Overland Training: Educating the Adventure Traveler

[Blackeye]

I just returned from the week-long, comprehensive overland training course in Arizona put on by Overland Training and I thought I would report about it. More detailed info is at their site:

http://www.overlandtraining.com/

The course was primarily taught by Graham Jackson and Scott Brady was present for the first two days before he and others rolled off to Central America. The course included camping / field sessions in the Table Mesa area (north of Phoenix, AZ) and classroom sessions in the Prescott, AZ area.

The course incorporated vehicle awareness drills, sand driving, sand recovery, tire pressure analysis, spotting, rock driving, river crossings, hill climbs, convoy driving and other driver training applications. We learned a variety of recovery skills, reviewed and used a variety of overlanding equipment, discussed loading and lashing, clothing, tire repair, navigation, food, water, and logistics. The course even included discussion and analysis of security, border crossings, documentation, cultures, conservation and much, much more.

Everyone that I met associated with Overland Training, the Overland Journal magazine and Expeditions West was very welcoming, intelligent and respectful.

The vehicles present were a full size Earthroamer LT, two jeep base Earthroamer JK’s, a brand new Sportsmobile 4x4 E350 RB with penthouse, a Mercedes G-Wagon and our rig, a 2008 Sportsmobile 4x4 E350 EB with a Voyager top.

Being that we own a Sportsmobile, I knew that the they were impressive, but after the field days, I am absolutely blown away at what these things will do.

I highly recommend Overland Training and the information that they teach. The course catalog on their site tells of their course offerings. You can take individual (intensive) segments or take the comprehensive overland training course over a week.

I am already signed up for a Wilderness First Aid course so that along with my HAM license, I too can be Overland Certified.

The reasons that prompted me to take the course were a chance to get away, meet some great folks, increase my understanding of safe / responsible overlanding.

The best part? Meeting all of the great people. Thanks to the OT / OJ / EW / ExPo Staff!

 

[Paul 3]

Just signed up for the May Comprehensive Course...looking forward to it. :wings:

 

[gjackson]

Great to have you on board Paul!

I have updated the Overland Training site with the first of the Overland Training Technical Papers. This is on tire pressures and what effects lowering them can provide:

http://www.overlandtraining.com/research/

cheers

 

[gjackson]

And just for fun a little SMB action! The Sportsmobiles were awesome on the training courses, and even more awesome in the evening!

http://www.overlandtraining.com/alumni/

cheers

 

[sinuhexavier]

I have updated the Overland Training site with the first of the Overland Training Technical Papers. This is on tire pressures and what effects lowering them can provide:

http://www.overlandtraining.com/research/

cheers

What load rating were these numbers derived from?

Do the load ratings make any kind of significant difference?

 

[Connie]

Graham is in the field right now, so he'll have to answer your question when he gets back.

 

[Paul 3]

Just got back from the Overland Training Comprehensive Course. Man, what can I say? It was a terrific course and everyone from the Overland Journal/Expeditions West staff to my fellow students were great folks to meet, learn from, and hang out with.

The training was excellent. The course of instruction was very well thought out, taught in a relaxed yet very professional manner, and we were all given ample opportunity to practice what we had learned. Couldn't ask for a better hands on classroom than the great outdoors and the facilities at the OJ 'Tactical' World Headquarters were top notch.

A rare opportunity to learn from folks that "have been there and done that". With many, many examples of how to do things right and, equally as important, how to spot those things that can be show stoppers before they occur. Examples covered a wide range of issues from trip planning, vehicle preparation, self-recovery, to shipping and border crossing documentation just to name a few.

I couldn't recommend this course more highly. Personally I can't wait for the advanced courses to hit the calendar so I can start planning my way back out to AZ & CO. :drool:

Thanks to Scott Brady for having us at the Overland Journal HQ and to Graham Jackson for teaching such a great course and sharing all those things that make for a successful adventure. To Tim, Barry, and Charlie....I've got plenty of MRE's left!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[SOAZ]

Very nice to meet you and hang out! It was a truly epic and tactical week of training.
If you get out this way, the beer is on my. At least one or so. :sombrero:

Just got back from the Overland Training Comprehensive Course. Man, what can I say? It was a terrific course and everyone from the Overland Journal/Expeditions West staff to my fellow students were great folks to meet, learn from, and hang out with.

