From August 25th-27th, over 19,500 overlanding enthusiasts from around the world descended on the Ranch in Loveland, Colorado to experience Overland Expo Mountain West 2023! There were over 300 registered exhibitors at the expo to help outfit and inspire attendees with the latest in overlanding equipment and gear. The Diode Dynamics team was happy to be one of the exhibitors on site and to interact with the overlanding community.
"This year's attendance to the show was incredible to see," said CJ Juhlin, Social Media Specialist at Diode Dynamics. "Regardless of the weather, overlanding enthusiasts from all across the country showed up to experience the vast diversity of brands and off-road builds!"
As always, Overland Expo MTN West is an epicenter for overlanders to show off their rigs and get inspired by the featured builds that are on display. There were so many incredible builds to see, but we picked a few that were our favorite. Keep reading below to get a look at our favorite overlanding builds from Overland Expo Mountain West 2023!
Table of Contents
Ford Bronco Overlanding Build
The Expedition One Ford Bronco build looks menacingly ready to eat up any overlanding adventure that comes its way, and that's before the ignition is turned. This Bronco has been updated with a sturdy aftermarket bumper that provides grille protection and houses a winch for self-recovery.
The overlanding bumper also houses an SS3 LED Fog Light Kit for a serious upgrade to the factory Bronco fog lights. The SAE Fog optic on the SS3 LED Pods provides a high-intensity output over an extremely wide 80-degree field of view. The selective yellow 3000k color of the pods also delivers a nice contrast to cut through fog and other inclement weather while still maintaining SAE compliance. It's a kit that's made for both on and off-road excursions!
This Ford Bronco build is topped off with an SS5 Windshield CrossLink Lightbar Kit. This kit mounts seven linked SS5 LED Pods above the windshield, providing one seriously powerful overlanding light bar! The mighty SS5 LED pods on this build are also sporting our snap-on covers.
These covers are available in a variety of colors and keep the SS5 LED Pods of the CrossLink LED Light Bar protected from dirt, debris, and whatever else you throw their way. Their snap-on feature also makes them perfect to comply with states that require covers on auxiliary lighting.
Third Generation Toyota Tundra Overlanding Build
This third-generation Toyota Tundra build utilizes the TRD Pro Grille Lightbar Kit to mount an 18-inch Stage Series LED Light Bar into the grille for an OEM-like appearance. The customization on this build continues with the addition of an overlanding-ready bumper that has plenty of room for more off-road lighting upgrades.
Within the lower bumper is a Stage Series 30-inch Amber LED Light Bar. Even though the light bar is compact enough to fit the small space, it still delivers an impressive beam of light thanks to the high-intensity LED chips and patent pending TIR optic that efficiently focuses the output exactly where this overlander needs it to spot hazards.
The bumper is also fitted with a custom fog pocket kit that includes two yellow SS3 LED Pods and two white SSC2 LED Pods to fill in the fog light locations. Not only do these LED pod lights provide incredibly useful fog light illumination they also add to the enhanced look of the overlanding build.
Lastly, we noticed the build utilized the Stage Series Backlit Ditch Light Kit for the Tundra to mount two SSC2 LED pods above the hood. The use of the more compact SSC2 LED pods is a nice way to keep this overlanding build clean yet capable.
5th Gen Toyota 4Runner Overlanding Builds
It was impossible to ignore the popularity of the 5th Gen Toyota 4Runners at the Overland Expo. There were a few that really stood out to us and first was this beauty:
4Runner Lifestyle Build
The 4Runner Lifestyle overlanding build stands out for several reasons. Obviously, this is an incredibly capable overlander. From the oversized tires to the amphibious snorkel, this rig is ready for anything and so are its off-road lighting enhancements!
In addition to the Stage Series 30-inch Amber LED Light Bar in the lower bumper, this build has the vehicle-specific SS3 LED Fog Light Kit for the 2014-2023 4Runner installed. The SS3 LED Pods provide the increased light output overlanders need, and fit in the factory fog light location for a clean, factory-style appearance.
Last but not least, this build features an impressive mounting of 12 SS3 Yellow LED Pods along the roof. The various pods utilize both the spot and combo beam patterns to deliver a custom-built, powerful 4Runner LED light bar that completely illuminates those dark off-road environments with a beautiful yellow contrast!
CBI/Prinsu 4Runner Build
We have to mention the CBI/Prinsu build that was featured outside our mobile showroom throughout Overland Expo Mountain West 2023!
This 4Runner overlanding rig utilizes a lot of the previously mentioned kits within the build while maintaining a clean look. The build incorporates a Stage Series 42-inch Light Bar on the front of the roof rack, providing a focused, high-intensity beam without hindering other overlanding gear, like the rooftop tent.
The overlanding bumper adds a bull bar to the build without being too bulky. It also provides an area to "stealth mount" a 30-inch Stage Series LED Light Bar and two SS5 LED Pods beneath the bull bar for serious off-road lighting that doesn't interfere with the lines of the grille.
The SS3 LED Fog Light Kit on the 4Runner adds increased lighting output to the fog light while maintaining the clean, factory look that's popular among 4runner overlanding fans.
Lastly, the SSC2 LED pods of the Stage Series Backlit Ditch Light Kit provide ample off-road lighting to this overlander while maintaining the overall low-profile look of the build. This overlanding build embodies the saying "less is more" when it comes to their Stage Series Off-Road Lighting selections!
Mercedes Sprinter Overlanding Build
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter also stood out as a popular choice for enthusiasts at Overland Expo MTN West, and for good reason.
With the availability of a capable 4x4 configuration, it's tailor-made for overlanding adventurers. One of the key modifications that truly amps up its off-road capabilities is the addition of off-road lighting. In this particular build, three noteworthy additions enhance its lighting capabilities.
First in line is the SS5 CrossLink 8-Pod LED Light Bar. This powerhouse links together eight SS5 LED pods with impressive light output that can shine nearly a mile away! Thanks to custom-engineered TIR optics, this remarkable output is focused into a useful off-road beam pattern that allows the adventure to continue long into the night.
Additionally, two bumper-mounted SS5 LED Pod Lights sit beneath the bullbar of the bumper, providing an extra punch of light down range. Beyond the increased light output, these pods feature a selectable backlight with eight distinct color options. The backlight feature adds a unique appearance to the rig, especially when coordinated with the roof-mounted CrossLink LED Light Bar backlights.
Finally, we noticed SS3 LED Pod Lights mounted to the A-Pillars. These not only add to the look of the overlanding build but also add a crucial function as ditch lights that illuminate the sides of trails. This increased visibility allows a clearer view of the terrain ahead, ensuring any potential hazards are spotted with ease.
Conclusion
It was great to be able to exhibit at Overland Expo Mountain West 2023 and to engage with enthusiasts in their passion for overlanding. Being a part of the community and helping adventurers enhance their builds is always a highlight for us.
Taking the time to listen to their questions and suggesting Stage Series LED Off-Road Light applications that they could see on several of the featured builds allowed enthusiasts to envision the products on their own overlanding rigs. It's one of the reasons we enjoy Overland Expo MTN West so much.
Want to see where Diode Dynamics will be next? Check out our Events page and see if we'll be at an event near you.
Ready to Buy Stage Series Series LED Off-Road Lights?
If you’re ready to add Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights to your overlanding vehicle, you can upgrade by clicking here or using our dealer locator to find a dealer near you.
Want to know more about Diode Dynamics products? Visit DiodeDynamics.com and subscribe to our newsletter for new product releases and more!
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