The Defender Trophy is getting closer, with two-person teams selected from around the world to compete in Africa this October on a three-week adventure that hasn’t been paralleled since 2006’s G4 Challenge. Over 70 countries were invited to participate, from the USA and Canada to Brunei to Northern Cyprus. The one glaring exception: the United…
Category Archives: News
Hyundai Confirms New Body-on-Frame Pickup
Hyundai recently announced its plan to go after the heart of the North American adventure truck market. At its 2026 CEO Investor Day, the company confirmed that a new body-on-frame mid-size pickup is part of its product plan, with the truck expected to arrive in North America before 2030. Hyundai says it will be designed…
2027 KTM 690 Rally Brings Rally-Raid Design to a Long-distance Adventure Platform
KTM has introduced the 2027 KTM 690 Rally, a single-cylinder adventure motorcycle developed for long-distance travel and technical off-road riding. Drawing visual and functional inspiration from the company’s rally-raid competition machines, the 690 Rally combines substantial fuel capacity, adjustable suspension, off-road electronics, and narrow bodywork intended to improve rider control. However, questions remain about how…
Field Tested: The Campspotter App
Michiel Pruijssers thought he had planned the perfect camping trip. The weather forecast looked good, the campspot ideal. But when a powerful storm rolled in and ruined the experience, Michiel, a longtime outdoorsperson and SAR volunteer, felt unprepared. Thus, he built Campspotter, an app with a simple mission: to make finding and planning your next…
Mitsubishi Launches Fifth-Generation Pajero
The fifth-generation Mitsubishi Pajero was just unveiled in Tokyo, marking the return of the highly respected nameplate that disappeared from the global market in 2021. After five years away, the Pajero is back as Mitsubishi’s flagship SUV, and this time the company is taking direct aim at vehicles like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Defender….
Overland News of the Week, September 11, 2026
KC Hilites Platform One Roof Rack for Full-Size and HD Trucks KC Hilites has expanded its Platform One roof-rack system to fit full-size and heavy-duty pickup trucks. The low-profile platform uses proprietary aluminum extrusions and precision-formed steel components, combining a broad cargo surface with multiple mounting points for overland equipment. Its modular design lets owners…
2026 Jeep Recon Brings Trail Rated Capability to an All-Electric Platform
“Nobody wants this.” I read that comment from a respected voice on an Instagram post after a fellow journalist shared his time with the new Jeep Recon EV, which was revealed to select media in Healdsburg, California, in early September. That statement has been bugging me all week. Why would people not want a vehicle…
VW Announces Fully Electric California Campervan
Volkswagen has finally turned the fully electric ID Buzz into the camper van many people expected from the beginning. The new ID California Cruise is the first fully electric member of Volkswagen’s upcoming California family of adventure EVs, and it brings some genuinely clever ideas to the campsite. It also raises a much harder question…
Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Launches Future Legends Scholarship Program
The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) recently announced the launch of the Future Legends Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to invest in the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of off-road motorsports. The program will award five scholarships totaling $25,000 to individuals and organizations demonstrating excellence in media, advocacy, and…
EXCLUSIVE :: Limited Edition Sitka x Scout Camper
There are truck campers designed to make camping comfortable and easy, and then there are campers designed with the mantra that the journey itself is the point. Taking that to heart, Scout Campers teamed up with Sitka Gear to design and build a limited edition camper that falls squarely into the second category. This premium…
Field Tested :: Alu-Cab ModCap Canopy Base
For years, I ran an RSI SmartCap on my Ford Ranger. It’s a canopy that’s hard to fault—stylish, sleek, and built with clean lines that give any vehicle a polished, factory-fresh look. I loved how refined it made my rig look; it had presence, and it turned heads. But as my trips became longer and…
Overland News of the Week, August 28, 2026
iKamper and Rivian Launch New Skycamp 4.0 DLX Rooftop Tent Suitable for the Rivian R2 and R1S, the new Skycamp introduces an HC Staircase and an electrical junction box that routes power from a compatible external 12-volt source. Additional campsite functionality includes independently dimmable interior and exterior lighting, dedicated HVAC and electrical passthroughs, and USB-A,…
Motsmann Engineering Introduces the 2027 Outranger Fiberglass Off-Road Camper
The ultimate long-term overland vehicle, in my admittedly biased opinion, is a classic Defender with a galvanized chassis beneath its aluminum body. Lightweight and resistant to rot and corrosion, it is the kind of vehicle that can last for decades while continuing to serve faithfully. And who does not love the Defender’s boxy profile? Motsmann…
BYD Denza Set to Take on Defender and Land Cruiser
If you made a list of all the vehicles most likely to make Toyota and Land Rover nervous, the Chinese BYD Denza Bao 5 deserves a spot near the top. This is a rugged, ladder-frame SUV designed from the ground up to take on the Defender and Land Cruiser, combining traditional four-wheel-drive hardware with an…
Overland Events and Rallies You Don’t Want to Miss This Fall 2026
AMERICAN NORTHWEST KTM Adventure Rider Rally When September 17–19, 2026 | Where Kellogg, Idaho The KTM Adventure Rider Rally heads to the Silver Mountain Resort for its 21st Anniversary edition this September. The event kicks off with the Ready to Race experience, where adventurers begin with a rally and, from there, shift into ride days….
Ford Planning a Bronco Pickup
Not content to rest on their laurels after the Bronco outsold the Jeep Wrangler for the first time ever, reports indicate Ford are now aiming to take a slice out of Jeep Gladiator sales too. According to Automotive News, Ford is developing a pickup version of the Bronco that could arrive before the end of…
Defender Dakar Translates Rally-Raid Engineering Into a Road-Legal 4×4
The “new” Defender has faced controversy since its launch, having been given the nearly impossible task of replacing a legend. Critics (myself included) argued that it was too modern, relied on too many electronic control units, and would never prove as dependable or capable as the classic model. My experience with the L663, however, has…
2027 Ram 1500 Drops Efficiency Complications
After years of adding technology to make the venerable 5.7 liter HEMI V8 cleaner and more efficient, Ram is making an unusual move for 2027. The Ram 1500 HEMI will lose its 48-volt eTorque mild-hybrid system and engine stop-start (ESS) system, returning to a simpler time with fewer electronics. A limited number of trucks will…
The Ford Bronco EV You Can’t Have
The Ford Bronco has become one of the most recognizable names in the modern off road world, recently outselling the Jeep Wrangler it was designed to imitate. What most people don’t realize about Ford’s modern Bronco is a fully electric version not only exists, but can be had for as little as $32,000. Just not…
Rivian R3X Delayed
When electric automaker Rivian unveiled the next generation of it’s vehicles, the R2, R3, and R3X in March 2024, the company positioned the smaller models as the key to bringing Rivian technology to a much larger audience. The R3X was the performance focused model, combining a compact footprint with serious off road capability and rally…