I bought my first rooftop tent 10 years ago, a used Howling Moon with a tan cover, weather-worn canvas walls, and a folding floor made of wood. At the time, I thought it was the pinnacle of camping technology, but it was actually a relic. Its bulky design had already been roaming the African and…
Podcast #16 :: Rooftop Tent or Ground Tent or Wedge Camper for Overlanding?
The Overland Journal Podcast #16 Principles of Overlanding :: RTT vs. Ground Tent vs. Swag vs. Habitat vs. Sleeping in the vehicle Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding podcast, Matt and Scott discuss the best sleeping solutions for an overland camp. They review the options of a Rooftop Tent (RTT) vs. a Ground Tent vs….
Premium Windows and Doors for Overland Vans and Campers
Small Business Spotlight: As overland travel and vanlife become more popular, DIY owners and new camper manufacturers are popping up every day looking for better products, more reliable solutions, and the brands with the best overall value. This is also true with van and camper windows, doors, and hatches. Their utility is wide-reaching, including bed…
Company Spotlight: Fifteen52 Wheels
“Let me give it to you straight—our production process isn’t any different than our competitors.” I looked at Matt, rather dumbfounded. Surely there was a punchline coming because this was not how marketing pitches usually went. “If you really get down to brass tacks,” he continued, “every good manufacturer is using nearly the same methods…
AEV’s 2-inch Spacer Kit Is the Affordable Way to Run 37s on Your Gladiator
The Jeep Gladiator is one of the most popular four-wheel drives on the market today, but the long chassis length can leave something to be desired from the factory breakover angle and ground clearance. Thanks to AEV’s new 2-inch spacer kit though, Gladiator owners can gain some additional height and clearance for 37-inch tires, at…
AEV Releases 7000 Series LED Off-Road Lights
American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) is well known for producing tasteful four-wheel drive accessories and upgrades with an OEM-level of quality. Their offerings span from wheels and suspension systems to turn-key vehicles and motor swaps, but now they’re applying their focus to the lighting market with the 7000 Series Off-Road light. The 7,000 is designed with…
Tired of Carrying a Dozen Keys? Ditch the Extras With Bolt Locks
It was almost midnight, and the weather couldn’t have been worse. The temperature was just above freezing, rain was pouring down, and the wind was gusting so hard that I thought I might fall over. To make matters worse, the hill my Airstream was parked on had turned to mud, and the trailer was now…
Build Your Skills With These Off-Road & Overland Adventure Books
Over the years, our staff has been asked a lot of questions about overlanding. But there’s one query that almost every enthusiast seems to have in common. No, it’s not “What size tires can I fit with this lift?” but rather “What will improve my vehicle’s capability the most for the least amount of money?”…
The iKamper Skycamp Mini – Because Lighter
As the roof tent market continues to evolve, there has developed a clear differentiation between the companies that innovate, and those that seem to just copy other designs. iKamper is one of the innovators, creating unique, quality roof tents for the overland and camping customer like their new Skycamp Mini. We have several years of…
Yakima Acquires Road Shower
As further evidence of the rapidly growing overland market, we are seeing larger (quality) camping and automotive brands acquire products that were niche just a few years ago. What better to pair with your roof tent and roof rack then a solar shower system? I have used the Road Showers in the field and they…
Foxy Lady—Factory Race Series Fox Shocks for a Tundra
We’ve run Old Man Emu suspension on two different trucks, over a total of 150,000 kilometres. Over 50,000 of those kilometres covered roads from Canada to Argentina. It’s really hard to argue against the attributes. Old Man Emu performs better than most factory suspension systems (especially on loaded vehicles), requires almost zero maintenance, costs a…
You Don’t Need Lockers! (Well, I don’t.) Nitro Helical Worm Gear LSD Installation
Our little 1990 Toyota pickup travelled effortlessly from Canada to Argentina and back with factory front and rear open differentials. Yes, we went overlanding without lockers! Could we have gone farther off the beaten track with some sort of traction-aiding differential? Most definitely. Were we willing to spend the money on a locker or two…
Project Vehicle: 1990 Toyota Pickup Corbeau Baja RS Seat Installation
You might be surprised at what one of our first important vehicle upgrades was after completing a 65,000-kilometer overland journey. Replacing the suspension? Swapping the motor? Incorrect. On the top of the list for our 1990 Toyota pickup before undertaking another long trip were the seats. They looked fantastic, especially considering how much dirt and…
Winter Overland Gear Guide
Winter and polar travel present some of the most challenging and rewarding conditions for the overlander, (often) requiring in-depth planning, logistics, and specialized equipment. Even a trip to the local mountains for some four-wheeling in the snow will necessitate an additional degree of preparedness, which we think is all part of the fun. To assemble…
RLD Designs Releases Stainless Steel Canopy For Gladiator
Back in May, we named the RLD Designs truck canopy as one of the coolest products you might have missed at Overland Expo, and for good reason. These beefy caps are made in South Africa entirely from stainless steel, pack some seriously cool camp features, and carry a 700-pound dynamic load rating while weighing as…
The onX Off-Road GPS App Shows You Where to Explore
Knowing Where You Can Legally Overland is Half the Battle There are times that even 36 hours of adventure seems impossible to schedule, the realities of daily life, family, and work responsibilities compounding. Sometimes just a few hours is all we have, or as a side trip during a work obligation. While it will be…
The Roofnest Falcon is Ultra-Thin and Uber Cool
I bought my first rooftop tent 10 years ago, a used Howling Moon with a tan cover, weather-worn canvas walls, and a folding floor made of wood. At the time, overlanding had just begun to emerge in the United States, so to me, and most everyone who saw it, this soft-shell tent was the pinnacle…
Solar BugOut Kit for the Overland Camp
One of the cornerstones of overland travel is self-reliance, a trait inspired by the remote locations we visit and the unpredictability of vehicle-based backcountry exploration. We may be parked for days on a secluded beach in Baja, needing to keep both the fresh fish and the Coronas cold. Or we might have accidentally left the…
Reviewed: Roofnest Sparrow Eye Roof Tent
From a not too distant past, the definition of “home” was as concrete as its foundation. It was a solidly built place with four walls, a roof, and was permanently placed onto a chosen piece of land. Fast forward to more recent times, and that definition has completely changed, taking on a much more metaphysical…
National Luna Releases Their Best Fridge Yet
It is often joked that the first thing a new overlander should by is a Land Cruiser 80 Series, and the next thing should be a fridge. In reality, there are few camp accessories that transform an overland trip more than a fridge, the ability to cool drinks, keep meat for weeks, or even make…