Photos by Dan Grec and Dietmar Zepf To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2019 issue, this article is part of that celebration. My thumbs-up is answered with two honks, so I gently ease…
Category Archives: 4WD
Our Favorite Overlanding Gear From SEMA 2026
SEMA continues to be a bellwether for the overland industry and a venue for new product launches, particularly from larger companies with broad distribution channels. SEMA is also the place to be for multinational companies that need a single destination for their dealers. I love that part of SEMA (SEMA reported attendees from 140 countries),…
Our Favorite Vehicles from SEMA 2026
SEMA reflects the best of new trends in automotive restyling, along with some seriously questionable taste. We will avoid the garish for this lineup and focus on some of our favorite builds from the show. There was certainly a trend back toward classic vehicles, which makes sense given the overly electrified, complex, bland, and inflation-riddled…
Ram Answers Our Power Wagon Prayers
If there has ever been a full-size truck that best captures the needs of overlanders, it has been the Power Wagon. It was the confluence of capability, comfort, capacity, and durability, all on top of a heavy-duty chassis, solid axles, and posi-traction. The early Dodge units were also used for significant expeditions, most notably Wendell…
EP331 | Reliving Iconic Overland Journal Stories with Chris Collard
Overland Journal Podcast host Ashley Giordano interviews automotive journalist and former Overland Journal Editor in-Chief Chris Collard (2011–2018) as the publication approaches its 20-year anniversary. Collard discusses recent Sierra Nevada conservation initiatives, trips through Baja and South America, upcoming guided expeditions, and commercial automotive photography. He reflects on managing issue planning and performing data-driven product…
El Gran Desierto de Altar: Crossing the Largest Sand Sea in North America
Photography by Sinuhe Xavier, Scott Brady, Ho Chung, and John Lee To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2012 issue, this article is part of that celebration. The evening glow of the setting sun…
Overland News of the Week, November 6, 2026
Hest Nest Blanket and Sleep Goggles Hest continues to elevate the camping experience with its new Nest Blanket and Sleep Goggles. The Nest Blanket is available in hydrophobic down or 100% recycled synthetic and is designed to keep you comfortable wherever you decide to sit. It features a cinch footbox to keep your feet and…
Ford’s Frostwarden Bronco Showcases a 1,200-Plus-Horsepower Megazilla V8
How much power is too much for off-road driving? The answer depends on the terrain, the driver, and the task at hand. Set practical considerations aside, however, and there is a certain appeal to squeezing as much power as possible from an engine, particularly when the plan involves throwing snow rather than conserving fuel. Ford…
Lost in K’gari: Exploring Australia’s Fraser Island
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2019 issue, this article is part of that celebration. “Hey guys, no one panic, but a snake is heading your way.” I looked at James and, with…
Off the Map: Essential Paper Maps for Overlanding
My first proper job in the mid-1990s was as a salesperson working out of a major city. Prospective clients were scattered across the urban center, the surrounding suburbs, and as far as the platinum-rich west, often a half-day’s drive away. Each morning began with cold calls and confirmed appointments, followed by time spent at my…
STO Fest 2026: An Oasis at Lasertown
Lasertown sits in the dry lake country that King of the Hammers made famous. In October, the days run warm and the nights fall steep into cold. Storyteller Overland chose this ground for STO Fest, its first national owners rally, October 15 to 18, 2026. By 2:00 in the afternoon there was a parade of…
Clean, Safe Water: Filters and Purifiers for Overland Travel
Photography by Brian Slobe To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2009 issue, this article is part of that celebration. “Filthy water cannot be washed.” –West African proverb While the proverb’s lesson probably had…
Hat Tricks
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2016 issue, this article is part of that celebration. Since taking the editorial helm of Overland Journal in 2011, I’ve had several people make tongue-in-cheek comments that…
Steve Irwin’s V8 LandCruiser Troopy Heads for Terrain Tamer’s California Display
Likely to tug at the heartstrings of classic Land Cruiser enthusiasts and fans of the late Steve Irwin, the conservationist’s former 1982 Toyota Land Cruiser HJ47 Troop Carrier will be displayed at Terrain Tamer’s North American distribution center in Stockton, California, after the 2026 SEMA Show. The Australian four-wheel-drive parts company acquired the vehicle through…
Toyota Fits Five Snowhunter Concepts With Tracks for SEMA 2026
Toyota has announced five tracked Snowhunter concepts for the 2026 SEMA Show, applying a winter exploration theme to the Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and Sequoia. Practicality may be a secondary consideration, but that is often the case with concept vehicles. They provide an exercise in creativity, demonstrate what is possible, gauge public interest, showcase…
Desert Dreams and Dirt Roads: Meet Jeep’s Scrambler SRT Concept
My first impression of the Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept came from a fleeting glance at the thumbnail accompanying Jeep’s official press release. “Is that a new Rambo Lambo (LM002)?” I asked myself. The resemblance is passing but clear: flat body panels, a pointed nose, and an aggressive stance, with an obvious retro influence in the…
Trekking Under an Endless Sky: Swapping Troopies for Camels in Egypt’s White Desert
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2025 issue, this article is part of that celebration. A small announcement on Facebook promoting a possible trekking expedition in Egypt’s White Desert hit an immediate chord….
Overlanding Meets Physics: 6 Storage Solutions to Beat the Laws of Thermodynamics
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2007 issue, this article is part of that celebration. The second law of thermodynamics strikes early on overland trips. If you remember the basic version from Physics…
EP330 | Gary and Monika Wescott on their Return to South America
In this episode of the Overland Journal Podcast, host Ashley Giordano interviews Monika and Gary Wescott, seasoned photojournalists with 50 years of travel experience. They share insights into the Turtle Expedition, detailing the custom build and features of their Turtle V vehicle. The Wescotts also reflect on the evolution of travel photography, communication on the…
The White Desert: The Expeditions 7 Team Crosses Antarctica
Photography by Chris Collard and Scott Brady To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2015 issue, this article is part of that celebration. Beyond the windscreen, I can barely make out the edge of…