Lead image by Heather Lewis
Photography by Richard Giordano, Heather Lewis, Regine Trias, Ernesto Araiza, and Paolo Baraldi
After the hubbub of the Rebelle Rally finish line, but before the glitz of the gala, competitors open their vehicle doors for a show-and-tell called Cars and Coffee. Family, friends, and guests peek inside each rig, checking out everything from navigators’ cockpits decked out with calculators, pens, and maps to pop-top camper conversions and dusty rear seats.
The off-road navigation rally tests competitors’ skills with maps, compasses, and roadbooks to locate checkpoints throughout Nevada, Utah, and California. This year, tumultuous weather took it up a notch, bringing aggressive flooding and screaming sandstorms into the mix. Like overlanding, the Rebelle Rally requires sufficient organization, vehicle recovery skills and equipment, robust camping gear, and clothing, though in this particular case, the entire kit and kaboodle moves en masse from Las Vegas, Nevada, to the Imperial Sand Dunes in California over eight days of competition.
Coffee cup in hand, I meandered between Jeeps and INEOS Grenadier platforms, Toyotas, and all-wheel drive vehicles, eager to learn more about the Rebelles’ favorite pieces of gear. Below are a few perspectives, including the four-wheel-drive-trainer-slash-motorsports approach, the Land Rover enthusiast approach, and the long-term travel approach.
Team 114: Connie Rodman and Rachael Elseman
A mutual love for overlanding and conservation (plus working together at Overland Expo) set the stage for Connie and Rachael’s decision to team up for the 2026 Rebelle Rally. The two came well prepared: Connie journeyed from London to Cape Town in 2004 and completed Australia’s Madigan Line and Canning Stock Route, while Rachael spent two years living in a converted school bus with her husband, traveling to all of the lower 48 states. Rodman and Elseman piloted the AEV JL370 2023 Jeep Rubicon during the rally, which housed some of their favorite gear items.
National Luna Dual Zone Fridge/Freezer, Goose Gear Solo Fridge Slide
Unsurprisingly, the fridge is a popular piece of kit among Rebelle competitors as it provides comfort during long, arduous days spanning various trail conditions and climatic zones. “I love that we can have cold drinks at the end of the day…. Unfortunately, since I don’t have a dual battery, it couldn’t maintain the freezing temperature all the time, but it did keep everything cool all the time,” Connie says. The full-extension Goose Gear Solo fridge slide provided more than cold-drink access—the team stored other paraphernalia, including extra map boards, beneath the fridge.
Goose Gear Stealth and Sleep Package
Connie points to the Goose Gear Stealth Sleep package as another go-to piece of kit. “This system is so tough. It’s been through two rallies, and it hasn’t even scratched. Once it’s vacuumed and wiped down, it looks perfect.” The V2 package fits JLUs with or without a factory subwoofer and includes the newly redesigned 40% and 60% seat deletes and pillow extensions for 6 feet of sleeping space, which the team used to stack 10 days’ worth of camping and off-road gear.
Matador SEG Hybrid Travel Pack
Rachael describes this ever-popular Matador duffel as a “dresser on the go.” With separate compartments for socks, underwear, pants, and shirts, she counted the zippers in the dark during 5:00 a.m. (or earlier) wake-up calls, grabbing clothes in a pinch. “It’s also set up as a backpack with room for a laptop. You can unclip it and stuff the straps inside the bag.” The SEG Hybrid also transforms into a duffel bag, features several handles, and offers plenty of inside storage space for toiletries, shoes, or jackets.
Team 129: Nena Barlow and Hurricane Felton
Having met through the Jessi Combs Foundation a few years ago, Nena Barlow and Hannah “Hurricane” Felton bring a 4WD, rock-crawling, and motorsports approach to the Rebelle Rally. Nena’s career as a four-wheel-drive trainer and Hannah’s work at the Bent Motorsports off-road shop in San Diego (not to mention her experience racing King of the Hammers) mean gear must truly stand up to sand, mud, dust, and more. The team celebrated a stage win on Day 5 and crossed the finish line with their third teammate, a stock 2026 Jeep Gladiator Mojave.