The training was excellent. The course of instruction was very well thought out, taught in a relaxed yet very professional manner, and we were all given ample opportunity to practice what we had learned. Couldn't ask for a better hands on classroom than the great outdoors and the facilities at the OJ 'Tactical' World Headquarters were top notch.

A rare opportunity to learn from folks that "have been there and done that". With many, many examples of how to do things right and, equally as important, how to spot those things that can be show stoppers before they occur. Examples covered a wide range of issues from trip planning, vehicle preparation, self-recovery, to shipping and border crossing documentation just to name a few.

I couldn't recommend this course more highly. Personally I can't wait for the advanced courses to hit the calendar so I can start planning my way back out to AZ & CO. :drool:

Thanks to Scott Brady for having us at the Overland Journal HQ and to Graham Jackson for teaching such a great course and sharing all those things that make for a successful adventure. To Tim, Barry, and Charlie....I've got plenty of MRE's left!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Paul 3]

Very nice to meet you and hang out! It was a truly epic and tactical week of training.
If you get out this way, the beer is on my. At least one or so. :sombrero:

Tim,
you got that right, it was a great time. Wish I could get out there and do it more often. Definitely let you know if I'm out that way again. Hey, maybe you could map out a trail between here and there, post the requisite number of trail markers and I'll overland it all the way to AZ...tactically of course!

Beers at the Raven, happy hour. It's like Pringles potato chips...can't have just one! :friday:

 

[Scott Brady]

Overland Training has a blog :ylsmoke:

OVERLAND TRAINING BLOG

Overland Training provides custom drivers course for father/son team heading to the Arctic

Overland Training provides driver course to LRNA

 

[gjackson]

And attends the LRL 1st Descents kickoff.

More updates coming soon. Blog

cheers

 

[Scott Brady]

we have made a few updates to the blog, and now the home page.

Sagen Media provided us with a video, captured in HD. It is embedded on the home page, and can be seen in HD here. Thanks Josh, you did a great job with it.

More updates on our October comprehensive course in a few days. It looks like we only have one or two slots left.

 

[Streakerfreak]

Very cool! That is a really well done video. Hopefully, Jenn and I will be able to make it out sometime.

 

[Scott Brady]

The guys at Sagen Media did an exceptional job. Josh White is the man!

 

[Scott Brady]

Our Fall 2009 Course.

This course was full, with 10 students and two instructors. Each class continues to expand, and we will now be adding two new dates for 2010. The travel experience of our students is an inspiration, the evenings discussions filled with adventures stories from Africa, Southeast Asia, China, South America, etc.

The group of vehicles was also enjoyable, representing a cross-section of: FJ Cruiser, 4Runner (2), EarthRoamer, Sportsmobile, Tacoma (2), Jeep Unlimited (2), Jeep Comanche and two trailers (AT and KK).

Mario, owner of Adventure Trailers and his Comanche. AT will now be an Overland Certified Vendor. Congrats.

Boyd and his ER pulling Mike and his SMB on a demonstration

Mike returning the favor

SMB on the sand hill. All soft surface and recovery practicals are completed on sand in a wash for zero impact.

Cam, President of Nemo Equipment attended the course. He is an experienced mountaineer and adventure traveler. Cam is a 1200GSA owner and also has a nice Tacoma. For the course, he used the EW Tacoma and Overland JK. Nemo is also a certified Vendor now! .

Cam also spent time with the group sharing their 2010 products appropriate to adventure motorcycle use and vehicle-based camping.

James and Stacey Roy attended the course in their Toyota Tacoma. The same truck they drove to Panama in. Always fun people to have around.

Boyd certainly had the largest truck in the training, but it is surprising how well an ER will do with the correct tire pressure. Obviously size is the limiting factor.