Over the last few years, Basil Lynch has turned his F-250 and custom camper into a one-of-a-kind overland dream rig. Many of us followed the build, as well as the numerous adventures which followed, but now he’s planning his biggest trip yet, a journey down to Central and South America. Unfortunately, it seems Bruce, his…
Will the new 2020 AWD Ford Transit Dethrone the Sprinter?
For the last five years, the Mercedes Sprinter has quite literally revolutionized the backcountry RV market, upending longtime offerings like the Ford E350. The popularity of the Sprinter was so extreme that inventory backlogs extended into the next model year, and industry leaders like Sportsmobile were ordering 100 units at a time (the most that…
The Raddest Rides of Adventure Van Expo
Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, step right up for your chance to see the latest and greatest in adventurous rides. On display today are delectable Delicas, superb Sprinters, excellent E-350s, and a smattering of nearly every other van and four-wheel drive in between. Are you looking to drop a few hundred thousand on a…
Do Not Start Overlanding
“Begin er niet aan, dit is verslaavend (Do not start, it is addictive).” –taken from a sticker given to me by a Dutch overlander Recently I wrote a short letter to my friend Dr. Rosselli seeking clarification. Dr. Rosselli is an internationally renowned Colombian neurologist, and himself an overlander who primarily travels unknown and dangerous…
Video Of The Week: Appetite for Altitude
We all have that one big camping trip we look forward to each year. The destination could be halfway across the world or just around the corner. The means of travel could range from bush planes to backpacking, and the timeline might vary from days to weeks. But what each trip shares are a sense…
Rain, Snow, and Sprinters On The RoamBuilt Adventure
We were near the front of the pack now, the lead vehicle in a caravan of 11 dust-strewn vans. I looked to my left and found my gaze dropping straight down the immense weather-worn walls of the Grand Canyon. There was no escaping its magnitude this close. Even as we carefully navigated along its outer…
Expedition Portal Classifieds: HZJ77 Pop-Top Land Cruiser
Today’s classified is something pretty special. Not only are you looking at one of the few HZJ77s here in the states, but this one is freshly completed with a pop-top and custom camper interior. The seller states that this specific truck was being outfitted for rental service here in the USA, and as you’d expect…
The Off-Road Wedge Camper Shootout
We put five of the market’s most popular shell campers in a head-to-head test to determine which one might be best for you.
This Van Is For Sale, And It Comes With A Matching Sauna Trailer
We’ve seen a lot of crazy builds over the years, from Land Rover Discovery II’s turned into custom RVs to enormous 8×8 campers, but this Sportsmobile might take the cake. While reading through some infrared sauna reviews – I realized that it’s not the van itself which is so unusual, but rather the fact that…
The Newest Overland Gear At Outdoor Retailer 2019
If you caught Scott Brady’s recent article, you’d know that overlanding is officially in at Outdoor Retailer. It’s hip, it’s hot, and it was happening across every corner of the show. From Series Land Rovers to Earth Cruisers, vehicles of every kind were being embraced by brands to showcase their products in a new and…
Outdoor Retailer Show Adopts Overlanding
Expedition Portal and Overland Journal first attended the Outdoor Retailer show in 2006, over 13 years ago. Initially, we were met with reserved curiosity, the outdoor industry unsure about its relationship with vehicle-based adventuring. However, in the subsequent years, we have received more and more attention and adoption from the community, and the outdoor industry…
How The Vanlife App Could Change Life on The Road Forever
The open road, a tank full of fuel, and no deadline for a return home; that’s a dream many travelers share. We imagine ourselves roaming the world from the crests of cascading sand dunes to the shores of remote mountain lakes, fulfilled by the vast riches our Earth has to offer and the memories we’re…
Featured Vehicle: Overlanding Brute
There are fundamental elements of a good overland vehicle: the combination of serviceability (or ultimate reliability), capacity (payload and cargo volume), capability for when the terrain gets technical, and enough comfort to keep driver fatigue at bay. For the last 15 years, American Expedition Vehicles has been trying to pull the Jeep Wrangler into the…
Adventure Van Expo: The Free Overland and Van Event You Need To See
Thanks to social media and a new generation of travelers, both overlanding and vanlife are flourishing here in North America. The negative connotations of living out of your truck or sleeping in a van down by the river are deteriorating, leading many people to ditch their sedentary lives for a path of adventure. But learning…
Field Tested: RedArc Manager30
The scenario is all too familiar, the anticipation of a long weekend of camping interrupted by the click, click, click of the starter and a truck filled with dead batteries because that one light was left on. Or the remote camp on the beach and days of sunshine and fun followed by a dead house…
A Look Back at the Trucks and Campers of Overland Expo West 2019
Overlanding is about the journey. It’s about traveling to new places to experience different views, foods, and cultures while creating memories that will last a lifetime. Yet, if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s also about the trucks. Yes, yes, I know we’re never supposed to acknowledge the dirty truth that many of us modify our…
The Coolest Products You Missed At Overland Expo West 2019
We’re being told that this year’s Overland Expo West was the biggest ever in terms of attendance, but I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that it was the largest in terms of square footage as well. Food trucks filled the square, off-road test courses dotted the Arizona landscape, and over 360 exhibitors filled in…
Overland Expo West 2019: A First Look
Overland Expo West is back, under new management, and bigger than ever. After spending nearly all of day one walking across the Fort Tuthill fairgrounds, we have barely scratched the surface of the amazing vehicles, gear, and people spread throughout this event. There are innovative new campers, stunning restorations, and a heap of brand new…
Garmin’s Overlander GPS Can Replace All of Your Off-Road Apps
These days it seems like there’s nothing a smart phone can’t do. From listening to music and taking pictures, to answering emails and browsing the internet, they’ve become integrated into nearly every aspect of our daily lives. It’s no wonder why most of us have ditched the old GPS units for an array of navigation…
Field Tested: AMP Research PowerStep
The overland community certainly has its debates: Toyota versus Land Rover, wide tires versus tall skinny tires, roof tent versus ground tent and so much more, but there’s one thing that almost all of us can agree on, and that’s the removal of factory running boards. That’s because they significantly reduce the breakover angle and…