The Massive Rigs of Overland Expo West
This year, it’s about size!
The ninth annual Overland Expo West invaded Flagstaff, Arizona this past weekend and it may have been the best one yet. Overland Expo is considered the top tier Overlanding event featuring hundreds of Overlanding rigs, hundreds of specialized classes and plenty of food.
This year, the number of massive rigs in attendance seems to have increased dramatically. And as the vehicles get larger, the additional size creates considerably more space for the creature comforts we yearn for in an Overlanding rig.
Even though Overland Expo East tends to be dominated by mid-sized Toyotas, the West contingent certainly brings out the big dogs. From full-size Continental conversions to Kodiaks, there was a bit of everything in Flagstaff.
Of course, the knock on these massive vehicles is that perhaps they aren't as agile and capable as their smaller counterparts. And as true as that may be in certain situations, these big boys came out to prove their prowess.
Whether it's a full-sized truck conversion or a Sprinter van, the additional size makes perfect sense as you can only fit so much gear in and on a Tacoma. Not to mention, adding in the diesel powerplant featured in a lot of these rigs creates an additional bonus for most.
The larger setups are especially popular on the West coast where there is more room to roam compared to the tight trails of the Appalachians, for example.
As this particular culture continues to grow and people continue to transition outdoors (again), expect to see even more wild, gargantuan creations in the years to come!
