Exploring Moab, Utah, on both four and two wheels

The most popular overlanding vehicles are likely the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner. It makes sense because they are both highly off-road capable. More importantly, though, these are very affordable base vehicles. Because equipping them for proper overland adventures adds a lot of cost.

However, if you want the ultimate overlanding rig that’s still within a reasonable budget, I’d argue the second-generation Ford Raptor is in a class of its own. It offers both rock-crawling and flat-out-desert-racing capabilities while having tremendous cargo capacity and so many different ways to configure it for overland adventures.

I previously wrote about the top 10 ways to upgrade the Raptor to improve overall driving performance, which included Alcon brakes, the COBB tuning package, Titan 7 T-AK1 wheels with BF Goodrich KM3 tires, and a lift/bumper/bump stop kit from SVC Offroad. For the Baja-style overlanding I prefer to do, this is still required equipment. Next, it’s about transforming the Raptor from race-worthy off-roading to ultra-plush, camp-worthy overlanding.

The first step is the camping platform for the bed area. As featured in the upgrade piece, the Retrax Pro XR Tonneau cover ($1,929) provides a secure (locking) and weather-proof bed area for storing most of your gear. It also has the Trax Rail System, which allows you to mount the Yakima Overhaul HD Tonneau tower bars ($750), max-capacity load bars, and the critical SideBars ($270). These can be use for mounting accessories such as the Action Trax AT2R recovery boards ($350) using Yakima’s Recovery Track Mounts ($119) as well as RotopaX fuel and water containers using its RotopaX Mounting Kit ($39).

Next is the roof rack. Yes, the KC Pro6 M-RACK looks badass on its own, complete with the 23,000-lumen light bar. What I’ve found, though, is that the light bar positioning is tricky; you have to get this just right so it doesn’t reflect off the windshield and into the cab. I have yet to get this just right. But the rack itself, despite a heavy commitment in being riveted to the roof, really expands how you can configure, distribute and transport all your gear.

Maximum flexibility for transporting bikes

Since my overlanding adventures typically involve mountain biking, I added two of the Yakima HighSpeed ($269) fork-style racks. These are easily attached to the KC crossbars with some flexibility in how you position them fore and aft, and there’s easily room for three more. Given the height of the Raptor and the type of driving I do, these are the best choice for clearance and stability. The fork clamps hold any type of thru-axle design, and there’s an adapter for old-school QR bikes. The twist knob to secure the axle is super simple. The fork clamps can be locked for security, and the mounts lock to the rack itself. Actually putting a bike on the rack can be tricky. For me, it’s a single motion of holding the bike by the fork and seat stay while stepping up on the Raptor running board and maintaining my balance as I guide the axle into the clamp. This can take a couple tries. Otherwise, you could carry a small step stool.

The biggest decision for the overlanding configuration is the rooftop tent, as this is where you’ll essentially live. These fall into two categories: hardshell and soft top. Each has several advantages, so I tried both.

The first was the Yakima SkyRise HD Small ($1,800) soft top. This sleeps two adults comfortably and weighs just about 100 pounds. So it can be mount and removed from the vehicle with two people by hand. The footprint is small (48” x 42”), so it doesn’t dominate your rack’s real estate. With the wide crossbars on the Raptor, you can also mount a Yakima SkinnyWarrior cargo basket ($449) next to it and have access to all of that gear from inside the tent. The disadvantage of the soft top design is primarily the time it takes to setup and pack up. There’s a lot to the tent itself, and then there’s the soft cover to secure it. If you’re doing one-night stops on a weeklong overlanding adventure, this time and effort adds up. It’s also not going to be as stable in stormy conditions. Otherwise, the SkyRise is plenty comfortable and doesn’t require as much commitment as its hardshell counterparts—as these can be semi-permanent due to their size and weight.

For a hardshell rooftop tent, I opted for the very celebrated iKamper Skycamp 2.0 ($3700), which is nearly twice the size, sleeping capacity, and cost of the Yakima. It weighs 160 pounds with a footprint of 83” by 77” and room for a family of four with two small-ish kids. In order to make the iKamper work for me, I had to install an electric hoist in my garage. This one happens to have a 400-pound capacity to be safe. If I had smaller truck or SUV, two very capable adults might be able to muscle it onto the roof. But there’s no way with a lifted Raptor.

The electric lift makes the iKamper installation and removal a one-person job

The hoist also allowed me to finely adjust the height of the Yakima tower bars, such that the tent rides just above the chase bar lights on the KC rack. Since the Skycamp is so long, you want to shift it as far forward as possible on the bed to balance the weight. The design and orientation mean that the ladder and door will always be on the passenger side of the vehicle, and you’ll want to center it, more or less, on the load bars for lateral weight distribution.

