For nearly 20 years, AT Overland has played an integral part in what has become the fastest growing segment of the off-road market: overland travel. AT Overland’s story began primarily out of necessity for products built to handle the rigors of off-road travel and outdoors adventure at a time when there was very little available in the U.S. Since that time, AT Overland has evolved into a preeminent outfitter for vehicle-based adventure.

Mario Donovan’s role in AT Overland’s creation is humbling and engaging, and began halfway around the world. Even after knowing Mario for nearly 15 years, I learned a lot about him during this informal Q&A session and I think you’ll find his life experiences, and how they led to AT Overland’s creation, to be a prime example of what makes this market segment so very special. A community of adventurers drawing upon the human element that paints a tapestry special to overland travel.

OutdoorX4: Tell us about AT Overland, how the company was started, and what makes AT Overland unique.

AT: The concept to start a company serving the needs of remote backcountry travelers was percolating in my head in the ‘90s. At the time, I was doing a lot of solo desert travel. On a few occasions I rescued ill equipped adventurers who had broken down or gotten themselves stuck. The desert is unforgiving, and I thought a tour company that could safely provide adventure tourism might have a chance. During this time, in my research for suitable trailers for such an endeavor, I discovered none in the U.S. and hence, Adventure Trailers Inc. was born out of necessity in 2002. In 2007, the company was renamed to AT Overland because we had branched out beyond trailers to fill other voids in the small adventure vehicle market space. I believe what makes us unique is we are a combination of things: consultant, manufacturer, retailer, and installation facility. If we see a high-quality product that makes sense for our clients, then we will sell it and install it. If the high-quality product does not exist, then we design it and manufacture it. We have an exceptionally talented team of craftspeople and staff that are also outdoor enthusiasts who make it possible to be the company that we are.

OutdoorX4: How did you get interested in vehicle-based and overland travel, and how did this evolve into the products AT Overland has carried over the years?

AT: My interest in travel started as a young boy when I got my first bicycle. Suddenly, I could easily travel beyond my neighborhood and explore. On one of those trips I came across an old Cushman three-wheeled delivery van that had a For Sale sign on it, and I remember looking into the back of it and thinking to myself, “I could live in that”. I did a lot of backpacking when I was growing up and the mindset of minimalism in that travel medium was key. I got my first motorcycle at the age of 16 while living in Kenya. The intersection of the bicycle, the internal combustion engine, and my backpacking knowledge led to the inevitable desire to hit the road and explore the bush. Those seminal events in my life have resulted in the compact mobile living systems we create today.

OutdoorX4: My first bike undoubtedly opened a world of adventure for me and at age 4, it was shortly after the film E.T. had been released and was an E.T. bike.

What do you remember from your first bike and are there any specific adventures you imagined as a kid that you enacted on two wheels that still live with you today?

AT: My first bike was black and a used affair reclaimed from a garage somewhere. It was built from a hodgepodge of parts that included a 3-speed hub shifter, side pull brake calipers, and flat touring handlebars. My modifications to it, paid for with my allowance money from chopping wood, were a rat trap carrier and a front headlight that was powered by a generator that turned on the light by engaging a friction wheel onto the side wall of the tire. I’ve never thought about it until you asked this question but I think that bike may have given me the “Modification bug”! We lived in a rural coastal area and my pals and I would plan adventures where we would ride down to the general store, buy a can of Sterno, a package of hot dogs and head up the coast. We’d find a spot to hang out, pick squishy sea creatures from the tide pools and cook our hot dogs on a stick over the Sterno on the beach. I don’t think I realized at that age how big the world was…back then it seemed endless.

OutdoorX4: About ten years ago, AT announced what we recognized as a revolutionary product for the Jeep Wrangler platform: the JK Habitat topper. Over the years AT has developed a myriad of products to attract the larger outdoors recreation segment including the Habitat, Summit, and new Atlas. Can you tell us about those products and the vehicle platforms they are built for?

