The Hi-Lift jack is somewhat of an icon, which is no surprise considering its parent company was established in 1895, making it one of the oldest companies in the state of Indiana. The jack’s predecessor was invented back in 1905. It’s become a well-respected tool in the overlander’s recovery kit, and with the new Winch-Clamp-Spreader…
Overland News of the Week
Ooni Gas-powered 12-inch Pizza Oven As someone who grew up less than an hour from Manhattan, I take pizza somewhat seriously. To me, good pizza has a thin crust, and it needs to be cooked quick and hot. Generally, this is difficult to achieve in a conventional oven, let alone while traveling in a vehicle,…
ARB Bushranger Exhaust Jack
Up up and away! The latest version of ARB’s Bushranger is the inflatable saviour we all need. This ingenious recovery solution has a long history in Australia, and in the words of ARB, ‘is an essential piece of equipment that should never be far away in case of emergency.’ Well, the company has taken this…
Leatherman Rebar
Prehistoric man required the bare essentials: water, food, shelter, fire, and the latest multi-tool. Humans, like moths to a flame, cannot resist their primitive urge for a pocketable device concealing many tools. In such an instance, Steve, a mid-level IT consultant, happily married, with three kids and a Prius, can be found in the garden,…
Overland News of the Week
Ötzi Adventure Gear Spark Flatpack Portable Grill Bringing the barbecue along on off-road adventures can present a bit of a dilemma if you have limited space. But with Otzi’s flatpack portable grill and 9- by 9-inch footprint (when packed flat), there’s no reason to leave it behind. The Spark is made of precision-cut pieces of…
Garmin inReach Explorer Satellite Communication
Product Review—Garmin inReach Satellite Communication First off, a disclaimer: my husband and I used Garmin inReach Explorer Satellite Communication during a round-the-world motorcycle trip that lasted 708 days. DeLorme inReach (bought out by Garmin in 2016) gave us two Explorer devices—one we received on loan; the other we paid for at a 50-percent discount. The company…
Overland News of the Week
GoSun Brew If you think there are too many coffee gadgets available to us caffeine-loving, shaky-handed, hot-drink enthusiasts, I hate to break it to you, but you’re wrong. There are never enough coffee gadgets (wink, wink). And if you are one of those folks who like to brew coffee on the go, then say hello…
The Minimalist’s Travel Knife
As travelers, we always need a knife, but it is difficult to carry a blade that meets all international regulations. For example, knife laws in London are some of the most restrictive in the country, but you can carry a folding blade of less than three inches. Regulations vary widely, but we still need a…
Overland News of the Week
Scout Leather Co. Hex Bit Driver If you’ve worked with high-quality hand tools, you’ll appreciate Scout Leather’s titanium hex bit driver. It accepts 1/4-inch hex bits and makes detailed work a pleasure, thanks to a ball bearing assembly that sits snugly in the palm. The knurled thumb grip provides purchase when you need to put…
Be Seen In These Darker Months, Day And Night
Sometimes we have to—or even want to—ride in the dark or at other low-light times of the day, which makes it hard to be seen. What can we do about it? Light up that machine! Before we get into some tips for being seen better while riding, let’s first look at some free or low-cost…
2020 Overland Holiday Gift Guide: Over $200
Western Mountaineering Flash Hooded Jacket With colder temperatures settling into the Northern Hemisphere, a lightweight down jacket makes a great holiday gift that can be used day in and day out. And the Flash hooded jacket from Western Mountaineering is that jacket. This California-based company manufactures down garments and sleeping bags of the highest quality….
2020 Overland Holiday Gift Guide: Under $200
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…
Max Adventure Tyre Sealant Stops Flats in Their Tracks
Used by British Special Forces to prevent flats when you can’t afford to have your vehicle disabled, Max Adventure Tyre Sealant immediately plugs punctures up to 25mm in diameter when installed pre-emptively. The water-soluble formula is non-corrosive, won’t damage your tires or rims, is shelf-stable, and can be reused between tires. Plan Ahead for…
Assembling a Cold Weather Vehicle Emergency Kit
Here in the Rocky Mountains (I live in Colorado), we have plenty of winter hazards that can slow you down on the road. Whiteout conditions due to high winds, avalanches, and, of course, heavy snow are all possibilities that could disable your vehicle or force you to spend an unplanned night in your rig, waiting…
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…
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…
Modern Explorers | Mac Mackenney
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal‘s Summer 2020 issue. All men dream, but not all equally. Those that dream by the dusty recesses of the night, awake to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous, for they may act their dreams with open eyes and make…
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…
Life on the Road | Moto Proven
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2020 issue. One of the wonderful things about adventure motorcycle travel is the simplicity, eschewing the complexities and excesses of daily life. As a rider, we can only bring so much, and the more we travel, the more we tend to leave behind. The less we…
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…