SEMA 2019 Photo Essay

Every year, in November, the flagship SEMA show takes place in Las Vegas. Over 2,400 exhibitors gathered this year, showcasing their latest products to the world; while over 70,000 buyers, seeking out emerging trends and in pursuit of new products, explored the grounds. This trade-only show, not for the general public, may be based in the states; but one in four of its 161,000 attendees summon from overseas. Some of these, from Australia. Australia’s own Patriot Campers did not exhibit this year, but Justin and Sarah did attend.

SEMA stands for Speciality Equipment Market Association. The association was first founded in 1963 (with the first SEMA show following in 1967); forming its ranks are manufacturers, distributors, retailers, auto-restorers, restylers and others who have a stake in the automative and aftermarket customisation industries. The show is divided up into sections and of particular interest to our readers here at Camper is the newly introduced Overland Experience section. Overlanding can loosely be defined as travelling, remotely, through terrain in a 4WD, with all of the accessories and amenities on board to sustain you; akin to the Aussie form of touring, with an American twist. Think: accessories accessories accessories.

On show in this section were dressed-up vehicles in their Sunday best; coating these barely recognisable offroad beasts were all of the modifications and additions that transform a regular 4WD into an overlanding machine — trailers, rooftop tents, fridges, power solutions, aftermarket lighting, recovery equipment, you name it. The products had been, in the lead up, specially crafted with wilderness in mind, created to tackle the harshest American terrain, from the desert to the rocky mountains. Here are a few of the most exciting rooftop tents and trailers that attended the SEMA show, within the Overland Experience section, this November in Las Vegas.

Photographs by Cam Inniss.