AT: The JK Habitat topper was designed to offer living space to a very capable vehicle platform. It provided inspiration for more vehicle platforms. The pickup truck is a more versatile canvas to work with when designing mobile living spaces and serves a broader outdoor enthusiast market. The truck toppers we make are designed to provide quickly deployed, comfortable shelter for vehicle-based adventurers. Compared to a slide in camper that forces an interior layout, the topper allows the user to craft their own vision of an interior to suit their needs. We understand that one solution does fit all so that is why we currently offer three distinctly different toppers. We offer all three styles for 5 & 6 foot midsize trucks including the venerable Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, and Jeep Gladiator as well as 5.5, 6.5, 6.75 & 8 foot full size trucks.

OutdoorX4: How do these products compare, in terms of benefit and cost, to a traditional roof rack and roof top tent?

AT: Our toppers weigh 340 – 420 lbs depending upon model and accessories. The average fiberglass truck topper combined with a roof rack and a roof top tent will exceed 550 lbs and have a much taller profile, resulting in increased wind drag and a higher center of gravity. Roof top tents are confined and can be a challenge to get dressed in. If the weather is bad, they do not offer much in the way of living space to sit out a storm. Our toppers solve these problems with their low profile, low center of gravity and cavernous living spaces.

OutdoorX4: OutdoorX4 has positioned itself with editorial that not only highlights the vehicle as the subject but more importantly, the vehicle as a tool to get out and explore whether on four wheels, two wheels, by foot, a kayak, or any means to get in touch with the natural world. How has AT Overland positioned itself to attract the broader outdoors segment?

AT: We have always viewed means of transportation as simply a way to get to where a desired activity is to take place whether that is a rockface to climb, a stream to fish or simply the best happy hour spot on the planet. While we have been very steeped in the 4 x 4 market, we have always tried to portray that we are merely offering the tools that enable you to meet your outdoor activity goals. In recent years we have taken our products to climbing, surfing, wave kayaking, boating and mountain biking events. People understand how our products fit into their adventure goals.

OutdoorX4: You mentioned a rockface to climb and other outdoors endeavors. What kinds of adventures did you have during your time in Kenya?

AT: I was very fortunate to have lived there and be surrounded by so many opportunities and people who allowed me to join them on their adventures or in their work. At age 16 I climbed Mt. Kenya during the off season on a main direct route to Point Lenana at 16,355 ft. I hitch hiked there, catching a ride on a commercial truck filled with bags of grain. I climbed it again a year later, 10 days circumnavigating the peaks and then ascending Batian, the tallest peak at 17,057 ft. I remember looking down at the clouds from there, seeing on the southern horizon the top of Mt. Kilimajaro in Tanzania 300 miles away. It was exhilarating! There were countless other adventures like catching deck fare on an empty cattle boat from Mombasa to the island of Lamu. I spent a week there wandering the labyrinth of streets in the oldest continually inhabited place on the Kenyan coast.  Little did I know back then that Lamu would become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Notable was time spent with my Mom and having morning picnics near watering holes in our VW bug in game parks. I had so many great experiences traveling around East Africa on my own as a young man. The freedom to explore on my own at a young age helped mold the person I am today.

OutdoorX4: Over the past 5-6 weeks the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the world economy but interestingly enough, the overland segment appears to be weathering the storm with consumers spending despite the economic impact of the pandemic. What do you attribute this to?

AT: Adventurers will always be adventurous. Adventurers are self-reliant and being prepared for adverse conditions is what we do. Adventurers who have been sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic are spending their time honing their travel kits in preparation for the lifting of restrictions. The allure of being self-reliant and self-contained is very strong right now as many people have been restricted to their homes. With the coming of warm weather, people want to be outside and able to do so without the biological risks of being in a crowd, which makes a lot of sense. Vehicle-based remote travel is the natural modern extension of humans’ nomadic instincts to seek safe haven and greener pastures.

