The world-famous annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) showcases all things auto-related. SEMA has revealed the winners of its prestigious Best New Products Awards during the 2023 SEMA Show. These awards celebrate the most innovative and forward-thinking automotive aftermarket products that will become available in 2023. These products are evaluated across 18 award categories, with…
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…
Portable Power Stations :: Buyer’s Guide
Portable power stations, also known as portable generators or battery packs, are becoming increasingly popular for travel and RV use, especially when conventional power sources are unavailable. They are also superior to gas-guzzling generators that generate unwelcome noise pollution and require propane or gasoline to run. Portable power stations offer a dependable and practical supply…
Goal Zero Launches Yeti Pro 4000
Goal Zero continues to add larger and more technologically capable power stations to its extensive Yeti lineup. Its latest is the Yeti Pro 4000, boasting a brawny 3,600 watts of continuous power and up to 7,200 watts in surge capacity. With the optional Tank Pro LiFePO4 expansion battery packs, 20,000 watt-hours of capacity is possible….
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro :: Field Tested
It’s a rare product that changes everything about the way you travel. The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro did just that in ways that continually surprise me. I spent six months building out (well, overseeing the build of) my 2018 Ram Promaster, which is outfitted with three stellar 100ah batteries from the Utah Company Lion…
Overland News of the Week
Barbara Toy’s In Search of Sheba Returns to Print with Introduction by Lois Pryce Barbara Toy, famous for her solo overland travels by Land Rover in North Africa, Arabia, and beyond, set off in 1959 to drive from Libya to Ethiopia. The result: her travel memoir, In Search of Sheba. Thanks to the persistence and…
Zero Breeze Portable Overland Air Conditioner
I took two months to explore the West in my AT4 Sierra with a Scout Kenai camper. The goal was to work and live in the slide-in nearly daily, with only occasional nights in other accommodations. For that to work, I needed a way to take a shower, pack out human waste, and to be…
Redarc Launches the Alpha150 Lithium Battery for Extreme Conditions
It makes sense that Redarc should finally release a lithium battery in North America to complement an already extensive range of electronic products, including monitoring and management systems for outdoor and military applications. This new product brings the company closer to being a “one-stop shop” with a complete range from relatively basic to highly advanced…
Gear Round Up Overland Expo PNW 2023
There are three main reasons to visit any of the Overland Expos including the PNW and other nationally, and those are (in order) the people, the vehicles, and the gear. While the people and the vehicles are generally easy to spot, even if some do insist on being clad in camouflage, finding the newest, best…
Field Tested :: Renogy DCC30S Solar Charge Controller
Editor’s Note: This Fieldsheer article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2023 Issue. Dual-isolated batteries have been a fixture of overland vehicles for decades, and in recent years, the price of solar and lithium batteries has dropped enough to become the go-to choice. Correctly isolating batteries is essential to preserve the vehicle starting battery, and keeping batteries…
Six Months of International Travel with Starlink
“Stay calm; call 911!” I instructed Luisa as I carefully brought the Nimbl to a stop on the icy road deep within the Yukon. The van lay wedged in the snow on its roof, the wheels spinning in the air like a stranded, upended tortoise’s legs. I jumped out to assist my inverted convoy mate…
Overland News of the Week
Gerber Gear Launches More Than Ready Camp Essentials As part of its More Than Ready campaign, Gerber Gear has released a wide range of multi-tools, knives, axes, and other camp essentials for 2023. Lightweight items like the Stake Out and Armbar Scout multi-tools feature a plain edge blade, bottle opener, and scissors in a compact…
Overland News of the Week
America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2023 (AORA) Senators Joe Manchin (D – WV) and John Barrasso (R – WY) have reintroduced this bi-partisan bill in Congress. SEMA and the Sierra Club, among other organizations, support it. It is a wide-ranging bill and includes provisions for modernizing and updating campgrounds and other recreation sites across public…
Hatfield-McCoy Trails Partners with onX Offroad
OnX Offoad Shows the Way Navigating the Hatfield-McCoy Trail (HMT) System, with its over 1000 miles trails will soon be easier. Navigation app developer onX Offroad and Hatfield-McCoy are partnering up to improve the user experience in the forests of West Virginia. Adding the Hatfield-McCoy to onX Offroad’s 600,000-plus miles of mapping data will improve…
Overland News of the Week
Super Pacific Campers Launches Network for Installs, Demos, and Support Super Pacific has announced a satellite network of shops in Oregon, California, and Colorado, offering delivery and installation, and, beginning in April 2023, in-person demos, warranty support, and customer service. Prospective buyers may choose between several delivery and pick-up options, including installation at one of…
A Place in the Sun :: Comparing Eight Solar Panels for Overlanding
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2023 Issue. Long-term overland travel requires self-sustained living, and part of that living demands electricity. At the very least, most travelers are using those charged particles to power 12-volt fridges and LED camp lights. More often than not, overlanders are now including induction cooktops, freezers,…
Motorola Announces Defy Satellite Communications Range
Founded in 1928, Motorola is one of the oldest mobile technology brands on the planet. Engineers at Motorola invented the car stereo, the walkie-talkie, the first hand-held portable phone, and the world’s first commercial cellular device. Their 3G cell phones dominated the market for years and were instantly recognizable—raise your hand if you had an…
Overland News of the Week
Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Pro The sound of a gas-guzzling generator in a remote campground is enough to drive a saint crazy. We camp in the wild to experience the peace and tranquility of nature and not the humdrum of an engine. Introducing the Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Pro. It has a sweet purr, has…
ARB Linx Accessory Interface Long-Term Review
ARB is, arguably, one of the most recognizable and respected brands operating in the overland and 4WD travel sector. For years we have coveted ARB products, and we were excited to find that our current overland vehicle came equipped with a host of ARB gear, namely a bull bar, front and rear lockers, rear airbags,…
Spot X 2-way Satellite Messenger
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2022 Issue. I frequent locations that don’t have cell service, where I’ve come to appreciate two-way satellite communication devices. And while earlier personal locator beacons simply alerted SAR, modern two-way messengers like the Spot X do that and a lot more, like allowing you…