Like it or not, we live in a digital age. Nearly everything we use requires power, and that need for electricity doesn’t end when we head out into the backcountry. Many of us like to run GPS on our phones or iPads, take photos of our adventures with a camera, or might even need to…
The New Lower Priced LP9 Sport
I’d say more than a few of us were excited when Baja Designs released the LP9. We fell in love with their modern looks, high output, ducted cooling, and of course that 200-degree beam spread, but then there was the price. At full retail, a set of two would cost over $1,200 USD, and that’s…
The Road Chose Me Volume 1: Two years and 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina
When I set out to drive my little Jeep Wrangler from Alaska to Argentina, I had no idea how much the journey would change my life. I had no idea that the people I would meet, the experiences I would have, and the lessons I would learn could have such a deep and lasting impact….
Ruffwear Products for Your Roverlander
By Ruby the Adventure Dog Hi, I am Ruby, and I love adventure. That scar by my left eye was from a tussle with a rattlesnake! Read to the end to find out more about our first annual Roverlander of the Year contest and win some cool swag for your pup! If you’re going to…
Gear Scout: Triple Aught Design Foundry
We live in a throwaway society. Most products are designed with a limited lifespan, or even for one-time use. Stores have found themselves in a race to the bottom, with products that keep getting cheaper, and customers who continue to demand lower prices. The solution, sadly, has been to throw quality out of the window…
Head to Head: Multi-tools
From the battlefield to the International Space Station, the pocketable toolbox has infinite uses.
The Best Seat in the House: Scheel-Mann Vario F XXL
We evaluate a lot of gear here at Expedition Portal and Overland Journal. Tents, trucks, bags, fridges, and recovery equipment are regularly used and reviewed by our team, and normally the write-ups are pretty straightforward. We cover their specifications, talk about our expectations, and determine how well the product ended up meeting them. But today…
Vagabond Outdoors Drifter Shell
The pop-top camper shell market has exploded with activity lately. It started with the release of the AT Overland habitat back in 2016 and then heated up with the Go Fast Camper (GFC) which hit the market earlier this year. Now a new contender has entered the ring, and it’s called the Drifter. The Drifter…
Field Tested: Big Agnes Big Joe Bags
As a writer, I try not to make broad assumptions or stereotypes about anything, but today I’m going to make an exception. Most overlanders are bag junkies. I’d reckon there are very few of us that don’t perk up at the sight of a cool new backpack or duffel, and the mere mention of purpose-built…
Field Tested: Generac iQ2000
Portable power gets smaller, lighter, and easier to use.
Field Tested: Front Runner Spare Tire Braai
I love so many aspects of camping, but one of my favorites has always been the campfire. There’s something so relaxing about sitting in the cool night while a warm flame crackles nearby, and it’s the perfect opportunity to share hopes, dreams, and laughs between friends. Of course, there is one thing that can make…
Field Tested: KLIM Badlands
KLIM updates their classic adventure suit with new armor and a more refined style.
BFGoodrich KM3 Review
In 1980, BFGoodrich introduced an unconventional tire that would forever change the way we thought about off-road traction. They called it the T/A Mud-Terrain, “T/A” borrowed from their successful line of street-performance offerings, and the latter for the type of terrain it would call home. It was the first such tire with an aggressive tread…
The Sunglasses Revolution
You know how people always say, they just don’t make them like they used to? Well, in many cases they are probably right. Planned obsolescence has run amok in our society, and the concept has transitioned from a hushed secret to a key component of business strategies everywhere. There are plenty of examples from phones to…
The Traveler’s Tree House
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2016. The mere mention of the word overlanding is often enough to evoke images of sunsets on the Serengeti, the silhouette of a truck marked for adventure by the outline of a roof top tent. Although roof sleeping is not commensurate with overlanding,…
Curtiss Knives ODT Flipper
I’d venture to say that by now, the knife has earned the right to be called a legendary tool. It can truly do it all, and despite hundreds of years of technological advancements, it has managed to stay relevant in today’s world. I mean, how cool is it that an item used in ancient Egypt…
More Than Just a Book
When I first met the author Ulrich Dolde four years ago, the German language edition of Motorhome Self-Build and Optimisation was already a best seller. And Dolde was in the throes of completing the second edition of a unique book intricately describing in words and pictures how he built an expedition vehicle capable of providing…
The Overland Journal Air Compressor Test
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2015. Air, the simple mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and a few other gases, is not only elemental to life, it is a fundamental requirement for a vehicle or moto-based backcountry trek. In addition to assisting our internal combustion engines in converting chemical energy into…
Baja Tough: The Origin of BajaRack
“I wanted to build something. Something of quality. Something of value. Something that would last.” With that vision and a solid approach to execution, it is no surprise Sergio Murillo has built BajaRack Adventure Equipment into a company where according to their mantra, “Every day it’s Friday.” What does that mean for employees? What does…
Field Tested: Zarges K470 Cases
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2016. My first experience with Zarges aluminum cases was during the Expeditions 7 crossing of Antarctica. We used them to store everything from tents and clothes to spare parts and oil. They were tossed in and out of the vehicles, used as step ladders, chairs, and…