The Off-Road Expo in Costa Mesa, California, provided Expedition Portal with the opportunity to meet with Hankook Dynapro Tire and one of their tire experts, Andrew Dunn, to discuss the rugged terrain tire category, while taking a close look at the Dynapro XT as an example. Presented by Hankook Dynapro Tire Rugged terrain (RT) tires have…
Expedition Portal’s 2025 Overlanders of the Year :: Leigh and Stephanie Dearle of GrizzlyNBear Overland
The American author Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” The 2025 Overlanders of the Year, Leigh and Stephanie (Steph) Dearle, live this idea fully. Since 2017, they have traveled full-time in their Land Rover Defender (“Bear”) and Four Wheel Camper (“Grizzly”), covering more than 242,000…
Beauty and the Beast: Facing the Sublime in the Italian Alps
Photography by Richard Giordano In A Philosophical Inquiry Into the Origins of Our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful (1757), Edmund Burke identified the sublime as the overwhelming sensation we feel in response to intense natural phenomena. Burke believed that sharp cracks of lightning, dizzying heights, hurricanes, storms, and waterfalls instilled a sense of…
Custom Delica D:5 and Delica Mini Take Centre Stage at Tokyo Auto Salon 2026
Almost a month ago, President Trump made a comment at a press conference saying he had approved the construction of tiny cars in America, sending many American car enthusiasts into a frenzy. The notion of an affordable, pint-sized adventure vehicle has obvious appeal, and there is little doubt that Japan’s hugely popular kei cars (an…
Overland Conservation: Beaches and Oceans
Photography by Leander Nardin/Akela World Am I the only one who has willed my eyes to stop blinking when confronted by a vibrant sunset at the beach? I can’t bear to miss a moment. Salt particles suspended in the air cause shorter wavelengths of light, like violet and blue, to scatter. As a result, showy…
2025 Off-Road Expo with Expedition Portal and Hankook Dynapro Tire
The southern California coast in October is just about perfect. Temperatures are pleasant throughout the day, and the crowds of vacationers are relatively light. The Expedition Portal team visited Costa Mesa to attend the 2025 Off-Road Expo at the Orange County Fairgrounds and explore the area from the beach up into the mountains. The event…
The Last Drive: Twenty-one years of Landcruising Adventure
Photography by Coen Wubbels It’s pitch dark when we wake up. For minutes, complete silence surrounds us—until the coffee maker starts gurgling. I pour two mugs of steaming hot liquid to warm us up and fill the thermos for the road. Our 26-year-old Toyota Starlet is ready to go, loaded with a hundred of our…
Overland News of the Week
Adventure Ready Norden 901 Expedition Motorcycle The Norden 901 Expedition is a long-distance, off-road motorcycle powered by an 889 cc parallel-twin engine paired with a six-speed gearbox and a power-assist slipper clutch, all housed on a chromium-molybdenum steel trellis frame. What sets it apart from the standard Norden 901 is the various factory-installed technical upgrades…
Adventures in Namibia and Insights from Richard Giordano of Desk To Glory
Join Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady and Richard Giordano as they travel across the deserts of Namibia while discussing Richard’s journey from a small town in British Columbia to becoming an experienced overlander and professional in the industry. Discover the trials and triumphs of long-term travel, managing work-life balance on the road, and the…
We Tested Six Overland Truck Campers. Here’s What We Found.
Early memories are so formative, often defining and informing the path of our lives. My dad taught me the importance of doing what you love with the people you love, and truck campers have been synonymous with that aim since their commercial debut in the early 1950s. I still remember a cold morning camping in…
Overland News of the Week
Toyota Launches New Generation Australian HiLux The latest generation HilLux has landed in Australia, promising improved driveability, enhanced interior technology and comfort, and an exterior design spearheaded by Toyota Design Australia. The 2026 Hilux is available in cab-chassis and pickup configurations, with 4×4 or 4×2 drivelines, and in single-, extra-, and double-cab body styles. Upgrades…
Land Rover Classic Defender V8 Now Available with Defender Octa Color and Trim Options
A few months ago, a wealthy individual with a head full of champagne bubbles—and possibly not much else—decided that $430,000 was a perfectly reasonable sum to pay for a nuts-and-bolts rebuild of a 1980s Santana Land Rover. The irresistible Spanish-built Land Rover (arguably the least desirable flavor) even came with a cute little camper trailer…
For the Minimalist Who Fancies Luxury :: Gift Guide
I’ll preface this guide by reminding one and all that the greatest gifts cannot be bought. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. So, during this festive season, check in with loved ones and make time away from your devices to be present. With that out of the way, who’s going to buy me…
The All-New, All-Electric 2026 Subaru Trailseeker is Fast and Capable
Subaru posted an outstanding performance in 2024, with US sales approaching 700,000 units. The brand recorded its strongest results in Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire, followed by Connecticut, Colorado, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Washington State, and Massachusetts. In these regions, Subaru’s all-wheel-drive, outdoors-oriented models consistently lead demand, a trend that is hard to miss for anyone…
Featherweight Gifts for Your Over-GVWR Champion
Groaning springs, nose in the air, the struggle to the top of the next hill, always bringing up the rear, thirsty at the pump—we all know that traveler in our lives who could use some gear that lightens the load. Whether on two wheels or four, reducing avoirdupois reaps many benefits, not least safety. As a vehicle’s mass…
Jeep Introduces Wrangler Whitecap as the Second Model in Its Twelve 4 Twelve 85th-Anniversary Series
The Jeep brand has unveiled the Wrangler Whitecap, the second limited-run model in its yearlong Twelve 4 Twelve program, marking 85 years of continuous off-road production. Presented as a limited-run model, the vehicle is offered exclusively as an upgrade package for the Sahara and Rubicon Wrangler trims. Revealed in December from Auburn Hills, Michigan, the…
Are Modern or Older Vehicles Best for Overland Travel?
The age-old question of which vehicle is best for overland travel is a hot topic. Some prefer a brand-new vehicle with low mileage, modern tech, and ultimate comfort; others swear by their tried-and-true (hopefully) trusty vehicle they’ve owned for a long time, one they know how to service and repair, and one that, typically (but…
10 Holiday Gifts for the Overlander Who Has it All
Photo by Richard Giordano We often assume that someone who “has it all” owns every desirable item—whether toys, vehicles, accessories, or other overland gear and gadgets. But as the holiday season approaches, it may be worth widening that definition. Some overlanders have everything they need and want nothing more; others “have it all” simply because…
CompoCloset Cuddy Lite Composting Toilet :: Field Tested
Photography by Richard Giordano It was during a European road trip that Richard Peter and his partner, Erica Pugh, realized their composting toilet could be so much better. Peter sketched out various designs, prioritizing a longer drop zone, more effective solids and liquids separation, increased portability, and a unit that was easier to clean. In…
First Drive :: 2026 Subaru Outback
Near the summit of 7,800-foot Mingus Mountain in central Arizona is one of the country’s most well-known paragliding launch pads. From a dizzying precipice near a stand of communications towers, pilots from the Arizona Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (AZHPA) run for a few very meaningful steps down a grassy slope before launching themselves into…