Music has always been a huge part of my life. I can’t remember a time when our house was silent growing up, whether we were listening to Radio Caroline, the pirate radio station that inspired the film The Boat That Rocked, or my dad’s records. As a young kid, I was first drawn to the…
Osprey New Bike Lumbar Packs
I have a confession, for I have sinned. Only when I got my hands on the Car Sick Designs “The Time Traveller” in 2019 did I realise hip packs are the ultimate cycling accessory, whether for weekend trails, extended bikepacking trips, or general life. It makes perfect sense: resting conveniently on your hips for all-day…
Hema Maps Announces Changes to the 4WD Maps App (Android Version)
Hema Maps, founded in 1983 and based in Brisbane, is a mapping and publishing company that has been exploring Australia for 30 years, producing maps, atlases, guides, and digital navigation products. The company is focused on off-road touring and has subsequently become one of the industry leaders in 4×4 and adventure navigation. This warranted reputation…
Why Choose Bikepacking for Your Next Overlanding Trip?
It’s a common misconception that overlanding is restricted to the world of internal combustion when in reality, it more broadly refers to self-reliant travel to remote destinations or to “travel a long distance over land.” As someone who lives in an overlanding truck and loves vehicle exploration, I thought it would be interesting to discuss…
Jeep Brand Creates Jeep 4xe Charging Network
Jeep reveals plans to take electrified propulsion beyond the paved road with the 2021 Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. The company is partnering with Electrifying America to create the Jeep 4xe charging network; these EV charging stations will be installed at, or near, trailheads of Jeep Badge of Honour off-road routes. Stations are scheduled to open…
12,000-pound Ford Performance Parts Winch by Warn Now Available for Super Duty Pickups Beyond the Tremor
Building on the success of the Ford Performance Parts winch by Warn offered on the Super Duty Tremor, 12,000 pounds of winching power will soon be available for any properly equipped 2020 or newer Super Duty pickup. Ford truck vehicle personalization Planning Manager Ron Meredith states: “We have Super Duty customers who saw the Tremor…
Aether Apparel Alpine Alfa
Che Bello! Aether Apparel has unveiled their all-terrain restomod of the legendary 1985 Alfa Romeo GTV6, dubbed the Alpine Alfa, and it’s beautiful. This “safari-ready” machine “was born from a desire to create an unorthodox tool for adventure that celebrates the space where streetcar meets backcountry skier.” Well, it’s arrived (unusual for an Alfa; sorry, couldn’t…
Bikepacking Spain’s Sierra Nevada
In October 2019, I flew from Norway to Málaga for a bikepacking adventure with my girlfriend, Amber, and my good friends Bart and Michalina (familiar to those who read my recent article Bikepacking Scotland). This was a very special ride at the time, but even more so when we returned. It would be Amber’s first…
The Winch-Clamp-Spreader Attachment for Hi-Lift Jacks
The Hi-Lift jack is somewhat of an icon, which is no surprise considering its parent company was established in 1895, making it one of the oldest companies in the state of Indiana. The jack’s predecessor was invented back in 1905. It’s become a well-respected tool in the overlander’s recovery kit, and with the new Winch-Clamp-Spreader…
Bikepacking Iceland
If there’s been one ride that both completely broke me and reaffirmed that bikepacking completes me, it was Iceland. Home to some of the planet’s most active volcanoes, Europe’s largest glacier (Vatnajökull Glacier), geysers, stunning mountains, rugged coastlines, trolls and elves (yep), and, of course, the Icelandic Highlands. This country has gained a legendary reputation…
Front Runner Load Bed Rack Side Mount for Bike Carrier
Try saying that product name quickly. Front Runner (FR) continues to be a market leader when it comes to overlanding accessories. Legend has it that the company was conceived between a 1988 Land Cruiser 70 and a 1992 Mercedes G-Wagen in Botswana. A handful of friends with backgrounds in engineering, design, manufacturing, and off-road racing decided…
The Silk Road Mountain Race
Kyrgyzstan has become a mecca for bikepackers around the world. This jaw-droppingly beautiful country, often referred to as the “Switzerland of Central Asia,” has just 29.5 residents for each square kilometre (compared to England’s 432), and the mountainous Tian Shan region covers 80 percent of it (the highest point is Jengish Chokusu 7,439 metres, 24,406 feet)….
Bikepacking Scotland
Scotland is often included in the top 10 most beautiful countries in the world, and for good reason. I still remember the feeling of complete disbelief as I drove up the country’s west coast for the first time. How could these landscapes possibly be adjoined to the same landmass as England? The stark contrast left…
Nemo 2021 Collection
Nemo was born after its founder, Cam Brensinger, spent a sleepless night on Mount Washington in a poorly designed bivy. He realised that evening how much opportunity there was in creating quality functional gear that enhanced the outdoor experience. As a result, just three days after graduation, he founded Nemo (New England Mountain Equipment). Seventeen…
Nitecore NPB4 Power Bank
There’s no shortage of portable power banks on the market, but there are fewer focused on the Great Outdoors. The new Nitecore NPB4 is packed with features designed to embrace rough treatment in the field whilst still integrating all the latest technical specifications and functionality. This 20,000 mAh Li-ion battery pack showcases multiple fast charge…
Rumpl Blankets
Necessity is the mother of invention, and quite often, the best-selling products offer solutions to everyday problems. I’d not heard of Rumpl Blankets before writing this piece, but within 10 minutes, I was sold. Rumpl began their journey “in the back of a van,” where on a surf/ski trip through California, the founders awoke to…
Lizard Skins Grips and Handlebar Tape
Lizard Skins, founded in 1993, has been manufacturing quality cycling accessories for almost three decades. They initially designed products to protect the bike and rider but have since expanded to gloves and grips. The company’s continued research meant that in 2008 they created their most innovative grip and flagship product, Durasoft Polymer (DSP). DSP provides…
Club Ride Apparel
Club Ride is “mountain lifestyle clothing,” designed from a biking perspective but intentionally made to be multi-functional. Founder Mike Herlinger wanted to “create clothing that spoke to the lifestyle led by the mountain bikers, hikers, raft guides, and ski bums creating their own opportunities in mountain towns.” Ten years later, Club Ride has spearheaded the…
UBCO 2X2 App
As someone obsessed with cycling and overlanding, I’ve watched with interest as more electric bikes have come to market. I’m particularly intrigued by products that bridge the gap between bicycle and motorbike, thus offering comparable speed to a moped, without the weight or emissions. I truly believe that this style of bike will dominate city…
Bikepacking Kitchenware
Food, water, and coffee. The triumvirate of life. I wouldn’t say I was addicted to coffee, only that without my morning espresso, I’m completely unable to function—often not sure who I am, where I belong, or what day it is. On my bicycle tour from John O’Groats to Lands End, I packed a heavy stove-top…