Like myself, many of you have enjoyed the OnX Offroad app since it launched in 2019. They have now expanded their service to include 3D mapping for unique trails and roads for planning and viewing purposes. The benefits of diving into your route before you even turn off the pavement include viewing technical features on…
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…
The Overlander’s Christmas Wish List Part 2 (2020)
Dear Santa, Well, I’m kinda annoyed. I reluctantly wrote a letter last year asking for wonderful things like time, beautiful weather, health, and a Cummins diesel. And what did you leave under the tree? A six-pack of Corona (we won’t mention the actual Corona) and a pair of flip-flops. Whoop dee doo! So here we…
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…
The Chama Vaquero Chair
When we shut the vehicle doors and drive countless hours down rocky dirt roads, it is often in search of something we can’t find at home. Perhaps it’s adventure or the stillness of remote locations. Maybe it’s just a change in routine. Regardless, it nearly always involves the pursuit of simplicity. Leaving the fully furnished,…
Be a Backcountry Chef with ARB’s New Slide Kitchen
ARB’s drawer system gives pickup truck owners slide-out storage for quickly and easily accessing essential gear without needing to climb into the bed of the truck. And for owners that are looking to get additional functionality out of their system, the new Slide Kitchen replaces one of your existing ARB full-height, mid-height, or low-height slide…
Deliver Your Rig to Remote Shores with Hard Drive Marine
Here at Expedition Portal, we generally focus on vehicles with wheels; things like trucks, vans, motorcycles, and trailers (does a trailer count as a vehicle?). But the truth is, for some adventures, crossing Greenland for instance, other means of transportation are occasionally necessary. In this case, I’m specifically talking about landing craft: boats that are…
2020 Overland Holiday Gift Guide: 20 Gifts Ideas 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: 20 Gift Ideas 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…
2020 Last Minute Online Shopping Deals
Every year when the holidays arrive, I have to remind myself to limit my shopping to gifts for friends and family. But without fail, I always seem to find more gifts for myself than others. Is it a lack of self-control? Is it smart bargain shopping? Does it matter? The holiday season is upon us…
Prometheus Design Werx Travel Down Jacket
With the days getting shorter and the last of the fallen leaves gathering on the trail, we start to look toward winter travel and more time in the brisk outdoors. With so many of us trying to minimize our kit and find equipment that serves many purposes, jackets like the Kepler Down Cardigan from Prometheus…
Overland Journal Black Friday Sale!
At expeditionportal.com, we also have a print publication called Overland Journal. Each fall we launch a Black Friday special and announce it on ExPo first, providing access to our readers some of the best subscription, back issue, and equipment discounts of the year. For 2020, we are offering 35% off everything in the store, including the…
Field Tested: Rocky Talkie FRS Radios
Reliable communication makes adventures safer. And whether you are a group of hikers splitting up to explore different trails, a rock climber who is out of sight of your partner, or a convoy of overlanders, the humble radio has proven its value time and time again. But not all radios are created equal, and that’s…
Fjallraven is giving away U.S. National Parks Passes this Holiday Season
Last year Swedish outdoor gear and clothing maker Fjällräven gave away U.S. National Parks Passes at their brick and motor stores on November 29th. This year, they are using an interactive online platform to continue the giveaway, offering customers a more responsible and socially distanced way to participate. This holiday giveaway runs from Nov 20th…
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…
Exploring with the Hasselblad X1D
The Hasselblad is a compact, durable, and exceedingly elegant travel camera. The dust in the Namib is extreme, a vast expanse of the oldest erg system in the world. We had stopped the diesel 2020 Defender 110 for a moment to investigate a roadside stand of Himba, their handcrafted wares besting anything from Etsy. There…
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…