Category: Guides & Outfitters

Outdoorsmen love nature and want to spend every possible second on a trail, on a boat, hunting, fishing, or on some other kind of adventure. While you can easily do that when you live in a state as geographically diverse as Texas, sometimes you need to do more than just visit the great outdoors in your free time—you need to live there. Van life and overlanding are two versions of living outside that more and more people are embracing, and you can too. Keep reading to learn about the differences between van life and overlanding so you can pick the option that’s right for you.

Van Life Definition

You’ve probably seen videos on social media where people share about their van life. They either bought or fixed up some type of van so that it was more of an apartment on wheels than a vehicle, and then they set out to live on the road. People from all walks of life are embracing this comfortably nomadic lifestyle, outfitting vans with internet access so they can work remotely, training pets to enjoy the great outdoors, and even homeschooling their kids so that little ones can grow up adventurous. For most of these people, there is no end destination in sight. Their aim is to travel and try new experiences, possibly enjoying adventures like rock climbing and fishing along the way, but not necessarily planning for them.

Overlanding Definition

Overlanding focuses more on the adventure side of travel, and people who overland may use different modes of transportation to get to those adventures. You may or may not have a final destination in mind when you set out overlanding, but you definitely know where you plan to rock climb, fish, hike, and hunt. Most overlanders drive vehicles designed for off-roading and just plan to camp as they travel towards their adventurous destinations. However, depending on where those adventures are, you may start on a plane, rent an off-roading vehicle, and then set out overlanding. You might also ride a boat somewhere, leave it docked, and set out on a shorter overlanding excursion with your supplies. No matter how you get there, overlanding focuses on bunking down in the elements and finding adventure.

Which Is Best for You?

Your choice between van life and overlanding will be based on many factors, such as your lifestyle and finances. The costs of van life can quickly add up, since you’ll need fuel and insurance for the van, food while on the road, and will probably have to rent out a campsite. However, you’ll also be more comfortable and be able to bring more of your life with you, like your work.

Overlanding will have its own costs associated with it, but bringing your own camping supplies and only buying food you can cook on a campfire will keep your costs much lower. You’ll also have a better opportunity to experience nature and have the adventures you want. However, you may find it more difficult to balance work and other life needs with an overlanding lifestyle.

The differences between van life and overlanding are that van life is more comfortable and designed to accommodate your lifestyle, while overlanding gives you a better opportunity to experience nature and enjoy adventures. Whichever you choose, van life and overlanding are both great ways to break the mold and live out your outdoorsman dreams.

It’s always a good idea to take the RV out for a weekend and enjoy a camping trip out in the wilderness. To help create a greener, more sustainable camping lifestyle, many people are investing in alternative energy sources for their campers. One of the most popular investments is creating a solar panel system, and when living in Texas, you may get bonus incentives for investing in solar energy. If you’re wondering what you need to build a solar system for your RV, Texas Outdoors Network has the answers for you!

Solar Panels

Naturally, one of the most fundamental parts of building a solar panel system is having solar panels. Whether you lay them flat or choose to angle them slightly toward the sun, having solar panels on the roof of your camper is a vital part of building your system. We recommend getting monocrystalline panels for campers due to the limited space.

Battery Bank

The solar panels on your camper collect energy, but you need somewhere to store that power, or you’re not going to be able to use it. Lithium-ion battery packs are among the best when it comes to safe, reliable storage of your solar energy.

Charge Controller

Think of the charge controller as the middleman between your solar panels and the battery bank. You won’t be able to build your RV solar system without a charge controller. Essentially, this device safely regulates the amount of usable power that goes from your panels to your battery. The charge controller prevents the battery from overcharging and keeps everything running smoothly and efficiently.

Inverter

When you use power from your RV or camper, the energy typically comes from the battery, which is often a 12v DC source of electricity. Your solar panel system’s inverter allows you to convert the 12v DC power into 120-volt AC power, making it better for charging laptops, coffee makers, or other similar devices. When you install the inverter near your battery bank, your system allows you to utilize AC power from your solar panels fully.

Off-roading is an exciting activity where you bring your car or dirt bike to unsurfaced roads consisting of dirt, mud, snow, and rocks. It’s fun to do with your friends or family on the weekend or even as part of a competition. However, there are some things to do before off-roading to ensure you and everyone you’re with remain safe. Read on to learn the most important safety rules for going off-roading.

Tell People Where You’re Going

Off-roading is thrilling because you can get away from the main roads and go out into the middle of nowhere! Unfortunately, when you go this far from civilization, you’re more likely to lose your cellular signal, and if anything happens, you have no form of communication. This possibility is why it is so critical to tell people where you’re going beforehand and how long you expect to be away. If any accidents happen, you’ll have to wait until someone comes to help you.

Bring Another Car With You

Along with letting people know where you are, you should bring another car with you. An extra car can tow you out if the mud traps your vehicle, and if it’s impossible to get free, you have a way to get home. Of course, sticking in the mud in the first place isn’t ideal, but you should prepare for the worst-case scenario. Otherwise, you’ll end up with no car, no cellular signal, and no assistance.

Find the Perfect Tires

You can go off-roading in your regular tires, but you may want to consider changing them for a better alternative. Standard tires aren’t the best for off-roading, and the drive can seriously mess them up. Instead, you should look for the best off-roading tires for your vehicle. With the proper tires, off-roading will be a fun and sustainable activity for your vehicle.

Wear a Seatbelt

You may not be on the main roads where the law can spot you, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear your seatbelt. If anything, wearing your seatbelts while off-roading is even more critical. Without a well-paved road, your vehicle will experience a lot of bumps, big rocks, sharp turns, and other hazards that can mess up your car. Wearing your seatbelt keeps you safe, and if a hazard leads to your car flipping over, buckling in will be essential.

Prepare for off-roading with these safety rules to ensure you have an exciting and safe time the next time you go out. These safety rules don’t mean you will be safe, though, as you must still be careful when driving behind the wheel. The Texas roads can be reasonably safe, but when going off-road, you are venturing into the unknown. While you can still have fun, you should always focus on safety.

South Texas has produced many trophy huge Boone & Crockett Whitetail Deer bucks over the decade. There is no other hunting ranch to hunt these big Texas Whitetail Bucks like the Agua Dulce Ranch located in South Texas. Whether you are deer hunting from one of our comfortable stands or driving this Texas hunting ranch doing a spot and stalk or getting down and dirty with a set of rattling deer antlers the excitement and unique hunting experience you get from hunting in Agua Dulce Ranch compares to no other ranch in South Texas.

Visit our website and contact us for a hunt of a lifetime

www.texastrophywhitetaildeer.com/

Several years ago, while walking around the Texas Trophy Hunters Extravaganza, I had the pleasure of meeting Bobby Bohannon, who at the time was the manager and lead guide with 3P Ranch in Uvalde Texas.

After 30 minutes looking at their both and taking with Bobby, my wife and I knew we were kindred spirits and meant to hunt together.

Several times we as a family went out to 3P under Bobby’s tenure, and while there, we were witness to a successful management program on the property. Solid genetics, food program with food plots and pastures for winter grazing, and effective and warranted predator control.

Fast forward a few years, and now Bobby is now freelance. His years of experience with various game ranches and livestock operations has provided him the opportunity to share his knowledge and help other ranches grow and be successful throughout the hill country.

And to top it all off, he’s also “Uncle Ted’s” camera man of choice when in the hill country.