DECKED has ventured to Overland Expo West six times, so you'd think we've seen it all.
We haven't even come close.
If Mad Max was real, he'd probably be the brains behind the Expo. Overland addicts traveled from across the globe to Flagstaff, Arizona to check out new gear for all things overlanding. From recovery gear and winches to rooftop campers and fully kitted out adventure rigs that cost more than most houses, the Expo had it all.
Over 28,000 people attended this year's edition to see 406 different exhibitors, classes, and training sessions.
Between rounds of refilling the cooler and pulling ribs off the Traeger, we went on field trips to check out the vehicles in attendance. Here are a few that caught our attention.
In our horribly biased opinion, the coolest modification at the Expo was discovered at Backwoods Adventure Mods' display. Their 2021 Tacoma had a heavily modified Drawer System that looked so good we almost hired them: They hacked it in half to make climbing into their rooftop tent easier while still using the other half for storage. Complete with a cook kit, propane, fire extinguisher, and air compressors, it's ready to take on whatever they might find on the trail. But be warned, this kind of modification will seriously void any warranty from DECKED, so proceed with caution.
We had a blast nerding out over the rigs at this event. We went through a dozen bags of ice, fifteen racks of ribs, a half pallet of Black Rifle Coffee, thousands of patches and stickers, and a full box of nails from playing Hammerschlagen. We'll be at the next one in Bend, Oregon, July 8-10th if you want to get schooled.
