It’s important to recognize that overlanding is not exclusive to the world of internal combustion, and in fact it more broadly refers to self-reliant travel to remote destinations. Bikepacking a valid form of overlanding, and in many respects, it’s one of the most authentic. After all, bikepacking bikes are designed specifically for off-grid travel from…
Bulbag USA: The best little bag on the planet
UkoalaBag has undoubtedly grown in popularity since its inception in 2013. The multi-pocketed pouch bag has become a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts because of its ability to carry a wide variety of essentials while being effortlessly strapped to the hip of its wearer. And now, with the release of Bulbag USA, the Georgia-based company is…
Off-Road Cycling Endurance, The RAD Dirt Festival
Rad adjective slang Extremely exciting or good. Excellent; wonderful. Radical. The terrain They call it an “untouched plethora of gravel unlike any other,” that southern Colorado plateau laden with impressive mesas, paths that will bear the churning of hundreds of bike wheels on October 8 as riders compete for the top finisher in the RAD…
Overland News of the Week
Volcon Off-Road UTVs to be Powered by General Motors’ Electric Propulsion System Off-road powersports company Volcon Inc. has announced it will power all of its off-road utility terrain vehicles with General Motors’ electric propulsion system, including its all-electric UTV, the Volcon Stag, which will come to market in 2023. The GM system will provide instant…
Hikers Brew Coffee Review: Adventure-ready Coffee for the Trail
I’ve had a lot of backcountry coffee. Some of it is just plain bad, and others are pretty good. Most of the coffee marketed to adventurous folks like me is instant. I don’t mind good instant coffee, but who says every adventure necessitates it? For the times when you have room in your kit for…
Trail Fire Grill, High-Elevation Cooking the Campfire Way
I knew I liked the Trail Fire Grill when I saw creator Mark Ritchie demo it at the Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona, this past spring. He had made a bacon and eggs breakfast for me and showed me how this camping grill serves as a barbecue, wok, and oven. I took the grill home…
Remembering Irish Adventure Cyclist and Author Dervla Murphy
Buying a bicycle is a momentous event, akin to marriage: you are acquiring a partner. – Dervla Murphy, South From the Limpopo It was no surprise to anyone, including Dervla Murphy herself, that a case of dysentery confined her to bed in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The previous week’s endeavors exposed the Irish cyclist to numerous perils…
Karmik Outdoors Lost And Found Decal Review: This Sticker Makes Returning Lost Outdoor Gear Easy
Growing up, my dad used to insist I write my name and phone number on everything I owned that was even remotely valuable. I still have a glasses case to this day that has “Sam Schild” and my home phone number written on the inside. That habit never really stuck with me, but I’m coming…
Want to Write for Expedition Portal and Overland Journal? Here’s How to Submit the Perfect Pitch.
Photography by Jack Mac By the time the most recent issue of your favorite magazine graces the newsstands or appears in the post, its pages were already well-imagined, copyedited, laid out, and finalized many months in advance. If we board our time machine, traveling to a time well before the issue was put together, we…
Glade Townie Sunglasses Long-term Review
Sunglasses are essential gear for some; let me explain. My childhood friend Big Terrence and I had more than the devoted love of savory pies in common when we were nine years old—we both had big blue eyes and would do anything to avoid the wrath of Mrs. Anderson, our mole-nosed math teacher. One sunny…
Overland Embassy Guides Darién Gap Crossing for Travelers
Photo credits: Alejandro Huerta Franco The Darién Gap crossing between Panama and Colombia is many overlanders’ first exposure to the red tape of transcontinental vehicle shipping. Some travelers are so overwhelmed by the paperwork and costs involved they turn around and return the way they came. Others take a deep breath and plunge in, embracing…
Overland News of the Week
Purtrek 2-in-1 Trekking Poles Purtrek have developed an ingenious water solution for while out hiking. The innovative, “why didn’t I think of that” 2-in-1 trekking pole provides you with clean and safe water on hand, on-demand, and frees up space in your backpack. The trekking pole has an integrated water filtration system that you submerge,…
Bikepacking News :: Kokopelli Will Launch All-New Bikepacking Bags for Spring 2023
Industry-leading packraft and kayak company Kokopelli has announced its ultra-durable Durango bike bag collection designed to revolutionize the bikerafting experience. Bikepackers will already be familiar with “bikerafting,” which, as the name suggests, refers to a trip that merges adventure cycling with packrafting. This style of human-powered exploration has exploded in popularity in recent years, as…
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Backpacking Tent
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2022 Issue. Few brands in the world of bikepacking have an equal reputation for quality, innovation, and functionality as Big Agnes. The Colorado company was established 20 years ago with a mission to “build better gear for sleeping in the backcountry” by a team who…
There’s Something for Everyone at This Year’s Northwest Overland Rally
Photography by Richard Giordano Nestled in the Beaver Valley and surrounded by the pine trees of the Wenatchee National Forest and the Cascade Mountains lies a field that, once a year, fills with trucks, vans, and cars, old and new, tents of all shapes and sizes, and overland fanatics, young and old(er). The brainchild of…
Necessity Fuels Innovative Creations at 2022 Overland Expo West
There were nearly 400 exhibitors at this year’s Overland Expo West held in Flagstaff, Arizona. Amid high-dollar overland vehicles and numerous impressive motorcycle displays, it was the work of homegrown entrepreneurs that stole the show. These ingenious products take on the challenge of overlanding travails and provide useful, productive, and practical solutions to make life…
Overland News of the Week
Method 312 Double Black Wheel Method’s 312 wheel is now avaiable in a “Double Black” matte black/gloss black finish, and they look slick! If you are unfamiliar, the 312 is constructed from A356 aluminum with a T6 heat-treatment for strength and features a six-windowed design. The 312 has a load rating from 2650- to 3640-pounds…
Field Tested :: Lifestraw Peak Series Gravity System and Straw
Photo: Thomas Ward Lifestraw Peak Series 3-Liter Gravity System Overlanders are incredibly adaptable, and we have figured out how to thrive in a wide variety of environments. But we’re still human, and no matter how far into the backcountry we manage to travel, we can’t neglect basic necessities, including clean drinking water. It’s a…
Destination: Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, British Columbia
Photography by Richard Giordano Located on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park offers visitors the chance to bask in its rainforests, try out the surf, observe local flora and fauna, and hike the local trails. One of the park’s main features, the Juan De Fuca Marine Trail, winds 47…
Field Tested :: Ridge Merino Aspect High Rise Base Layer Bottoms and Convict Canyon Base Layer Joggers
Aspect High Rise Base Layer Bottoms Ridge Merino is a family-owned business, founded in 2014 and based in Mammoth Lakes, California. As the story goes, one of their co-founders worked for a major ski brand and noticed that all of the pros always chose merino layers over synthetics, and thus the company was born, providing…