Chinese Overland Gear: What’s Worth It and What’s Junk?

Some of our favorite overland gear came from China. Some things we wouldn’t touch. So where do we draw the line?This week on the CAMO Convoy Podcast, Nick and Aaron go through the gear we put on our trucks, take camping, and trust to get us home. From LED lights and Baofeng radios to recovery equipment, batteries, brakes, and diesel heaters, we talk about where buying cheap makes sense and where we’re spending the extra money.First, there’s a distinction worth making: an American company designing a part and having it manufactured in China isn’t necessarily the same thing as buying an unknown brand straight off an online listing. Design, materials, testing, and quality control matter. So does knowing what you actually need the thing to do.We get into:• LED pods and light bars, inflated output claims, and interference with your radios• Budget radios and why we like having more features for less money• Hard shackles, soft shackles, recovery ropes, and what we’re willing to trust under load• LiFePO4 batteries, power stations, and Nick’s homemade battery box running his camping fridge• Cheap brake parts, shocks, and tires• Diesel heaters, 12V fridges, tents, and awnings• Wiring and fasteners that deserve more thought than “well, it fits”There are some hard passes, some surprisingly easy yeses, and plenty of gear that’s already riding around in our trucks. We also get sidetracked by parts counter disasters and introduce the Riff Raff Nation merch. As usual.What’s the best cheap gear you’ve bought? And what bargain turned out to be complete junk? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe for more overlanding, trail talk, truck builds, camping, and the occasional questionable financial decision.Shiny side up, muddy side down.#Overlanding #CAMOConvoy #BudgetOverlanding