Defying The Norm of Being a Woman on The Road

2 comments Feb 10, 2021

Off Road Tents "Women In Overlanding" Special Guest Post

At Off Road Tents we want to bring you the best and most innovative posts in the industry. With this new initiative, we want to open up a space for those independent, strong and norm-breaking women in the overlanding community.

The idea is for customers, readers and followers to read refreshing stories or tips from women in this community, who are many times not given the space to tell their stories.

If you want to be part of this initiative, don't hesitate to send a 500-600 word blog post to our email info@offroadtents.com. 

This is not a sponsorship, we simply want to give an opportunity to all those women in the industry to tell their story. 

In this Special Guest Post we're featuring Maria.

Born and raised in Costa Rica, this off-road lover and enthusiast tell us her experiences prior getting properly equipped for her adventures. 

Maria's Story:

Hey everyone, I'm Maria! 

I wanted to share a little of my story and how I got into overlanding. Besides working long hours from home during the week, I love the outdoors and spending my weekends on new and tough off road adventures.

And honestly, why is it that there is a perception that women can't handle overlanding like men? Why are we constantly seen as not capable of withstanding "rough" travels?

I'm originally from Costa Rica, which is where my love for travels and nature began. Driving through rough trails in the raw Costa Rican soil was always exciting for me. I used to drive my dad's 2006 Mitsubishi L200 4x4 pickup (Triton), that I would take into rivers, beaches, mountains, anywhere I could think of. 

Many times, I encountered people that would tell me that my nomadic lifestyle was simply not for girls. However, I continued to defy the social expectations and kept on living my tough off road adventures through the country.

There was this one time, before I even had a Roof Top Tent, that we went camping to an awesome National Park with hiking trails and caves. At that time, I used to camp on a normal ground tent, because we used to think there was no big difference and it was not worth it spending money on a RTT.

Well, on our first night camping, we had some food inside the tent and left it overnight in a cheap styrofoam cooler we bought for the trip. I believe it was not even midnight, when I felt several stings on my legs that woke me up. 

I opened my eyes and turned on my flashlight to see our tent literally flooded with ants everywhere. They caused immediate pain and red spots all over my body, followed by a tender, itchy pustule that lasted several days.

This is where I decided that I had to make an investment if I wanted to keep enjoying my travels. I decided to buy a Soft Shell Roof Top Tent and a Dometic CFX3 45 Electric Portable Fridge, and never go through a similar situation again.

Since then, I firmly believe that the more equipped you are, the better your adventures will be. Making an investment in big, or even small items, will truly make a huge difference and have a big impact on your outdoor adventures.

It really doesn't matter if you're a man or woman. An overlanding adventure will always be fun if you have the right stuff. 

I love overlanding and having a connection with nature. And I can tell you that nothing will ever stop me from doing what I love. Which is why I advice to keep your dreams intact, have people that support you by your side, and try to always be as equipped as possible... because you never know what you might encounter on the road. 

Best,

Maria Harley