Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2020 Issue. The Nordic countries have been ranked among the most successful on the planet and for good reason. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark have arguably the happiest, most-satisfied, longest-living people, and a sublime natural world to escape to. And they escape to…
Overland News of the Week
Kuju Single-serve Pour-over Coffee Finding the motivation to crawl out of your rooftop tent or campervan in the morning can be challenging. But I speak from experience when I say that Kuju Coffee’s single-serve pour-over coffee is a great motivator to get out of bed. They offer six different options: a traditional light, medium, or…
TerraScout :: A New Clothing Company With Overland DNA
Bend, Oregon, is shockingly beautiful, a remote nirvana positioned between mountains and grasslands, bisected by the Deschutes River and tributaries of breweries and coffee shops. We were in town to test the newest EarthCruiser and were introduced to Rob Williams of Terrascout, a local startup crafting premium adventure clothing and luggage in North America. The…
Overland News of the Week
Luno Seatback Organizer The problem with those knee-height pockets in the back of your vehicle seats? Eventually, they just become one big pocket full of food crumbs, old tissues, and who-knows-what-else. That’s why the Luno Seatback Organizer is a breath of fresh air. It attaches to your seat’s headrest, putting it at eye level where…
New Thule Tepui Foothill RTT has Tiny Footprint
For all of their advantages, rooftop tents do have one obvious downside and this is the real estate that you must sacrifice on top of your rig to mount them. Sure, some RTTs offer the ability to mount load bars for cargo, but that often comes with significant weight limitations. But the folks at Thule…
Pelican Cargo Cases have Landed
Pelican got its start in 1976, designing and manufacturing lighting and other waterproof items for the SCUBA diving industry. But when customers began repurposing their waterproof Pelican first aid kits to protect a wide range of delicate items, founder Dave Parker saw the future of his company. Over the years, a range of strategic business…
Field Tested: Warn Epic Bags
Photography by Scott Brady Warn has been adding to its vast array of products over the past 72 years. Though best known for manual and automatic hubs, winches, and mounting systems, Warn now offers a series of Epic Bags that help any overlander organize for their next journey. So, let’s review their lineup of…
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…
Overland News of the Week
Pelican Commemorative First Aid Kit Pelican Founder Dave Parker, who recently passed away April 2020, started the now-global company in his garage in Torrence, California, back in 1976. One of his first products, a first aid kit specifically designed for divers, initially put him on the map after customers began repurposing the waterproof, crushproof housing…
Peak Design Everyday Backpack (30L)
Essential Background From the outset, this must be crystal clear: the Peak Design Everyday 30-liter backpack is not a dedicated mountaineering or field rucksack. It is a sleek yet unassuming backpack designed for camera gear, laptops, tablets, and daily work/commuter essentials. For these specific reasons, the pack piqued my interest. The company also appeals, as…
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…
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. This list is all…
Classic Kit | The Pelican Case
Dear Meriwether, Here are a few things I’d like for you to do while you’re out West: Explore the Missouri River, map it, take a look at its southern tributaries, find a Northwest Passage, establish friendly relations with the natives, study the soil, the animals, the geology, the climate, the plant life. Oh, and find…
Outdoor Retailer Show Goes Overland
The Outdoor Retailer Show continues to reinforce overlanding as a rapidly growing segment. The Winter Market show in Denver this week included an Overland Experience area, and even broader OEM representation. For our “Day One” coverage of the industry-only event, we will feature the products, innovations, and vehicles showcased at the venue. Our day two coverage…
Tired of Carrying a Dozen Keys? Ditch the Extras With Bolt Locks
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…