Scroll through any overland build and it is easy to believe you need all of it: onboard air, a dual battery system, a full roof rack, a winch, a hard shell rooftop tent, a 270 degree awning, and a custom drawer system in the back. Add it up and the accessories can cost more than the Jeep did.
This is not a list of cheap knockoffs of expensive gear. It is ten big-ticket upgrades, each with a different way to solve the same problem for a fraction of the money. For some people the expensive version really is the right call. The point is to pick on purpose, not because every build on the internet has one.
We have left out price tags on purpose. Accessory prices swing a lot by brand and year, so the comparison here is about what each option does and what it costs you in convenience.
In this article
- 10. Satellite phone vs a personal locator beacon
- 9. Onboard air vs a portable compressor
- 8. Dual battery system vs a portable power station
- 7. Dedicated off-road GPS vs a tablet
- 6. Full roof rack vs crossbars
- 5. Long-range fuel tank vs fuel cans
- 4. A winch vs traction boards
- 3. Hard shell rooftop tent vs soft shell
- 2. 270 degree awning vs a pop-up canopy
- 1. Custom drawer system vs storage bins
- Frequently asked questions
10. Satellite phone vs a personal locator beacon
A satellite phone lets you make a call from anywhere, but you pay for the handset and an ongoing service plan, and in an emergency you still have to get a signal and dial.
The alternative: a personal locator beacon, or PLB. Flip it open, trigger it, and it sends a distress signal with your location to search and rescue on the 406 MHz emergency system. There is no subscription. In the US you are required by law to register a 406 MHz beacon with NOAA, and registration is free and needs renewing every two years.
The trade-off: a PLB is for life-threatening emergencies only. It cannot call a buddy for a spare part or a tow. If you want two-way contact for the everyday problems, that is what a satellite messenger or phone is for, and you pay for it every month.
9. Onboard air vs a portable compressor
A hard-mounted onboard air system, often a twin compressor with a tank, fills tires fast and is always there. It is also a real install: mounting, wiring, and a heavy-gauge power feed. Once you are doing all that work, most people go big, which is where the cost climbs.
The alternative: a quality portable compressor. No install, you can move it between vehicles, and on 35 inch tires a good one is slower than onboard air, but not by as much as you would think.
The trade-off: time at the trailhead, and one more thing to pack. If you air down every weekend, onboard air earns its keep. If it is a few beach trips a year, a portable unit does the job. Either way, you need something, because you should never drive home on aired-down tires. Our airing down guide covers why.
8. Dual battery system vs a portable power station
A dual battery system charges while you drive and quietly runs a fridge and lights at camp. It is also technical, high-current 12 volt work that has to be done right, and paying someone to install it is a big part of the cost.
The alternative: a portable lithium power station. It lives in the back, runs the same fridge, and comes out when you need it at home or in a power outage.
The trade-off: charging. You charge it at home before a trip, and on the road it charges slowly from the 12 volt outlet or from a solar panel while you are parked. For weekend trips that is fine. For weeks on the road, charging while you drive is what the dual battery system is for. A middle path many people take: start portable, then wire in a proper charging feed later.
7. Dedicated off-road GPS vs a tablet
Dedicated off-road navigation units are rugged, built for the dash, and priced like it.
The alternative: a tablet or spare phone running an off-road navigation app with offline maps. Look at what people actually use on the trail and a lot of them are running exactly that.
The trade-off: a tablet is less rugged and can overheat on a dash in the sun, and you will need a solid mount. Whichever you choose, download maps before you lose signal, and carry a paper map of where you are going. Electronics fail. Paper does not need a battery.
6. Full roof rack vs crossbars
A full platform rack carries anything and looks the part. But the rack itself weighs something, and that weight comes out of your roof's load rating before you put a single thing on it.
The alternative: a pair of crossbars. They carry a rooftop tent, kayaks, a cargo box, or anything long, and leave more of your load rating for the actual gear. Putting a rooftop tent on a full rack means paying for a platform just to bolt a second platform on top of it.
The trade-off: small, heavy, awkward items like fuel cans, propane tanks, and recovery boards want a platform or dedicated mounts. If you carry a lot of those up top, the rack makes sense. Either way, check your roof's dynamic load rating, because a loaded roof also costs you range. Our piece on why the roofline is your range problem goes into that.
5. Long-range fuel tank vs fuel cans
A larger aftermarket tank, where one exists for your model, adds range permanently. It is also an expensive install for range most people only need a few times a year.
The alternative: approved fuel cans, carried for the trips that need them, with a transfer pump so you are not holding a full can up to the filler.
The trade-off: cans take space, add weight in awkward places, and need a secure mount outside the cabin. If you are regularly running routes with long gaps between gas stations, the tank is worth it. If that is one trip a year, cans do it for a fraction of the cost.
