every year of every car on the planet already in their lineup...right? One has to imagine market/demand influences which vehicles they work on next. They don't have every year/model of Subaru either. Still encouraging to see. The vast majority of offroad aftermarket companies are making *zero* products for any softroaders.

[@joshua.harazin]

@@softroadingthewest Oh I know, I wasn't dogging on the company at all, and wasn't taking it literally. I was just super excited when I saw that part of the video, then sad when I checked the website. 'Tis the folly of overlanding a vehicle with basically no aftermarket support.