The second we drove into the Besh-Tash Valley, part of a vast national reserve in the northwest of Kyrgyzstan, I fell in love. On our right, a river cut through the valley, winding past a handful of yurts, the two sides alternating between rocky walls and slopes with grassy fields and patches of vegetation in…
Category Archives: Four Wheel Drive
Overland Classifieds :: 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab with Cirrus Camper
While the Dodge Ram 3500 will not be turning heads any time soon, it comes with one significant advantage: the highly desirable and reliable 5.9-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine. This powerful, bulletproof engine can run on low-grade diesel, making it perfect for the long drive down to Argentina or Central America. And no, the Dodge…
The EV-Centric Aero Build Coast Trailer Brings Urban Style to the Outdoors
Many of us dream of a simpler life without sacrificing the best of the modern world. Tiny homes and minimalism promise a way of living stripped down to the essentials; less is more, or so they say. Overland travel offers much of the same allure, and we have often seriously considered a travel future based…
Liberating Leash on Leaving the Desk for Solo Overlanding
Show Notes for Podcast #128 Liberating Leash on Leaving the Desk for Solo Overlanding Summary: Overland Expo scholarship award winner Alicia (@liberatingleash) shares her experience of taking her job and life to the road for long-term remote work and travel. Her story is an inspirational account of how she pursued her dreams and left with…
27 North Reveals the Ford F150 Based 2023 RexRover
The tall 2023 RexRover looks like a 1990’s artist rendition of what campers will look like in 2035. It is refreshing to see a camper built practically and with an interior designed by someone who has more than the briefest subscription to Architectural Digest. Sleek, plush, and ever so slightly industrial, the RexRover is sure…
Overland News of the Week, January 20th, 2023
Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Pro The sound of a gas-guzzling generator in a remote campground is enough to drive a saint crazy. We camp in the wild to experience the peace and tranquility of nature and not the humdrum of an engine. Introducing the Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Pro. It has a sweet purr, has…
Feature Vehicle – Land Rover Defender 110 Pickup – The Monster
Johan de Villiers is a man who lives for adventure, and he designed his Defender 110 to take on the toughest environments. Johan has explored extensively in several South, Central, and East African countries with KTM and Triumph Tiger motorcycles and by Land Rover. He enjoys traveling Southeast and Central Asia, including hiking Nepal and…
Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept Unveiled
It always surprises me how automotive design has evolved and how a vehicle, when launched as a concept, will appear futuristic and revolutionary only to become dated a few years after production. The 3rd generation Dodge Ram 2500 (2003-2009) must have, at one time, looked like a glimpse of the future, whereas that exact truck…
Overland Driving 101
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2022 Issue. One of the most misunderstood aspects of overlanding is how it differs from off-roading in general. While the two are related, they are far from the same discipline of the genre. This misconception is often seen in the grocery store parking lot when…
Video of the Week :: Otto the G-Wagen’s 26-Year World Tour
When German globetrotter Gunther Holtorf and his 1988 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen set off on an 18-month tour of Africa in 1989, he didn’t expect to spend the next 26 years (and 900,000 kilometers) road-tripping through 215 countries. His main travel companion was his wife, Christine, who joined the adventure a year later, in 1990. Gunther and…
Feature Vehicle :: This 1990 Toyota Hilux is Fit for an Icelandic Saga
Photography by Richard Giordano Those who know Torfi Birkir Jóhannsson describe him as the guy you want around when things go south. He welded a D-ring screw to a pintle hitch during an Arctic whiteout, acted as chief mechanic and logistics expert on various expeditions, and volunteers for the Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg, Iceland’s Search and Rescue…
Jeep Launches 2023 Wrangler High Tide and Limited-run ‘Jeep Beach’ Models
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Jeep Beach event held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida, both the Wrangler High Tide and Wrangler Jeep Beach special-edition models will return for the 2023 model year. “Jeep Beach week is one of the biggest Jeep vehicle events in America, bringing in more than 200,000 Jeep fans and…
Feature Vehicle 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser Troopy
Markus Fuchs was born in the late 1980s in a beautiful German town beside Lake Bodensee. His father was a Mercedes G-Class, Unimog, and VW T-3 Vanagon enthusiast, and teenage Markus wasted no time getting started on his own projects. His first car was a 1990 T3 Syncro Vanagon, which he bought for a song…
Video :: XPlore RV X145 Overland Test
The Xplore RV is one of the first expedition-class trailers produced in the United States that features the optimal confluence of compact dimensions, trail capability, and live-in comforts. These attributes are all wrapped in a package that comes complete with (optional) 1,000 watts of solar, 1,080 Ah of lithium, long-travel airbag suspension, robust chassis, and -40…
Emerald Acquires Lodestone Events, Producers of the Overland Expo Series
The growth of the Overland market segment seems unstoppable and continues to attract the attention of motor vehicle, aftermarket parts, and accessory manufacturers, as well as consumer event specialists who aim to connect producers and consumers. Emerald Expositions LLC recently announced the acquisition of consumer event specialists Lodestone Events, the producers of the long-running and…
Take a Load Off :: Overland Journal Editors Test Six Leading Overland Bed Racks
By Matt Swartz and Scott Brady Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2022 Issue. Few vehicles offer the overland traveler versatility, utility, and flexibility like a pickup truck. But that doesn’t mean it’s the perfect platform. Pickup trucks are kind of like a blank canvas, offering loads of potential in the…
Overland News of the Week, January 6th, 2023
Rigid Industries Announce 2022+ Tundra Kits Stock lighting is often adequate at best and can feel insufficient when navigating the backcountry in low light (avoid trail driving at night unless absolutely necessary). However, fear not, as a wide array of aftermarket auxiliary lights provide extraordinary output in a compact package. Rigid Industries has long been…
ARB Linx Accessory Interface Long-Term Review
ARB is, arguably, one of the most recognizable and respected brands operating in the overland and 4WD travel sector. For years we have coveted ARB products, and we were excited to find that our current overland vehicle came equipped with a host of ARB gear, namely a bull bar, front and rear lockers, rear airbags,…
Video :: Remote EV Charging Solved? We Charge a Rivian from an Overland Trailer
As a test of the XPlore RV’s capabilities, we test-charged the Rivian R1S from the 1080 Ah lithium battery bank in the X145. With 1,000 watts of solar and a 2,000-watt inverter, you can actually charge an EV (albeit slowly) while camping remotely.
Georgia, the Road Leads Back to You
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2022 Issue. Georgia—not the American state Ray Charles and Martin Luther King hailed from, but the little-known country located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe—is a mountainous place of wild and astonishing beauty. Monasteries, watchtowers, and fortresses dating to the Middle Ages stand…