4. A winch vs traction boards
Add up a winch, the bumper to mount it, the install, an isolator switch, and the kit that goes with it (tree saver, snatch block, shackles, dampener, gloves) and it is one of the biggest single spends on a build.
The alternative: traction boards. On sand, mud, and snow, they get you out of more situations than a winch will, and you can use them alone. On a beach, there is often nothing to anchor a winch to anyway.
The trade-off: there are real situations only a winch solves: a steep climb, a stuck vehicle in a river crossing, or pulling someone else out of a spot you cannot reach. If you wheel hard trails, a winch belongs on the Jeep, and our guide to how to use a winch covers doing it safely. If you mostly do beaches, forest roads, and light trails, start with traction boards and a shovel. Our sand driving tips explain why they are the first recovery gear to buy.
3. Hard shell rooftop tent vs soft shell
Hard shell rooftop tents are great. They open and close in seconds, shrug off rain, and many let you leave the bedding inside.
The alternative: a soft shell rooftop tent, often at well under half the price for a good one. It still gets you off the ground, and because most fold out rather than just popping up, many give you more floor space. For a couple with two small kids, a large soft shell can be the better tent outright.
The trade-off: setup takes roughly twice the work, you will be climbing on the Jeep to fold it, bedding usually does not stay inside, and it catches more wind on the highway. If you move camp every night, the hard shell saves real time. If you set up once and stay, the soft shell is hard to beat. Not sold on a rooftop tent at all? Our rooftop tent vs ground tent comparison covers the cheapest option of all.
2. 270 degree awning vs a pop-up canopy
A freestanding 270 degree awning wraps shade around the side and back of the vehicle and deploys in a minute. If you buy one, get a freestanding model that does not need poles and stakes, and get a good one. A cheap one means buying twice.
The alternative: a pop-up canopy, the kind you see at tailgates and ball games. It is a fraction of the price, and for anyone who sets up a base camp it is actually more convenient, because the shade stays put while you take the Jeep out for the day without packing up camp.
The trade-off: a canopy is another thing to carry and set up. If you move every night, the awning wins. If you just want shade off the side of the Jeep, a simple straight pull-out awning costs far less than a 270 and is always there. And skipping a 270 often means skipping the full roof rack it mounts to, which is where the savings really stack up.
1. Custom drawer system vs storage bins
This is usually the biggest single saving. A custom drawer system in the back of a Wrangler or the bed of a Gladiator looks fantastic and keeps everything in its place. It is also permanent, heavy, and expensive.
The alternative: sturdy, stackable storage bins. Color-code them: one for kitchen, one for clothes, one for recovery gear. Pack one set for work and another for the weekend. When you need the space for the dog, a load of lumber, or a friend's gear, they all come out in a couple of minutes.
The trade-off: bins shift unless you strap them down, and they do not look as finished. If you live out of the Jeep for weeks at a time, drawers make daily life easier. For weekends, bins do the job and keep the Jeep a daily driver. Our guide to overland packing and gear storage covers how to load them so nothing moves.
The real question
None of the expensive versions are bad. Most of them are excellent. The question is whether they fit how you actually use your Jeep. Build for the trips you take, not the trips on your feed, and put the savings toward fuel and more time on the trail. When you are ready to set up camp, our Jeep car camping guide covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest alternative to a winch?
Traction boards. On sand, mud, and snow they get you unstuck in most situations, you can use them alone, and they do not need an anchor point. A winch is still the right tool for steep climbs, river crossings, and trail recoveries where boards cannot help.
Do I need a satellite phone for off-roading?
Not for emergencies. A personal locator beacon sends a distress signal to search and rescue with no subscription, and in the US registration with NOAA is free and required. A satellite phone or messenger is for two-way contact, like calling for parts or a tow.
Is a portable power station as good as a dual battery system?
For weekend trips, usually yes. A portable lithium power station runs a fridge and lights and needs no install. The difference is charging: a dual battery system charges as you drive, while a portable unit charges at home, slowly from the 12 volt outlet, or from solar while parked.
Are roof bars enough for a rooftop tent?
Often, yes. A pair of crossbars rated for the load can carry a rooftop tent and leave more of your roof's load rating for the tent itself, since there is no platform rack to subtract. Always check the dynamic load rating for your roof and your bars.
Is a soft shell rooftop tent worth it?
If you set up camp and stay put, yes. A good soft shell often costs less than half as much as a hard shell and many give you more floor space. The trade-off is slower setup, more wind resistance on the road, and bedding that usually cannot stay inside.
Beacon registration information from NOAA SARSAT. Check your vehicle's roof load rating and your owner's manual before adding weight to the roof or modifying electrical or fuel systems. Jeep is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC. Jeep Decal Store is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by FCA US LLC or any accessory brand.
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