Last Feb. 8 to 10, over 200 rigs participated in the 2020 Overland Xpo held at Botolan, Zambales near the crater of Mt. Pinatubo. The event, organized by the Mototesto Overland Off-Grid Expedition Group, was a gathering of adventure seekers and 4×4 enthusiasts to test their vehicles and equipment for reliability and self-sufficiency.
The term “Overlanding” is derived from the Australian term which means herding livestock over very long distances. Today, it’s a hobby where one prepares for self-sufficient long-distance travel, where the journey itself is part of the adventure.
The Black Rhino Adventure Team, headed by Sam Liuson, participated in this year’s event to showcase the capability and performance of Black Rhino Off-Road Wheels and Nitto Tires. “This is the perfect event to do real-life testing of our products. It’s a combination of long-distance freeway driving, tricky off-road terrain plus a few river crossings. You have to be confident with your wheels and tires to go on an adventure like this,” says Black Rhino Wheels – Philippines president Sam Liuson.
“Our R&D is not just done at the laboratories and factories but also in the great outdoors. This year, we tested three sets of Nitto Exo Grapplers which are over five years old and in varying degrees of wear and tear. The Nitto Exo Grappler All-Weather tires are rated between All-Terrain (A/T) and Mud-Terrain (M/T) tires and they performed really well in the different terrain. It goes to show that not all tires necessarily expire after five years from the production date, as long as they are stored and maintained properly,” adds Liuson.
“We invite everyone to join our future events and experience the adventure,” says Tim Tuazon of Mototesto. “Part of the fun is also the camaraderie and of course, the food!” exclaims Tim. Their group has been organizing the event on its fifth year already and overlanding is surely here to stay in the Philippines.
For those who wish to learn more about overlanding, visit the Overland Philippines page on Facebook. This event was supported by Black Rhino Off-road Wheels, Nitto Tires, Koni Suspension, Adventure Kings, Mammoth Overland Equipment, DAWG Outfitters, Line-X, Decathlon, ADV Outfitters and many more!
