It was almost midnight, and the weather couldn’t have been worse. The temperature was just above freezing, rain was pouring down, and the wind was gusting so hard that I thought I might fall over. To make matters worse, the hill my Airstream was parked on had turned to mud, and the trailer was now…
Gear of the Decade :: RedOxx Bags
Editor’s Note: This is our first installment of a new series of editorial focusing on the Gear of the Decade (2000-2019). As overlanding continues to expand, there are products and services that stand the test of time—these are our favorites. Red Oxx Bags I still remember the first time I noticed a Red Oxx bag…
The GFC Flight Deck Makes Aircraft Track Look Old-Fashioned
For quite some time, aircraft track, or L track, has been considered one of the best options for securing cargo in vehicles. But Go Fast Campers unveiled a system last week that makes it look downright outdated. It’s called the Flight Deck, a stout modular storage system that’s so elegantly simple that I can’t help…
How to Pack for Life on the Road
In preparation for your journeys, you will no doubt visit REI or Cape Union Mart or Decathlon or whichever “outdoor adventure” retailer has the market share in your country. There you will be seduced by a vast array of products, each seemingly essential and equally desirable. Water filters, solar torches, fire starters, carabiners, deep Arctic…
Pelican’s New Air Travel Cases
Pelican has always been an honest brand, entirely focused on making the best product for the application. There is a reason Pelican cases have been the solution of choice for everyone from SOCOM to the Camel Trophy. I have hauled my camera gear around the world in a 1510, with all its scratches and stickers…
Reviewed: WARN Epic Trail Gear Bags
I’d say it’s a fair bet that nearly every person reading this story has at least heard of Warn. Their winches, locking hubs, and recovery gear are legendary amongst enthusiasts and have earned a reputation of bullet-proof reliability and unrelenting effectiveness the world over. Recently though, they’ve expanded past their usual bread and butter lines…
Outpost :: Los Angeles
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,…
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…
Locked and Loaded
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Spring 2018. I still remember my very first overland trip, a 4-day journey across El Camino Del Diablo, the infamous border road with Mexico that crosses the most remote region of the Sonoran Desert. The track has been in use for over 1,000 years, including…
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…
Home on the Range – The Overland Journal Trailer Test
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: HydraPak Expedition 8L
There’s no shortage of ways to haul water, but most water carriers do only that: they hold H2O, and their sole feature is the handle you use to tote it around. HydraPak’s Expedition, however, promises to be more of a multitasker. Its cleverly-designed cap and an assortment of attachment options turn this jug into a…
The New and Cool Overland Products of Outdoor Retailer 2018
We’re here in Denver Colorado for the 2018 Outdoor Retailer summer show, and we’re happy to report that there is a flood of new products being unveiled for your next overland adventure! That’s right gear lovers, rejoice, for there are tents, bags, chairs, tables, lights, vans, and four-wheel drives for you to soak in at…
Head to Head: Multi-tools
From the battlefield to the International Space Station, the pocketable toolbox has infinite uses.
Field Tested: Big Agnes Big Joe Bags
As a writer, I try not to make broad assumptions or stereotypes about anything, but today I’m going to make an exception. Most overlanders are bag junkies. I’d reckon there are very few of us that don’t perk up at the sight of a cool new backpack or duffel, and the mere mention of purpose-built…
The Traveler’s Tree House
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2016. The mere mention of the word overlanding is often enough to evoke images of sunsets on the Serengeti, the silhouette of a truck marked for adventure by the outline of a roof top tent. Although roof sleeping is not commensurate with overlanding,…
Field Tested: Zarges K470 Cases
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2016. My first experience with Zarges aluminum cases was during the Expeditions 7 crossing of Antarctica. We used them to store everything from tents and clothes to spare parts and oil. They were tossed in and out of the vehicles, used as step ladders, chairs, and…
Field Tested: Alubox
It’s a constant conundrum—how to stash, store, and keep track of gear in an overlanding vehicle. Not to mention keeping fragile equipment dry, dust-free and, hopefully, not crushed by the other fragile equipment crammed into small spaces. My wife and I selected a Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Short Bed as our overlanding platform because we…
Field Tested: Think Tank Camera Bag
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2017. One of the quandaries photographers face is how to transport an assortment of expensive equipment in different environments. When on field assignments my camera gear is toted around in a daypack, with additional lenses, bodies, and strobes stowed in a Pelican case. However,…