Le Salon du Overland – par David Drouin

Alors que les gens accourent ce genre d’événement très attendu qui se déroule aux États-Unis, j’ai eu l’impression qu’ici, les amateurs d’Overland contemplaient cette initiative avec dubitation.

Hein, un Salon du Overland ici au Québec ?

Qu’à cela ne tienne, ce salon a bel et bien eu lieu la fin de semaine du 17 au 19 septembre à Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, à environ 25 minutes au nord de Trois-Rivières. L’organisateur, Patrick Trahan a proposé cet événement sur un site lui appartenant qui est en fait une ancienne station de ski.

La température aidant, outre un court épisode de pluie, c’est sous le soleil que 212 participants et 13 exposants se sont réunis pour cette longue fin de semaine.

Les exposants présents pour ce premier rendez-vous étaient tous liés de plus ou moins à l’overland. Il y avait des exposants qui offraient des produits liés à la motorisation, d’esthétique, de système de panneaux solaires. Aussi sur place, d’autres kiosques liés à l’overland dont un commerçant d’équipement auxiliaire, un importateur de véhicules JDM et ainsi qu’un exposant qui offre des voyages préorganisés en Afrique. Il y avait aussi la présence remarquée de 2 joueurs significatifs dans le domaine de l’overland au Québec en la présence d’un fabricant renommé de remorques d’expédition ainsi que d’équipement connexe et un commanditaire majeur qui offre désormais des tentes de toit en aluminium.

De plus, un concessionnaire local (et important commanditaire) était aussi sur place afin de présenter 2 véhicules 4×4 de 2021.  Ceux-ci pouvaient être testés dans un sentier aménagé pour l’occasion. Ce même sentier de 6km était aussi à la disposition des participants et, quoique de difficulté modeste, nous conduisait tout en haut de la montagne afin d’admirer le panorama. De là-haut, on pouvait facilement voir le pont Laviolette situé à Trois-Rivières, 22km plus loin.

Lors de cette première mouture, l’horaire des activités pour les participants était tout de même fort agréable et pertinent. Les gens étaient invités à écouter des récits de voyage ainsi qu’une présentation sur l’organisation de voyage. La fin de semaine était aussi ponctuée d’ateliers offerts par des volontaires compétents. Cela a sans l’ombre d’un doute permis à ce rendez-vous québécois de l’overland d’augmenter en pertinence.

Au menu, un atelier d’utilisation d’équipement de navigation, un de démystification de panneaux solaires (offert par un exposant sur place), une présentation sur les systèmes électriques en overland ainsi que 2 ateliers de désenlisement/conduite dans le sable et 2 ateliers sur la bonne utilisation d’un treuil. Ces ateliers furent très appréciés.

Quoique loin de l’overland, il y eut aussi quelques démonstrations d’un Buggy 4×4 appartenant un exposant sur place. Dans un bruit infernal, à plusieurs reprises, le buggy a littéralement mangé la pente sablonneuse de la montagne.

Il est aussi pertinent de mentionner que les participants pouvaient camper sur place puisque les lieux étaient aménagés en conséquence. C’est ainsi que de nombreux véhicules de toutes catégories étaient présents. Plusieurs modèles pouvaient être contemplés. Certain populaire et commun alors que d’autre, rare, voir, unique. Leur aménagement et équipement étaient tous des plus variés les uns des autres.

Nombreux sont ceux qui ont circulé parmi ces véhicules. Beaucoup d’échanges ont eux lieu et de nombreuses photos ont été prises. Alors que certains font des expéditions depuis de nombreuses années dans des lieux reculés et isolés, d’autres posaient questions, sinon, s’attardaient à écouter conseils et recommandations. 

Le samedi en fin d’après-midi, alors que plusieurs profitaient de la présence d’un Food-truck, il y a eu un tirage d’équipements et de menus objets offerts gracieusement par des commanditaires et exposant lors d’un 5 à 7 commandité par une micro-brasserie locale.

Tout comme le vendredi soir, le 5 à 7 s’en fut suivi par un grand feu de joie accompagné d’une musique.

C’est ainsi que la première édition du Salon de l’overland s’est tenue. Ce fut une réussite et cela présage d’autres années ou le nombre d’exposants, sans doute, augmentera tout autant que la quantité de participants.

Il est agréable de croire que cet événement pourrait devenir une référence au Québec, sans doute, puis au Canada et pourquoi pas, pour le nord-est de l’Amérique du Nord.

Il suffit de souhaiter voir le nombre de participants augmenter afin d’attirer d’autres exposants majeurs qui n’hésitent déjà plus à participer à ce type d’événement aux États-Unis.

David Drouin collaborateur 4x4setupMagazine

Let’s start at the beginning. Why a roof top tent?

