Our overlander’s 2020 gift guide aims to take some of the stress out of shopping. Instead of frantically clicking the purchase button on Amazon a week before Christmas (or Hannukah, or Kwanzaa, or Festivus…), you can take a more leisurely approach and get your loved ones some thoughtful and useful gifts. In this article, you…
Field Tested: Rocky Talkie FRS Radios
Reliable communication makes adventures safer. And whether you are a group of hikers splitting up to explore different trails, a rock climber who is out of sight of your partner, or a convoy of overlanders, the humble radio has proven its value time and time again. But not all radios are created equal, and that’s…
Exploring with the Hasselblad X1D
The Hasselblad is a compact, durable, and exceedingly elegant travel camera. The dust in the Namib is extreme, a vast expanse of the oldest erg system in the world. We had stopped the diesel 2020 Defender 110 for a moment to investigate a roadside stand of Himba, their handcrafted wares besting anything from Etsy. There…
Sony Alpha 7C is the Worlds Smallest Full-Frame Camera
The phrase “the best camera is the one you have with you” is attributed to photographer Chase Jarvis who wrote a book about smartphone photography. Basically, he’s saying that even if you own the highest-resolution camera with the best-quality lenses, it won’t do you any good if you don’t take it along on your trips….
Goodbye, Transmission
In my mind, destroying a manual transmission is an act of violence. It is something that involves loud grinding, clunking, maybe even a stalled engine. I believed it was something that would leave you stranded on the side of the road waiting on a tow truck. It turns out, it wasn’t anything like that. Olivia…
Gear Spotlight :: Spot, Halite, Sawyer, and RedArc
In preparation for our overland journey from Cape Town, South Africa to Vladivostok, Russia we have been accumulating gear that will be employed to make the journey easier, safer, and more secure. The following is a first impression look at four products which will be put to the ultimate test on the world’s longest possible…
North American Product Launch | RedArc, RedVision and RedVision Kit (with Manager30)
My friend Shayne has a fire-truck-red Defender 130, which was once touted by Outside Magazine as the “greatest overland vehicle ever built by an Australian living in America but still obsessed with Australia.” He and I drive the same old British vehicles but are at different ends of the gizmo/gear spectrum. With one click on…
Sony Alpha 7S III is a Video Powerhouse
Mirrorless cameras are relatively new to the photography scene but have quickly established themselves as legitimate replacements for the beloved DSLR (digital single-lens reflex). Beginning with compact, APS-c, and micro 4/3 format models, there are now full-frame powerhouses that deliver medium-format resolution (we’re up to 60+ megapixels) with wide dynamic range that (almost) fit in…
Coleman Powerhouse Dual Fuel 414 Stove | Field Tested
There are people who love old Triumph motorcycles and classic Italian sports cars, and for good reason. These machines were design icons in their time, and they force the user to become active and essential participants in the experience. For every thrilling apex, acceleration, wind in your hair corner, there is a greasy oil puddle…
Snomaster CL56D Long Term Review | Field Tested
We have been travelling for a long time now and I am a large man who loves a cold drink, my family consumes more meat than even the most carnivorous Uruguayan. What do cold drinks and meat have in common? Well, they both need to be kept cold, or at the very least cool. Until…
Gear Spotlight
We are planning another intercontinental overland journey, and as always, our gear is an essential part of the trip. While we are not always able to get our paws on an actual product, the internet is a wonderful, addictive creature, and a few hours are easily lost to drooling over new gear, gizmos, and essentials….
Overlanders Share Their Favorite Apps
Mobile apps are designed to improve our lives and provide us with readily available information. This is especially helpful while travelling. Hundreds of new apps are popping up left, right, and centre, so we connected with our fellow overlanders to help narrow down the search. Google Maps, iOverlander, and Maps.me were crowd favorites, and nearly…
We Test the New V2 Bivy Stick Blue
Communication is one of the cornerstones of backcountry travel, as the ability to advise family and friends of our progress, call for assistance, or make an SOS during an emergency all helps provide us with confidence to travel further afield. During my travels in Southern Africa, it was helpful to know that the Bivy was…
New Gear and Firmware Updates from Sena
Sena Technologies has been in operation since 1998 and their communication devices are regarded as some of the best on the market for motorcycling (or any sport requiring a helmet with integrated communication). Perhaps it’s their approach to product design that has grown them such a loyal following. “We boldly lay our visions on the…
Everyday Essentials :: Products That Make Your Life Easier
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2019. I recently had the privilege of leading an amazing group of women from Montana to Idaho on our very first all-ladies overland trip for XOverland. The seven of us all had different experience levels, and it was a great opportunity to plan, film, and…
Rugged, Trail-ready Tablets
Back when the first tablets began to hit the market, I remember thinking, “Users NEED real buttons—these things will never replace a computer.” Clearly, I’m not the best forecaster of technological trends. I now own multiple touch screen devices. Their compact form and intuitive gestures have replaced the need for a computer in all but…
Claymore Ultra+2 Rechargeable Area Light | Field tested
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2020 issue. The business luminary Peter Drucker once said, “Don’t make a hundred decisions when one will do,” and that philosophy applies equally to overlanding. I have shifted my approach from highly specialized equipment to now looking for high-quality products that serve multiple uses, reducing weight,…
The Basic Overland Gear Everyone Should Have
The Overland Journal Podcast #20 Principles of Overlanding: The Basic Overland Gear Everyone Should Have Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding, Matt and Scott review the top 10 pieces of kit that help support local and international overland travel. Topics include navigation, communications, recovery equipment, medical kits, training, tools, and more. Get in touch with…
Ultimate Australia Touring Companion :: CAMPERX App
Some folks cringe when they see travelers using cell phones in a backcountry setting, and while I understand the sentiment, I wouldn’t be caught dead without my phone when heading into the field. The purists can gripe all they want, but as far as I’m concerned, if digital mapping, satellite navigation, and route planning software…
Garmin Drive GPS with Open Street Maps
Garmin has been at the forefront of vehicle-based GPS systems for over two decades, and it shows in their latest flagship range, the Drive series, available in 5- or 7-inch screen sizes. The touch screen is bright and responsive and automatically dims to a high-contrast night mode to preserve night vision. Garmin’s mature route-finding algorithms…