VAHNA, a lushly illustrated and beautifully written print magazine that features motorcycle stories from all over the globe, has announced that submissions are open for the 2023 VAHNA Motorcycle Film Festival and competition presented by Triumph Motorcycles. The festival tour “[celebrates] the art of motorcycle cinematography [and] offers filmmakers a platform to showcase their unique…
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Mercedes VAN.EA Platform To Launch in 2026
Starting in 2026, Mercedes-Benz will be moving all of its van architecture to modular EV underpinnings for both commercial and private applications. The upcoming Mercedes VAN.EA platform is different from the new 2024 eSprinter that just launched in North America. It will consist of a common front module that includes batteries and an electric motor…
Overland Expo West 2023—Top Gear
With hundreds of exhibitors setting up shop at Overland Expo West—by far the largest overland event in North America—the wave of products, gear, and upgrades, both well-proven and brand new, takes center stage. Many of us from the Overland Journal and Expedition Portal teams spent hours hiking the aisles of Expo’s vendor village, and we…
Overland Expo West 2023—Top Ten Rigs
April showers bring May rigs; at least, that’s how it works at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona. The annual global overland event wrapped up last weekend, and owners and exhibitors of all stripes brought out the newest and most impressive hardware on the road. Two wheels or four, there’s something for everyone—from giant, world-trekking…
Land Rover 75th Diamond Jubilee, June 14-18, 2023
Land Rover celebrates 75th Diamond Jubilee, and while my own Defender is only a touch over 30 years old, sometimes it feels like it’s 75. No matter—three-quarters of a century of off-road adventure is something worth celebrating for this segment-defining brand. The Association of North American Land Rover Clubs (ANARC) is holding its 75th Diamond…
Long-Term Review :: Decked x BoxoUSA Off-Road Tool Bag with Tool Roll
When I trundled up to the Hans Flat Ranger Station in Canyonlands National Park’s Maze district in my 1992 Land Rover Defender, I fully admit to feeling nervous. I was, as Edward Abbey puts it in Desert Solitaire, going “under the rim” for the first time—and alone. In a 30-year-old Land Rover. The Maze district…
Feature Vehicle :: 2005 Toyota Tundra from Basil’s Garage
Photos: Basil Lynch The first generation Tundra marked a turning point in Toyota’s evolution as an automobile manufacturer. In fact, you could say that when this North America-only full-size truck hit the market in 1999, Toyota was actively reinventing itself. In the process, it permanently altered the landscape for big pickups in the US. Although…
Overland Expo West Returns to Flagstaff, May 19-21
Like the proverbial swallows to Capistrano, overlanders will be returning to Flagstaff, Arizona, for the 2023 edition of Overland Expo West, May 19-21. Ticket prices range from $490 for the full, weekend-long Overland Experience pass to just $20 for a one-day pass on Sunday. Held again at the sprawling Fort Tuthill County Park, you can…
A Shift-Your-Own Option Will Be Available on the 2024 Toyota Tacoma
Toyota continues a steady drip of teasers ahead of the official launch of the 2024 Tacoma (the launch date itself remains a mystery). In addition to portable Bluetooth tunes, a Trailhunter trim package, and hybrid drive, the Big T announced this week that its class-leading mid-size truck will also come with a manual transmission option…
Video :: Preserving and Exploring the East Mojave Heritage Trail
Long-time denizens of Expedition Portal certainly will know our old friend and frequent contributor, Chris Cordes. Now with onX Maps, Chris has turned his passion for off-road exploration into a career helping others find their own way to unknown places. One such place is the American Southwest’s Mojave Desert. A sprawling patchwork of diverse landscapes,…
Ignik Firecan Deluxe and Gas Growler :: Field Tested
A portable fire pit can enhance the vibe of any campsite, and if it can double down as a quick way to grill up a morning or evening meal, so much the better. While traditional fire pits that use wood or charcoal to feed the flames may tickle that primitive part of our brains that…
Field Tested :: LifeSaver Wayfarer Water Purifier
way-far-er /ˈwāˌferər/ noun a person who travels on foot. Portable water filters are common kit among backpackers and other travelers of the remote backcountry. Rugged, reliable, and usually field serviceable, they take the guesswork out of securing a clean water supply. The most highly effective among carbon ceramics filters eliminate up to 99.9999 percent of…
Gaia GPS Teams Up with Backcountry Discovery Routes
For the last decade, Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) has been introducing brass ring-level overland expeditions across North America. These multi-day DIY routes traverse large swaths of the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, as well as every Western state save Montana. Aimed primarily at the dual-sport and adventure moto set, these off-pavement routes come with free…
Can Your Overland Videos Send You to Jail?
Last spring, I woke early to start a long day’s hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon on the south rim’s Bright Angel trail. Just a few switchbacks down from the historic Kolb brothers’ studio (famous in their own right as filmmakers), my eye caught subtle but deliberate movement in the pre-dawn light. A…
The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Enters the Chat
Those of us in the Subaruverse could see this one coming from a long way off. With the runaway sales success of the Outback Wilderness and Forester Wilderness models, it was only a matter of time before Subaru’s smallest adventure-mobile got the Wilderness treatment. The formula remains the same (why change it?)—beefier lifted suspension, gnarlier…
Video of the Week :: Return to Namibia
If you listened to the Overland Journal Podcast recently or saw Joe Fleming’s stunning photo essay from his moto adventure in Southern Africa just a few weeks ago, you probably have a little Africa travel itch you need to scratch. I know I do. It’s almost impossible to take a bad photograph in Namibia, and…
Grounded Launches Fully Customizable Smart Electric RV
The EV revolution in the recreational vehicle and camping world continues apace with the launch of Grounded’s new fully electric Ford Transit RV. The company will begin delivering its first G1s via a monthly subscription model in April 2023, and lease and outright purchase options will also be available. The Transit, in all its variations,…
LAND Energy Launches New e-Motorcycle :: The District Scrambler
Cleaveland, Ohio’s Land Energy is a forward-thinking electric mobility company, and they’ve just announced the debut of their latest e-Motorcycle: the District. Produced in two flavors, a street-oriented bike and an adventure-focused scrambler, the latter District model comes with some unique features that will appeal to the overland crowd. In particular, Land’s modular CORE battery…
The Bubble Run :: South Africa’s Only Traditional Motorcycle Run
If you’ve ever flipped up a kickstand in South Africa, you know it’s one of the absolute best destinations for adventure motorcycling. The diversity of landscapes and scenery, the wildlife, the melting pot of cultures, and especially the riding community make this incredible country at the bottom of the world a must-do on your moto…
SoCal Meetup Hosted by Super Pacific and Rhino Adventure Gear
Overland event season is slowly unfolding for 2023, and those lucky enough to live in the sunkissed land of Southern California get the benefit of some of the earliest meetups. Still snowbound in Montana, I can’t help but feel a little wistful for some warm breezes and gentle ocean currents this time of year. Super…