Photography by Richard Giordano In a sea of Tacomas and rooftop tents, it’s always refreshing to spot a one-of-a-kind vehicle build. This 1982 Toyota Chinook 4×4 conversion is indeed unique, and like the Creature from Frankenstein, it is a composite of body parts grafted together and reanimated by the use of electricity, a ton of…
Overland News of the Week
Snow Peak Pack & Carry Fireplace XL Snow Peak has just released the XL version of their popular stainless steel folding Pack & Carry fireplace. The new XL is 170 percent bigger than the size large, ensuring that you have plenty of warmth and ambience for the entire camp. Because the Fold & Carry packs…
Overland News of the Week at Expo Mountain West
Having just returned from my first Overland Expo, I’m a bit overwhelmed. I’ve never seen so many kitted-out vehicles and overland gear in the same place. I found myself being drawn in five different directions at the same time. Woah! Check out these bumpers…and, oh wow! Is that the Acela Monterra? It was like being…
The Mortelleporter : A Cautionary Tale About Puppies and Truck Campers
Photography by Mike and Dani Mortell The Backstory Having never before set foot in Colorado, I decided to take a job that would land my partner, Mike, and me in the foothills of Boulder in 2018. As a couple of outdoor enthusiasts, we knew this state and its neighbors held boundless opportunities to keep us…
Field Tested: Micro-Start—The World’s Smallest Jump Starter
Created by Antigravity Batteries, known for high-end lithium batteries, the Micro-start is the first, original mini jump starter. These days, we rely on electronic devices more than ever—even in the middle of nowhere—which is what makes the Micro-start an essential item whenever I walk, drive, or ride two wheels off into an adventure. This pocket-sized…
Featured Vehicle Interior: Badass Brunette’s 2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport
Whether she’s skydiving, jumping out of helicopters in a giraffe onesie, or riding her Yamaha TT-R230, at the end of the day, Cristin Whetten returns to the 2015 Toyota Tacoma that she calls home. Known as Badass Brunette on Instagram, Cristin bought the truck brand-new nearly seven years ago, admittedly knowing nothing about offroading, camping,…
Overland News of the Week
Forge 15 Hitch-mounted BBQ Take your barbeque game up a few notches with Hitchfire’s Forge 15. This hitch-mounted gas grill is a solution for cooking outdoors that will get you up and off of the ground. The grill’s 18- by 22-inch cooking surface is large enough to cook for up to 10 people, and the…
Overland News of the Week
Toyo Trunk Shape Toolbox T-190 SV In the ongoing search for vehicle organization solutions, the Japanese-made T-190 SV steel toolbox from Toyo is a lightweight and sturdy option that stacks nicely within larger gear containers. These simple metal boxes are pressed from a single piece of steel which means that they have a clean, seamless…
Video of the Week: Field Tested Nemo Helio Shower Kit
Just because we enjoy going off-grid, and spending extended periods without the conveniences of home, doesn’t mean that we enjoy being dirty. Long days on the trail are taxing, and having a quick way to rinse off the sweat and sunscreen at the end of the day is often a luxury worth making room for…
The Tilt Test
Since 2015, I have built a few vans on Sprinter 4×4 chassis and have crossed both Canada and the US, accumulating miles and memories, pushing farther and farther on back roads and some challenging trails. They are not rock crawlers, but we managed to go where no RV could go. Being active on social media,…
Van Lab Offers DIY Flatpack Upfitting Kits for Popular Van Chassis
You see it again and again, uber-expensive campervan builds with prices upward of six figures. And while they are beautiful, and we’ve all probably fantasized about owning one, some of us have very real financial limitations in our lives. But faced with the prospect of taking on a DIY campervan build to save money, many…
Airstream and Pottery Barn Team Up for Special Edition 28-foot Travel Trailer
Airstream’s newest collaboration is a special edition 28-foot travel trailer designed in partnership with home-goods retailer Pottery Barn. Positioned at the intersection of comfort and style, this new trailer features the amenities we’ve come to expect from Airstream with finishes, fixtures, hardware, and fabrics from Pottery Barn’s best-selling collections. “It’s a match that makes sense…
Overland News of the Week
Haven Tent Hammock camping is one of those polarizing things that people tend to love or hate, with one of the biggest complaints that you can’t sleep flat. Instead, your back is forced into a curved position, and sleeping on your side is impossible. The innovative Haven Tent aims to improve the hammock sleeping experience….
Featured Overland Trailer :: Overkill Campers T.K.4.7.
The crew that makes up Bend, Oregon, based Overkill Campers have adventure coursing through their veins. They are hikers, bikers, skiers, and overlanders, with an appreciation for vehicle-based travel and a love of the open road. They also have no fewer than five dogs listed on the meet the crew section of their website, so…
Memoir and Travel Diary: Van Living 1971, by Gay & Jack Reineck
These days the term vanlife is hardly ever mentioned independently of web-based social media platforms, but the truth is that van living predates the internet. So who were the early pioneers? And what did the early days of van living look like? Gay and Jack Reineck might just have the answers to those questions and…
Behind the Wheel: Rossmönster Baja Adventure Truck
The Rossmönster Baja Adventure Truck When the Rossmönster team reached out and asked if I was interested in taking their newest overlanding vehicle, the Baja adventure truck, out for a spin, I was giddy with excitement. This would be the first flatbed truck and camper combo that I’d ever driven. To say that I was…
Leave No Trace—Outdoor Ethics for Riders, Overlanders, and Other Land Users
I was camping in eastern Washington a month ago. We had a gorgeous spot right on a river and plenty of space for three vehicles and six dirt bikes. On arrival, I jumped out of the truck and headed into some trees to relieve my water-filled bladder. Walking a few feet away from camp, I…
Overland News of the Week
Hyperlight Mountain Gear Camera Pod Hyperlight Mountain Gear, makers of über-lightweight sewn outdoor goods, have just dropped their new Camera Pod, and if it’s built like their other products, I have no doubt that it will survive many miles on the trail. Hyperlight is one of the pioneering companies responsible for popularizing Dyneema (aka Cubin…
Loki Basecamp Falcon Series Truck Campers have Arrived
Loki’s transition from building modular showrooms and tradeshow displays to slide-in truck campers may seem a little odd, but it’s certainly not the first business shift motivated by the pandemic, especially in the recreational vehicle market, which is booming. With demand for campers and RVs still peaking, many consumers are eagerly waiting (sometimes over a…
Field Tested: Melanzana Micro Grid Hoodie
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted in Overland Journal’s Spring 2021 Issue. The Micro Grid hoodie from outdoor clothing manufacturer Melanzana has developed a cult following over the past decade and a half. Perhaps it’s because this synthetic hooded pullover achieves the perfect balance of comfort and technical performance or because its two-tone…