Overland Expo announced Overland Expo Mountain West, the third of four 2024 U.S. events, opens this Friday, Aug. 23, in Loveland, Colorado, at the Ranch. The event runs through Aug. 25.
Over 19,000 overlanding enthusiasts will see over 300 brands, show organizers said, including the newest overlanding cars, trucks, motorcycles, tents, portable hydration, packable gourmet cookware, mobile power and more.
Attendees can participate in more than 150+ different classes, demonstrations and activities taught by 100+ instructors and presenters from around the globe. An experience of note is The Ram Truck Ride and Drive, during which guests test drive the Ram 1500 or 2500, the latest pickup trucks on a mini overlanding course that includes overlanding obstacles like staggered logs, beds of rocks and hill climbs.
“Having just hosted an incredibly busy Overland Expo Pacific Northwest near Portland, Oregon, we look forward to building upon that energy here in the Rockies,” said Jessica Kirchner, vice president of consumer events for Emerald, owners of Overland Expo. “As more outdoor enthusiasts discover the appeal of adventure-driven travel, Overland Expo Mountain West event is a perfect blend of experiences for both newcomers and seasoned overlanders.”
According to Overland Cam research, overlanding has grown significantly year over year. For example, in 2023, there was a 15% increase in sales in overlanding vehicles compared to 2022 and a 20% increase in overlanding activities. The overlanding vehicle market size is estimated to grow from $14.9 billion in 2022 to $16.1 billion in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8%.
Show highlights include:
- Kids Adventure Area: Kid-centric adventure classes, covering skills like fire building, first aid and knot tying. Parents must accompany children.
- “Women Who Wander”: Female-specific education sponsored by Bushwakka Adventure Gear in a fireside chat format Saturday afternoon from 5-7 PM at the Women Who Wander Pavilion.
- Bivvys: Conveniently located recharge stations sponsored by Hankook Tires, Yoshino Power,
- Ram Truck Ride and Drive: 20,000-square-foot unique truck-focused interactive off-road ride experience featuring the latest Ram Trucks.
- Trend Topic Discussions at the Round Table Pavilion: Sponsored by Pulsetech, in-depth roundtable panels and Q&A sessions on travel medicine, wellness, and navigating borders and checkpoints.
- Storytelling Pavilion: Sponsored by Cascadia Vehicle Tents, it features overland adventure stories from speakers like Patty Upton, Graham Jackson, Jason Specht (Mountain State Overland) and Matt McClellan (Ozark Overland Adventures), among others.
Overland Expo is known for The Ultimate Build for vehicles and motorcycles when Overland Expo outfits the latest and greatest adventure gear, creating a vision of the “ultimate” overland vehicle, show organizers said. This year, 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X was selected for the Ultimate Vehicle Build and the 2024 Ural Gear Up Standard was chosen for the Ultimate Overland Motorcycle Build. The Ultimate Build is located by the Oasis Bar and Food Court.
For more information, visit overlandexpo.com and follow Overland Expo and #overlandexpo on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.