The main advantage of a RTT or Roof Top Tent, is that it always has a flat and comfortable underside, unlike a traditional tent where you have to carefully choose the ground where the tent will be set up; Away from roots rocks and away from cold/wet ground. In some places, the tent should be out of reach from dangerous animals.

A Roof Top Tent is a luxury that brings a lot of comfort.

While it is relatively new to the North American market, the popularity of this concept has been widespread in Europe for several decades. The first one appeared in the 1930s in Western Europe.

The Autohome, a very popular concept in Italy, was among the first to be imported here. In operation since 1958, Autohome is possibly the oldest of the current manufacturers. In recent years, competitors have multiplied, offering several levels of quality, innovative options and a wide range of tent classes exist.

The foldable and flexible RTTs, and the rigid RTTs. There are some rare models that are a hybrid between the two concepts.

The soft ones usually fold in half and are covered with a protective canvas for transport, these models range in prices.

The advantages of soft tents:

-Space occupied in transport position is half the area of the tent size

-Easier storage due to smaller size when in off-season storage

Option to have an additional section hanging under the extended part, providing an enclosed space under the platform and also the advantage of being able to access the tent dry when it rains

This type of RTT is generally more affordable than rigid RTTs

Disadvantages of soft tents:

-Often more fragile because of the frames and more susceptible to abrasion between the canvas and its frames

-More susceptible to water leaks and require more care after a rain

-Greater difficulty to deploy the tent in sub-zero temperatures

-Low storage capacity inside the closed tent

-Slower to deploy, more effort to pack up

Hardtop tents are generally made of a hard shell that opens by connecting the two parts with fabric. Most are made of fiberglass, some of aluminum and rarely carbon fiber.

The advantages of rigid tents:

-Super fast set up (usually less than 15 seconds)

-strong durability

-Large interior storage; bed does not have to be re-made

-Better heat retention potential

-Generally thicker and firmer mattress (does not have to be folded for storage)

-Good weather resistance

Disadvantages of rigid tents:

-Space occupied is often double that of soft tents

-Cost of acquisition much higher

 -Impossibility to have additional sections within the tent, access to the tent during bad weather is therefore more difficult

With many products these days, the price is often a reference of the quality of the product, but the gain in benefits is in diminishing returns. That is, the difference between a $1000 RTT and a $2000 one is much greater than between a $4000 tent and a $5000 one.

In the case of roof top tents, two factors are primarily affected.

The first and most obvious is the choice of materials:

The fabric used will be more or less weather resistant. The fabric can be naturally water resistant while others require regular treatment. The top of the range is waterproof; water is not blocked during penetration; it beads on the surface and does not enter the material. The advantage is that the tent can be closed wet without the risk of mildew. High-end textiles are also more resistant to abrasion and stains.

Not all zippers are of equal quality. They are often very long closures exposed to the elements. Repair work on a RTT with specialized fabrics can be extremely expensive, not to mention the difficulty of finding a specialist who can make the repair.

The floor of soft tents can be made of composite materials or plywood. The weight and durability of composites are better.

The thickness of the fiberglass in the tents varies from one model to another; greater the thickness, the better the resistance to cracking. There are also several levels of quality in the fiber fabrics used in the manufacturing process of fiberglass products.

The second major factor affecting price is attention to detail and the amount of detail in the design:

-Interior storage pockets

-Waterproof exterior shoe pockets

-Quality of the ladder

-Solar lights

-Solar powered fan

-Details to facilitate opening and closing (air expeller, ropes, elastics)

-Canopy to protect openings

-Number of openings

-Load capacity on the roof of the tent (e.g., kayak or bicycle rack)

The installation of an RTT requires special attention. It is a very heavy element for the roof load capacity of many vehicles. It is important to check the manufacturer’s specifications, while considering the weight of the tent and the people who will sleep in it. For example, a four-person tent will easily hold 600lbs in this case some quality loading poles are necessary, and this is an important element to consider in the purchase cost. Tents are more often than not made overseas, specifically in China. As in many areas, the Chinese supply is highly variable. Contrary to popular belief, the level of quality depends more on what the designer orders than where it is manufactured. Quality control on an assembly line is a paid service that is part of the unit price of the product when ordered by a Canadian, American or other designer. This is true no matter where it is manufactured.

Of the four Canadian manufacturers, Treeline Outdoors and Burmis Oudoors are from Alberta and GoXplore is from Quebec. These manufacturers all offer several levels of quality and detail in their tent models. All three seem to have multiple customers satisfied enough to proclaim it publicly.

http://treelineoutdoors.com/

: http://www.goxplore.ca/

Burmis Outdoors https://burmisoutdoor.com/

Since the publication of the article, another manufacturer has been identified;

Wild Coast Tents, Nouvelle Écosse: https://wildcoasttents.com/

Photo Credit: David Drouin

Vincent Bouchard, Overland Québec Administrator, Collaborator 4x4SetupMagazine

When we say to our partner « I’m going for a ride in my 4×4, » it means that we do not always know what time or even what day we are coming back. For Marc Mellet, going for a ride sometimes means driving 70 000 km and crossing 25 countries for 2 years. I’d like to tell you about this adventure, which put a 4×4 to the test in the true sense of the word.