ARB Stormproof Bags
“I bought my first set of ARB storm bags in 2012. I still have them,” Nena says. “‘Storm’ is an understatement—these have lived on my roof or in the bed of my truck through Arizona sun, Mojave desert sand, Utah monsoon mud, California snow and fire, Nevada lakebed dust, every Rebelle Rally I have been in, and even some Georgia mud. I finally broke the end handles on the oldest big bag. But since it still functions (and looks like new inside), it still serves. I will never not own a set of these.”
Fjällräven Pants
“Just like iPhones have an app for everything, these pants have a pocket for everything, yet still manage to feel comfortable and look amazing even when you are carrying everything from a phone and a radio to a multi-tool, wallet, and lip gloss in them—plus a wad of receipts you keep forgetting to turn in,” Nena says. “I have tried to destroy these pants, and can’t. They go everywhere I work in the rocks, sand, mud and snow, yet still clean up and can go to dinner.”
5.11 Boots
Nena says she typically leans toward mid-height boots for flexibility, but with just enough boot to fend off rocks from her ankle bones. “I didn’t think I would find enough flexibility in these higher side-zip boots. These are my go-to work footwear. I can carry heavy loads up and down hills in comfort, scramble over rocks and through muddy terrain, yet they breathe well enough for the dunes while keeping the sand out. Truly the all-terrain hike/work/get there boot—all with the laziness of a zipper on the side.”
Team 155: Jenna Fribley and Liza Beres
Jenna and Liza met at a Land Rover festival in 2020 and haven’t looked back. This year marked the team’s fifth Rebelle Rally, in which they piloted a 2025 Land Rover Defender provided by Sarek Autowerke. The duo has driven classic Land Rovers everywhere from Utah to Scotland, Baja, and South Africa, but the highlight was cruising in Queen Elizabeth II’s 1954 Series One 86-inch Land Rover in the Tour d’Elegance at Pebble Beach. The camaraderie and resourcefulness of the global Land Rover community shape their approach to the Rebelle, which includes bonding with other teams along the way.
Zarges Aluminum Cases
“Zarges cases were used on the Camel Trophy, so we love that they care about that history as much as we do,” says Liza. “We put little things up there that we don’t want bouncing around in the back of the car. We bushwhacked and went through crazy trees and stuff like that, and they still look perfect. They’re fabulous.” Dust and moisture protection came in handy during flooding and sandstorms that rocked this year’s rally course through Nevada, Utah, and California, while the large, ergonomic handles encouraged easy access.
Saltek Motorsports New Defender Tailgate Rack
“This Saltek rear cargo carrier has been really clutch in that everything is accessible for a short person like me,” Liza says. “I can reach everything, which is really great, and it’s easily deployed in the dunes if you need it. Last year we used the fire extinguisher on course, and to be able to just pull it off the back of the car really fast was great.” Constructed from a combination of aluminum and steel, this tailgate rack weighs 33 pounds and measures 36 x 16 x 5 inches.
Saltek Motorsports Custom-built Cargo Divider
Liza says being able to strap gear items to this custom-built rack helped organize and divide their belongings during this year’s rally. “It also has a shelf, which you can see from the back, where we stored our helmets during transit periods. I also hung my backpack from it.” The vehicle’s owners, Ralf and Kathleen Sarek, also added a host of modifications, including air suspension, 2-inch lift coils with Ohlins remote reservoir shocks, underbody protection, and a custom roof rack with side rail access and Rotopax mounts.
Rookie Rebelles: Ultimate Gear Items
Team 165: Lindsay Almberg, Navigator: The Exped MegaMat Duo
Team 154: Morgan Carden, Driver: Onwrd Supply Co. Headrest
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Team 121: Kristina Reed, Driver | Hest Camp Pillow
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