A year ago, the thought of an air mattress was enough to make me cringe with memories of a sore back and uncomfortable nights on the ground. Their poor designs and habits of deflating had ruined my image of inflatable beds forever, or so I thought, but thanks to the Comfort Deluxe mat and Aeros…
Podcast #16 :: Rooftop Tent or Ground Tent or Wedge Camper for Overlanding?
The Overland Journal Podcast #16 Principles of Overlanding :: RTT vs. Ground Tent vs. Swag vs. Habitat vs. Sleeping in the vehicle Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding podcast, Matt and Scott discuss the best sleeping solutions for an overland camp. They review the options of a Rooftop Tent (RTT) vs. a Ground Tent vs….
National Overland Influencer Award Winner Announced
With 2019 behind us, the Overland Board of Influencing Association (OBASS) has announced their coveted Overland Influencer of the Year Award. #Hotly contested, this award considers everything from the chosen campsite to the #gear and #patches used to represent the #ultimate #overland #lifestyle. To everyone’s surprise, Azuki the Hedgehog won for an unprecedented 13th year…
Garmin Drive GPS with Open Street Maps
Garmin has been at the forefront of vehicle-based GPS systems for over two decades, and it shows in their latest flagship range, the Drive series, available in 5- or 7-inch screen sizes. The touch screen is bright and responsive and automatically dims to a high-contrast night mode to preserve night vision. Garmin’s mature route-finding algorithms…
Warn Acquires Factor 55
For the past few years, Factor 55’s recovery products have been steadily, if not rapidly gaining popularity amongst overland and off-road enthusiasts. Their line of carefully crafted closed-system winching products have been especially popular, so it comes as no surprise that they eventually caught the attention of famed winch and recovery gear manufacturer Warn. We…
AEV’s 2-inch Spacer Kit Is the Affordable Way to Run 37s on Your Gladiator
The Jeep Gladiator is one of the most popular four-wheel drives on the market today, but the long chassis length can leave something to be desired from the factory breakover angle and ground clearance. Thanks to AEV’s new 2-inch spacer kit though, Gladiator owners can gain some additional height and clearance for 37-inch tires, at…
Field Tested: The Benchmade 365 Outlast
When I was a kid, my grandfather passed down a knife that his father had given him as a boy. The blade was worn and the handle stained by the passing of time, but to me, it was, and remains, my favorite knife in the world. I still carry it from time to time, but…
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…
AEV Releases 7000 Series LED Off-Road Lights
American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) is well known for producing tasteful four-wheel drive accessories and upgrades with an OEM-level of quality. Their offerings span from wheels and suspension systems to turn-key vehicles and motor swaps, but now they’re applying their focus to the lighting market with the 7000 Series Off-Road light. The 7,000 is designed with…
The Trailblazer Fire Pit Grill is 3 Pounds and Cools in 90 Seconds
According to the National Park Service, 85 percent of wild-land fires are started by humans, and with each passing year they battle more illegal fire rings and burn scars in the natural places we love. Yet, I’ll be the first to admit that camping just doesn’t feel like camping without a fire, so how do…
Nomad Kitchen Module :: Overland News
(Editor’s Note: Unedited Press Release) Berkeley, CA (February 27, 2020) – Nomad Kitchen Co. is excited to announce the upcoming launch of their first mobile camping kitchen. The small startup, based out of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, hopes to cater to weekend warriors and hardcore adventurers alike with their compact slide-out kitchen…
Editor’s Gear Closet: Danner Crag Rat Boot Review
I imagined that when I saw the awe-inspiring peaks of the Himalayas soaring overhead that I would somehow be changed, enlightened even. Gratitude would overwhelm me, and I would be struck by a revelation that until now had never crossed my mind. But the truth is that when I finally stood in their shadows, I…
The Best Coffee Grinders for Camping
Using a manual coffee grinder as part of your morning java ritual not only gets the blood pumping, it also promotes conversation and fuels campsite camaraderie. Forget noisy electric grinders requiring an inverter, or lowering the bar completely and milling those beans at home before the trip. If you’re a discerning overland javascenti, interested in…
Is The Jackery Explorer 500 The Best Portable Power Station For The Money?
For many of us, camping is an escape from the media and technology that dominates our everyday lives. It’s a way to engage with nature and quiet our minds, but that doesn’t mean we want to shed our electronics entirely while we do so. Whether they’re for navigation, emergency communications, or even running a CPAP…
The Products We Loved At Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2020
Each year the Outdoor Retailer show brings together some of the largest arrays of outdoor products and enthusiasts in the world. You’re undoubtedly familiar with the Summer market show, which we have covered in previous years, but for 2020 we decided to drop into their winter “snow show”, and we’re very glad we did. That’s…
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…
Gazelle T4 Hub Tent
By Ryan Keegan The Gazelle T4 Hub tent is a direct descendent of the Eskimo ice fishing shelter as well as the Barronett hunting blinds, both made by Ardisam. They have been producing seasonal outdoor products since 1960 and have upped their game with the Gazelle line of camping tents and shade awnings. The Gazelle…
The Best Backcountry, Travel, and Overland Communication Devices
We live in an age of constant connectivity. Emails, phone calls, social media, TV, and the internet inundate nearly every moment of our lives. With so much emphasis on modern technology, it’s little wonder we often look to nature for an escape—opportunities to ditch the devices and disconnect. Despite the downsides, technology has also made…
Ford Now Offers a Factory Warn Winch
OEM engineers and product planners continue to embrace overland and backcountry 4WD travel. The newest Ford Tremor is a significant example of that trend, offering a factory full-size diesel truck with a locking differential, 35-inch tires, and a new Warn 12,000-pound winch. Warn has long supported OEMs with winch and hub offerings, including the wildly…