Moab has been the testing and playground of capable 4WDs for decades, equal to the Rubicon trail for both range of difficulty and notoriety. The sandstone slickrock of the Colorado Plateau has also become a required milestone for manufacturers, with engineers and test mules descending on the region for validation and tuning programs. All of…
The reMarkable II and Light Phone II for Distraction-free Travel
Technology can be a blessing and a curse, striking a balance between being glued to our screens and Luddite dreams of a cabin in the woods with no electronics. The reality is that our always-on society has yielded a step function in efficiency, communication, and accessibility. However, it has also ushered in a new level…
Does the New Land Cruiser 250 Have What it Takes to Overland?
As more overland details of the new Land Cruiser 250 emerge, we are even more excited by the prospect of the model. It is clear that Toyota is taking performance seriously, but it is also good to dig into their “all in on overlanding” mantra these past few years. Let’s deep dive into the recently…
Celebrating 40 Years of Toyota 4Runner
The first vehicle I ever lusted after was a 4Runner. I was around 12 years old and on the way to the Colorado River in the back of a red 4Runner, riding in the back seat through the heat of the desert. The sharpest memory was of the gauge cluster on the dash, complete with…
Ultra Overlanders: The Era of Grand Tour Overlanding is Here
Travel is supposed to be fun, and everyone has their interpretation of a joyful adventure. In the past decade, vehicle manufacturers have begun blurring the lines between performance, luxury, grand touring, and overlanding with a new crop of ultra overlanders. Why test these extreme vehicles at all? The strongest impetus is the overwhelming popularity of…
Testing the Ducati DesertX Rally in Morocco
Entering the Moroccan souk is a firehose to the senses, the smell of cinnamon, cumin, and harissa filling the air, and wood smoke and scooter exhaust burning the eyes. The sounds of Arabic, interrupted by banging steel and honking horns, make the entire scene a wonder. I had arrived in Marrakech early to spend time…
The Best Remote Communications for Overlanders
The historian Hellanicus recorded the first reference to letter writing, a handwritten note sent in 500 BCE from the Persian Queen Atossa, mother of Xerxes and the Achaemenid Empire (Roberts, 1843). There is little doubt that messages were sent across longer distances in earlier times, but they are lost in the sands. The process changed…
AT Overland Habitat Sale as Equipt Lays Down the Holiday Discounts
We all know that the AT Habitat was one of the first of its kind, known for the minimalist and lightweight design, combined with robust durability and reliability. The AT Habitat has also been a challenge to purchase on short notice, so this is a rare opportunity to find Habitats in stock and incentivized with…
Escapod Topo 2 Overland Trailer :: Field Tested
Teardrop trailers are old-school cool, with a lineage that dates back to the DIY plans of the 1930s. The trailer style has remained popular ever since, and for a good reason—they just work. The teardrop perfectly balances compact dimensions, sleep-inside comfort, and timeless style. Most small trailers use a rooftop tent for sleeping, but it…
Stōd Gear Company Woodgaiter :: Field Tested
At Overland Journal, we have a soft spot for small businesses and appreciate the opportunity to review and feature products from aspiring entrepreneurs. Enter Stōd Gear and their budding line of storage solutions for overlanders. Over the past year, I have been using their Woodgaiter, a simple and robust firewood hauler that doubles as a…
The Küat Ibex Elevates the Overland Rack
There are times when products take us completely off guard, our typical vocabulary being reduced to wide eyes and wows. The truck bed racks have been made for a long time, and most of the styling reflects either a dated jungle gym or something best reserved for a 1980s square body. Indeed, there are many…
2023 Nissan Z: Grand Touring an Icon
My first memory of a vehicle was my dad’s Datsun 240Z, childish wonder on eleven as my father adjusted the choke lever and the carbureted straight six roared to life. There are also flashes of the bright orange color and how joyous it felt to be in that moment with the person I admire most….
INEOS Grenadier Production Begins for North America: Deliveries Announced
The Grenadier has already proven popular in North America, with 7,000+ preorders and the US becoming the model’s largest market. . . before a single unit has been delivered. The US and Canada are ideal regions for the Grenadier, which provides a unique combination of capability, capacity (payload and towing), and comfort. Seeing a brand…
Ineos Grenadier Build for Crossing Africa: Detailed Walkaround Video
In May 2023, we took delivery of a stock Ineos Grenadier Fieldmaster in the UK. We conducted off-road tests and break-in miles before putting it on the boat for Durban, South Africa. By late June, we had the Grenadier in Johannesburg and began lightly modifying the vehicle and provisioning for our trip up Africa. Contrary to…
Ineos Grenadier Rack and Storage from Front Runner
The Grenadier is starting to arrive in consumers’ hands in several markets worldwide, including Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Southern Africa (among others). Along with that comes rapid innovation of aftermarket accessories to complement this much-anticipated overland platform. Front Runner was one of the first to bring products to market, including their Slimline…
Introducing: Grand Touring on ExPo
Adventure takes many forms, from climbing mountains to crossing continents to the limits of adhesion through a mountain chicane. On Expedition Portal, we have covered all manner of human and vehicular exploration, which now includes the thrill of grand touring. Grand touring originated from the Italian phrase Gran Turismo, which was subsequently abbreviated to the…
GMC AT4 Sierra 1500 Duramax Overland Build
Editor’s Note: This GMC AT4 Sierra article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2023 Issue. For our first full-size project vehicle, we selected a half-ton GMC with their AT4 (all-terrain 4WD) package. The base Sierra is known for its quality of assembly, overall driver comfort, and 60,000-mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty. In recent years, GM has…
Zero Breeze Portable Overland Air Conditioner
I took two months to explore the West in my AT4 Sierra with a Scout Kenai camper. The goal was to work and live in the slide-in nearly daily, with only occasional nights in other accommodations. For that to work, I needed a way to take a shower, pack out human waste, and to be…
Ineos Debuts the Grenadier Quartermaster Overland Pickup
For the overlander, the top hits keep coming, with OEMs releasing new “made for overlanding” models every month. We even have entire brands, like Ineos, dedicated to the needs of vehicle-based travelers. To confirm Ineos’ commitment to the segment, they have released their newest model, the Grenadier Quartermaster overland pickup. Key Specifications…
Overland Journal Announces Their Trans-Africa Journey with the Grenadier
Few places on the planet resonate with the adventurer like the African continent, from the vibrant cultures to the ancient civilizations, megafauna, and some of the most remote and inspiring landscapes on earth. Over the past two decades, we have been fortunate to circumnavigate the planet three times and cross all seven continents. For our…