5 Things To Consider When Building A Toyota 4×4 Adventuremobile
Customize your outdoor adventures in a Yota build personalized for your adventures.
There are a lot of reasons to buy a Toyota 4×4 vehicle. Of course there is the reliability, reasonably priced parts and service, great resale, off-road capabilities and impressive aftermarket support. Beyond those pragmatic reasons, there is also a great culture and community around the globe for the brand and the specific 4x4s it makes.
Colin Kemp is able to access remote paragliding launches with his capable Tundra and even sleep in the back while on his adventures. (Photo courtesy of Colin Kemp)
Everyone has their own reasons for buying and/or building out a Toyota 4×4, but adventure is the bond that ties all Toyota owners together. For some, the adventure is the build itself, and cruising around town in their creation. To others, off-road escapades on the local trails and at OHV parks is the adventure they seek. Even more, a Toyota 4×4 adventuremobile is all about life on the road for multi-month or year-long overland adventures around the globe.
There is a reason that if you head to any mountain town, remote trail head parking area, river launch area, or surf spot you’re very likely to see a lot of Tacomas, 4 Runners, Tundras, Land Cruisers and so on…
For many, including myself, outdoor adventure sports are what fuel the soul. A quality adventuremobile that enables those experiences is a vitally important tool to a happy life. There is a reason that if you head to any mountain town, remote trail head parking area, river launch area, or surf spot you’re very likely to see a lot of Tacomas, 4 Runners, Tundras, Land Cruisers and so on…
Carl Montoya, of Nitro Gear, uses all his Yotas to get out and explore, especially for mountain biking and snowboarding. (Photo courtesy of Nitro Gear)
My Toyota 4×4 Adventuremobile
I’ve personally built rigs that span the gamut, but always design them to carry my outdoor adventure gear and get me to the best places to experience those adventures. My main focuses are whitewater and surf kayaking, mountain biking and skiing and snowboarding. Those outdoor adventures keep me active year round, and keep me traveling to a wide variety of remote locations around the globe. The search for the perfect wave, powder stash or rapid takes a reliable, capable and well-sorted vehicle.
Pro mountain biker Carson Storch uses a custom built gen 1 Tundra to access serious mountain bike terrain.
My current adventure vehicle is a 2013 Lexus GX 460 that is specifically built as a super off-road capable, self-sufficient and comfortable touring rig to get me to remote surf beaches, mountain bike trail heads, river put-ins and take-outs, and super snowy mountain terrain. I built it to be able to carry gear for all seasons, all at once, and still have the room and features to comfortably live inside. For my purposes, it is a truly ideal vehicle for my current lifestyle.
Of course, all vehicles that are expected to do a wide variety of tasks are full of compromises, and mine is no exception. Let’s dive into a few points you might want to consider as you dial in your own Toyota 4×4 as an outdoor adventure enabler.
Stow your gear properly in your Yota, thank us later. Here’s a look at the author’s custom Goose Gear setup in the back of his GX 460.
1. Carry All The Gear
I carry bulky gear as a kayaker and mountain biker. If you want to carry big outdoor adventure gear, you’ll either need a roof rack, truck bed, or trailer to carry that gear.
On my SUV, I leave the roof for the bulky stuff. I have a very wide roof rack to enable me to carry a lot of bulky gear at once. A truck bed is a great option for big gear, as it gets the gear lower in the vehicle than a roof rack. This enables the vehicle to perform better (due to a lower center of gravity), makes it easier to load and unload the gear and allows the vehicle to fit down trails and in drive-throughs where clearance is an issue. A trailer is an option that makes it super convenient to hook up after a busy work week and head out on a weekend adventure quickly and efficiently. Trailers can be a hassle, though, when off road and when getting around a city, like when you need to find a parking spot.
Having your adventure gear along for the ride at all times lets you take advantage of spectacular opportunities, like fly fishing along the Rim Rocker Trail in Colorado.