Plush and spacious sleeping area

The big advantage of the Skycamp 2.0 is ease of setup. It takes exactly one minute. Just unlock/open two latches and push it up. The gas shocks do the rest. Then extend the ladder, fold out the floor, and lock the ladder into position. The front awning requires two poles, and the prop poles on the two side windows are optional. Closing it down takes a bit more effort, especially if you’re storing a sleeping bag and pillows inside the tent. This is a process of tucking the tent material on all sides as you progressively close the shell and compress it enough to get the two latches to clamp and lock into place. I would like to see a bit more flexibility in these areas to accommodate bedding.

First shakedown of the system in a campground setting

Now that all of the truck’s performance upgrades, racks, and tent are in place, we turn to all of the gear that makes off-grid camping in the backcountry not just possible but luxurious and thoroughly enjoyable. If you’re using a Wrangler or 4Runner, you have limited space for all of this gear. That’s why they typically require very involved and semi-permanent kitchen and drawer systems that are built into the cargo area. However, between the Raptor’s truck bed and the cavernous rear seating area, it has a lot more flexibility. So you can load up all of your overlanding gear for a trip and then unload it afterward to convert the truck back to a daily driver.

This remaining gear falls into the following four categories: Cooking, Refrigeration, Cleaning and Comfort.

Built-in overlanding cooking systems that pull out from the cargo area are pretty minimalist, but the bed space of the Raptor allows you to carry a full-sized camp stove with serious BTUs and some killer accessories that expand your menu options.

The Camp Chef Pro60X ($300) offers two, rocket-like burners with 30,000 BTUs a piece—along with matchless ignition—and a three-sided windscreen to battle the elements. It can boil an extra-large kettle of water (for coffee) in minutes. Because every minute matters when waiting for hot coffee on a chilly camp morning. The stove runs off propane, and I carry a standard 20-pound tank that also powers the hot water heater (see below) using a simple Y-splitter.

The stove folds into a a carry bag and packs easily in the truck bed, though it’s certainly not light. Moving it around takes some effort. There are also two key accessories: the Deluxe BBQ Grill Box ($130) and the Griddle ($75) attachment. These open up the dining options to burgers, steaks, fajitas, buffalo wings, pancakes and pretty much anything you want to grill.

Insulated plates that also work for eating meals on your lap around the campfire

Hydro Flask is best known for its insulated water bottles, which are great for camping, but the company has applied the same technology to the rest of the camp kitchen. Now you can get matching, 10-inch dinner plates ($25), three different sizes of mixing bowls with lids from one to five quarts ($65), where the smallest is a perfect size for oatmeal or chili. These can be stored nesting-doll style to save space. And finally you can get complete sets of stainless steel flatware ($25) for the whole crew.

With sealing lids, you can prep a meal or two at home and use the big bowls to carry them

With ice-cold water on tap (see below), I’d recommend that every person has a 20-oz All Around Tumbler ($28) with their name on it so that water stays cold. Everyone should also have a 12-oz Mug ($25) for coffee, tea or coco. This is the system I use whether I’m camping solo or with the family because it’s durable, easily washable and makes the experience that much better by keeping cold things cold and hot things hot.

There are two big categories in refrigeration: ice or electric. Both are viable and have certain advantages.

The Yeti Tundra 65 Hard Cooler ($350) is one of the leading ice-based options. With a few of the freezable Yeti Ice blocks and a bag of ice (to also use for drinks), it can get you through a three-day trip. At which point you’ll need to replenish the ice. The trick is to pack and keep the cooler as full as possible. You don’t want to be cooling open space.

My choice for an electric fridge is the Dometic CFX3 74DZ ($1,400). This can be powered by both 12v and 110v sources, and it features two compartments that can be set as a refrigerator and freezer, respectively, with separate temperature settings. The freezer will keep ice frozen...for cocktails and such, and you’ll want to keep it as full as possible for energy efficiency. Plus, there’s a mobile app with a Bluetooth connection to set and monitor the temps, along with the amount of power it’s drawing. Which begs the question: How do you power it?

If I don’t need the Raptor’s rear seats for passengers, I fold them up and put the Dometic behind the driver’s seat. This allows me to use the 12v port in the back seat while driving. When camped, however, you’ll need an alternate power source. There are a number of power station options on the market, some of which include solar charging accessories. This is the ideal scenario.