OutdoorX4: AT Overland has played an important role in the growth of the vehicle-based and overland market segments for nearly 20 years. How do you see these segments evolving post-pandemic, and how do you foresee AT Overland meeting the demands of this evolution?

AT: I think the pandemic is merely an interruption to the growing overland market space. The pandemic has brought into question the validity of advice offered and I believe that the future of the market space will rest in tested and trusted knowledge bases like OX4 and web forums like the Expedition Portal. Companies such as ours with breadth, depth, longevity and a history of award-winning innovation will be looked towards to lead the way. We believe the pandemic will highlight the weaknesses in substandard products and the advice of unvetted “experts” while paving the way for highly efficient mobile living systems. AT is currently focused on developing stronger, lighter weight energy efficient products that will allow people to stay out longer while requiring fewer resources.

OutdoorX4: Many of our experiences aren’t just the journey but also what we do once we’re there and the camaraderie along the way. Cocktails, kicking back, and telling stories and having laughs with family and friends. As long as I’ve known you, you and Paul May of Equipt Expedition Outfitters have become “world famous” for the evolution of the Tiki Bar hosted each year at Overland Expo.

What’s your favorite cocktail when you’re on the road?

AT: Hah! Indeed, Paul and I have put on some epic happy hours! If I am traveling solo I try to keep it simple with a decent bourbon neat. If I’m traveling in a group then I will make mixed drinks. While I am known for making margaritas from scratch with good quality Tequila and citrus, one of my default cocktails that never fails to please is a concoction we call a GDE, short for Goes Down Easy. It is made from equal parts of Bombay Dry Gin, Aperol and Fallernum, served over a rock, stirred and with lime wedge squeezed if available. I recommend keeping your lime wedges in your cup to keep track of how many you’ve had to keep yourself out of trouble.

OutdoorX4: Speaking of Overland Expo, along with the Overland Rallies series hosted by Ray Hyland in the Pacific Northwest, AT has participated in an Overland Chef competition that’s become serious stuff. We’re talking gourmet meals and drinks that really enliven those events. Is there a meal or drink you recall as having been off the hook? Have a recipe you’d like to share?

AT: Of all of the events at the Rallies and the Overland Expo, I have to say that the Overland Chef competition is by far my favorite! If you’re on an epic adventure I think one should endeavor to have epic meals whenever possible. The resourcefulness of the chefs working only from their camp kitchen kits, the barest of ingredients and using a locally sourced ingredient really turn out amazingly delicious fare. The meal that stands out for me was actually one of the simplest but executed with such passion and finesse that it was mind blowing. It was made by a young couple from Mexico, both of them chefs, circumnavigating the globe two up on a motorcycle. With only a one burner MSR stove they made a sweet potato hash topped with a water poached egg, slashed the top to let the yolk run out to make the sauce. With only two simple core ingredients and a few spices they were carrying, they made a savory and comforting meal that I would gladly pay good money for at a fine restaurant. Just goes to show that the really good stuff in life is actually the simplest.

OutdoorX4: We’ve only tapped the surface on the experiences that led you from your first bike ride to adventures in Kenya to being a proprietor of AT Overland. For those who are interested in learning more about you and how AT Overland products can complement their adventures, what’s the best way to contact AT Overland, and where can they see your products in person?

AT: To see our products on the web, visit www.atoverland.com. We have an active daily presence on Instagram and Facebook where we like to share what is going on in our shop, our adventures, and the adventures of our customers. It is a great way to see what is fresh with us. People can check in with us @ATOverland .

We allow host visits to our shop by appointment in Prescott, Arizona, and we can also be found at several events like the Overland Rallies series and the Overland Expo.

Editor Note: The Around the Campfire series is brought to you in collaboration with our friends from 67 Designs, proprietors of the finest mounting solutions for your mobile devices whether in the backcountry, around town, and at home. Learn more about 67 Designs by visiting www.67d.com.

OutdoorX4 Magazine – Promoting responsible vehicle-based adventure travel and outdoors adventure