I was driving somewhere in northern Namibia when the SOS function on my iPhone went off. Crap! Fumbling to turn off the warning while navigating a multi-vehicle convoy was an added layer of stress I could have lived without. The corrugated roads thrashed and rattled the vehicles for hours on end, to the point where…
Next Meridian Land Rover Defender Puma :: Feature Vehicle
The oldest-known wild bird is an albatross named Wisdom, now 71 years old. Given her age, biologists estimate this avian has flown more than three million miles in her lifetime. As extraordinary as this seems, it takes on greater significance once one understands the taxing nature of an albatross’ travel. An albatross can go years…
The AEV x GMC Sierra Grande Concept Debuts at SEMA 2023
Pickup utility trays are not a new concept. Down in Australia, farmers and overland travelers have long been a fan of the utility tray as it offers a practical functionality often lacking in a conventional pickup tub. The Ute tray, as the Aussies call it, offers numerous advantages. Compared to a tub, the tray provides…
SEMA Best New Products Awards Round-Up
The world-famous annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) showcases all things auto-related. SEMA has revealed the winners of its prestigious Best New Products Awards during the 2023 SEMA Show. These awards celebrate the most innovative and forward-thinking automotive aftermarket products that will become available in 2023. These products are evaluated across 18 award categories, with…
The Versatile Freedom Mog 2.0 Overland Camper Gives Us the Fizz
Dubai-based Freedom Overland, creators of some truly exceptional overland vehicles, has unveiled the Freedom Mog 2.0, and we are in love. This beautiful overland camper is built on the chassis of a 1985 Mercedes Unimog U1300L and is ready to take you on a grand world tour. It comfortably sleeps up to four individuals, making…
The Global Expedition Vehicles Adventure-XT is a Colossus
So, you just sold your start-up for a squillion bucks and are looking to take a year or two off from the rat race to travel overland with the family to distant shores. You have done your research on Expedition Portal and have concluded that you need a vehicle that offers all the comforts of…
We Almost Won the 2023 Land Rover Media TReK!
I touched down in Austin, Texas, after two taxi rides and two flights from my home base in Mexico, where I had left my family and my Classic Land Rover Defender 130 waiting. For the last week, I had been preparing for the Land Rover TReK Media event, refreshing my handheld compass, winch, and recovery…
Overland News of the Week
Born Outdoor Badger Bed 25 Kicking off this week’s overland news is Born Outdoor. The company is now supplying a narrower version of its original Badger Bed 30. Expedition Portal’s Garrett Mead reviewed the latter and concluded: “I could not find a single thing to dislike about this bed system.” High praise, indeed. So, what…
The Küat Ibex Elevates the Overland Rack
There are times when products take us completely off guard, our typical vocabulary being reduced to wide eyes and wows. The truck bed racks have been made for a long time, and most of the styling reflects either a dated jungle gym or something best reserved for a 1980s square body. Indeed, there are many…
The Grounded G2 Electric Campervan for Sustainable, Slow Overland Travel
Straight off the bat, the G2 Campervan reminds us vaguely of a Mercedes Benz Vario; this is a good thing. The Vario has a reputation as an excellent overland vehicle, and we have seen them everywhere, from Gabon to Guatemala. What they lack in off-road driving ability, they make up for with space—acres and acres…
Be Old Later’s 1997 Mitsubishi Delica L400 :: Feature Vehicle
Photography by Richard Giordano During the summer of 2017, Candice Ciesla and Jordan Schilling summited Wyoming’s Grand Teton to exchange wedding vows. With a headpiece made of taffeta and feathers, Candice looped a climbing rope through Jordan’s harness, and he tied the knot, literally, to hers. The ceremony was officiated by a guide who took…
Decked Unveils the Latest Generation of Pickup Truck Drawer Systems
If we were asked to pick only two products to transform an everyday pickup into an overland-ready vehicle, those two products would, undoubtedly, be a rooftop tent and a drawer system. No other off-the-shelf products are as convenient or fundamentally essential. Decked manufactures storage and organization systems for mid- to full-sized pickup trucks and has…
Solar Powered Stella Terra SUV Tackles Morocco Terrain
The Dutch seem to be at the vanguard of long-distance solar-powered expeditions at the moment. Renske Cox and Maarten van Pel’s circumnavigation of Africa has been cut short due to conflict in Sudan (their 2022 Skoda Enyaq iv80 EV is now on a ship back to Europe). However, they made it down the entire length…
Landmark Achievement for Fully Electric Hilux in Australia
Without a doubt, the Toyota corporation is ever-evolving and ever-competitive. The company has committed to a holistic approach to achieving carbon-neutral transportation by utilizing a range of customized powertrain solutions to meet users’ specific needs and the diverse operating conditions worldwide. An example is the hydrogen fuel cell electric Hilux prototype, recently unveiled in the…
Overland Routes :: Chile’s Atacama Desert
Photography by Coen Wubbels Unless you fly in, you will have seen a fair share of the Atacama Desert by the time you reach Iquique, whether your Pan-American overland journey takes you southbound or northbound through Chile. No matter how smooth the asphalt that cuts straight through the driest non-polar desert in the world, 995…
Toyo Tires Trailpass 2023 :: Big Fun in Big Bear
It was a six-hour drive from Arizona and a seventeen-minute search for the Holcomb Valley Ranch. The destination: Toyo Tires Trailpass 2023 in the mountains of Big Bear, California. As I drove southwest from my home in Prescott, Arizona, I passed the Grand Canyon State’s small, sparsely populated rural towns—places that most people have never…
Camp365 Introduces T Model Truck Bed Camper for Electric Trucks
Camp365, based in Minneapolis, has taken an idea and run with it, creating several different aerodynamic, fold-out, towable cabins. They liked the concept so much that they decided to add the Camp365 T Model truck camper to the expandable line-up. Designed specifically for electric vehicle (EV) owners seeking a truck bed camper with minimal impact…
Adventure Wagon Sprinter Van :: Field Tested
Call me a van virgin. The van revolution has been a huge part of the overland world for quite a while now, but for my own part, I have kept it at arm’s length. Having cut my teeth on old Jeeps, stinky Land Rovers, and rooftop tents, vans have always been more of a curiosity…
Dead Reckoning | The Rebelle Rally Docuseries :: Video of the Week
The 8th Rebelle Rally kicks off this week in Mammoth Lakes, California, setting the stage for a challenging 10 days of precision driving and traditional navigation amongst some of the most iconic off-road terrain in the American West. Crowned as the longest competitive off-road rally in the United States, this event also just happens to…
Overland News of the Week
Overland News: Let’s Go Aero Introduces E-Motorbike Carrier This week’s overland news begins with the V-Lectric Folding Rack (VFR). The VGF integrates a tray mount and ramp system that can withstand up to 80 pounds per bike and features a folding V-formation structure that handles various bike sizes, shapes, and geometries. To secure anything from…