Few names garner as much respect in the overland world as Toyota. The brand’s quality, capability, and reliability have made it legendary among travelers and enthusiasts alike, but during the last two years, American auto manufacturers have been turning up the heat on this Japanese giant. Trucks like the ZR2 are coming equipped with better…
Category Archives: Four Wheel Drive
Eezi-Awn Releases Two New Hard Shell Tents
If overlanding had a pop-culture magazine, hard shell tents would be plastered all over the front page. These quick to deploy, easy to stow sleep systems are all the rage right now, and we continue to see newer and better models released every day. The latest comes from legendary tent manufacturer Eezi-Awn, and they’re called…
The New and Cool Overland Products of Outdoor Retailer 2018
We’re here in Denver Colorado for the 2018 Outdoor Retailer summer show, and we’re happy to report that there is a flood of new products being unveiled for your next overland adventure! That’s right gear lovers, rejoice, for there are tents, bags, chairs, tables, lights, vans, and four-wheel drives for you to soak in at…
BC Overland Rally
Along with Washington’s NW Overland Rally, Canada’s BC Overland Rally, also known as BCOR, is hosted by Canadian Ray Hyland and his family. Although the NW Overland Rally is in its eighth year of tenure, BCOR just celebrated its second anniversary. Located in the same venue as its inaugural year, BCOR was held at about…
The Modern Explorer: Land Rover LR4 – Part II
Overland Journal addresses wheel diameter and ground clearance on the LR4.
Expedition Portal Classifieds: FZJ85 Ute
In many regards, Australia is the four-wheel drive capital of the world. There, you’ll find some of the best trucks, trailers, and off-road gear in existence, including some of the coolest conversions on planet earth. Some of our favorites are the Ute upgrades performed on 80, 100, and 200 Series Land Cruisers. They’re actually surprisingly…
The 2018 Northwest Overland Rally
The NW Overland Rally, held in Plain, Washington, brings in overlanding enthusiasts from all across the Pacific Northwest and parts of Southwestern Canada—and occasionally places much farther away. Celebrating its eighth year, the NW Overland Rally (also known as NWOR) has grown from a small gathering of adventure-seeking attendees to a mid-sized rally that just…
The Ultimate Overlander
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2015. One of the most hotly debated subjects around the campfire these days is what 4WD vehicle deserves the title of “Ultimate Overlander.” The conversation should not be limited to four-wheel drives sold in the United States, but to the best 4WD wagon platform…
Nissan Armada Mountain Patrol
New to the overlanding market last year was Nissan’s Titan XD PRO-4X Project Basecamp. The stock light-duty truck was endowed with an impressive collection of aftermarket add-ons that included a custom exterior body wrap from Rocket West Off-Road, a host of functional exterior accessories, and a full complement of essential camping necessities. Project Basecamp’s success…
Life in a Go Fast Camper
I think in order to understand where we are going, it is best to know where we have been. With that in mind, I want to start by addressing a question I’ve been getting a lot lately, “Why the switch?” For those of you that don’t know, I had a Flippac for quite a while before getting…
In Defense of the New “Blazer”
There seems to be a vehicular renaissance upon us. Iconic names like Defender and Bronco are returning from the golden days of four-wheel drives, and manufacturers are realizing that capability sells. Jeep’s JL has already blown us away on the trail, Chevy’s ZR2 is nothing short of phenomenal, Toyota is offering a range of capable…
Abenteuer and Allrad 2018
Europeans are famously prolific travelers, so it is no surprise then that the largest overland show on the planet is to be found in the town of Bad Kissingen, located in beautiful central Germany. We have had the good fortune of attending the Abenteuer & Allrad (Adventure and All-wheel Drive) in 2017 and again in…
Braking News
“That’s it. That must be it. Thank you, Rocco!” I almost screamed through the telephone as I concluded my call. Halfway across the globe, in the Netherlands, it wasn’t even dark yet but here, in South Korea, it was close to midnight. I still saw a light in Changwoo’s office, so I ran downstairs to…
Trail Advisory: San Juan National Forest to Close
The San Juan National Forest (SJNF) is amongst the most beautiful overland destinations in North America, but if your summer plans lead you there, you may want to check their website. According to the SJNF rangers, a stage three fire closure is expected to be signed into place tomorrow, due to extreme drought conditions. The…
Birthday in the Black Rock
A few years back, I decided I’d try for once to get some people together on my birthday. We set a three-day expedition date in February to the high desert in Western Nevada, which was a risky proposal due to the potential conditions. I invited some friends from Prometheus Design Werx, Exploro, and some guides…
The New Lower Priced LP9 Sport
I’d say more than a few of us were excited when Baja Designs released the LP9. We fell in love with their modern looks, high output, ducted cooling, and of course that 200-degree beam spread, but then there was the price. At full retail, a set of two would cost over $1,200 USD, and that’s…
Heart of a Range Rover Stage II
Building a Range Rover Classic for reliable, economical expedition travel. Senior Tech Editor Graham Jackson continues the restoration of his childhood steed.
Expedition Portal Classifieds: Matzker Discovery
When the latest generation Discovery was released, I grabbed my torch and pitchfork like everyone else and made my way toward the bandwagon. But over the past few months, I have to admit that I’ve really fallen for the thing. It started when I saw a photo of Lucky 8’s D5 on steel wheels and…
The Trucks, Campers, and Trailers of Expo West 2018
For the past few years, Overland Expo has had the misfortune to be plagued by wind, rain, and snow. This year, the tides turned, and we found there was a torrent of a different kind: a flood of new people and amazing four-wheel drives. Vintage vehicles of every shape and size were set up throughout…
Expedition Portal Classifieds: Forest Service CJ6
Every now and then something pops up on eBay that is so cool we just have to share it. Today, that something is a Jeep CJ6. Not any CJ6, mind you, but a special Forest Service Edition, which appears to be as close to a Defender in size and styling as the old Jeeps ever…