Like everyone who buys a new bike with a stock seat, I quickly began looking for a solution to soften my ride. I had looked at replacing the seat on my 2020 factory-lowered BMW F 750 GS but found the price would leave me with few options in affording the multitude of accessories I dreamed…
Category Archives: Gear
Dometic Launches Inflatable Tent Range for the EMEA Market
Inflatable outdoor products used to be terrible; we can’t count how many times we’ve woken up with a hip on cold, solid ground when yet another “indestructible” inflatable mattress self-destructed. Most older overlanders and campers have been traumatized by these products to the point that they would prefer that only the tires on the vehicle…
Overland News of the Week, July 8th, 2022
REI Co-op Trailgate Vehicle Sleeping Platform Two pieces of gear caught my attention at the Northwest Overland Rally, and REI Co-op’s Trailgate Vehicle Sleeping Platform was one of them. Car camping is arguably the most accessible form of vehicle-based travel for most, and I can see how a tiny interior could be made functional by…
IceCapades: High-performance and Lightweight, Soft-sided Coolers Get the Job Done
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2022 Issue. Soft-sided coolers have gotten good—really good. From the back seat of your truck to your campsite and on the trail, they provide cold storage for food and drinks, with waterproof closures and excellent ice retention. But beyond these fundamental functions, they are also significantly…
The Kammok Crosswing is Killing it on Kickstarter
I have an awning on my Defender; it is very well made but relatively poorly designed. To set it up, I need to motivate the assistance of a teenager or my ever-busy wife, and over the next five minutes of unzipping, unrolling, pole deployment, and leveling, a relationship may very well suffer. Yes, I could…
The Overland Swap :: Long Beach, California
Every day there is an influx of new overland and off-road gear headed to retailers or being purchased online. Most of our industry’s gear is built to withstand the harshest elements, so where is the secondhand gear going? Jaime Lozoya noticed a large number of overland events selling new gear, but zero in-person events promoting…
Puig Touring Plus Windshield
Clearly I had underestimated the importance of choosing the right-sized windscreen for my 2020 BMW F 750 GS. With fellow adventure riders Parker Mims of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Patrick Reid Hobby of Greenville, South Carolina, I tore off across the lower Texas landscape from the border town of Ruidoso. The spring winds had been…
ARB Premieres Two New Rooftop Tents Including a First Hard-shell Design
Rooftop tents have come a long way since they first appeared in the 1930s and will always remain a relevant element of the overland and outdoor lifestyle. With the simple installation of a roof tent, a vehicle is elevated and repurposed at a relatively low cost. While older roof tents were large, heavy, and hard…
Overland News of the Week, June 23rd, 2022
Purtrek 2-in-1 Trekking Poles Purtrek have developed an ingenious water solution for while out hiking. The innovative, “why didn’t I think of that” 2-in-1 trekking pole provides you with clean and safe water on hand, on-demand, and frees up space in your backpack. The trekking pole has an integrated water filtration system that you submerge,…
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Backpacking Tent
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2022 Issue. Few brands in the world of bikepacking have an equal reputation for quality, innovation, and functionality as Big Agnes. The Colorado company was established 20 years ago with a mission to “build better gear for sleeping in the backcountry” by a team who…
The Boxo USA Off-Road Tool Bag and Tool Set
Image credits to Alex Zappile An overland vehicle is not complete until it is equipped with a full set of high-quality tools. It is when you are stranded beside the trail, far from assistance of any kind, that you will fully appreciate the investment in quality. But, often, tool boxes are heavy and cumbersome; they…
Treeline Outdoors Tamarack Plus Rooftop Tent
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2022 Issue. Many tents are coated in flame retardants to meet regulatory standards in North America, and these chemicals can easily transfer from fabric to skin to the hands (and ultimately, to your mouth). This is where Treeline Outdoors is making progress toward a safer…
Enduristan Declares War on Wet Gear
The Enduristan arm of Lindeco Genuine Powersports has introduced a new multi-level duffel-style luggage option—the Tornado-2 Pack Sack. Riders can choose from four sizes to suit their load. While they will carry plenty by themselves, the pack sacks would also be perfect for supplementing the Enduristan Monsoon EVO panniers we covered in May. And their…
Rossmönster Overland Launches Lagom Truck Camper Series
Inspired by the Swedish word lagom, which means “just the right amount,” Rossmönster Overland recently launched their latest offering, the Lagom Series topper. Constructed with a quick and easy-to-use aluminum hard-walled folding system, the camper is four-season capable and offers full access to the truck bed. Featuring full-length front and rear window panes and locking…
Outdoor Adventure X Launching at Snowbasin Resort in 2023
Outdoor expo enthusiasts can look forward to a new experience-based consumer festival scheduled for June 16 to 18, 2023, at the Snowbasin Resort in Huntsville, Utah. The three-day Outdoor Adventure X event will offer hands-on outdoor product experiences catering to campers, climbers, cyclists, hikers, overlanders, and more, along with education, advocacy programs, live music, films,…
Outdoor Retailer Show :: Day 1
Each summer, the Outdoor Retailer descends on Denver, Colorado (soon back in Salt Lake City) with aisles of new gear and innovation. This year is no different, with even more overland components on display and a the continuation of the Overland Experience area. We were fortunate to be able to display in that section, including…
Decked Introduces the CargoGlide Heavy Duty Sliding Platform
We have all been there – that one article of gear that you can’t leave home without will lie back there in the rear corner of the load area tauntingly when you need it. Be it a second tool box or a torque wrench, the spare parts box, or a spare tire, you know that…
Check Out These Truck Campers from Overland Expo West 2022
Overland Expo West provides prospective customers with the opportunity to get up close and personal with mythical big-ticket items they’ve only seen online. There’s no alternative to quality time spent examining the construction of a rooftop tent, recovery kit, or the latest overland accessories in person. Truck campers are no exception, and this year’s Expo…
Field Tested :: Garmin Tread XL Overland Edition
Garmin, a company that is synonymous with navigation, has been building GPS devices since the late 1980s. Their products, which run the gamut from smart watches to hand-held navigation devices, can be found in everything from airplanes to boats and even farm equipment. One of their newest devices, the Tread XL Overland Edition, is 10-inch,…
Katadyn BeFree 1.0L
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2022 Issue. Swiss maker Katadyn has been producing personal water treatment systems for over 90 years, and the brand is well-known in various outdoor segments. While the BeFree is not new, I recently found myself comparing water filters for an upcoming backpacking trip. In terms…