When Ford designed the Excursion, it’s clear that they had a few things in mind; durability, reliability, and versatility for example, but somehow I doubt overlanding made the list. Despite its solid axles, massive payload, abundant storage space, and diesel motor, this truck has a couple issues that can make four wheel drive touring difficult,…
The Last “New” XV-JP
Some years back EarthRoamer made a small batch of vehicles they called the XV-JP. These Jeep Wrangler based campers included all of the luxuries you’d want for comfortable road living wrapped in a surprisingly compact and capable package. It was an extremely cool concept, but unfortunately the platform never took off, and they were soon…
ExPo Classifieds: An Ugly HJ45 Camper
Today, we find a very interesting vehicle for sale on the forums. It’s a right-hand drive 1978 Toyota HJ45 diesel pickup that was originally sold in Africa but has somehow found its way to Kodiak, Alaska. The “old Landy” as the name on the camper shell suggests, should be rather cool, but there’s a catch….
Jeep Obsession
Last week we gave you a sneak-peek teaser of Jeep and Mopar’s fleet of 2018 concept vehicles. This week, we’ve been in Moab, Utah, for the Easter Jeep Safari, part of which was not only photographing, but also driving these seven beauties over the region’s stunning red sandstone. We even took a few out to…
Tool of the Trade
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Spring 2018. Throughout the history of our publication, the Toyota Tacoma has remained the most popular vehicle among our readers, a reflection of the model’s reliability and accessibility. As travelers, we ask a lot from our 4WDs, expecting durability, capability, comfort, and capacity, all the while hoping…
Video of the Week: History of the Toyota Land Cruiser
When it comes to overland vehicles, few are as loved or revered as the Toyota Land Cruiser. These legendary trucks can be found in the most remote corners of the globe, and command an almost fanatical following of enthusiasts, but it wasn’t always so. Back in the fifties, the Land Cruiser was simply an imitation…
2018 Jeep Concepts Sneak Peek
For more than a decade, we’ve headed to Moab each spring for the Easter Jeep Safari, the annual spring gathering for off-road aficionados from around the globe. In addition to dozens of great trail rides, a ginormous tradeshow, and a monster raffle that benefits the local Boy Scout troop, the folks at Jeep and Mopar…
On the Lizard’s Tail
I took a deep breath, letting the cool mountain air fill my lungs. The crisp smell of snow and pine was invigorating, and I inhaled again, letting the sensation wash over me. It was a perfect morning. A fresh layer of powder was coating the ground from the previous night’s storms, and it muffled the…
Field Tested: Weego JS12 Jump Starter
We’ve all been there, turn the key and a faint click click click is heard from the engine bay, the result of a flat battery. If you are fortunate enough to be parked at the mall or with friends, you are golden. But if it happens while traveling alone in the backcountry, you will pat…
First Drive: Ram’s new 1500
A few months ago we shared with you a preview of Ram Truck’s new 1500, a from-the-ground-up redesign of one of America’s favorite half-ton pickups. Earlier this month we spent a few days near San Antonio, Texas, testing various configurations not only on the trail, but also tracing hundreds of miles of twisting tarmac, some…
Environmentally Friendly Overlanding
I met Nena Barlow in the ponderosa pine-clad mountains halfway between Sedona and Prescott, Arizona. Nena is a 4WD trainer and the owner of Barlow Adventures, a company that offers off-pavement experiences in the American Southwest. As a certified Leave No Trace instructor, she also knows everything and a bit more about environmentally responsible driving….
International Women’s Day: Bertha Benz
In August of 1888, Bertha Benz loaded her two teenage sons into a Model III and headed 106 kilometers to visit her mother. This was no ordinary road trip—it was the first long-distance automobile adventure ever, and it changed the world. Benz was the wife and business partner of Karl Benz, the German engineer who…
Expedition Portal Classifieds: Tacoma with Habitat
For today’s ExPo classifieds, we have what could be considered one of the most desirable overland setups in North America: a Toyota Tacoma with a paint-matched AT Overland Habitat. What’s more, it’s equipped with an array of accessories and can be purchased for $7,000 less than a TRD-Pro at $36,000. So without further adieu, le’ts…
From the Vault: Desk to Glory – Chile
The Carretera Austral (otherwise known as Chile’s Route 7 and translated as “Southern Road”) is a highway that runs from Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins over a span of 1,240 kilometres through Northern Patagonia. In 1976, Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet (What a guy! Check out this Wikipedia article for his messy history) ordered the army to commence construction of…
Terrible Choices: A Range Rover Classic for Overlanding
“The best overland vehicle is the one you love.” – NW Overland Rally One of the benefits of writing for 4WD magazines is that you get to compare a lot of very different vehicles. And as with any machine, every vehicle is a series of compromises. Too lightweight and it breaks easily, too heavy uses…
General Grabber A/TX Hits Market
For most people, tires are just expensive pieces of rubber that they have to put on their cars every few years, but for us, they’re pretty darn exciting. They can make the difference in clearing an obstacle or spinning your tires, navigating a mud pit or being stuck in the slop, and getting a flat…
Overland Journal’s Long Term Tacoma: Part 1
I’m not the type of person who feels the need to have every bell and whistle on the planet, nor do I believe that a higher price is necessarily indicative of higher quality (although Wal-Mart-cheap items are often exactly that, cheap crap). My Coleman stove is 30 years old, has been sandblasted and repainted, and…
Cold Weather Camping With Kids
This past month Texas was shocked to its core from a winter storm that left us reeling. Yes, the state shuts down when any cold, inclement weather hits us square in the flip-flops, but you can’t ignore an opportunity to beat the summer heat and explore the backcountry. Winter camping alone demands special attention, but…
Expedition Portal Classifieds: 2012 GX460
The Lexus GX line has been steadily receiving more and more attention as an overland platform, and we’re happy to say that some awesome builds have started to pop up because of that. One such project was completed by Mule Expedition Outfitters in the Pacific Northwest, and it has now come up for sale in…
Christmas in Utah
I’d been wanting to do this trip for a while now because my girlfriend, Olivia, has never been to these areas and one of my oldest/best friends Charlie has been wanting to go on a trip with me for a while now. We loosely talked about doing it a couple of months ago, but nothing…