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…
Toyota Updates Entire TRD Pro Lineup
For 2019 the entire TRD Pro will be outfitted with Fox 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks, along with an available roof rack for the 4Runner and a snorkel for the Tacoma.
New Release: Main Line Overland GTS Suspension
Overlanders face a rather unique problem when it comes to choosing suspension systems. Unlike racers who only need high-performance systems for lightweight trucks or long-haul truckers that need stiff springs for heavy cargo, we need something that balances comfort and performance on the dirt with payload capacity and reliability. Only the right combination will get…
Heart of a Range Rover
Building a Range Rover Classic for reliable, economical expedition travel. A family road-trip in the desert leads to a long-term fascination with Solihull metal.
First Drive 2019 Jeep Cherokee
Back in the early ’80s, the automotive industry was responding to consumer demands for compact sport utility vehicles capable of tackling the backcountry with same moxie as their forebearers. Jeep answered the call in 1984 with the Cherokee XJ, which took its cues from the venerable Wagoneer. Though not immediately embraced by the off-road world…
Expeditions 7: Greenland Ice Sheet Adventure Auction
Your Chance to Cross the Greenland Ice Sheet, overland. Join Expeditions 7 for the benefit of the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum.
Field Tested: Rally Armor Mud Flaps
Let’s take a moment to talk about mud flaps. No, not the kind with chrome women or the words “Back Off” written on them, but the simple yet effective ones available from a range of manufacturers. These inexpensive products can do much more than keep your door handles clean on the trail. They help to…
Oasis on the Playa
In the spring of 2015, I planned an expedition to the Great Basin Desert with some of my travel buddies from Prometheus Design Werx (PDW) and Exploro. It was to be a quick weekend of high desert trail riding and exploration and an escape from the monotony of the city surrounding us. Our vehicles for…
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market
Last week one of the largest outdoor shows in North America got underway, the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. There were some major changes this year, the largest of which was a shift in venue from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Denver, Colorado, but there was also plenty that stayed the same. Everywhere you looked people…
Video of the Week: the $450 Overland XJ
If you had asked a Jeep enthusiast what they thought of the XJ twenty years ago, you might have learned a few new curse words. These plucky unibodies weren’t exactly adored back then, but times sure have changed. With their affordable prices, proven track records, and surprising capability, not to mention dirt cheap parts, the XJ…
Colossal: The Canadian Wild
Colossal has always been about expansive views and the enjoyment of nature both on the trail and back at camp each night. It is not the trip to sign up for if you’re after bragging rights for the most technical trail, or sheer mental exhaustion after navigating a full day’s worth of California rock. As…
2018 North American International Auto Show
There were SO many potential overland platforms launched this week in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show, and some forthcoming vehicles that we found out a lot more about. You’ll see these new vehicles hit showrooms over the next year. There are a few updated light-duty trucks with diesel engine options, a new…
Expedition Portal Classifieds: Jeep Kitchen Rubicon
At the beginning of each morning, I sit down at my computer with a hot cup of coffee and a few minutes to browse through the for sale sections of our forums. On any given day I may stumble upon Land Cruisers, G-Wagens, Unimogs, or vintage 4x4s, so few things ever surprise me, but yesterday,…
2019 Ram 1500 Preview
As an automotive enthusiast, one of the things I look forward to each year is reviewing and driving the new crop of vehicles. Manufacturers continue to up the ante with regard to performance, capability, fuel economy, navigation systems, electronics, and creature comforts. While first public appearance usually takes place at one of the big auto…