Brian McVickers is the Overland International CBDO (Chief Business Development Officer), partner, contributor, highly experienced overlander, and one of the most genuine guys you will ever meet (brownie points, please, boss!). Brian took to the fields of hard carpet at the SEMA event held in Las Vegas last week and returned with sore feet and…
Top Overland Products at SEMA 2023
SEMA has in the past focused primarily on high-performance vehicles with jaw-dropping customizations; however, with the upward trend in overlanding, the Overland Experience at the SEMA show continues to grow year on year with innovative gear, accessories and impressive overlanding builds. In this article, we showcase new products introduced into the overlanding scene for seasoned…
Overland News of the Week
Wrangler Introduces All Terrain Gear In Overland News of the Week, we’re excited to introduce a new line from Wrangler. Dipping their well-known toes into the overland market, the Wrangler brand recently unveiled an extension of its outdoor clothing range, namely All Terrain Gear (ATG) by Wrangler, a selection of state-of-the-art outdoor garments. Featuring everyday…
Aether Fall Collection :: Field Tested
I have been wearing Aether’s Sawyer cashmere full-zip hoodie for a couple of months as the autumn weather has turned crisp in the northern latitudes. I was expecting the cozy warmth, breathability, and overall great fit that Cashmere offers. What I was not prepared for were all the hugs. Aether’s 60-percent-new/40-percent-recycled Cashmere blend is astonishingly…
Phone Mounts for the Overlander :: Buyer’s Guide
I was driving somewhere in northern Namibia when the SOS function on my iPhone went off. Crap! Fumbling to turn off the warning while navigating a multi-vehicle convoy was an added layer of stress I could have lived without. The corrugated roads thrashed and rattled the vehicles for hours on end, to the point where…
SEMA Best New Products Awards Round-Up
The world-famous annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) showcases all things auto-related. SEMA has revealed the winners of its prestigious Best New Products Awards during the 2023 SEMA Show. These awards celebrate the most innovative and forward-thinking automotive aftermarket products that will become available in 2023. These products are evaluated across 18 award categories, with…
Touratech Gear for BMW R 1300 GS
Touratech plans to leave no BMW GS undressed. As any GS owner will tell you, the German accessory company has something for everyone. And they just announced 23 accessories for the 2024 R 1300 GS. Some are brand new for this bike or re-configured, some are existing universal items. R 1300 GS Only When BMW…
Craghoppers Winter Gear
I stood on the Arctic Ocean in March between two pingos, my beard frozen and a smile on my lips. I monitored my body for cold and found that only the exposed skin on my face was cold, as I had recently removed my fleece garter to drink a rapidly cooling cup of coffee poured…
Stōd Gear Company Woodgaiter :: Field Tested
At Overland Journal, we have a soft spot for small businesses and appreciate the opportunity to review and feature products from aspiring entrepreneurs. Enter Stōd Gear and their budding line of storage solutions for overlanders. Over the past year, I have been using their Woodgaiter, a simple and robust firewood hauler that doubles as a…
What Overlanders Should Know About the Gore-Tex Brand
Photographs courtesy of the Gore-Tex Brand The path to purchasing outdoor gear can feel like a quest for the Holy Grail. There are many factors to consider, including sizing, materials, fit, construction, durability, and brand ethics or environmental impact. Whether it’s a pair of hiking boots or a puffy jacket, the mission always starts with…
Overland News of the Week
Born Outdoor Badger Bed 25 Kicking off this week’s overland news is Born Outdoor. The company is now supplying a narrower version of its original Badger Bed 30. Expedition Portal’s Garrett Mead reviewed the latter and concluded: “I could not find a single thing to dislike about this bed system.” High praise, indeed. So, what…
The Küat Ibex Elevates the Overland Rack
There are times when products take us completely off guard, our typical vocabulary being reduced to wide eyes and wows. The truck bed racks have been made for a long time, and most of the styling reflects either a dated jungle gym or something best reserved for a 1980s square body. Indeed, there are many…
Decked Unveils the Latest Generation of Pickup Truck Drawer Systems
If we were asked to pick only two products to transform an everyday pickup into an overland-ready vehicle, those two products would, undoubtedly, be a rooftop tent and a drawer system. No other off-the-shelf products are as convenient or fundamentally essential. Decked manufactures storage and organization systems for mid- to full-sized pickup trucks and has…
Chaco Paonia Clog and Ramble Puff :: Field Tested
In the early 1990s, Chaco made a splash in the highly competitive, shin-kicking world of outdoor footwear by taking on sandal giant Teva. Colorado-based river guide Mark Paigen designed a sport sandal with an anatomical footbed, a single pull-through adjustment strap, and a Vibram outsole. Called the Z/1, it was a snug-fitting, easy-to-clean, and made-in-the-USA…
Was the 1920s Plus Fours Routefinder Watch an Ultimate Failure or Ahead of its Time?
Imagine chugging down the bumpy roads of 1920s London in a Ford Model T, mechanical parts clattering away as you grip the manual steering wheel, shifting between high and low gear. Perhaps you are heading for the coastal town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England, eager to enjoy a weekend by the sea. To navigate, you…
Overland News of the Week
Overland News: Let’s Go Aero Introduces E-Motorbike Carrier This week’s overland news begins with the V-Lectric Folding Rack (VFR). The VGF integrates a tray mount and ramp system that can withstand up to 80 pounds per bike and features a folding V-formation structure that handles various bike sizes, shapes, and geometries. To secure anything from…
New Products Showcased at Overland Expo East
The Overland Expo events, held nationally in the US, continue to grow from strength and have become the event of choice for manufacturers to launch and showcase new products. From top-tier vehicle manufacturers to up-and-coming gear and overland-related producers, the thousands of attendees of each event can expect to find the cutting edge of what’s…
Portable Power Stations :: Buyer’s Guide
Portable power stations, also known as portable generators or battery packs, are becoming increasingly popular for travel and RV use, especially when conventional power sources are unavailable. They are also superior to gas-guzzling generators that generate unwelcome noise pollution and require propane or gasoline to run. Portable power stations offer a dependable and practical supply…
Editor’s Choice Video—Overland Hard Case Testing
Overland Journal‘s Summer 2023 issue featured a Hard Storage Boxes Main Gear Review by Chris Cordes. This video features the semi-destructive testing used to draw some of the conclusions referred to in the test. Excerpt: Some people have an innate ability to learn their lessons from the wise words and experiences of others. As I…
9 Best Hard Storage Cases for Overlanding
Some people have an innate ability to learn their lessons from the wise words and experiences of others. As I gazed at the half-empty plastic storage case on my roof with a bewildered stare, I couldn’t help but wish I was one of those people. How long had it been open? For 10 miles, 30,…