2. Keeping Your Gear Safe
Security of your expensive outdoor adventure toys (Have you seen the price of good bikes lately?) is also a consideration. You’ll want to make sure that you have at least one locking system on your gear when you leave the vehicle unattended with gear on it, like when getting dinner or staying overnight at a hotel. Many roof rack accessories for bikes, skis/snowboards and even kayaks have built in locking systems, but know that these are pretty rudimentary. Cable locks and/or locking tie down straps with reinforced metal cores are great additions to your security systems.
Even better security for smaller pieces of your outdoor gear is to secure them inside a vehicle within a locking drawer system. This could be a plastic Decked drawer system in the back of your Tacoma or Tundra all the way to a custom Goose-Gear drawer system in your 4Runner, GX or Land Cruiser. The key is securing your gear so it can’t fly around and cause injury in a crash, as well as put it behind a few layers of locks (vehicle and drawer) to prevent theft. Also, keeping your gear out of sight, out of mind in your Toyota 4×4 keeps you focused on the adventure ahead.
3. Where You’ll Be Staying
You’ve got your outdoor gear securely loaded up on your Yota adventuremobile. Now, it’s time to think about comfort and convenience while on the road to and from your outdoor adventures.
First up, of course, is thinking about where you might spend the night between daytime outdoor adventures. Hotels are nice, but get expensive and are many times quite far away from the adventure. Being able to comfortably camp out of your vehicle is a luxury not to be overlooked.
Everyone has their own reasons for buying and/or building out a Toyota 4×4, but adventure is the bond that ties all Toyota owners together.
I prefer sleeping inside my Toyota 4×4, or in a ground tent if I’m traveling with others in my vehicle. If you can sleep inside your vehicle, you can also get good rest just about anywhere (rest stop, truck stop, Walmart parking lot), which can be crucial while in transit to far away outdoor adventures.
While a roof top tent is cool, they take up valuable roof space that can be used for outdoor adventure gear (not to mention their high cost in comparison to ground tents). Pickup beds are a great place to sleep, as well, especially if you have a pop-up style camper topper, or even just a truck topper and platform/drawer system.
4. Comforts on the Adventure Trail
Fueling your adventures with good food and drink is also key to a good time. Having a stove in your Toyota 4×4 to heat up food and/or hot drinks is well worth the space they take up. You could use something as small as a Jetboil if space is a concern (an inexpensive single burner butane stove is a great option) or a Skottle, the ultimate in social camp meal prep.
On the flip side of the coin is having a place to store perishables, cold beverages and even ice cream to enjoy after your adventures outside. A 12v fridge or freezer is the ultimate luxury, while a good quality cooler and ice works great for shorter trips.
A big bonus when it comes to comfort for long days behind the wheel getting to and from your outdoor adventures are comfortable seats. Not all Toyota 4×4 seats are comfortable and work with all body types. I’m super tall, skinny and have major back issues. For me a quality set of touring seats, like the scheel-mann seats in my GX, are worth their high cost. I highly recommend ordering them with heat, as after a long day shredding fresh powder, a heated seat is the ultimate drive home luxury.
5. Off-Road/Weather Capability
With all Toyota 4×4 builds, the main things you should focus on when making upgrades are capability and reliability. Obviously, you’ll want to ensure you make it to and from your next outdoor adventure. To accomplish this, get quality appropriate tires for your specific use. Possibly, you could want a small lift to fit larger tires and increase ground clearance.
Quality recovery points on the front and rear of a Toyota 4×4 are possibly the most important upgrade. Recovery points provide something to securely attach to when you inevitably do get stuck on your adventures. They allow for either an assist with a tow or snatch strap from another vehicle or a winch line. Also, you should have a quality recovery kit. That includes, at a minimum, a set of Maxtrax, two soft shackles and a snatch strap. These are a must for any off-pavement and/or snowy excursion.
It takes a proper 4×4 to tackle the road up to the paragliding launch at Washoe Lake, NV.
Go Adventure in Your Toyota 4×4
The build or the journey might be the adventure for many. However, for others those are just the first steps towards finding adventure. Outdoor adventures are rewarding in so many ways, and a quality adventuremobile that makes those adventures possible is priceless.
Now load up your preferred gear and get that Toyota 4×4 out of the driveway and off the beaten path. Outdoor adventure awaits!
A well sorted Toyota 4×4 is a proper adventure sport tool for all seasons.
