Merino wool is on most people’s radar, but alpaca fiber is one of the new kids on the block of “natural” performance fabric. A familiar friend to those in the Andes region, it is a completely different animal (literally) when compared to sheep’s wool or llama fibers, with a more slippery origin material that’s…
Category Archives: Four Wheel Drive
Overland News of the Week, December 9th, 2022
The Polydrop Trailer The Polydrop trailer is designed primarily with EVs in mind and is not strictly a camping trailer; it is a personal travel space you can take with you wherever you go. This distinction is important as you will notice that the trailer does not come equipped with the gear and accessories one…
Classifieds :: 1974 Pinzgauer 712 6×6 on auction
If you are looking for a vehicle with more character than a Tarantino flick, this Pinzgauer 6×6 featured on Bring A Trailer may be just the vehicle for you! This Pinzgauer 712 was manufactured by Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in Austria, and the ambulance conversion was most likely executed by German coachbuilder Miesen. The rear box of…
Classifieds :: Royal Land Rover Series 1 on auction
Land Rovers are synonymous with the Royal family, who travel to informal events almost exclusively in Range Rovers and about their vast estates with Defenders and Series vehicles. When people comment that my Defender’s steering wheel is on the wrong side of the vehicle, I remind them that the Queen drove her Defender with the…
Featured Vehicle :: Rafiki on Tour Defender 110
The Land Rover Defender 110 is, in our humble opinion, the quintessential overland vehicle. They are so charming and quirky that they become more than just a simple conveyance as you travel and explore—a Defender becomes the center of your universe. No matter how many hours you spend driving (or repairing) them, at the end…
Canoo Delivers Light Tactical Vehicle to US Army for Analysis and Demonstration
Canoo has delivered its new light tactical vehicle (LTV) to the United States Army for Analysis and Demonstration in fulfillment of a $67,500 contract awarded in July 2022. The $70,000 question is, will the single-cab configuration of this unique vehicle be made available to the civilian market? If it’s good enough for the US military,…
2022 Overland Holiday Gift Guide :: 20 Gifts OVER $100 For Your Favorite Adventurer
Photo courtesy of Featured Friends With December well underway, the countdown to holiday gift gifting season has officially begun. Out of fresh ideas for 2022? We test a lot of gear throughout the year as Expedition Portal editors and have carefully curated this over $100 list of gifts for the adventurer in your life. Whether…
2022 Overland Holiday Gift Guide :: 20 Gifts UNDER $100
With the holiday season upon us, the quest for the perfect gifts for family, friends, and adventurers has officially begun. Featuring cookbooks and knives, whiskey, shot glasses, and blankets, we hope this under $100 holiday gift guide not only sparks joy but offers suggestions to delight even the hardest to please. Whether you’re shopping for…
Feature Vehicle :: Staples in Tents’ 200-Series Toyota Land Cruiser
Built to have sustained operation and endure the harshest conditions and places on the planet, the Land Cruiser is Toyota’s samurai sword. It is crafted to do one thing very well: to reliably deliver occupants and cargo to an away place, without delay, for 25 years. It is difficult to overstate how well-built the Land…
ROK GC Espresso Maker
Minimalism, weight saving, and packing just the essentials are common themes throughout my articles, and crucial when planning an overland trip. Do you need that extra pair of shoes? No. You’re seriously packing three cups? Why haven’t you cut your toothbrush in half? Those extra ounces make a difference! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m…
What These Toyota Engineers Want You to Know About Women in Motorsports and the 2022 Tundra
Photo by Tim Sutton Since its inception in 2015, the Rebelle Rally has seen fairly solid support from various original equipment manufacturers. From Jeep to Lexus, Rivian, and even Rolls-Royce, the event is touted as a proving ground for off-pavement testing, ideas, and concepts—but there’s one name that, until 2021, had been curiously absent: Toyota. …
Exped Field Tested:: Mega Mat, Widget Pump, Mega Pillow
Exped Mega Mat 10 LXW Exped’s Mega mat hit the car camping scene in 2011, raising the bar for sleep comfort to a superior level with its plush, perfect-density, open-cell polyurethane foam—or so I’d been told by numerous co-workers and friends. I’ve used many sleep mats over the years but found a happy place with…
Feature Vehicle :: Carey Lando’s Subaru Outback
We first met Carey at Overland Expo in Flagstaff, and we were immediately impressed by her friendly confidence, sense of humor, and broad, ready smile. Carey is no weekend warrior; this mother of two is a regular of the Rebelle Rally and an explorer who travels the US extensively. Carey knows the Western USA like…
Nissan e-4ORCE System: A Revolution in All-Wheel-Drive Electrified Technology
Nissan recently introduced the state-of-the-art e-4ORCE technology into the European market, and the technology will debut in the Nissan X-Trail and Ariya compact crossover SUV. e-4ORCE is touted as a new and unique all-wheel-drive system specifically engineered for electric and electrified vehicles to offer confident and reassuring performance in all conditions. Essentially, the system will…
Video Crossing the Devil :: The First EV Crossing of the Longest Trail in the USA
Ford Recalls 500,000 Bronco Sports and Escapes
Ford announced this week that it is recalling over 500,000 Bronco Sport and Escape models for faulty fuel injectors. The model years affected range from 2020 to 2023, and the recall is for the 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine. According to Ford, when the engine is operating, a cracked fuel injector could cause fuel and/or fuel…
Feature Vehicle :: Projeto Mundo Cão’s 2000 Land Rover Defender 110
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2022 Issue. A flash of insight can be triggered by nearly anything. A conversation with a stranger, a blog post, photograph, or film comes to mind. But sometimes, inspiration strikes when you least expect it. For Brazilian overlanders Sergio Medeiros and Eleni Alvejan, an object…
Is the Hennessey Mammoth 1000 TRX Overland Edition Overpowered? Perhaps Not
How important is a surplus of engine power for overland travel? Well, it depends; how much power do you really need as you explore your chosen terrain? For overland travel in the Global South, you will generally only find a few roads where you can unleash all your pent-up horses and cruise at North American…
Overland News of the Week, November 25th, 2022
Wolf Tooth Components B-RAD System Over the last 10 years, bikepacking has grown in popularity exponentially and this has generated a huge array of purpose-built bikes, parts, and accessories. In fact, there has been so much innovation over the past decade that it’s hard to believe the industry can produce something original. Wolf Tooth has…
Feature Vehicle: Randy Wimenta’s 1989 Toyota Corolla “AWDROLA”
We all have two distinct choices in life–do nothing or do something. Many are content to binge-watch TV shows and doom scroll until their retina melt, while others get busy learning, designing, building, and creating. Randy Wimenta, the Marketing Activation Manager at KC Hilites, is a hands-on, gearhead kind of guy; he chose to get…