Our Story
One Jeep, Built Right
SF Bay Area Overland is a one-rig, one-owner operation — and that's the whole point.
Hi — I'm Thy. I live in Sunnyvale, and like a lot of people here I spent years watching the mountains from a desk. Getting out — really out, past the crowded campground loops — always seemed to demand a garage full of gear and a purpose-built rig. So I built one.
The Jeep started as a stock 2017 Wrangler Rubicon and grew into a complete overlanding basecamp: 37" tires, a 3.5" lift, Fox shocks, a pop-up rooftop tent, a tailgate kitchen, an awning, a fridge-ready power setup, and recovery gear for the just-in-case moments. Every piece earned its spot on real trips — Death Valley washboard, Sierra forest roads, foggy nights on the Lost Coast.
Somewhere along the way I realized the rig could do more good in other people's hands than sitting in my driveway between trips. Since 2021 it's been carrying renters — first-time campers, honeymooners, photographers chasing light, families showing kids their first bear box — into the best country California has.
The idea is simple: you shouldn't need $80,000 and three years of trial-and-error to wake up on a ridgeline. Book the Jeep, bring clothes and food, and go. Everything else — gear, route advice, and a host who answers texts — is already handled.
Built, not bought
Every upgrade on the rig — the lift, the tires, the tent, the kitchen — was chosen and installed for real trail use, then tested on the routes we recommend to renters.
Local knowledge included
Route ideas, campsite tips, fire-permit reminders, where fuel runs out — ask anything, before and during your trip. You're renting a guide's brain along with the Jeep.
Hosted like a friend's rig
One vehicle, one owner. Pickup is personal, the walkthrough is thorough, and if something comes up on the road, you text the person who built it.
The mountains are three hours away and the Jeep is packed. Where do you want to wake up?