Husband and wife team Graeme and Luisa Bell have put their heads together to come up with a few Valentine’s gifts for all you lovers out there. As a couple who have been together for close to a squillion years, we do not celebrate Valentine’s Day with roses, expensive meals, and lacy underpants. Instead, as…
Columbia Ready to Roam Collection :: Long-Term Review
Columbia’s Ready to Roam Collection is yet another signpost along overlanding’s winding road to the mainstream. The Portland, Oregon-based sportswear giant launched its adventure-travel-focused layers and outerwear last year, supported by a tire-tracked media campaign featuring lots of Jeeps and overland influencers from the depths of Instagram. The company even waded into the “What is…
Arksen Labs Launches Apparel Line
UK-based Arksen has carved out a unique niche in the adventure travel world. Originally builders of aluminum-hulled ocean-going vessels for patrolling the very ends of the world’s seas, in 2023, they branched out into bespoke overland vehicles based on the original Land Rover Defender and Mercedes Unimog. This lineup even includes an EV version of…
Overland News of the Week
Overland Home Launches Overland International’s co-owner and designer Stephanie Brady has launched a new business called Overland Home. Overland Home aims to provide beautiful, unique, and well-designed products from artisans around the globe with a focus on natural materials and time-honored techniques. All artisans sourced from are paid fair wages, which means when you purchase…
Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Winter Clothing Essentials
We stood beside our small portable barbeque in a campsite outside Whitehorse, in the infamous Yukon territory, watching the coals glow red and thinking about the human relationship with heat and cold in the midst of a journey to the Arctic Ocean in March. According to the weather app on my phone, the temperature was…
Triple Aught Design – Praetorian Hoodie, Overlord Sweater, and Prelude Dolman : Field Tested
Layering is the secret to dressing effectively for extreme cold weather, and being able to regulate your body temperature is key. An overland journey to cold climates means that most of the day will be spent within a vehicle with occasional dashes into the elements for fuel stops or photo opportunities. A good base layer…
25 Holiday Gifts for the Overlander in Your Life
Presented by Küat Racks Have you heard a Mariah Carey song blasting over the speakers at your local grocery store yet? If so, it’s probably time to start thinking about the quickly-approaching holiday gift giving season. From ADV riders to bikepackers, vehicle aficionados, and tent campers, there’s something for everyone in this Expedition Portal gift…
Gear of the Year
What a year 2023 has turned out to be! My wife, Luisa, and I kicked it off by camping on a secluded beach in Baja, then traveling to the Arctic Ocean in winter before collecting our Land Rover Defender from the port in Canada, driving down through the US to central Mexico during a heat…
Cozy His and Hers Sweaters from Royal Robbins :: Field Tested
Photography by Richard Giordano Heritage brand Royal Robbins was founded in 1968 by American rock-climbing pioneers Royal and Liz Robbins. Together, they tested unclimbed routes in the Yosemite Valley, Royal specializing in big-wall ascents throughout the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, while Liz was the first woman to climb the face of Half Dome in 1967….
25 Black Friday Gifts for the Overlander in Your Life
Presented by Nitto Tire Now that Halloween ghosts have been replaced by twinkling reds, greens, and golds, it’s time to start thinking about the fast-approaching holiday season. Luckily, the Expedition Portal team has been busy amalgamating our favorite gear picks just in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While Associate Editor Steve Edwards has…
Top SEMA Products According to One of Our Bosses
Brian McVickers is the Overland International CBDO (Chief Business Development Officer), partner, contributor, highly experienced overlander, and one of the most genuine guys you will ever meet (brownie points, please, boss!). Brian took to the fields of hard carpet at the SEMA event held in Las Vegas last week and returned with sore feet and…
Overland News of the Week
Wrangler Introduces All Terrain Gear In Overland News of the Week, we’re excited to introduce a new line from Wrangler. Dipping their well-known toes into the overland market, the Wrangler brand recently unveiled an extension of its outdoor clothing range, namely All Terrain Gear (ATG) by Wrangler, a selection of state-of-the-art outdoor garments. Featuring everyday…
Aether Fall Collection :: Field Tested
I have been wearing Aether’s Sawyer cashmere full-zip hoodie for a couple of months as the autumn weather has turned crisp in the northern latitudes. I was expecting the cozy warmth, breathability, and overall great fit that Cashmere offers. What I was not prepared for were all the hugs. Aether’s 60-percent-new/40-percent-recycled Cashmere blend is astonishingly…
Craghoppers Winter Gear
I stood on the Arctic Ocean in March between two pingos, my beard frozen and a smile on my lips. I monitored my body for cold and found that only the exposed skin on my face was cold, as I had recently removed my fleece garter to drink a rapidly cooling cup of coffee poured…
What Overlanders Should Know About the Gore-Tex Brand
Photographs courtesy of the Gore-Tex Brand The path to purchasing outdoor gear can feel like a quest for the Holy Grail. There are many factors to consider, including sizing, materials, fit, construction, durability, and brand ethics or environmental impact. Whether it’s a pair of hiking boots or a puffy jacket, the mission always starts with…
Chaco Paonia Clog and Ramble Puff :: Field Tested
In the early 1990s, Chaco made a splash in the highly competitive, shin-kicking world of outdoor footwear by taking on sandal giant Teva. Colorado-based river guide Mark Paigen designed a sport sandal with an anatomical footbed, a single pull-through adjustment strap, and a Vibram outsole. Called the Z/1, it was a snug-fitting, easy-to-clean, and made-in-the-USA…
Was the 1920s Plus Fours Routefinder Watch an Ultimate Failure or Ahead of its Time?
Imagine chugging down the bumpy roads of 1920s London in a Ford Model T, mechanical parts clattering away as you grip the manual steering wheel, shifting between high and low gear. Perhaps you are heading for the coastal town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England, eager to enjoy a weekend by the sea. To navigate, you…
Overland News of the Week
Overland News: Let’s Go Aero Introduces E-Motorbike Carrier This week’s overland news begins with the V-Lectric Folding Rack (VFR). The VGF integrates a tray mount and ramp system that can withstand up to 80 pounds per bike and features a folding V-formation structure that handles various bike sizes, shapes, and geometries. To secure anything from…
Overland News of the Week
Rux 70-liter Essentials Set This week’s Overland News of the Week has some great gear offerings and the first on the list is the Rux 70-liter system; a practical and robust alternative to plastic bins and duffel bags for efficient gear organization and transportation. When used independently, the Rux takes the form of a rugged…
Craghoppers Clothing :: Long-Term Review
Editor’s Note: This Craghoppers clothing review was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2023 Issue. In late 2012, we said goodbye to our home in Cape Town, South Africa, and packed the Land Rover for an expedition that would take us around the world without pause. We researched and sourced gear that would serve us…