The pre-moistened towel ready for the big job of cleaning a full grown human.
Field Tested: Redverz Hawk II
When Redverz entered the market a few years ago they made a big splash with their Atacama tent, built to house a pair of sleepy travelers as well as a full-sized motorcycle. I can see the advantages of such a structure, but I’m oft inclined to distance myself from my machine after a long day…
First Drive: 2017 Nissan Titan PRO-4X Half Ton
Nissan has always been a strong player in the pickup segment, particularly in the mid-size category with their popular Frontier. They’re certainly not newcomers to the full-size truck either with the Titan platform now moving toward its 14th year. Building on its continued success, for 2017 they introduced a truck ideally suited to overlanding with…
Bikepacking: The What, Why, and How to Pack
I break down my gear list from soup to nuts.
Long Term Test: Shoei Neotec
For a wide swath of the motorcycling crowd, the modular helmet is ideal for logging long miles for days on end. Blending the aerodynamic efficiency of a standard road helmet with the benefits of an open-face lid, the modular offers easy on/off and the ability to quickly pop up the chin bar to cool off,…
Field Tested: Snow Peak Single Action Table and Red Chairs
Several years ago I started a project to suss out which camp tables are the best of the rest. In my head the working title for that article was “Camp Tables that Don’t Suck.” I didn’t end up writing anything because the majority of the units I tested—sucked. One of the few to live up to its lofty…
Fiat-Chrysler’s Diesel Debacle
At a time when Americans were just beginning to warm to the diesel engine, Volkswagen’s now infamous emissions fraud hobbled its acceptance once again. Then in January, news hit suggesting the German automaker wasn’t the only manufacture to fudge their results. Fiat-Chrysler was put under the microscope when independent emissions experts uncovered a serious discrepancy…
Overland Expo West 2017: The Tacoma is the Most Popular Platform
I don’t swing many dead cats, but if I did I couldn’t do it without hitting a Toyota Tacoma. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind, the most ubiquitous vehicle at this year’s Overland Expo West was Toyota’s midsize pickup. While I did spot a few unmodified specimens, most were festooned with add-ons from bumpers…
Field Tested: Rocky Mounts SwitchHitter
With the proliferation of wagons, crossovers, and SUVs, the hitch rack has become the most ubiquitous type of bike hauler, but there are still occasions when a roof-mounted bike rack is preferred. For long road trips I tend to portage my bikes aloft as it frees up the back of my car providing unfettered access…
Featured Vehicle: ARB 2016 Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma has always been a popular truck. I had one and I’m about as far from a truck guy as it gets. Many things help make it such a solid choice, the reliability and capability being the primary drivers. For those with an inclination to modify their rigs, the Tacoma also enjoys more…
Company Profile: Cascade Designs
When they were furloughed from their Boeing jobs in 1971, Jim Lea and Neil Anderson could have never known the company they eventually built with John Burroughs would evolve into a juggernaut of the outdoor industry. As the abridged story goes, a simple gardening cushion was the flashpoint for the self-inflating sleeping pad we now…
Featured Vehicle: Kalaber Creations Ural Gear Up
For the adventure inclined, the Ural has always held strong allure. Originally designed to ferry soldiers across the battlefields of WWII, the Russian Ural has been in continuous production for nearly eight decades. The same attributes that made it suitable to traverse the bombed-out roads of Europe in the late 1940s make it perfectly suited…
Overland Expo 2017: Living Large in Campers and Vans
When the first Overland Expo took place in Prescott, Arizona, nearly 10 years ago, most of the vehicles in attendance fit the same mold. Built on 4×4 SUV platforms, they all included a roof top tent and a bevy of bolt-on modifications designed to maximize off-road proficiency. Not to say those trucks are less prevalent…
A Tent For All Seasons: The Fjallraven Abisko Dome 2
For decades tents have been neatly split into two classifications: three and four season. As accurate as the three season label is, denoting spring, summer, and fall usage, the four season designation is misleading. Most four season tents are not really designed for all seasons, but just the fourth—winter. If not actual winter, then environments…
Overland Expo West 2017: The Motorcycles
Since its first year, Overland Expo West has done well to draw riders and vendors into a comprehensive motorcycle experience. With a full complement of retailers, manufacturers, tour operators, and other resources for the two-wheeled adventurer, this year’s moto-village was action packed all weekend long. Although a bit removed from the rest of the event, it…
Overland Expo West 2017: It Begins Again
Now in its ninth year, the 2017 Overland Expo commenced again, this time in a new location in the tall pines outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Previous years have suffered unusually extreme weather conditions, but this year’s show kicked off under sunny skies with clear views of the snowcapped summit of Mount Humphreys. Although official numbers are…
Water Treatment Solutions: The Mother of all Reviews
All travelers understand the importance of clean drinking water, but too few know how to best select the proper water treatment system for their individual needs. It is an understandable conundrum as there are seemingly endless options for filters, purifiers, and chemical solutions. Over the span of the last two years, I set out to evaluate…
Midland FRS/GMRS Handheld and Dash Mount Radios
There are a handful of items in the overlander’s inventory which seem to never go out of fashion, and radio communication systems rank high on that list. On our Expedition Portal forum we have a category dedicated to that one subject and it has accrued thousands of posts over the years. It is also a…
Five Wild Western Overland Destinations for Your Shortlist
Every year our forum section explodes with thousands of posts dedicated to trip planning. If you live in a part of the country where the western half is within striking distance, your options for adventure are genuinely without limit. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains sits a dozen…
Cut it Out: The Hand Saw Shootout
A compact and portable hand saw is a convenient tool everyone should have in their arsenal. I’ve tried dozens over the years, some good, many only good for a short while before they dulled prematurely or simply fell apart. With spring fully sprung and a lot of deadfall laying around my local forest, I realized…