The CAMO Convoy Overland Podcast

We’re back from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and this trip had everything.

In this episode of the Camo Convoy Podcast, we break down the full Michigan overland trip from the drive up, the first camp at Little Brevort Lake, deep sand roads, traction board redemption, sketchy water crossings, tight trails, killer campsites, CV axle carnage, High Rock Bay, Lake Superior camping, weird rocks, Malort, bugs, bass fishing, and the long ride home.

This was one of those trips that reminded us why we do this. Good people, good rigs, rough roads, dumb ideas, useful recovery lessons, and the kind of memories you only get by actually going.

Topics include:

Michigan Upper Peninsula overlanding
Little Brevort Lake meet up
Sand roads and logging trails
Crisp Point Lighthouse attempt
Traction boards actually working
V notch recovery
Aaron’s blown CV axles
Lake Superior camp spots
Winch extension and rigging lessons
High Rock Bay route
Bass fishing and camp cooking
The ride home and road trip chaos

Go on the trip. You never know when your last one will be.

Stay rowdy.

Water and Survival on the Trail

Water is one of the most overlooked parts of overlanding, camping, and backcountry travel. Everyone remembers tires, winches, lights, recovery gear, and camp setups, but a bad water plan can ruin your trip fast.

In this episode of the Camo Convoy Podcast, we talk through drinking water, storage, filtration, cooking, cleaning, hygiene, rain, wet gear, kids, pets, and water crossings. From how much water to bring, to why one container is a bad plan, to what happens when a creek crossing gets deeper than expected, this one covers the water problems most people do not think about until they are already in them.

We also get into the prepper side of water storage, water bricks, gravity filters, questionable water sources, boiling, keeping gear dry, and why water crossings are not as harmless as they look.

Whether you are heading out for a weekend camp trip, a long overland route, or just building a better vehicle setup, water can make or break the trail.

Topics covered:
Water storage for overlanding
How much water to bring
Water filtration and purification
Cooking and cleaning with limited water
Camp hygiene
Rain and wet gear
Dry bags and contractor bags
Kids, pets, and extra water
Water crossings and vehicle safety
Trail survival basics

Welcome to the Camo Convoy Podcast, where we talk all things overland, off road, and the great outdoors.

#overlanding #offroad #camping #survival #waterfiltration #trailgear #vehiclebasedadventure #camoconvoy

Last week things got heated when we claimed the 2nd gen Frontier beats the 2nd gen Tacoma. This week Aaron is back and he is not letting that slide.

We break down
Real world reliability not fanboy myths
Power differences and what you actually feel
The truth about Toyota longevity vs Nissan durability
Titan swaps vs Tacoma long travel setups
Diff strength drivetrain design and what actually matters
Manual vs automatic transmissions and why autos kill power
Aftermarket support and why it matters more than you think
What you should buy with ten thousand dollars right now

No fluff. No brand loyalty nonsense. Just two guys who have actually used this stuff calling it how it is.

Bottom line
Both trucks are good. Both have problems. But one might make more sense depending on how you actually use it.

Drop a comment
Frontier or Tacoma What are you running and why

Our People:
www.pathfinderpro.io
www.alldogsoffroad.com
www.ttxinnovations.com
www.radiochattergame.com

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Is the Toyota Tacoma actually overrated… and has the Nissan Frontier been the better truck this whole time?

In this solo episode of the Camo Convoy Podcast, I break down one of the most controversial takes in the overland world: why the D40 Nissan Frontier (2005–2019) might be the smarter, more capable, and way better value than the second gen Tacoma.

We’re talking:

Real-world power and driving feel (not just spec sheet nonsense)
The truth about Tacoma “Toyota tax” vs Frontier pricing
Transmission strength and the SMOD issue explained
Why Nissan’s terrible marketing buried a great truck
Titan swap capability and why it changes everything
Simplicity vs modern “features” that nobody asked for
Overland culture differences between Tacoma and Frontier owners

Plus we get into real ownership, off-road reality in the Northeast, and why most builds are way overkill for what people actually do.

Also in this episode:

Minimalist overland packing strategy (stop hauling junk)
Longest trips and real travel experiences
Pathfinder Pro app update and why it’s worth paying attention
Upper Peninsula trip prep, expectations, and logistics

If you’re a Tacoma owner… you’re probably already typing a comment. Good. Let’s hear it.

Drop your take below — Tacoma or Frontier? And why?

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Join the community, plan trips, and get involved

#Overland #Tacoma #NissanFrontier #Offroad #TruckBuild #Overlanding #4x4

Welcome back to the Camo Convoy Podcast — where we talk all things overland, off-road, and the great outdoors.

This week, we ran Potts Mountain Jeep Trail — the one everyone calls “The Hardest Trail in the East.”

So… is it actually true?

We loaded up a group of mild builds (Frontiers, Mountaineer, 35s, mostly stock geometry) and hit the trail with zero prior experience — just reputation and expectations.

What we found might surprise you.

In this episode:

• Full breakdown of Potts Mountain from start to finish
• The hardest obstacles (and what they actually require)
• What you really need to complete the trail
• Why the difficulty might be overhyped
• Where the trail shines (and where it doesn’t)
• Trail conditions, airing down, and line choice
• Real-world performance from non-built rigs

And yeah…

• A completely unnecessary driveshaft sacrifice

If you’ve been thinking about running Potts Mountain — this is the honest version you won’t get from highlight reels.

