ROAMING LOST
A RAM 1500 REBEL ECODIESEL TAKES A PHOTOGRAPHER ON A NEXT-LEVEL ADVENTURE.
John Kingston, better known on social media as “Roaming Lost,” has spent his time traveling for the majority of his life. Born in New York and raised in New Hampshire, the professional photographer traveled around the country after a stint attending a fine arts school in Boston.
“‘WHILE WORKING FOR CLIENTS ON THE ROAD, I NEEDED SOMETHING I COULD GET SOME WORK DONE IN, OUT OF THE ELEMENTS, AND ALSO HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR ALL MY GEAR.’” —JOHN KINGSTON
In his earlier years, he took on odd jobs to get by while chasing after his photography dream job. His situation brought him to California, Idaho and places in between until he settled down back in California, which he currently calls home. This experience made him accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle. With the constant moving and traveling, it’s no wonder he finds himself deeply embedded in the overland community today.
Kingston began his career working with various streetwear brands, including Us vs. Them and Rebel8, for which he was the full-time photographer. He transitioned to shooting motorcycles and automobiles, working for a handful of brands as a freelance photographer. This led to working in the off-road and overland space, where he found his niche and has worked with notable brands and companies such as OnX, Redarc Electronics, Rigid and Super Pacific. Working with these brands allows him to spend more time doing what he loves—traveling and shooting photos.
Vehicle Swapping
His first taste of long-term travel wasn’t what might be expected. He was taking extended
road trips behind the wheel of a Toyota Prius. He drove across the country from Southern California up through the Pacific Northwest. He often slept in the car and grew accustomed to life on the road.
He then purchased a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, which was still quite small but more capable on the trails than his hybrid. Eventually, he sold the Jeep and transitioned to a Mitsubishi Montero, which was even more capable and built to his needs. This rig quickly helped him realize his calling was in the overland, off-road, outdoor world. After some time, he felt he’d maxed out the Montero and felt as if he’d hit a wall, because he wanted more space, as well as more of a “home-on-wheels.”
Kingston explained, “While working for clients on the road, I needed something I could get some work done in, out of the elements, and also have plenty of room for all my gear.”
Through several conversations with his cousin, who works with RAM, he decided to upgrade to a full-sized truck. He had his eyes set on the 2020 RAM 1500 Rebel EcoDiesel. Kingston found the only Rebel in California that wasn’t completely optioned-out with upgrades such as parking sensors, cruise control—or, in his words, “the fancy stuff.” It was just what he was looking for, and he became the owner of a brand-new truck.
Long-Term RAM Goals
With some experience under his belt and fine-tuning what his rig needs and wants were, the build process began. Kingston’s
goal was long-term usability and reliability.
He began the project in phases and, much as with other builds, he started by updating the wheels and tires and opted for a set of 18-inch Raceline Scouts wrapped with 35x12.5 Cooper Discoverer S/T MAXX tires. Next would be the suspension in order to provide more clearance for the large tires. He elected to install a Bilstein B8 6112 front coilover suspension paired with Falcon rear shocks. Additionally, Total Chaos Fabrication upper control arms were added to improve wheel travel.
Because Kingston often found himself driving through remote destinations in search of new campsites, a collection of Rigid Industries lights was installed on the RAM to illuminate the surroundings. This included a Rigid 50-inch Adapt lightbar, a pair of D-XL Ditch lights, 6-inch 360 Series Spots, 360 Series
SAE ambers and SR-L lights.
“WORKING WITH THESE BRANDS ALLOWS [KINGSTON] TO
SPEND MORE TIME DOING WHAT HE LOVES—TRAVELING AND SHOOTING PHOTOS.”
According to Kingston, one benefit of the new 3.0 EcoDiesel is its third-generation redesign. It has improvements for performance,
efficiency and reliability; and so far, he hasn’t experienced any issues with it. After all, dependability is key for off-the-grid travel. And, despite the various modifications to the truck, when it comes to performance, Kingston has peace of mind.
The only upgrade he’s done to the motor is the addition of a Banks PedalMonster for better throttle response and adjustability.
Kingston has elected to keep the RAM clean, with minimal armor. The lone aftermarket protection is provided by a pair of White Knuckle Off Road sliders. This decision also helps eliminate extra weight so that his truck is more agile while traveling.
