“Chevrolet raises the bar with the most capable half-ton, full-size truck ever sold in North America.” Change can come from the most unexpected of places, the passion and commitment of a few individuals shifting the course of an organization. We witnessed that in the early 2000s with the Jeep team launching the Rubicon, and…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: SPod Bantam X and Touchscreen Controller Installation
When I started researching how to install aftermarket lighting in my Ram 2500, I was very quickly overwhelmed with information. I was also discouraged to learn that making a small mistake could present a myriad of problems for the many computerized systems found in my vehicle. As someone with DIY ambitions who wants to understand…
Hummer EV: Futuristic Features, Monster Power
Bearing down on the steering wheel and settling into the seat of the Edition One Hummer EV, I prepared for the sensation of rapid acceleration that was about to be unleashed. My left foot was firmly planted on the vehicle’s brake pedal while my right foot simultaneously pressed the accelerator to the floor. A humming…
Is the new Hummer EV a Super Overlander?
The GMC team calls the new HUMMER EV a Supertruck, and the moniker is no doubt fitting. The vehicle boasts unimaginable specifications for a high-clearance 4WD, like 0 to 60 in 3 seconds, 11 second quarter mile, and 1,000 horsepower from three electric motors. For off-highway travel, the numbers get even more impressive, with 13…
Impact Overland :: Ford Transit 250 Cargo Van
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2021 Issue. I wake up to the van swaying in the wind like a gentle nudge from Mother Nature, letting me know it’s time to start the day. I wasn’t surprised; we are in some of the windiest latitudes of our planet, so it…
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…
Acela Straya: A New High-mobility 4×4 Cab-over Truck for North America
*Editor’s note: The original title of this article was changed to avoid confusion surrounding vehicle capability. Acela calls the Staya the most capable class-5 cab-over truck in North America, according to their press release. Truck classification takes into account GVWR as well as other factors which may include permit requirements, DOT number regulations, maintenance needs,…
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…
Feature Vehicle :: Alika Vaquer’s VW T3 Syncro
The Volkswagen T3 Syncro (or Vanagon Syncro) is widely regarded as the ultimate overland rig. Characterized by insane power and torque and Rolls-Royce-esque refinement, the T3 Syncro is impervious to rust, offers unmatched all-terrain capability, a bulletproof engine, gearbox, and drive train, can achieve upwards of 55 mpg, and is conservatively 10 times more reliable…
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…
Featured Vehicle :: 1968 Volvo Valp
The first time I set eyes on Rick Schamper’s 1968 Volvo Valp, I was left speechless. Forget unicorns, the Loch Ness Monster, Mokele-mbembe, or Bigfoot; this is the only mythical creature that matters. Rick said it best: “It’s like a caricature of a car, like a cartoon character.” And he’s absolutely right. I’m not sure…
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…
Nimbl Evolution Camper Review
The Donner Pass has a formidable reputation, and this festive winter found a South African family driving a marvelous vehicle over record depths of ice and snow—white-knuckled. Us Southern Hemisphere people know as much about snow as you might about sangomas and umqombothi, and to be perfectly honest, we avoid the white stuff as we travel…
Featured Vehicle Interior: Equipt Founder Paul May’s 200-Series Land Cruiser
Equipt Expedition Outfitters Founder and President Paul May has been involved in the overland industry for over two decades and was building overland vehicles in North America well before the term “overland” became a buzzword. May identifies himself not as a Toyota guy but a Land Cruiser guy at his core. He knows what he…
GMC Announces All-electric Sierra Denali Pickup Truck, Official Reveal Planned for 2022
While the information is limited, it is still exciting: GMC has just announced its intention to add an all-electric Sierra Denali pickup truck to its EV lineup. Joining the ranks of the Hummer and Hummer SUV, the electric Sierra will only be produced in a Denali trim and will be built on the Ultium Platform….
Vehicle Feature :: Overland Under Budget’s DIY First Gen Tacoma Camper Build
Micah Weber’s custom 2001 Toyota Tacoma camper build began many years ago with the ultimate building blocks. For many, this might have meant the completion of a welding certificate or mechanic’s ticket or expertise in metalwork. But for Weber, the build began with childlike wonder, a love for anything motorized, a passion for creation and…
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Installing Expedition One Steel Bumpers
Ram 2500 Overland Build :: Expedition One Range Max Ultra HD Bumpers I’ve just begun my 2021 Ram 2500 Cummins overland build with the installation of Range Max Ultra HD front and rear steel bumpers from Ogden-based fabricator Expedition One. But why start with bumpers, and why Expedition One? What are the Benefits of…
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk: Better Than a Toyota 4Runner? Test Drive.
Is the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee better than a Toyota 4Runner? I kept asking myself that question during a recent test drive of the new 5th generation Cherokee in Utah. While the 4Runner may have the edge in terms of trail performance, the Trailhawk absolutely crushes the 4Runner on comfort, which is very compelling given…
Feature Vehicle :: MAN Kat 1 – “Darth Vader”
The first time I set eyes on this epic MAN Kat 1, I was parked across the bay in Reine, Lofoten Islands, and distinctly remember thinking, “What in the name of Tolkien is that?” (or words to that effect). I rushed over, letting out the occasional childlike giggle of excitement (not dissimilar to a Chucky…