Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2012. If you stop by Factor 55’s booth at a trade show you will find a variety of their winch shackle mounts disfigured, torn, and mutilated. This might seem odd, until owner Mike Costa hands you a spec sheet from the US-certified destruction lab they use…
ComeUp UW 5000si
We love to talk about vehicle-mounted winches here in the four-wheel drive world, but not every job calls for a 9,000-pound pull. Sometimes a lighter and more portable winch is needed, and that’s where the utility winch comes in. These products are perfect for hauling trucks and UTVs onto trailers, lifting and moving heavy objects…
Classic Gear: The Leatherman Multi-Tool
It’s one of the most exceptional inventions of our generation, but its inception could not have been more ordinary. It happened during a European vacation in 1975 when a young mechanical engineer from Oregon named Timothy Leatherman needed to repeatedly fix his cantankerous rental car and leaky hotel plumbing. The only tool he had available…
What’s in your winch bag? The basic gear you should be carrying
The other day I ran into the proud owner of a well-built four-wheel drive. Eager to talk shop, he began to list a few of the numerous pieces of equipment he had installed on his new vehicle. The list included 37-inch tires, aftermarket wheels, a 4-inch lift, lights, a roof rack, a front bumper, and…
Cool Cutters
Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m the guy, or was, who’s always asking for a knife to borrow. I used to not like toting around a blade, and certainly wasn’t particular about the ones I did manage to carry. Then I started getting spoiled by having a knife on me at all times,…
Field Tested: ARB’s Digital Tire Inflator
ARB throws a splash of tech at their classic inflator
Field Tested: ARB Adventure Light 600
ARB illuminates us with their latest adventure light
American Overlander: Gerber Center-Drive with Bit Set
I’m not sure how it happened, but I’ve become somewhat of a multi-tool nerd. I think it started while evaluating tools for an extensive review for the Fall 2016 issue of Overland Journal. In that roundup I tested Gerber’s Multi-Plier 600 Basic and was impressed with its ease of use, thoughtful selection of functions, and…
Field Tested: Nordic Pocket Saw
The power of a chainsaw in your back pocket.
Field Tested: Ruger Go-N-Heavy Compact
There are two types of guys in the world. There are knife guys, and there are guys with knives. I tend to fall in the latter group and while I love to geek out on gear, I don’t pretend to possess the acumen of a genuine blade guru. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a…
Travel Tip: How to Maintain Your Zippers
Never deal with a stuck zipper again
Last Minute Gifts Under $50
Great gifts don’t have to break the bank.
Expedition Portal’s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for something to get or give this holiday season? We did the shopping for you.
SEMA 2016 Day Two :: Product Showcase
While most of the project vehicles at SEMA have become the bastions of bad taste, there are still fantastic products and new innovations to be found. For this product showcase, I review some of the more notable offerings. WARN: Each year Warn manages to not only release new products, but also stay true to…
Overland Expo 2016 Embraced by the East Coast
Overlanding goes upscale with a new venue for Overland Expo East.
To Bumper or Not to Bumper. That is the Question.
Should you add some brawn to the sharp end of your vehicle, or leave it stock?
Field Tested: Emerson CGQ- 15 Mini
A daily carry knife built to withstand anything you throw at it
ARB Releases Two Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Don’t let a flat tire be your first and only indicator of low air pressure.
Opinel: 126 Years later
France’s most popular pocket knife is still going strong.
National Geographic Now Offering USGS Maps For Free
One-click printing on any standard printer and at no cost.