The Build-Out
As a photographer, Kingston relies on the ability to work while on the road. This often means editing photos under a starry sky and through all sorts of weather conditions. Having a dedicated workspace is a necessity, so he turned to the folks at Super Pacific to install the Switchback X1 camper shell. This
“JOHN KINGSTON, BETTER KNOWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS ‘ROAMING LOST,’ HAS SPENT HIS TIME TRAVELING FOR THE MAJORITY OF HIS LIFE.”
system combines the comfort of a hard-shell rooftop tent with the versatility of an integrated gear-mounting system, along with the security of a commercial-grade truck canopy.
He worked with Goose Gear to integrate the camper build-out with the new camper shell. A collection of the company’s drawer and utility modules was installed to fit his ideal layout in the truck bed for organization and storage.
A Dometic 45 CFX3 and Partner Steel 18-inch stove are neatly tucked within one of the modules and conveniently slide out at the campsite, ready for the next meal. An 11-pound propane tank is close by and is mounted with an Expedition Essentials propane mount. With this system, Kingston’s
supplies are stored neatly and safely. Additional storage can be found on the exterior, with two A042 Aluboxes mounted on the Front Runner custom camper roof rack above the truck’s cabin.
The need for power is one detail that definitely wasn’t overlooked: A Redarc RedVision Total Vehicle Management System serves as the brain for Kingston’s electronics, providing total control and monitoring. Additionally, an XPLOR by Sunflare 210w solar panel is mounted above his rooftop tent. A 1000w inverter helps convert the energy from the sun into usable power for all the devices. A Lion Energy 105ah lithium battery helps provide more power and performance.
An ARB twin compressor with the Rago
Fabrication “Wifey” Air System allows him to simultaneously air-up or -down all four tires, thereby saving precious time on the trail.
Rounding out the interior modifications is a 67 Designs dash-mount system for his iPad mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max (which is used for navigation, along with the OnX trail map app). Communication is provided by a Midland MXT275 two-way radio.
Kingston built his RAM to be a homeaway-from-home, which means bringing some of the convenience and comfort of a house on the road. A diesel heater was installed to provide heat for those frigid nights inside the camper shell, while a Joolca hot water heater was added to help
“HE WAS ABLE TO START A NEW INITIATIVE—THE OUR LAND PROJECT—WITH HIS FIANCÉE AND A COUPLE OF FRIENDS. THE PROJECT PROVIDES KITS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO HELP CLEAN UP THE PUBLIC LANDS THEY OCCUPY WHEN CAMPING.”
heat the 10 gallons of onboard water.
The Next Chapter
After having traveled to many destinations over the years, he found one trip to Utah to be particularly memorable. During this trip, he spent close to three weeks exploring new locations and experiencing destinations such as Moab. He still loves trips up Highway
395 and longer trips to the Pacific Northwest. However, his longest trip to date will be later this year, when he plans to spend a majority of time on the East Coast to see the fall colors.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this past year, Kingston got a chance to slow down and put things into perspective. He was able to start a new initiative—the Our Land Project—with his fiancée and a couple of friends. The project provides kits to inspire people to help clean up the public lands they occupy when camping. His deep respect for the public lands, along with the environmental impact from travelers, was the driving force for this new project.
“It’s frustrating to go out there and see the glass and trash everywhere,” Kingston says. In the past few years, he’s helped organize a few cleanups of popular camping locations in Joshua Tree (unfortunately, they were postponed last year).
While Kingston’s spent a good part of his life roaming and traveling the country, he’s definitely no longer “lost,” because he’s settled into his new home within the overlanding and outdoor community. With a wedding planned in the near future and thoughts of starting a family, the next chapter will be even more memorable for the photographer.
(Follow John Kingston’s adventures on Instagram: @roaminglost or online: roaminglost. com. For information about the Our Land Project, visit www.ourlandproject.com.)
“WHILE KINGSTON’S SPENT A GOOD PART OF HIS LIFE ROAMING AND TRAVELING THE COUNTRY, HE’S DEFINITELY NO LONGER ‘LOST,’ BECAUSE HE’S SETTLED INTO HIS NEW HOME WITHIN THE OVERLANDING AND OUTDOOR COMMUNITY.”