The pine trees are slumping lazily under the weight of a foot of snow on their branches. The wind is howling, every gust carrying snow from the treetops to the ground in a series of flurries. I start the engine, and a cloud of water vapor engulfs the truck. The thermometer reads -10°F. Such is…
Overlanding with a “Big Rig” is a Game Changer
Photo by Jorge Gonzalez (with opinions from Gary Wescott and Ron Moon) I engaged low range and squeezed our Dodge Ram camper up the trail between wild, clawing thorn bushes and tall cacti. I could hear the paint protest as pinstripes streaked across the doors. The tires crunched wide. I was unfazed; pinstripes add character,…
Overland Journal Presents: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a 3-part Video Series by Desk to Glory
I am thrilled to announce that Overland Journal has launched Episode One of a three-part original fly-and-drive video series titled Destinations: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Episodes two and three will be released later this week via the Expedition Portal YouTube channel on Wednesday, March 23, and Friday, March 25, 2022. This series follows the…
Feature Vehicle :: Girl Gone Glamping’s 2014 Ram 3500 w/2016 OEV X10 Camper
Lindsey Kszos was sitting in the Philadelphia airport, celebrating the sale of her Airstream and half-ton GMC with a glass of wine and a lobster roll, when she received an unexpected call. Months earlier, Lindsey found a build thread on Expedition Portal congratulating “Kevin,” the first owner of a 2016 Overland Explorer Vehicles (OEV) X10…
IVECO Daily 4×4: Marcus and Julie Tuck’s Overland Vehicle for Softies
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2021 Issue. Photography by Richard Giordano We’re parked in a dry riverbed within the Ghost Public Land Use Area of Alberta, Canada, where Marcus and Julie Tuck have kindly opened their home to us for the evening. A chill autumn wind howls outside, but we’re…
Marking the 10-Year Anniversary of Expeditions 7
“First is forever,” reverberated through the air on the night the Expeditions 7 team celebrated becoming the first to drive a 4×4 vehicle on all seven continents. The moment Expedition Leader Scott Brady congratulated his team, those in attendance simultaneously played a personal reel, mental images flashing in quick succession: narrowly avoiding jail in Russia;…
Couple builds an off-road camper in 2.5 months
Photo credit Richard Giordano If you’re in the market for a camper but not one seems to be the right fit, why don’t you build your own? Easier said than done (we know this from personal experience.) But Riley and Courtney Casey from Ambition Strikes managed to build a lightweight turnkey camper on a 2015…
Mercedes-Benz Vans USA Unveils all-new Sprinter AWD System with an Advanced Engine Line-up
Mercedes-Benz Vans on Monday introduced the new all-wheel drive (AWD) system and 4-cylinder Sprinter diesel and gas lineup that will be available for the US market early next year. We expect the new configuration to be ideal for camper and touring conversions but do have some concerns that the 1.9l OM654 engine will have the…
The Origins of the Humble Jerry Can
Patagonia is famous for, among other things, its intense gales which can reach up to 70 mph in the summer months. This bluster is fantastic when the wind is at your back, but as soon as you turn the vehicle to drive in the other direction, the favor changes, and suddenly your rocket ship is…
Video of the Week :: 1959 Crossing Africa and the Sahara by Truck
Photo courtesy of Anthony Fleming In 1959, Anthony Fleming, Rex Yates, and Collyn Rivers climbed aboard a modified Bedford QLR off-road military vehicle bound for South Africa. Rivers had purchased the truck, which was unused and cost a mere hundred pounds, and outfitted it with five 180-liter fuel tanks, five 20-liter jerry cans, and 700…
Feature Vehicle :: Overland Vagabond’s 2016 Ford Ranger w/Custom Geocar Camper
Photography by Richard Giordano When Marcel took his wife, Chiara, out for dinner one evening back in 2015, she knew something was up. “A boat or a car, that was the question,” she laughs. “I didn’t know which one, but I knew something was coming.” Marcel’s proposal was eventually revealed—he wanted to drive around the…
Losing Her Heart to Africa :: Interview with Modern Explorer Lilli Mixich
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Bell-bottoms and platform shoes are en vogue. Bee Gees’ disco hits top the music charts while Grease is the must-see film of the summer. Stephen King publishes The Stand, Cold War tensions will continue for another 13 years, and the Berlin Wall…
DefenderX – The Last Great Overland Adventure?
In an age where it has all been done before, there remains one great overland challenge. A team of explorers has set out to drive two prepared Land Rover Defender 110’s from London to New York, without the aid of airlifts or boats. Currently the team has made it all the way to Tjita, Russia…
Nimbl Camper Factory Visit
Nimbl Campers was born out of the remnants of XP Campers which was sold at auction in August 2019. Jon Turner, Judd Newman, and investors saw an opportunity and invested in a business that they rightly believed had incredible potential. Currently, the company’s order book is full, and plans are afoot to expand production by…
Rebelle Rally Provides Testing Ground for EV Range Potential
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Photography by Richard Giordano The electric vehicle revolution is here. From Long Way Up to the Extreme E Challenge, electric vehicles are gaining popularity and exhibiting great potential. With countless automotive manufacturers announcing plans to build all-electric pickup trucks, such as Tesla’s…
PCOR Launches Accessories for Toyota Tacoma in the USA
PCOR, an Australian company (and a division of Patriot campers) has just launched a range of accessories for the ever popular Toyota Tacoma, these products include bed trays and canopies complimented by a range of electronic accessories. The launch coincides with Expedition Overland’s new five part YouTube series ‘The Last Frontier‘, in preparation for the…
Feature Vehicle Interior :: Troopy Girl’s Land Cruiser VDJ78
Scrolling through Marlee Calabro’s @troopygirl Instagram account is like a soothing balm for the nervous system. Often parked on sugary sands with aquamarine waters in the background, her white Land Cruiser VDJ78 Troop Carrier’s interior is so clean, so minimalist, and so well-laid-out that it has inspired the interior design of a handful of Troopy…
Australian Off Road Campers Now Available For Purchase in the US
Las Vegas-based dealership XGrid Campers is now the exclusive importer and US retailer for Australian Off Road (AOR) campers, making their Sierra and Sierra ZR trailer models now available for purchase in the US. With proprietary independent trailing arm suspension, a 41-degree departure angle, and a Cruisemaster DO35 articulating hitch, the AOR Sierra was designed…
Lexus 2022 LX600 Overland Test
The New North American 300-Series Land Cruiser Wears a Lexus badge. The Land Cruiser remains one of the most exceptional and prolific overland platforms ever created, with every variant carrying the legacy of the original 1951 BJ through almost 80 years of global exploration. In North America, we have enjoyed nearly every series of the…
The 2022 Nevada Trophy Registration is Open
The Nevada Trophy 2022 will be the 26th year of the event which makes this GPS “rally raid” the oldest in North America, preceding geocaching. The event is is based on the Camel Trophy and the organizers have chosen to expand the event which will take place from the 16th to the 19th February 2022 in…