A Comprehensive Price List Of Overland Essentials In 2021

by Warren Bunch June 16, 2021

Budget for your 2021 Overlanding adventures with our comprehensive price guide. If you’re starting or looking to expand your inventory to spend more time on the road, let’s find out the costs.

We’ll look at the crucial overland essentials you need – whatever your budget. We included the must-haves, should-haves, and a few “would-like-to-haves” that make life easier.

Read on for a rundown of the gear you need in 2021!

Overland Essentials Price List

Roof Top Tents

If you want the full-time Overlanding lifestyle or you’re planning some long trips, a rooftop tent is a solution if you don’t want to pay for an RV especially $187,000-$221,000 for an Overlander.

Almost any vehicle can support a rooftop tent. Prices depend on sleeping capacity, quality of the materials, accessories included, and whether they have a soft or hard shell. Most models fall between $1500 and $4000.

To give an average price overall wouldn’t be accurate, as we have to consider these factors for comparison. However, here are a few examples:

Softshell:

Overland Pros Anza 1400 Roof Top Tent, sleeps 2 adults: $1675.00.
Yakima Skyrise HD Small, sleeps 2 adults: $1749.00.
Eezi-Awn XKLUSIV Roof Top Tent – softshell, comes in 4 sizes. The cheapest sleeps 2 adults and costs $3350.00 while the largest accommodates 4 adults (or a family of 2 adults plus children), costs $4800.00

Hardshell, for the ultimate luxury:

TentBox Classic, sleeps 2 adults: $2995.00.
Eezi-Awn Blade, sleeps 2 adults: $3700.00.
BunduTec BunduTop, sleeps 2 adults: $3860.00.

Tire Deflators

Reduce tire air pressure when driving on sand, snow, or mud to prevent the tires from sinking. You should also deflate them on rocky terrain. Indeflate’s two-hose unit costs $169.99 – add it to your list of overland jeep essentials.

Awnings

Awnings come in various sizes and prices start around $120. Those with high-quality, waterproof fabrics cost at least $300. If using one with a rooftop tent, make sure it’s compatible. If you want to add wall panels, expect to pay at least $100.

A few quality examples:

Eezi-Awn Lite Awning, 40 square feet of cover: $325.
Eezi-Awn Series 1000 Awning, 50 square feet of cover: $550.
Eezi-Awn Manta 270, 100 square feet of cover: $1400.

Roof Racks

You need a roof rack that can support a rooftop tent so always check before buying. Some tent manufacturers make racks designed for use with tents, like Yakima.

Crossbars usually cost between $100-$300. The components for fitting them depend on your vehicle. You can find bundles containing these components for less than $500.

If you want a full roof rack and not just crossbars, expect to pay more than $500. Premium roof rack systems cost up to $1000, sometimes more. The Yakima LockNLoad Platform is in-between, at $779.

Leveling Blocks

You need to level your vehicle so you’re not sleeping on a slope. Even when it looks like you’ve found even ground, it may not be. Also, keeping your vehicle level is crucial if you have an absorption fridge.

Place leveling blocks under the tires on the side that needs to be higher. Some people use wooden planks but leveling blocks cost around $20 per pair. Use a spirit level or vehicle leveling device to check if the vehicle is even, or play it by ear.

Portable Power Supplies

These devices are convenient for powering your appliances and charging phones and laptops. You can recharge them via:

AC outlet
Solar panels
A generator
A vehicle’s 12 Volt output

An example is the Jackery Power Station which comes with AC and USB outlets and a DC carport. There are seven sizes. Their smallest, cheapest model’s capacity is 167Wh and costs $139. Their most expensive model’s capacity is 2060Wh and costs $2099. There are five other models in between.

Other portable power supply manufacturers include Westinghouse, Rockpals, and HALO. The smallest devices usually have only one AC outlet but with multiple USB ports, they’re enough for small devices and one larger appliance like a fridge.

Generators

For something more powerful, you may need a portable camping generator. Most are fueled by gasoline or propane but there are solar-powered generators. The most lightweight generators start at around $380.

High-powered options cost between $500-$4000. Honda and Yamaha are popular brands.

Solar Panels

To supplement your power supply or go full solar, you’ll need to do some calculations. The total cost depends on your wiring setup, any extra parts you need, and your expected consumption. The cost of solar panels depends on:

Wattage
Size
Panel type – rigid vs flexible. Either can work for Overlanding.
Cell type – monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous. Monocrystalline panels are efficient, smaller, and more expensive. Polycrystalline panels are less efficient for their size but cheaper. Amorphous isn’t often recommended for Overlanding but they perform better in cloudy weather.

To give some examples, you can find 100 Watt 12 Volt flexible monocrystalline panels of 48 x 21.6 x 0.08 inches from Renogy for less than $190. Their 50 Watt 12 Volt polycrystalline panel of 26.7 x 21.6 x 1.2 inches costs $68.

Stoves

Cooking equipment is a top priority for your overland gear essentials. Most stoves have two burners and run off propane or butane. (Propane is the most common). With some stoves, you can use multiple fuel types.

Portable gas stoves - the cheapest cost around $50. Most models are between $100-$200 and have two burners.
Backpacking gas stoves - the cheapest are only $30, with most models in the $60-$90 range. They’re a good investment for long treks away from camp. Add one to your overland track essentials list.
Portable electric cookers - they fall within a similar price range to gas stoves.
Single-burner portable electric cookers - as little as $20.

Propane

For stoves, a 1 pound cylinder can be enough for a weekend trip. You can get packs of four for $32 or 20 gallons (5 pounds) tank for around $40, which you can refill as needed. This is more cost-effective and better for long trips. Adapter hoses cost $25, sometimes less.

Fridge-Freezer Units

Medium units start at $600, like Dometic’s 38 liter unit at $614. Expect to pay up to $1000 for a fridge with this capacity.

Large fridge-freezers with capacities of 50-60 liters (or more) start at around $1000. They can hold 7-10 days’ food for two adults. SnoMaster’s Classic Series 56 Liter fridge-freezer costs $1149. However, Dometic’s CFX3 100 holds 99 liters and costs $1399.

Dometic products are cheaper but good quality nonetheless. Other reputable brands include ARB, Engel, and the Black Forest.

If these prices exceed your budget, compact 15-liter units are handy for storing a few cold beers and a couple of days’ food. You’ll find these for less than $300.

Portable Showers

A few types of camp showers exist:

Solar showers - the most basic type with a water bag, hose, and a showerhead for switching on the flow of water. Water is heated using solar. Models with a 20-liter bag start at $8. More expensive types (around $40) come with foot pumps and better flow control.
Battery-powered showers - around $40. You place the suction cup in a bucket of water and water is pumped through the showerhead.
Propane-fueled water heater and shower - the most expensive, from $150-$330 on average. For full-time Overlanding, these may be the most convenient and reliable option.

Shower Rooms

For washing in private, add on a shower room. You can find pop-up shower rooms for $20-$270. For something sturdy and durable, consider one with an aluminum frame and waterproof polycotton, like the Overland Pros Ultra Privy Shower Room. At $349, it will last for years.

To Sum Up

We covered top-priority overland essentials – shelter, fuel, electricity, and cooking gear. With stoves as cheap as $30 and solar showers for $8, startup costs needn’t be through the roof. There are budget alternatives for most accessories.

Once you’re set-up, the only costs left are maintenance and fuel - unless you have solar and you’re powered for free. Why not get a panel or two? The Zamp 170 Watt solar panel has monocrystalline cells. Check it out here for 25 years of free electricity.