We recently decided we wanted to do an overland build on one of the Chevy Colorados we have. But we had to decide how we were going to do it. There are a lot of options when it comes to overlanding so we decided to ask the community how they would do it. We wanted to build a rig that the overlanding community would love and are excited to see what they choose for the overland build.
A bit about overlanding
Overlanding is the term for self-reliant travel to remote destinations. It’s not about where you are going necessarily but how you get there. It originated as a livestock term in Australia but it took on more of its modern form in the 40s and 50s with more commercially available 4-wheel drive trucks. The past decade has seen an influx of interest in overlanding with people seeking adventure experiences and with the creation of the Overlanding Association providing help and information for overlanders.
What we’ve done so far
Our first decision was what truck we wanted to use. We knew we wanted to go with a Colorado but which style was tough. It was between a Colorado ZR2, Colorado Bison, or Colorado Z71 LT. Since this is a community build, we left it up to the community. We received a lot of great feedback and suggestions from the community. After two weeks of voting, it came down to the ZR2 and the Bison, but the ZR2 edged out the Bison, which comes with more pre-installed offroad options from AEV. The opinion was there was more of a clean slate with the ZR2 for specialization with a frame apt for overlanding.
What we are doing now
Once the truck was chosen, the next option we need to be decided is the wheels and tires. We have three options for both that can be interchanged. When it comes to wheels, we have selected Method Wheels choosing between the 315 in Matt Black, the 701 in Matte Black, or the 704 in Matte Titanium.
For tires, we are looking at BFG All-Terrain T/A KO2, Falken Wildpeaks, or Toyo Open Country A/T II.
Something like wheels and tires may seem simple to someone not in the overlanding community or with little automotive knowledge, but they are more than just aesthetic. Different wheels and different tires create different types of rides. Some are better suited for loose dirt or sand while others are more for harder, rockier trips. And, then there are others that are good for all-around offroad use. The differences are similar to those in running shoes.
What we’re doing next
After wheels and tires are selected, there are still quite a few options we have to go over. We will be looking at front bumpers, rear bumpers, roof rack, bed rack, and lights. There is so much to look at. Once you go down the #overlanding rabbit hole it’s difficult to get out, but isn’t that fun of overlanding?
Follow along with us on this journey and vote on what we do next by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know how you would outfit a Colorado ZR2 for the perfect overlanding trip.
Connect with us