Long Trips, Dead Radios… Here’s the Fix

There’s a point on every long trip where it happens…
The radio goes quiet.
Everyone’s tired.
Miles left to go.

That’s where trips either fall apart—or get way better.

In this episode of the CAMO Convoy Podcast, we sit down with the creators of Radio Chatter, a simple idea that completely changes the way groups interact on the trail.

No tech talk.
No forced conversation.
Just real questions that actually get people talking.

We break down:

• Why “dead air” kills the vibe on long trips
• How to keep everyone engaged (even on 10+ hour days)
• The story behind Radio Chatter and how it started on real trail rides
• Why the best trips aren’t about gear—they’re about people

If you’ve ever been on a trip where the radio just… dies… this one hits.

Check out Radio Chatter:
(Insert link)

Listen to the CAMO Convoy Podcast every Monday
Overland. Off-road. The great outdoors. No BS.

Are overland clubs building the community… or slowly killing the spirit of overlanding?

Before “overlanding” had a name, people didn’t ask permission. They didn’t follow leaders. They didn’t pay to explore public land. They just went.

Now?
Clubs. Paid trips. Structured routes. “Leaders.” Rules.

So what changed?

In this episode of the Camo Convoy Podcast, we break down:

• What overlanding is actually supposed to be
• What makes a good club vs a bad one
• Why some clubs create dependency instead of skill
• Ego, hierarchy, and “follow the leader” culture
• Paid overland trips… when they make sense and when they don’t
• How clubs can either grow or completely kill the adventure

This isn’t a hit piece.
We run a club. We believe in community.

But we’re calling out the problems no one wants to talk about.

Because if your trip works perfectly without problem solving…
it might not be overlanding anymore.

We put overland vehicles to the test across real world price points — $5K, $10K, $20K, and brand new — and the results were not what we expected.

Instead of arguing opinions, we built our own scoring system: the CAMO Vehicle Capability Index (VCI). This breaks down articulation, traction, reliability, stability, load capacity, and more to actually measure how capable each vehicle is on the trail.

Some vehicles you think are unbeatable… aren’t.
And some you’d never consider… absolutely hold their own.

If you think you know the best overland rigs by price — you’re probably wrong.

• $5K “beater” overland showdown
• $10K real world builds (Tacoma vs Frontier)
• $20K heavy hitters (Jeep vs FJ Cruiser)
• New school rigs vs old school simplicity
• Data driven comparison using the CAMO VCI
• Side by side capability breakdowns

• 1st Gen Toyota RAV4 (Manual)
• 1st Gen Nissan Xterra
• 1st Gen Toyota Tacoma
• Nissan Frontier Pro-4X
• Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
• Toyota FJ Cruiser
• Ford Ranger Raptor
• Ineos Grenadier
• Jeep Wagoneer SJ
• Mercedes Zetros

A custom built scoring system designed to remove bias and compare vehicles based on what actually matters in overlanding:

• Articulation
• Traction
• Reliability
• Stability
• Load Utility
• Range
• Repairability

No brand loyalty. No guessing. Just data.

We talk overland, off road, builds, gear, and real world experience — not influencer nonsense.

What would YOU choose at each price point?

Overland routes
Vehicle breakdowns
Build strategies
Real world testing

Something wild happened in our region last week.

Two off roaders were reported missing near Dayton Virginia while wheeling in the George Washington National Forest around Peters Mill Run and Flagpole Knob.

A Facebook post quickly spread through the off road community and things escalated fast. Dozens of overlanders began mobilizing, the sheriff was contacted, search and rescue was activated, and even a private aircraft launched to help search the area.

There was just one problem.

The two Jeepers were not actually missing.

They had simply decided to camp and had no idea that a massive search effort had started for them.

In this episode we break down exactly what happened, the debate that followed in the off road community, and the important lessons that come from situations like this.

We also dive into something that most off roaders never think about until it is too late: communication planning.

We discuss best practices for avoiding situations like this and go deep into the different communication tools available for remote travel including:

Cell phones and why they fail in the mountains
Cell boosters such as WeBoost
GMRS, HAM, and CB radios
Satellite messengers like Garmin InReach and Zoleo
Starlink for remote connectivity
Personal locator beacons for emergencies

If you spend time off road, overlanding, camping, or exploring remote areas, having a communication plan is just as important as recovery gear.

This episode is not about blaming anyone. It is about learning from a real situation and making sure something like this does not happen again.

Let us know your thoughts.

How long should someone wait before reporting off roaders missing?

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Episode Description

What do you actually keep in your truck?

In this episode we break down Vehicle EDC for the Overland Prepper. This is the gear that lives in the truck full time the stuff that handles breakdowns, trail repairs, recovery situations, and the unexpected problems you run into long before you ever reach a trailhead.

Most overland conversations focus on camping setups and rooftop tents. But the reality is most problems happen on the road or miles from help, and that is where vehicle EDC matters.

We go through the recovery gear, tools, spare parts, and emergency equipment that stay in the truck at all times. Whether you consider yourself an overlander, prepper, or just someone who spends a lot of time traveling remote roads, this is the gear that keeps you moving when things go sideways.