Benchmade 5370FE Shootout OTF OTF automatic knives can be deployed single-handed in an instant, making them the perfect blades for use in high-stress situations. But many of them are heavy and prohibitively expensive due to complex mechanisms. Benchmade’s new Shootout aims to change that, with a $300 price point and a lightweight build that is…
Category Archives: Gear
Sea Eagle FastTrack Angler
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. If you are overlanding near water, one of the healthiest and fun things you can do is fish for dinner every morning; it’s also a great way to save money. While casting a lure from shore can be productive, there is nothing…
Field Tested: Wacaco Picopresso Travel Espresso Maker
The first article I ever had published in the pages of Overland Journal was a field-tested review of Wacaco’s Nanopresso travel espresso maker. Given that fact, it feels especially fitting that now, two years later, I am reviewing Wacaco’s newest product: the Picopresso. The Wacaco Picopresso The Pico is the culmination of eight years…
I Owe the Poolahoop Inventor an Apology
Life has taught me to at least appear humble. I have a childhood friend who somehow got it into his stubborn mind that he would never, ever apologize. He is a miserable, wealthy adult. I am relatively poor but proportionately happy. I say sorry. As my Brazilian friend Rafa (pronounced Haafa) likes to observe about…
Xero Z-Trail Sandals
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Xero shoes come from the natural movement school of thought, otherwise referred to as minimalist. The idea is that you need not put your feet in a cast of immobility (i.e., shoes structured with arch support or other orthotic notions) but instead…
Xero Shoes Mesa Trail
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Learning to pack light feels half art, half psychology. Even after decades of veiled attempts, I am still miserable at it, ultimately bringing things I don’t need and leaving behind the essentials. Shoes have been particularly difficult, as they pack poorly and…
New Gear for Overland Travelers at Outdoor Retailer 2022 Snow Show
Considered by many to be the premier outdoor industry trade show in North America, Outdoor Retailer brings together brands, store owners, athletes, PR, media—pretty much anyone that has anything to do with outdoor recreation. The winter version of this get-together, referred to as the OR Snow Show, just took place at the Denver Convention center….
Act Now and You Could Get Free Spare Parts for Your Primus
For the second year running, Primus announces the return of the Service For a Reason initiative to provide free repair parts for select Primus backpacking stoves. Following a successful campaign launched in Spring 2021, the company aims to continue growing the culture of repairing gear in the outdoor industry rather than replacing it with new. The…
Go Fast Campers Decreases Lead Time to 10 Weeks
While long lead times have become the norm across the overland, outdoor, and automotive industries, Go Fast Campers is pivoting in the opposite direction. Since 2017, the company has expanded production from 12 to 48 campers per week (comprising 40 campers and eight rooftop tents) and has decreased lead times from eight to 12 months…
PCOR Launches Accessories for Toyota Tacoma in the USA
PCOR, an Australian company (and a division of Patriot campers) has just launched a range of accessories for the ever popular Toyota Tacoma, these products include bed trays and canopies complimented by a range of electronic accessories. The launch coincides with Expedition Overland’s new five part YouTube series ‘The Last Frontier‘, in preparation for the…
Overland News of the Week, January 21st, 2022
Loca Ceramic Pour-over Coffee Filter When it comes to vehicle-based travel, I am always on the lookout for products that can replace consumable items—for instance, this ceramic pour-over coffee filter. Instead of having to rely on paper filters with your coffee system (which you might have to replace while on the road during longer expeditions),…
Nimbl Evolution Camper Review
The Donner Pass has a formidable reputation, and this festive winter found a South African family driving a marvelous vehicle over record depths of ice and snow—white-knuckled. Us Southern Hemisphere people know as much about snow as you might about sangomas and umqombothi, and to be perfectly honest, we avoid the white stuff as we travel…
Black Series HQ19 Trailer
Photography by Richard Giordano When I sent a membership request to the Black Series Camper US Facebook group, I felt like a bit of an infiltrator. Sure, I had spent over a month in the 2020 Black Series HQ19 and had my own opinions about the trailer, but I was also genuinely curious how the…
7 of the Best Overland Camp Tables
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2021 Issue. When I venture into the great outdoors in search of nature’s simplicity, there are many items that I am eager to leave at home, like my laptop, cellphone, and internet connection. But one thing that I’ve come to consider essential gear…
Garmin Introduces Three New Tread Series Off-road GPS Devices
On January fourth, Garmin announced the addition of three new GPS navigation devices to their popular Tread line of off-road focused products; the Tread Overland Edition, Tread XL Overland Edition, and Tread SxS Edition. Garmin says, “the Tread series is purpose built for powersports enthusiasts seeking adventurous rides off the beaten path and for overlanders planning…
Moto Camp Nerd—an All-In-One Online Store for Motorcycle Camping
One of the biggest challenges for overnight, multi-day, or long-distance motorcycle trips is what to pack. Although you can get most camping gear at any backpacking store, you may run into blank stares while asking a staff member what they recommend for lightweight camping on two wheels. Wouldn’t it be great if all this gear…
Overland Gift Guide 2021: 15 Affordable Overland Gifts UNDER $100
This overland gift guide is presented by GCI Outdoor When giving holiday gifts, it’s the thought that matters the most. That’s why the Expedition Portal team has rounded up this list of 15 affordable overland gifts, all under $100. If you’re shopping on a budget and in need of an affordable overland gift for…
Overland Gift Guide: 15 Gifts OVER $100 For Your Favorite Overland Adventurer
This overland gift guide is presented by iKamper The holidays are upon us, and if you’re looking for a big overland gift for the road warrior in your family, you’ve come to the right place. The Expedition Portal team has put together this list of must-have overland gifts over $100. From sleeping systems to…
The Garmin Ecosystem for the Whole Pack
I used to carry a hodgepodge of equipment—anything from Rhino radios, Dogtra collars, a Fitbit tracker, and the latest GPS app with fancy map overlays and traffic updates. But I’m pretty sure that in an emergency, those 10+ apps and half-dozen devices wouldn’t serve me at all. Enter chaos, and the entire piecemeal setup falls…
Icon Leveling Lift Kit for Ford Bronco
Lifting the body of a vehicle is often achieved by installing a suspension upgrade, which is more often than not a costly exercise. The Icon Leveling Lift Kit for 2021 and newer Ford Broncos provides an easy to install, economical, and performance-enhancing method of gaining the necessary clearance to run larger tires. The kit consists…