Photography by Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal It’s late afternoon on Waiheke Island, a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland, New Zealand. We’re aboard a tour bus that takes people around the small idyllic isle, which is complete with lush scenery, wineries, historic locales, and a small central village. Our tour guide and bus driver is Horst…
Land Rover’s 2020 Defender, and The Elephant in The Room
In psychology there’s a well-documented phenomenon called the mere-exposure effect. It basically states that the more often people see something, the more they tend to like it. This has proven effective on words, paintings, and even sounds, but now I’m beginning to think that Land Rover has been testing it on vehicles as well. You…
From 0 to 4,665 Meters: Traveling Across the Silk Road and Pamir Highway
We left Germany some weeks ago, travelled through Eastern Europe to Russia, visited historical places, enjoyed the overwhelming hospitality of the Russians, and followed the vast open landscapes of Kazakhstan round the northern shore of the Caspian Sea. My girlfriend and I were on the road again with our 4WD—this time on the way to…
A Look Back at the Trucks and Campers of Overland Expo West 2019
Overlanding is about the journey. It’s about traveling to new places to experience different views, foods, and cultures while creating memories that will last a lifetime. Yet, if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s also about the trucks. Yes, yes, I know we’re never supposed to acknowledge the dirty truth that many of us modify our…
Our Love-loathe Relationship with Moto-travel and Why we Switched to 4WD
Photography by Jason Spafford After combining our love for diving and photography since childhood, during a decade of experiencing the world below the waterline, a change was eventually overdue. With a lifelong passion for taking pictures still in focus, we hung up the fins and decided on a big one. Long story short, sold our…
Balancing Act: 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
Photography by Sarah and Chris Ramm While the Cherokee XJ is now regarded as an incredibly capable off-road vehicle, it wasn’t always that way. When the XJ first hit the markets in 1984, it was scoffed at for tarnishing the family name. People said things like, “Square headlights?” “That isn’t a real Jeep! It is…
The Coolest Products You Missed At Overland Expo West 2019
We’re being told that this year’s Overland Expo West was the biggest ever in terms of attendance, but I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that it was the largest in terms of square footage as well. Food trucks filled the square, off-road test courses dotted the Arizona landscape, and over 360 exhibitors filled in…
Jordan Desert Cruisers
The streets are deserted, save a few lone Land Cruisers parked on the main street of the desert town of Wadi Rum. The Petra-Amman highway, which feeds the town, is closed due to snow. As a result, there are no tourists around, which gives most local people a chance to stay at home, drink tea,…
Overland Expo West 2019: A First Look
Overland Expo West is back, under new management, and bigger than ever. After spending nearly all of day one walking across the Fort Tuthill fairgrounds, we have barely scratched the surface of the amazing vehicles, gear, and people spread throughout this event. There are innovative new campers, stunning restorations, and a heap of brand new…
Garmin’s Overlander GPS Can Replace All of Your Off-Road Apps
These days it seems like there’s nothing a smart phone can’t do. From listening to music and taking pictures, to answering emails and browsing the internet, they’ve become integrated into nearly every aspect of our daily lives. It’s no wonder why most of us have ditched the old GPS units for an array of navigation…
Field Tested: AMP Research PowerStep
The overland community certainly has its debates: Toyota versus Land Rover, wide tires versus tall skinny tires, roof tent versus ground tent and so much more, but there’s one thing that almost all of us can agree on, and that’s the removal of factory running boards. That’s because they significantly reduce the breakover angle and…
The Overland Vehicle Inspection Checklist You Should Be Completing
I’m happy to say that traveling by four-wheel drive is safer today than ever before. Our modern vehicles are more capable and reliable, navigation equipment is more accurate and easier to use, and communication via satellite devices can bring help in even the most remote of locations. Yet, we’d be fooling ourselves to say that…
Asp Kickin’ Ford: Bruce Dorn’s Project Ford F-250 Super Duty
Cinematographer Bruce Dorn prepares his Ford F250 for a drastic mid-life carrier change.
The 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
“The Ram Power Wagon is an off-road, all-access pass, removing the limitations, instilling confidence and allowing owners to reach areas of recreation and lifestyle not attainable with any other pickup,” said Mike Manley, head of Jeep Brand and Ram brand, FCA, “…(for) those who travel into extreme terrain, while providing the towing and payload capability…
Field Tested: Baja Designs LP6 Pro
Whenever I’m lucky enough to spend time with experienced overlanders, I try to glean some knowledge from their travels. I’ve heard tips on packing, tricks to help win favor with border agents, and even recommendations on a leather hat selection for repairing engine gaskets, but there’s one piece of advice that seems to be universal,…
Clean Cruiser Project
Photography by Danny Pellissier and Nathan Stuart In 2002 my father passed down his pristine 1994 extended-cab Toyota pickup to me. That truck led to a lifelong infatuation with Toyota off-road vehicles. Sixteen years later, I’m a 40 Series junkie, which means my pockets are empty, but my smile is full. Throughout the years I’ve…
Overland for Baja
Photography by Ryan Resatka and Francis Fraioli It’s an expansive tract of land, roughly equivalent in length to the West Coast of the United States, but with countless roads that to this day remain unmapped and infrequently traveled. Like many deserts, it’s a place the earth wants for itself. The sense of isolation and beauty…
Initial Impressions: The General Grabber A/Tx
Crap was about the only word my brain could process as I felt the rock shift beneath the Excursion’s mass, letting the rear end slip from its precarious perch down into a ditch. The truck stopped with a thud, and I sighed in annoyance at the situation. Just a few hours earlier I had been…
Ford Invests $500 Million Into Rivian to Build New Ford Electric Vehicle
When Rivian unveiled their R1T and R1S last November, our team was more than excited. These clean platforms, both in looks and emissions, brought serious capability and range to the off-road electric market, showing real promise for a future with overland travel. We were still a long way off from seeing either of these vehicles…
The GMC Sierra AT4 1,000 Mile Off-Road and On-Road Review
My fingers prickled painfully as I wrapped them around the AT4’s heated steering wheel. They were finally beginning to thaw after packing up my frost-covered tent, but the transition from numbing cold back to warmth was giving my hands a less than delightful sensation. Fortunately, the drive was more than making up for that minor…