After all of the swirling controversy over land access this year, we were beginning to think that things would finally quiet down during this final stretch to 2018, but we were wrong. Yesterday the state of Michigan announced that they will open 6,300 miles of trails to off-road vehicles, following a law enacted last year…
Field Report: Overland Experts Training
Here at Expedition Portal, we talk a lot about how to make your four-wheel drive more capable and reliable for the road ahead. After all, these vehicles are often our only way into and out of the remote locations we love, so it makes sense that we’d want to purchase parts that help them perform…
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…
The Coolest Four-Wheel Drives of SEMA 2017
After we return from SEMA each year, our friends and families like to ask us the same thing: what was your favorite vehicle? Anyone who has ever been to SEMA will know that such a question is tough to answer. It can take days to see all of the amazing cars and trucks placed throughout…
First Impressions: SEMA 2017
For most people, the end of October and beginning of November is simply a season called fall, but for those of us in the automotive world, it’s something entirely different. It’s that time of year when tens of thousands of enthusiasts and manufacturers descend upon the Las Vegas Convention Center to see the latest and…
Rethinking the Overland Jeep
I discovered it on the local dealer’s lot—a used 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. It had a cracked taillight, and the passenger front fender looked like it had been grazed, but it was clean and it checked all of the boxes: four doors, 3.6 Pentastar V6, updated interior, and the Rubicon’s standard fare of off-road…
EarthRoamer Releases F-750 based XV-HD
For the last few years, pictures of a gargantuan concept EarthRoamer have been floating around the Internet. They were enough to get everyone excited, but as time passed many of us began to wonder if the brand’s largest undertaking would ever come to fruition. Well, this morning they put our fears to rest. Just over…
The Road Less Traveled: Unique Vehicles of Overland Expo East
William Cowper once said that “Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor,” and after attending seven Overland Expos I’d have to agree. You see, while the attendees’ experiences can change year to year with new classes and instructors, those of us working the booths wind up seeing the same things…
The Campers and Trailers of Overland Expo East
While there are loads of awesome vehicles and products at Overland Expo each year, few command as much attention as the campers and trailers scattered throughout the show. These capable platforms not only look cool, but have made overlanding more comfortable, and in many ways more accessible than ever before. They enable owners to park…
Texas receives an overland event of its own.
Over the past few years the overlanding scene has truly exploded, giving life to new events all across the country. Yet, despite the large number of enthusiasts in the central U.S., these expos and rallies seem to be concentrated solely along the East and West coasts, leaving those of us in the middle without many…
A2A Expedition: Give Me Inconvenience Or Give Me Death
Our Land Rover Defender has taken us to 41 countries over a 6-year period. Not once have we been arrested, none of us (a family of four) have contracted malaria, been robbed, shot at, beaten or deported. How utterly depressing. I want to write the story about how, that one time in Tanzania, I had…
WestX1000: The Trials & Tribulations of a Millennial Nomad
It had been raining for days, maybe weeks. We were in Seattle where I grew up, where my father still resides. We were parked in front of his apartment on a narrow street, lined with cars on one side and apartments overlooking Lake Union on the other. Our van, a 2008 Ford Econoline E-150, was…
Expedition Portal Classifieds: Hemi XV-JP
Imagine for a moment that you have just won the lottery. Hundreds of millions of dollars are now in your bank account, and the world of exotic vehicles and travel are wide open to you. What do you buy? A perfect condition Land Cruiser, a pop-top Defender, a 6×6 G-Wagen, maybe all three? While I…
I Can. I Will. Women Overlanding the World
Before we left, we were repeatedly discouraged by others and by the media. Everyone said these were not safe countries for women to travel in, that a trip like this would be too physically demanding for women, one person even said we would come home in pine boxes. Despite these messages, we overcame our fears and…
Melbourne 4WD Show :: Australia
Walking the halls of Australia’s largest 4WD show
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…
Buy this truck and drive to South America for the price of a Rubicon
I love browsing through the depths of the Expedition Portal for sale sections. Besides seeing some seriously cool vehicles, you get a peek at the many adventures they’ve had through the years, and the many adventures still to come with new buyers. Just the other day I stumbled upon a perfect example, a 2003 F-250…
The Canadian Overland Tribe Gathers: BC Overland Rally 2017
So much to learn, see, and do at the first annual BC Overland Rally, which was held at the Sasquatch Mountain Resort June 22-25. Sadly, I didn’t spot any Sasquatches, but did have an amazing long weekend with the Canadian overland tribe. High up in British Columbia’s mountains, but only 2 hours north of the…
The Vehicles of NW Overland Rally 2017
With over 1,000 people in attendance at the 7th annual NW Overland Rally in Plain, Washington, there was bound to be a few interesting vehicles, but the sheer diversity was truly impressive. The rally pulls attendees from all over the PNW and has a solid draw from southwestern Canada. The 15-year import laws in Canada…
Land Cruising Adventure: Do you need a fridge?
Karin-Marijke & Coen overlanded parts of their 14-year journey with a fridge, but also years without a one. What is their verdict?