Overlanding gear regrets are usually weight, complexity, and money spent before you knew how you actually camp. Buy after one real trip, not after one gear video.
Written by Mike, a union power lineman with 22 years on the job and mutual aid plus storm restoration deployments after Sandy, California wildfires, Texas winter storms, and Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Heavy racks, giant fridges, and rooftop tents before payload math. Start with recovery basics, power, and shelter you will use every trip.
Weigh the truck, set a payload budget, and buy after a shakedown trip. Tools beat catalogs.
If you camp often and hate ground setup, yes. If you rarely leave pavement and already have a good ground tent, it can be expensive weight.