Brian McVickers is the Overland International CBDO (Chief Business Development Officer), partner, contributor, highly experienced overlander, and one of the most genuine guys you will ever meet (brownie points, please, boss!). Brian took to the fields of hard carpet at the SEMA event held in Las Vegas last week and returned with sore feet and…
SEMA Best New Products Awards Round-Up
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…
Benchmade Mini Bugout CF-Elite :: Field Tested
I’ve never been a “knife guy”. Never mind everyday carry, I barely ever carry at all. With pockets jammed full of keys, wallet, pens, notebook, and phone, who has space to port around one more item? However, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been caught out on more than one occasion when I…
Rockworx Introduces Innovative Tow Hitch Step/MultiTool
One tool to rule them all? As minimalist overlanders, we are always attracted to gear that is not only compact but also serves many purposes. It seems that it has all been done before, but every once in a while, a product comes along that is quite unique; the Rockworkx Step/Multi-Tool is one of those…
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…
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…
Long-Term Review :: Decked x BoxoUSA Off-Road Tool Bag with Tool Roll
When I trundled up to the Hans Flat Ranger Station in Canyonlands National Park’s Maze district in my 1992 Land Rover Defender, I fully admit to feeling nervous. I was, as Edward Abbey puts it in Desert Solitaire, going “under the rim” for the first time—and alone. In a 30-year-old Land Rover. The Maze district…
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…
Field Tested :: Truck Claws
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Or… they may strap on a pair of Truck Claws. Last winter, our hometown in North Dakota was bogged down with “the blizzard of the century.” In the hospital where I work as an emergency physician, staff were getting rides to and from work by volunteers…
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…
Icon Vehicle Dynamics Unveils Impact Bumpers for Ford Super Duty
Icon Vehicle Dynamics has announced the release of new products designed to improve the off-road capabilities of Ford Super Duty trucks from 2017 onwards. The company has introduced several new additions to the Icon Impact product line, including the Pro Series front and rear bumpers. Icon designed the Pro Series bumpers to offer the best…
Overland Journal Put Synthetic Rope Winches to the Test. Here are the Results.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2023 Issue. The year 2009 was a memorable year for many reasons: US Airways Flight 1549 hit a large flock of geese shortly after takeoff and successfully landed in the Hudson River, the swine flu ravaged the world, and Overland Journal printed their 12-volt winch…
Field Tested :: Austere Manufacturing Cam Buckles and Straps
In my garage, I have a large canvas bag filled with bungee cords, ratchet straps, and random lengths of rope and webbing. This Hydra head is not the ideal storage situation for these tools. Inevitably, rather than trying to untangle the strap I need from this Gordian knot, I buy new ones at the local hardware…
Motorcycle Tire Inflators :: Buyer’s Guide
A flat motorcycle tire can stop a journey in its tracks. Having experienced plenty of them, I ride prepared for a roadside repair. Besides a spare tube, patch kit, and tire tools, my kit includes two items for inflating tires. One is an electric inflator, the other one is a bicycle hand pump. This redundancy…
Moto Cinch MX:: The Smarter Way to Transport Your Motorcycle
The makers of Moto Cinch MX aptly named this innovative product that makes transporting your motorcycle a breeze. I have watched a multitude of videos and scoured numerous forums for the perfect way to transport my motorcycle, but no one offered real solutions. I ride a BMW F 750 GS, but my buddy with an…
Overland News of the Week
The Polydrop Trailer The Polydrop trailer is designed primarily with EVs in mind and is not strictly a camping trailer; it is a personal travel space you can take with you wherever you go. This distinction is important as you will notice that the trailer does not come equipped with the gear and accessories one…
2022 Overland Holiday Gift Guide :: 20 Gifts OVER $100 For Your Favorite Adventurer
Photo courtesy of Featured Friends With December well underway, the countdown to holiday gift gifting season has officially begun. Out of fresh ideas for 2022? We test a lot of gear throughout the year as Expedition Portal editors and have carefully curated this over $100 list of gifts for the adventurer in your life. Whether…
2022 Overland Holiday Gift Guide :: 20 Gifts UNDER $100
With the holiday season upon us, the quest for the perfect gifts for family, friends, and adventurers has officially begun. Featuring cookbooks and knives, whiskey, shot glasses, and blankets, we hope this under $100 holiday gift guide not only sparks joy but offers suggestions to delight even the hardest to please. Whether you’re shopping for…
Emergency SOS via Satellite Now Available on the iPhone 14 Lineup in the US and Canada
Apple recently announced that the groundbreaking Emergency SOS satellite safety service is now available to customers in North America, specifically the US and Canada. The service is available on all iPhone 14 models; the advanced technology enables users to message with emergency services while outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Additionally, users can now open…
Welcome to the Jungle – Preparation is Everything
The jungle has evolved with one purpose alone—consumption and renewal. Of all the terrain on earth, it is the tropical jungle that is most determined to devour you as it devours every living thing in the pursuit of its survival and prosperity. It helps to think of the jungle as an enormous, beautiful predator, an…