There’s no shortage of portable power banks on the market, but there are fewer focused on the Great Outdoors. The new Nitecore NPB4 is packed with features designed to embrace rough treatment in the field whilst still integrating all the latest technical specifications and functionality. This 20,000 mAh Li-ion battery pack showcases multiple fast charge…
Lizard Skins Grips and Handlebar Tape
Lizard Skins, founded in 1993, has been manufacturing quality cycling accessories for almost three decades. They initially designed products to protect the bike and rider but have since expanded to gloves and grips. The company’s continued research meant that in 2008 they created their most innovative grip and flagship product, Durasoft Polymer (DSP). DSP provides…
Club Ride Apparel
Club Ride is “mountain lifestyle clothing,” designed from a biking perspective but intentionally made to be multi-functional. Founder Mike Herlinger wanted to “create clothing that spoke to the lifestyle led by the mountain bikers, hikers, raft guides, and ski bums creating their own opportunities in mountain towns.” Ten years later, Club Ride has spearheaded the…
UBCO 2X2 App
As someone obsessed with cycling and overlanding, I’ve watched with interest as more electric bikes have come to market. I’m particularly intrigued by products that bridge the gap between bicycle and motorbike, thus offering comparable speed to a moped, without the weight or emissions. I truly believe that this style of bike will dominate city…
A-Squared Bikes
I generally share stories from bikepacking adventures on mountainous dirt roads. Thus, one could be misled into thinking that I don’t particularly enjoy road riding or the thrill of a lightweight aero bike, which isn’t the case. I love shredding my mountain bike on muddy single-track, yet there’s something equally rewarding about the effortless speed…
Salsa 2021 Timberjack
The Salsa Timberjack is an aggressive hardtail designed around the trifecta of ‘fast, fearless, and fun’. This bike is well equipped for playful riding, integrates progressive trail geometry, multiple set-up options, and exciting features that give you the confidence to nail lines with speed and control. I love hardtails and agree with Salsa that in…
Moots Turns 40! 1981-2021
In 2021, Moots turns 40, and that’s pretty dang impressive for any company, let alone a small bespoke bicycle manufacturer. This longevity is the product of exquisite workmanship and a subsequent loyal following. Brent Whittington, the owner of Moots Cycles, states, “As you can tell, we are all excited here at Moots, and 2021 is…
Sena M1 and M1 EVO Bluetooth Helmets
I’m surprised by how rarely helmets are discussed in the cycling community when you consider they’re such a hot topic in the motorbike world. I remember doing my licence and the tutor talking us through some of the horrific motorcycle accidents that happen at low speeds and realising I was frequently going much faster on…
Hudski Debuts Doggler Bicycle in Three Purpose-built Configs
Bicycles have gotten pretty fancy lately, with electronic shifting, battery-powered pedal assist, and complex geometries all created in an effort to make the riding experience…better? But with electronic components and complex systems, there are ultimately more opportunities for component failures. This is where Sausalito, California, based bicycle company Hudski has bucked the trend and offered…
Salsa Releases Two New Shred-ready 29ers
Salsa is one of those bicycle manufacturers that garner lots of love from serious riders, even though they aren’t the biggest or most popular brand out there (the Marrakesh receives consistent praise for long-distance touring adventures). But in recent years, the company has been pushing further and further into the mountain biking segment with some…
Yamaha’s First Full Suspension e-MTBs are Here
While Yamaha might not exactly be a household name in the bicycle world, it probably should be. Back in 1989, they were already prototyping e-bikes, and in 1993, they introduced the first commercially-produced power-assisted bicycle (PAS), which debuted in Japan. Often when new technology is introduced, it can take a while to catch on, and…
Sustainable Electric Transportation on Aotea with Motubikes
Aotea, also known as New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island, is a Southern Pacific adventurer’s paradise. If you’re planning a visit, you’ll quickly learn that Aotea is a destination of diverse environments, with remote beaches, windswept sand dunes, rugged hill country, old-growth forests, and wetlands. When exploring a pristine environment like this, it feels most…
Titus Adventure Vehicles Adds Mountain Biking Packages
Founded in 2019, Titus Adventure Company (TAC) is a one-stop adventure vehicle and gear rental company offering overland-ready rigs out of Denver, Colorado. As outdoor adventurers who care about preserving the natural resources that we all love, TAC offsets all of the carbon emissions from their fleet through regenerative agriculture via a partnership with the…
Why The Land Cruiser 80 Series Is The Next Classic 4WD
#1 The 80-Series Land Cruiser can keep up with modern life. It’s 2020, and we’ve officially become coddled by the conveniences of modern life. While a Land Cruiser 40 may be the model that evokes the most emotion, it’ll also break your back on a long drive. The 60 Series has more room and is…
The Best of SEMA Overland 2019
SEMA was quite the surprise this year, with overlanding taking center stage in the South Hall, and the Overland Experience presentations often having standing room only. And it wasn’t just about roof tents, there were also some genuinely interesting and innovative products on display, and more than a few thoughtful and functional project vehicles. Here…
UBCO Announces Five New Products for 2020
Overland News We have been using 4th-generation UBCO electric adventure bikes in the field for several months, having fun (er, testing), using them for everything from commuting to backcountry scouting trips. What we originally thought would be a compliment to an overland trailer or expedition camper for scouting forays and trips to the market has…
XOverland Hits Amazon Prime Video
We have known the Crofts and the team at XOverland personally for nearly a decade, and have always found them to be honest, credible, and quality adventurers. In the world of Instagram “Fauxverlanding”, there are few media outlets that truly inspire us, but Expedition Overland is most certainly one. In an exciting development, their documentary…
TReK’s Triumphant Return
That’s right, after 16 long years, the TReK competition is back! In honor of the reintroduction of the Defender to Land Rover’s lineup, the brand has revived the legendary event which followed the Camel Trophy in 1996. Like the original TReK, the 2020 event will pit Land Rover retail staff and technicians across the US…
The Last Manual Transmission 4x4s
Is this the beginning of the end for the manual transmission in North America? Some of us just enjoy rowing our own gears. Others may call the manual transmission legacy technology, or even more accurately, a millennial anti-theft device. The reality is that automatic transmissions have surpassed the manual in not only sales, but in…
The New Defender Takes On the World
(Editor’s Note: Expedition Portal was fortunate to actually see the Defender in person a month ago, sit in it, and explore every corner of the finished vehicle. These are our thoughts having experienced it in the flesh.) Today is a significant moment for North American overland travelers, as Land Rover launches the new Defender to…