👥 Community & Friends

Connect with fellow overlanders worldwide

Join the Overlanding Community

Community & Friends is your social hub for connecting with overlanders worldwide. Share experiences through the feed, discover people nearby, engage in forums, and chat directly with friends.

On This Page

Community Overview

The Community & Friends page features four main tabs, each serving a unique purpose in connecting you with the overlanding community.

Four Tab Structure

Tab Icon Purpose
Feed 📰 Social media-style posts from people you follow
People 👤 Search, discover, and connect with overlanders
Forums 💬 Discussion boards organized by topics
Chat 💬 Direct messages and group conversations
🔔 Remembers Your Place: The app remembers which tab you were viewing, so you'll return to the same tab when you come back.

Feed Tab

Your personalized social feed showing posts from people you follow.

Understanding the Feed

Post Types

Creating a Post

1 Tap FAB: The floating "+" button on the Feed tab
2 Write Content: Type your message (up to 1000 characters)
3 Add Photos: Attach up to 10 images
4 Tag Location: Optionally link to a location
5 Tag Trip: Associate with a trip if relevant
6 Post: Share with your followers

Interacting with Posts

Comments

💡 Engagement Tip: Posts with location tags and photos get significantly more engagement. Share your best trail moments to inspire the community!

People Tab

Discover and connect with overlanders around the world or nearby.

Search for People

1 Search Bar: Type names, usernames, or keywords
2 Real-Time Results: Users appear as you type
3 Clear Search: X button returns to all users

View Modes

List View (Default)

Map View

Switching Between Views

Map View Features

🗺️ Privacy First: Map view only displays users who explicitly enabled "Share contact details" in their profile settings. You control whether you appear on the map.

User Profiles

Tap any user card to view their complete profile:

Follow System

⚠️ Location Privacy: Your exact location is never shared without consent. Enable location sharing in profile settings only if comfortable appearing on the community map.

Forums Tab

Participate in threaded discussions organized by categories and topics.

Forum Categories

Forums are organized into broad categories:

Browsing Topics

Creating a New Topic

1 Select Category: Choose the most appropriate forum
2 Tap "New Topic": Button in the top right
3 Title: Write a clear, descriptive title
4 Content: Provide detailed information
5 Add Media: Upload photos if helpful
6 Post: Topic is now live

Replying to Topics

Forum Etiquette

Moderator Features

Forum moderators can:

💡 Forum Tip: The "Latest Updates" section on your Home Dashboard shows the 3 most recent forum topics, helping you stay connected even when not in the Forums tab.

Chat Tab

Private messaging for direct conversations and group chats.

Chat Types

Direct Chats

Group Chats

Chat Rooms

Starting a Direct Chat

1 Tap Chat FAB: The "+" button on the Chat tab
2 Select "Start Direct Chat": From the menu
3 Choose Friend: Select from your following list
4 Start Messaging: Chat room opens automatically

Creating a Group Chat

1 Tap Chat FAB: The "+" button on the Chat tab
2 Select "Create Group Chat": From the menu
3 Name the Group: Give it a descriptive title
4 Add Members: Select people from your follows
5 Create: Group chat is ready to use

Chat Features

Chat Management

Chat List

The main Chat tab displays:

🔔 Notifications: Customize notification settings for chats in your profile settings. Choose between all messages, mentions only, or muted.

Following System

Build your network by following overlanders who inspire you.

How Following Works

What You See When Following

Following vs. Friends

Overlander uses a follow model rather than mutual "friend requests":

Managing Your Follows

Finding People to Follow

💡 Building Your Network: Start by following trip organizers and active forum contributors. Engage genuinely in the community, and your follower count will grow naturally.

Privacy & Sharing Settings

Control what information you share with the community.

Location Privacy

Share Contact Details Toggle

Found in your profile settings (Edit Profile):

What's Always Private

What's Always Public

Controlling Visibility

Profile Settings

Post Settings

Chat Privacy

⚠️ Think Before Sharing: Information shared publicly (posts, forum threads, public trip details) can be seen by anyone using Overlander. Only share what you're comfortable with being public.

Reporting & Blocking

Report Content

Block Users

Community Guidelines

Be a positive member of the Overlander community:

Be Respectful

Treat all community members with respect. Disagree on ideas, not people. Personal attacks, harassment, and discrimination have no place in Overlander.

Share Responsibly

Respect private property, protected areas, and fragile ecosystems. Don't share exact coordinates of sensitive locations. Follow Leave No Trace principles.

Give Credit

Acknowledge others' contributions. If you learned a route from someone, give them credit. If you're sharing photos, tag the photographer.

Help Others

Remember when you were new to overlanding. Be patient and helpful with beginners. Share your knowledge generously.

Safety First

Never encourage dangerous behavior. If you see someone planning something unsafe, speak up kindly. We're a community that looks out for each other.

Keep It Legal

Don't promote illegal activities, trespassing, or violations of land use regulations. Respect closures and restrictions.

Making the Most of Community

💡 Engage Authentically: The best way to build connections is genuine engagement. Comment thoughtfully, share helpful information, and celebrate others' adventures.

Content Ideas

Growing Your Network