Overland Expo West 2022 wrapped a few weeks ago. And while we, the Compass editorial team, wandered the show, a handful of rigs jumped out at us, caught our attention, and we felt were worthy of highlighting.
Is this the definitive list of the best rigs from the show? Naw, this is just a smattering. So if you or your friend or company’s rig was left off this list, don’t take offense; we’re sure it was tremendous. These, however, were just the ones that had us nodding with approval.
Without further ado, here — in no particular order — are the best rigs from Overland Expo West 2022.
Overland Expo’s Ultimate Overland Vehicle 2022
Are we really leading with our own rig in the ‘best of’ list? You bet. Not only are we very proud of this year’s Ultimate Overland Vehicle build, it’s garnered a lot of great coverage from outside media sources so far. To us, this means we did something right.
After all, what’s not to like? Starting with the twin-locked GMC AT4X, we added a bunch of cool gear, including a MITS Alloy tray and canopy, which definitely earns the truck the ‘ultimate’ moniker we bestowed upon it.
Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Series
If you talk to Australians, even those who own 79 Series Land Cruisers, they’ll tell you they are hot garbage and that making them even slightly ‘good’ takes thousand and thousands of dollars in upgrades and retrofits. Nevertheless, they look pretty sweet, though, right?
READ MORE: Gear Review: Dometic CFX3 55IM
We know that living with this rig must be kind of awful. We respect our friends at Step22 for building it up and bringing it to the show.
Subaru Crosstrek XV
Like it or not, but Subarus are worming their way into overlanding. And 23 Zero’s XV Crosstrek is a cool example of a Suby build done right. A lift and oversized wheels and all-terrain tires help ensure this ‘Baru (does anyone call them that?) gets all the traction it’ll need to keep rolling down the trail. And a full-size spare off the hitch and a soft-shell rooftop tent paired with an awning make this a very livable rig. Though, as one keen observer pointed out, we hope the owner is very, very short. That’s because that awning is about chin height for most folks, which makes it less appealing.
Ford Maverick
Since we snapped this pic in adoration, we’ve seen it make the rounds on social media — other people were into it, too, it seems. What’s not to like? The Maverick is about the size of the last-gen Ranger and has an ample back seat. Like the Subaru above, it only has an all-wheel drive system, not 4×4. So, we wouldn’t want to chuck it at terrible technical terrain. However, with the rooftop tent boasting solar panels, it’s probably very comfortable place to be. This is a keen soft-overlanding rig. And we dig it.
MITS Alloy’s Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Now we quickly turn from soft overlanding to truly hardcore and the Colorado ZR2 that was parked up at MITS Alloy’s booth. This thing is absolutely decked out, and we dig it. Looks like the owner has taken the already-capable Colorado ZR2 (not to be confused with the Silverado ZR2 that we reviewed) and turned it up many, many notches. We dig the front bumper and, of course, the mid-size MITS Alloy tray and canopy off the back. This truck is essentially a miniature version of our Ultimate Overlanding Vehicle 2022. So, of course we have to give it props (people are still saying that, right?).
Toyota Land Cruiser J40
Ah, yes, a diesel-powered J40 Land Cruiser. It’s gotta be slow as all hecks. But it’s pretty sweet to look at, especially the mods this couple has made to it. You can follow their adventures on Instagram @goplay.outside
Loki Basecamp’s Icarus 8
Loki Basecamp’s Icarus 8 is a really cool rig. Not only is it stylish, it’s incredibly well appointed. And the Ford Super Duty beneath it is pretty cool, too.
2022 Toyota Tundra
Yes, this rig (and the one beneath it) were in the list of Best Toyotas from Overland Expo West 2022 as picked by the Tundra Engineering Team.
READ MORE: 300+ Exhibitors on Tap for Overland Expo PNW 2022
But we here at the Compass liked it, too. Of course, we loved the components. But the wrap color is truly what sent this one over the top for us. Gotta love that blue.
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60
As the years tick by, it’s becomes increasingly rare to see FJ60s out and about, let alone being used as a real overlanding rig. We loved this one because it’s clearly been used. What’s more, it’s built, but not overly so. It has what the owner needs to get out and explore and protect the truck and recover itself, but not much else. And that’s a good thing. We just hope they clean out their air filter often. Last thing you want is dust in a carburetor. Yikes.
2022 Rivian R1T
Last but not least, we end the post with the rig that we used for the header image — a Rivian R1T. These trucks have been coming to Overland Expo since 2019, but this is the first we saw on our training course. It was great to see it taking on the rocks and testing the driver’s mettle and the rigs metal (see what I did there?).
