Among the sea of events that dot the adventure travel landscape, there are few that are truly unique and worthwhile attending. One of those events is the Outpost series, which is held in locations like the redwoods of Northern California, and now in downtown Los Angeles. This was the first year of the LA event,…
James Baroud Tents Now Come in 250 Colors
The stereotypical overlander is supposed to be utilitarian, never choosing form over function, and always prioritizing the adventure, but I’d be lying if I said looks didn’t matter. We’re automotive enthusiasts after all, and each of us wants to build a vehicle that not only performs well on the trail, but represents our personal style…
Yeti Hondo Base Camp Chair Review
Yeti is an impressive company, based on a simple ethos: “Build the cooler (i.e., product) you’d use every day if it existed.” They certainly made their name constructing extremely robust coolers that endure full-tilt adventure travel, but they have also extended their product line to include soft coolers, drinkware, bags, and now chairs. Pulling the…
Field Tested: DMOS Stealth Shovel
Jackson, Wyoming-based DMOS is a force to be reckoned with. Since their Kickstarter debut in the fall of 2015, this woman-owned company has taken the bull by its horns. DMOS exists to build tools that are purpose-built, portable, and engineered to outlast its customers. They make shovels. They make highly durable shovels. The Stealth is…
Organizational Alchemy
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Fall 2018. “Junk show” were the words used to describe one camper’s vehicle, the back seat and storage area a cascading pile of sagging Rubbermaid containers and crisscrossed bungee cords. While the words were harsh, the Internet, and community forums in particular, often show little…
The Modern Campaign Camp
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Fall 2017. In the ever-expanding lexicon of the backcountry traveler, a new word has emerged which, depending on your personal perspective, can register as a compliment or a pejorative. That term, glamping, is a clever portmanteau melding the word glamorous with camping. It is in…
Treeline Outdoors Tamarack Constellation
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2018. Camping is one of the most enjoyable aspects of overland travel—nothing beats pulling up to a remote lake with no other vehicles or buildings in sight. Certainly, sleeping in the wild can be a simple affair, using a bedroll unfurled beneath the stars….
Burning Rings of Fire
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2018. One of my earliest camping memories is of my dad instructing me to police the grounds as we packed up, collecting any trash left by us or anyone that came before. “We need to leave it better than we found it,” was his…
Field Tested: Nemo Stargaze Luxury Recliner
As ridiculous as it sounds, camp chairs are a hotly debated subject these days. Everyone has their preference, and whether it’s small lightweight options or the most expensive canvas and wood campaign chair you’ve ever seen, each has its merits. I’ve been on the hunt for my own favorite for some time now, and after…
Overlanding Skills: How to Pitch a Tent
Although every tent is slightly different, there are some common techniques for properly pitching a modern portable shelter. Do it poorly and you risk damaging the tent itself, or enduring a less than comfortable night’s sleep. I travel with people with extensive backcountry experience, yet see them making basic mistakes all too often. Most people would…
Field Tested: GSI Glacier Stainless Camper Set
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I tend to purchase expensive gear. It’s not because I want to appear fancy or anything, but rather because of the countless hard lessons I learned with cheap gear in my early days of camping. Ever had a pot of hot coffee and grounds fall on your lap…
2018 Holiday Gift Guide $300+
It’s hard to believe that December is already halfway gone, meaning there is precious little time left before the holidays. Of course, by this time you’ve probably got most of your gifts for friends and family sorted out, but if you haven’t, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with two lists of great outdoor ideas….
Last Minute Holiday Gifts For Your Overlander
You’re sitting in your office, counting down the days until the holiday break when all of a sudden it hits you, you’re almost out of time for gifts! Frantically, you try to figure out what to buy. Well, fret not, as we have two giant lists of last-minute products for the outdoor enthusiast in your…
Gear Scout: PDW Field Kitchen Knife Set
I’m a big believer in the buy once, cry once mentality. After churning through one piece of cheap gear after another, I finally realized that if I purchased a few high-quality products instead of several low-quality products, my camping experience would be infinitely better, and thus far it has been. That’s why I love finding…
CFX65W – The 200-pound gorilla in the truck, or the perfect Thanksgiving accessory?
When we’ve traveled as a family, we’ve always used a cooler, simply because my wife is a minimalist, and her reply has always been “sure a fridge is nice, but we don’t really need one, and it’s one more piece of gear to store when we are not on the road.” My 1988 Range Rover…
Field Tested: Eezi-Awn Stealth
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2017. Everyone loves the idea of a tree house, and for the overlander, few things resonate as much with this concept as the rooftop tent (RTT), a comfortable and elevated retreat from the creepy crawlies and uneven terrain below. I ordered my very first…
Home on the Range
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Winter 2018. Photography by Chris Cordes The trailer listed hard to the side, the 44-inch tire deep into the crevasse, the Hilux’s frame broken, and a tire peeled from the bead. The Expeditions 7 team had just crossed Greenland and was now fighting for every…
Field Tested: Thermacell Radius and Scout Mosquito Repellent
Whether or not you’d use the word sweet to describe me is still in question, but there is no arguing that there is something about my blood that is more enticing to insects like mosquitoes. It seems like I come home from camping with a dozen bites for every one or two that my friends…
Field Tested: ARB Aluminum Awning 2500MM
Since our 1989 Mitsubishi Delica is turning into a campervan, we wanted a large awning that would provide ample water and UV resistance, be durable in harsh conditions, and be compatible with accessories like an awning room. Weighing in at 35 pounds, the hard-cased ARB 2500MM awning (part number 814102A) has an aluminum flip-top case, is…
Shelter From the Storm
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2018 For many travelers, a tent is not just a weekend retreat, it is home on the road for weeks if not months on end. For those on extended journeys, spanning all four seasons and on roads prone to destroy delicate gear, finding…