A good lighting setup can be the difference between a warm and inviting campsite and one that’s, well, dark. Lighting can just be a headlamp and lantern, but overhead lighting is best to see what you’re doing and be seen by your friends and family at camp. Some overhead lighting systems are elaborate and are…
Category Archives: Camper and Trailer
Feature Vehicle :: Dirt Sunrise’s 1990 HDJ80 Land Cruiser with Maltec Conversion
Choosing an overland vehicle can be like an episode of Indian Matchmaking: you want a unicorn, but your matchmaker insists that meeting 60 to 70 percent of your criteria is more realistic. You want butterflies fluttering in your stomach, to develop a trusting relationship, and have the coolest winch, lights, and bumper. But sometimes, the…
Supertramp Campers Flagship LT: The Slide-in that Fits Any Full-size Pickup
Photography by Coastless While the mid-size pickup is currently akin to the popular kid at school, full-size trucks are experiencing their own growth spurt. Improved capability, ample spaciousness, and power appeal to many who desire additional space for a family, more stuff, and a generous payload rating often exceeding mid-size offerings. Realizing this, Supertramp Campers introduced its…
Twisties, Curves, and Canopies: A Journey Through the Ozarks
It’s All in the Planning We had planned the trip for a couple of months, poring over the details, making inventories of what we had and would need for a long-distance moto journey across the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri. I would need to bring a new set of tires for my BMW F 750…
Children of the Road, A Life of Unconventional Norms
Heidi and Jens, full-time overlanders for 15 years, are the real deal. They’ve crossed rivers in Mongolia, the Canning Stock in Australia, and the salt flats of Bolivia. Jens boasts a Unimog tattoo from a parlor in Shanghai; Heidi cooks Kashmiri curry and speaks five languages. We met in Oaxaca, Mexico, in one of those…
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…
Opinel Nomad Cooking Kit and Picnic+
A while ago, we declared that Opinel knives are art. We stand by that declaration and, as if to prove us right, Opinel has launched a new, innovative multi-purpose range which has us drooling and dreaming of a long hike and a campfire feast. Multi-purpose gear is the outdoor explorer’s holy grail; we love a product…
Fjallraven Skogso Padded Jacket Long Term Review
The Arctic Fox on the shoulder speaks volumes. When I meet a traveler, and they are wearing Fjallraven, I know a few things off the bat. Either the person is: a) Scandinavian b) Well-traveled c) Well-heeled d) All of the above I am merely a (b) and have been yearning for a Fjallraven jacket ever…
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…
Overland News of the Week, August 6th, 2022
Tuffy Mid-Size SUV Cargo Security When traveling locally and abroad, security is always an issue. We have taken a few security measures with hidden storage areas to ensure that no sticky fingers get hold of our invaluable hard drives and gear. Money can be replaced, but the loss of hard drives with precious memories and…
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…
The Dometic Go Camp Collection Review
I like to keep my car packed with whatever I’d need for my favorite outdoor pursuits. On any given day, my car is full of camping gear, bike gear, a camp cook setup, and probably more. But since I also use my vehicle for hauling people, groceries, and other less adventurous things, a lot of…
Is 4WD Essential for International Overland Travel?
Traveler friends Thomas and Sabine from Bavaria, Germany, recently sent me a typically entertaining message. “Next week, I’ll have a talk to around 100 interested people on Explorer-Ostsee-Camp concerning the question 4WD in Travel Reality—How much 4WD do you really need? My personal thoughts about that are only some of all possible. I’d love to add…
Gaia Maps Introduces Gaia Overland
GPS mapping has changed the way we travel and explore. With the convenience of data at our fingertips, we are able to spend more time exploring and enjoying those beautiful routes and destinations and less time planning routes, and worrying about how far the next gas station or campsite will be. Having all the necessary…
Living the Good Life
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2022 Issue. “Boys, seriously! Knock it off!” I really couldn’t blame them—we were on day 15 of our month-long trip, exploring Montana and filming our family for the first time for our new Solo Series on Expedition Overland. We were all piled into our…
C6 Outdoor Rev Tent
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2022 Issue. Roof tents certainly have their place, but most buyers would benefit from purchasing a solution that is lightweight, easily removable, and half the cost. There have been few options to address those practicalities until the recent launch of the Rev Tent by…
SylvanSport Announces Loft Hard Shell Roof Top Tent
There is a new, well-established player in the hard shell roof top tent (RTT) market, and with a well below average unit cost (and limited period of free shipping to the US Lower 48), this attractive, rapid set up roof tent is sure to be in high demand. The Loft RTT is available in any…
The Kammok Crosswing is Killing it on Kickstarter
I have an awning on my Defender; it is very well made but relatively poorly designed. To set it up, I need to motivate the assistance of a teenager or my ever-busy wife, and over the next five minutes of unzipping, unrolling, pole deployment, and leveling, a relationship may very well suffer. Yes, I could…
Holy Toledo! Vanlife and Overland Gathering on the Oregon Coast, July 15-18
Highway 101, or the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, is a legendary road trip route that draws visitors from all over the globe. Typical postcard-worthy spots feature expansive beaches, weathered lighthouses, and rolling dunes. For those heading to the Oregon coast this summer, the Holy Toledo rendezvous might be a fun addition to your road trip…
Treeline Outdoors Tamarack Plus Rooftop Tent
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2022 Issue. Many tents are coated in flame retardants to meet regulatory standards in North America, and these chemicals can easily transfer from fabric to skin to the hands (and ultimately, to your mouth). This is where Treeline Outdoors is making progress toward a safer…