We evaluate a lot of gear here at Expedition Portal and Overland Journal. Tents, trucks, bags, fridges, and recovery equipment are regularly used and reviewed by our team, and normally the write-ups are pretty straightforward. We cover their specifications, talk about our expectations, and determine how well the product ended up meeting them. But today…
Field Tested: Buckstop Bumpers
When Ford designed the Excursion, it’s clear that they had a few things in mind; durability, reliability, and versatility for example, but somehow I doubt overlanding made the list. Despite its solid axles, massive payload, abundant storage space, and diesel motor, this truck has a couple issues that can make four wheel drive touring difficult,…
General Grabber A/TX Hits Market
For most people, tires are just expensive pieces of rubber that they have to put on their cars every few years, but for us, they’re pretty darn exciting. They can make the difference in clearing an obstacle or spinning your tires, navigating a mud pit or being stuck in the slop, and getting a flat…
Field Tested: Rally Armor Mud Flaps
Let’s take a moment to talk about mud flaps. No, not the kind with chrome women or the words “Back Off” written on them, but the simple yet effective ones available from a range of manufacturers. These inexpensive products can do much more than keep your door handles clean on the trail. They help to…
Top 10 New Overland Products: SEMA 2017
The annual SEMA Show is the place to find the latest in automotive aftermarket. Each year automotive professionals from around the globe descend on Las Vegas to show, discover, and/or purchase the best new gear for their respective markets. It was great to see a few innovative, quality new products specifically oriented for the overland…
What’s in your winch bag? The basic gear you should be carrying
The other day I ran into the proud owner of a well-built four-wheel drive. Eager to talk shop, he began to list a few of the numerous pieces of equipment he had installed on his new vehicle. The list included 37-inch tires, aftermarket wheels, a 4-inch lift, lights, a roof rack, a front bumper, and…
Truck/SUV Drawer Buyer’s Guide
No matter how much we try to trim down our kits, more and more gear continues to find its way into the back of our rigs. As these items continue to pile up, it becomes increasingly difficult to locate specific items amongst the mountain of countless duffels, tool rolls, and pelican cases—not to mention the…
American Overlander: Gerber Center-Drive with Bit Set
I’m not sure how it happened, but I’ve become somewhat of a multi-tool nerd. I think it started while evaluating tools for an extensive review for the Fall 2016 issue of Overland Journal. In that roundup I tested Gerber’s Multi-Plier 600 Basic and was impressed with its ease of use, thoughtful selection of functions, and…
Be Cool: How to Get the Most Out of Your 12V Portable Fridge
These tips are not in most manuals, but they’ll help keep your beers cold longer with less power.
First Impressions: Bundutec BunduTop Tent
Setup and breakdown camp with the push of a button
Field Tested: Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Through snow, sand, and mud, Basil gives feedback on switching from a mud tire to an all-terrain
Buyers Guide: Portable Fridge-Freezers
A guide to the best 12 volt fridge-freezers on the market.
General Grabber’s New X3 Tested
General Tire’s new Grabber takes the “X” in extreme to the third power.
How to build your own expedition camper
An instructional guide for building an overland camper is finally here… almost
Buyer’s Guide: Soft-Shell Roof Top Tents
We put today’s roof top tents side by side to see how each one stacks up against all the others.
Lazer ST-4 Hybrid Beam Led Spotlight
A light to meet every need
Eezi-Awn K-9 Expedition Roof Rack
A modern rack for modern times
Field Tested: Wild Country Zephyros 3 Living Tent
We look at Wild Country’s backcountry big top.
Shady Business: ARB’s 2000 Series Awning and Room
We take a look at one of our favorite purchases this year
Goose Gear
Euro style drawer units with fridge slide