Prior to this long journey, Marc had already tried, 7 years earlier, to reach Kamtchatka, a 1250-kilometre-long volcanic peninsula located in the Russian Far East which juts out into the Pacific Ocean. However, an accident (barrel roll) near the town of Magadan prevented him from carrying out his project. As Marc does not usually give up his goals, he set up a new travel plan to reach the volcanic peninsula. About two years before the big departure date, he met Jeanne-Sarah Savart who became his travel partner as well as the writer of the book which tells the story of their trip.

The two enthusiasts decided to begin their adventure in a Land Cruiser BJ75. They left in 2012 and went through Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia, Russia, and Japan.

Such journeys should not be undertaken with just any vehicle. The Land Cruiser was bought in 2001 for €6000 (Can$8954 today) with 270 000 km on the odometer. It had to undergo several modifications to accomplish its heavy task two years later. When the adventure started, the odometer already indicated 434 435 km, and 70 000 km were added with the journey.

Engine: Replacing the engine was the first major transformation. The original 3.4-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine (a 3b) only produced 90 hp, which was insufficient for the trip. It was replaced by a more modern Toyota engine from an HDJ80, a 12-valve 4.2-litre turbo diesel (1HDT) boosting the power to almost 170 hp. This modification forced Marc to also change the engine mounts, radiator, alternator, air filter, etc.

Tires: Michelin YZL 255/100-16 were chosen, and Toyo Open Country M/T 265/75-16 were chosen for the snowy part of the trip.

Suspension: Marc fitted two OME gas shocks to each wheel, as well as King Springs HD OME HHD rear leaf springs.

Fuel tanks: The vehicle was equipped with three tanks for a long range: the 90-litre original tank, a 95-litre Long Range Automotive central tank, and a 150-litre tank located at the rear. It may seem a lot, but it was necessary for a worry-free adventure.

Money: One of the first things, of course, that comes to mind when we hear about such a project, how much does it cost? In their case, they told me that they estimated their budget at €1200 per month, or about Can$1791. This amount included the required visas, food, some repairs, and fuel which accounted for half of the budget. They received money from a French off-road magazine. In exchange, Jeanne-Sarah had to write 7 article pages every month about their trip. They were also lucky enough to have a major sponsorship from Euro4x4parts which helped a lot by sending hundreds of spare parts during the trip.

I asked them what their typical day looked like. Here is their response: “Discovery and the unexpected have been our daily lot during these two years. There was no definite plan. Apart from visa constraints, we made our way at random and according to meetings. We ended up not driving much as we preferred to spend a few days at a place to enjoy it or its people. Our vehicle allows us to bivouac anywhere and be self-sufficient in nature or in the city. We slept mainly in our 4×4 or with the locals who invited us. We must say that our Land Cruiser is an incredible socializing tool. It draws attention and questions, and it allows us to meet people”.

“We have traveled in all seasons. There were periods of severe cold weather or very hot weather. In Siberia in winter, our heater, which had been damaged when we overturned the truck a few months earlier, refused to work when it was -40 °C. Fortunately, our duvets are designed for very low temperatures, and we slept with our shapkas on our head. In the end, the hardest part was not so much resisting the cold than managing our water supply. An hour to thaw a bottle every morning; enough to die of thirst in front of a large ice cube”.

Every day brought something new and exciting, but nothing could parallel the adrenaline rush that the adventurers had during the crossing of Lake Baikal. Located in southern Siberia, in eastern Russia, it is the largest reservoir of liquid freshwater on Earth’s surface, approximately 23 500 cubic km. The water is unusually transparent and clear, and one can see up to 40 metres deep. The lake is sometimes nicknamed the Pearl of Siberia. The adventurers drove some 400 kilometres on the frozen lake, sometimes in the middle of a storm, avoiding crevasses. They never lost sight of the fact that the ice could give way at any time. There, help is so far away that by the time it would have taken to arrive, they would have had time to turn into Mr. Freeze.

It was precisely the adrenaline and all the adventures that convinced them to write a book. It was no longer a simple journey but an adventure that they wanted to share with the rest of the world. Marc, who is a professional photographer, was able to bring a very personal touch, which we can admire in the book. There is also a book about Marc’s first trip: Davai Kamtchatka.

I also asked them about their next project. They already had a lot of ideas in mind. But first, they had to repair the Land Cruiser since it had suffered a bit on the last trip. A film about their adventure was not excluded from the possibilities. As for next destinations, they were thinking about Iceland and Africa.

Website link: https://www.facebook.com/lemondepourpassager/