Finally, there’s nothing like having ice-cold water on tap whenever you want it. Which is why the Yeti Silo 6G Water Cooler ($300) is one of my favorite pieces of camp gear. I fill it with as much ice as I can find at the house, emptying all ice makers, and fill it to the top with purified water. By the end of a three-day trip, there’s still ice. Because this is pretty heavy when full, though, I try to pack it in the back seat area of the Raptor to mitigate the rear-end sag. This is a constant challenge with the Raptor, since it has so much suspension. It’s all about shifting the heavier items in front of the rear axle, if possible. Which is also why I store water for cooking and cleaning on the roof rack (see below).

The key to cleaning is hot water. While a minimalist would heat water on the stove, luxury overlanding means having hot water on tap for doing dishes and, yes, taking a much-needed shower every now and then. Fortunately, there’s an all-in-one solution from Aussie-based Joolca.

Complete hot-water system for off-grid camping

The key components of the HOTTAP V2 Portable Hot Water Kit ($449) include a propane-powered hot water heater, a sink with drying racks that doubles as a storage case, and a 12v pump. You’ll use the same propane tank for the Camp Chef with a Y-splitter to power the hot water heater, and either an open 12v plug on the Raptor or a second plug on your power station for the water pump. The sink sets up with a mounted faucet that gives you hot water on demand. And there’s a separate shower head with a magnetic holder to attach to any steel surface. Or you can go all out with the Joolca Ensuite Shower tent ($165), which sets up and packs down in a minute or two—seriously. For a water source, you can use standard jerry cans, the rack-mounted Vaast water tanks (see below), or even a lake with the included off-grid plumbing kit. Just don’t drink it, obviously.

When you’re done, the whole system packs into the sink with the drying racks as a lid. So it can then slide into the bed of the Raptor like any other stackable gear case.

The ideal complement to the Joolca system is the Vaast G-Series Water Tank ($130 AUD) and Vertical Bracket ($140 AUD). Also based in Australia, the Vaast tanks hold 18 liters (about 4.75 gallons) each, and they can be easily mounted side-by-side on the KC M-Rack and most other roof rack systems. The Vertical Bracket features a quick-release system for easily filling, mounting, and re-filling the tanks. And the Water Tanks feature a Quick Connect spout that works with the hoses provided in the Joolca system. So even without the Joolca pump, the water can be gravity fed to the faucet and potentially heated from the sun.

Vertical Bracket for mounting to a roof rack

The key to comfort is the gear for sleeping and hanging out at the campsite. Since you’ll most often be dry camping, there won’t be picnic tables, fire rings or facilities of any type. You bring everything you want or need.

First you need a good camp chair. The Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair ($300) is both burly and comfortable, complete with a nice-sized cupholder. This is not a flimsy backpacking chair. Yet it folds up into a pretty tight package with a carry bag. This is your forever camp chair.

Next up is your source of fire and heat: the Bonfire Solo Stove ($350). Sure, you can build a rock ring. If you don’t have the cargo capacity for the Solo Stove, that might be your only option. But the Solo is a camping game changer. The best feature by far is that it’s all-but smokeless. So the clothes you end up wearing for many (many) days in a row don’t smell like smoke starting on day one. The Solo Stove design is such that it draws air from the bottom to feed the fire. This creates incredible efficiency and heat that both reduces the smoke and throughly burns all of the fuel. It’s much safer than open fires in terms of sparks getting out of control, and the heat it throws off is just incredible. Finally, the air flow makes it incredibly easy to light. You’ll barely need any paper or fire starter.

Maximum weather range in a very tight package

After reviewing several sleeping bags, I arrived on the Exped MegaSleep 25/40 ($150) as the ideal for comfort and stowage. This rectangular design, which is offered in both single and double versions, provides a lot of room to move and roll over...unlike mummy designs. The killer feature, though, is its dual-temperature rating. On the lighter side, it’s good for summer camping (40 degrees), and on the heavier side it’s good for spring and fall (25 degrees). But it’s not bulky at all, so it can be easily stowed in the Skycamp 2.0 rooftop tent. You might also consider replacing the Skycamp’s foam mattress with an Exped MegaMat Duo 15 LW+ ($460). Since it’s inflatable, it compressed down smaller than the stock foam mattress and is at least 2X more comfortable.

The most comfortable inflatable mattress I've ever experienced

There is tremendous innovation happening in the overlanding space, as it’s one of the fastest growing outdoor segments. Subscribe to my column for continued overlanding coverage as well as destination stories throughout the Mountain West.