SEMA 2025 offered a clear view of where overland vehicle design is heading, with manufacturers and builders presenting a mix of refined engineering, emerging technologies, and practical solutions shaped by real-world travel demands. Across the halls, familiar platforms appeared with thoughtful upgrades, while new concepts pushed into territory once reserved for purpose-built expedition rigs. Electric…
Where is the World’s 2003 Land Rover Defender 110: Feature Vehicle
The idea of driving around the world as a family was one that completely consumed us once it took hold. We love exploring the world together, and some of our favorite experiences were when we had a rental vehicle. It was a liberating feeling, the freedom to explore where we wanted, when we wanted. My…
The Brown Bird & Co. Skafta Land Rover Defender Campervan is Ready to Make Dreams Come True, In Style
For the last two decades, I have been telling anyone who would listen that the nearest to perfect overland vehicle for an adventurous couple is the Classic Land Rover Defender Hardtop. With three doors and a cavernous interior, this old Landy will take you there, bring you back, and ensure that you have the space…
Proof of Concept: The TruckHouse Takes on Pearl Pass
Pearl Pass has always carried a reputation. In Colorado, it’s shorthand for something stubborn, something reckless, something earned. The road was first cut in the 1880s when Aspen was a silver boomtown and Crested Butte still a rough mining camp. Mules and men scratched their way across the Elk Mountains, hauling ore and supplies along…
The Rescue Truck: A 2024 Ford F-350 Built to Save Lives in King County
When King County Search and Rescue (KCSARA), a nonprofit organization that has served Washington State since 1965, heads out on a four-wheel-drive rescue mission, the circumstances are rarely predictable. The team of volunteers must be prepared for any eventuality. KCSARA brings together nine independent member units under one umbrella, creating a coordinated network of motorized…
The Landrovers: From Cape Town Daydream to Bespoke Defenders
My old Land Rover Defender has seen better days. The instrument binnacle is cracked, the headliner has been replaced with cheap vinyl, the body is scratched and dented from a thousand trails, and the motor has covered 300,000 tough miles across continents. If not a beloved part of the family, my Defender would likely be,…
Land Rover Honors 75 Years of Adventure at Pebble Beach
When you think of the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, you usually think of the famous waterfront golf course lined with immaculate eight-figure Ferraris and one-off pre-war vehicles from European marques that are long out of business. But for the past two years, Land Rover has made a statement at the iconic event with a…
Travel Beasts’ 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ73 :: Feature Vehicle
It happens to the best of us; we purchase a vehicle and kit it out for a long-distance overland journey, only to find that our needs change as we fall deeper into overlanding and commit further to a life lived on the road. A rooftop tent and daily outdoor existence are fine for a few…
Jeep Beach Episode 3: Hankook Dynapro Project Vehicles
Every great adventure begins with a properly prepared vehicle, including navigation, communication, and emergency equipment. Beyond that, the 4WD can be customized to the needs of the individual and their intended overland journey. Any great overlanding platform starts with quality tires in an appropriate tread pattern for the terrain. Next comes a suspension configured to…
Meeting a Legend: Barbara Toy’s 1950 Series I Land Rover, Pollyanna
Photography by Richard Giordano Sitting under a vintage map of Chipping Norton, I wait for my Scotch egg and gin and tonic. Cool autumnal weather typical of the Cotswolds had led me inside, and I figured a good book and an English pub were the perfect antidote. Opening my current read, Barbara Toy’s In Search…
1966 Land Rover Series 2a Marshall Ambulance :: Feature Vehicle
The namesake of British explorer Ernest Shackleton is suitably the stuff of legends. This wheeled Sir Shackleton, who we’ll call “Shack” for brevity’s sake, is a 1966 Land Rover Series 2a Marshall ambulance. But we’ve already entered a shrouded realm of mythology. Though Shack’s registration papers designate his build year as 1968, the error in…
The Best Mid-sized Trucks for Global Travel
The best overland vehicles are constantly morphing with consumer interests and regulatory pressures, but there has never been a better time to choose your next adventure machine. With the growing popularity of overlanding, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have doubled down on suitable models, and in the case of Ineos, an entirely new car company has…
The Ford Expedition Tremor Is Ready to Overland
The Ford Expedition has been in production for nearly 30 years, starting as code name UN93, and is based on the ubiquitous F150 platform. Its sales peaked in 1999 at nearly 234,000 units before settling into a respectable volume even under increased competition. It served as the durable family hauler for decades, towing around toddlers,…
The Scout Yoho Pop-up, One Happy Customer’s Tale
I still remember when the Scout camper was first announced, revealed to the world as a composite tan slide-in camper with minimal systems, and sold at an impressive value. I knew I wanted one. Then they announced the Kenai eight-foot model, and I was sold, placing an order and writing a check for the camper…
Aterra ASI Slide-In Overland Camper
Overland News: AT Overland has been around since the earliest days of the overland industry, manufacturing some of the most capable and durable campers on the market. Their Aterra tray camper is renowned for being constructed for around-the-world travel in four seasons. They have now added to the line-up with their new slide-in camper. The…
Adrenalin Industries Debuts Their Insane Ram HD 5500
Adrenalin Industries is crushing it with their exciting project vehicles and robust Overland Campers. Owner Jud Eades has a passion for global travel and a penchant for unconventional adventure machines. His rally Audi R8 nearly broke the internet, and now he has done it again with this monster Ram HD 5500 overland platform. Travel is…
Lexus LX700 Overtrail :: A Pinnacle Overlander
Few vehicles capture the spirit of overlanding like a Land Cruiser: rugged, capable, worldly, and trusted. For North America, Land Cruisers have been sold since 1958 and were available as the pinnacle overlander of choice for 62 years until the last Heritage Edition 200 Series left dealer lots in 2020. This left a significant void…
Principles of Overlanding: Kurt Williams on the 200-Series Land Cruiser
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 216 Join Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady as he welcomes Land Cruiser legend and off-road driving expert Kurt Williams from Cruiser Outfitters for a wide-ranging discussion on how best to modify the Toyota 200-Series Land Cruiser for long-distance overland travel. They discuss which models to consider, what to look for if…
Feature Vehicle :: 1990 Campteq Toyota Land Cruiser
In the world of overland travel, few vehicles evoke the same level of respect as the Toyota Land Cruiser. This 1990 80 Series, imported from Spain and meticulously outfitted by Campteq, is a prime example of why the Land Cruiser is held in such high regard. Over three days, starting from Telluride, Colorado, we set…
What These Rebelles Want You to Know About Rallying Older Vehicles
Lead photo by Richard Giordano There are so many parallels between competing in the Rebelle Rally with an older vehicle and overlanding in one. Usually, the vehicle is already parked in our driveway, budget prohibits the purchase of something newer and comfortable, and the vehicle isn’t just a mechanical object transporting us from one place…