Whether you’re a history buff, espresso fanatic, art lover, off-road adventurer (or a combination of the above), there are many compelling reasons to tour the European continent by vehicle. For North Americans, shorter driving distances and a wide variety of foods, languages, and scenery make the region a particularly rewarding travel destination. Or, perhaps you’re…
Why Overlanders Are Choosing Iraq as the Gateway to the Middle East
Lead image by Olga On Tour When Swiss overlanders Marcel and Chiara Fuerst drove through Iraq in November 2021, they stopped at roughly a hundred military checkpoints. Heavily armed military escorts were required through certain areas, and they tackled the stretch from Baghdad to Jordan in one go due to the risk of ISIS terrorist…
Overland News of the Week
Boreas Campers Teams up With Garmin Boreas Campers have teamed up with Garmin on the EOS-12, an off-road, off-grid, four-season camper trailer. The EOS-12 comes standard with the Garmin ONE system, which connects and controls all onboard systems at the touch of a button. The system is accessed via the Garmin tablet, which can be…
Great American Rail-Trail Aims to Link Both Coasts
Rail lines offer a unique opportunity for building trail networks since they bridge urban, rural, and wilderness landscapes in ways other infrastructures don’t. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has been converting disused and abandoned rail lines in the United States into footpaths and bicycle trails since 1986. There is likely a Rails-to-Trails project near you as…
Field Tested :: Hovsco HovBeta 20-inch Foldable Fat Tire Electric Bike
The world of electric bikes is evolving rapidly and expanding into dozens of different niches. From basic pedal assist to near motorcycle-like capabilities, the field is diverse. E-bikes appeal to overlanders looking to add a secondary mode of transportation to their outfit, and the Hovsco HovBeta folding step-through e-bike is an appealing option. I’m an…
Video of the Week :: Bicycle Touring the World with Kamran On Bike
“When you are on a bicycle, you feel the wind, the rain, the heat, and the cold. You feel the slightest slope. You feel the smallest bump. You become one with nature,” Kamran Ali narrates in his video, “Why Bicycle Touring to Travel the World?” Currently in Saudi Arabia, Ali has cycled 50,000 kilometers in…
EarthCruiser Expands Into EV Market
EarthCruiser, purveyor of go-anywhere, no expense spared luxury overland vehicles, has announced its expansion into the EV market with a pre-order deposit program for a slide-in camper specifically engineered for EV trucks. The company explains that they’ve kept a close eye on the growing popularity of electric vehicles within the overlanding sphere and that “industry…
Overland News of the Week
Rigid Industries Announce 2022+ Tundra Kits Stock lighting is often adequate at best and can feel insufficient when navigating the backcountry in low light (avoid trail driving at night unless absolutely necessary). However, fear not, as a wide array of aftermarket auxiliary lights provide extraordinary output in a compact package. Rigid Industries has long been…
Video :: Overlanding a 2WD Mercedes Sprinter Diesel?
We evaluate the 2021 Mercedes Sprinter Diesel 2WD 170 for overland travel.
Field Tested :: Appalachian Gear Company Utilizes Alpaca Fibers in Its Performance Fabric
Merino wool is on most people’s radar, but alpaca fiber is one of the new kids on the block of “natural” performance fabric. A familiar friend to those in the Andes region, it is a completely different animal (literally) when compared to sheep’s wool or llama fibers, with a more slippery origin material that’s…
Overland News of the Week
The Polydrop Trailer The Polydrop trailer is designed primarily with EVs in mind and is not strictly a camping trailer; it is a personal travel space you can take with you wherever you go. This distinction is important as you will notice that the trailer does not come equipped with the gear and accessories one…
2022 Overland Holiday Gift Guide :: 20 Gifts OVER $100 For Your Favorite Adventurer
Photo courtesy of Featured Friends With December well underway, the countdown to holiday gift gifting season has officially begun. Out of fresh ideas for 2022? We test a lot of gear throughout the year as Expedition Portal editors and have carefully curated this over $100 list of gifts for the adventurer in your life. Whether…
2022 Overland Holiday Gift Guide :: 20 Gifts UNDER $100
With the holiday season upon us, the quest for the perfect gifts for family, friends, and adventurers has officially begun. Featuring cookbooks and knives, whiskey, shot glasses, and blankets, we hope this under $100 holiday gift guide not only sparks joy but offers suggestions to delight even the hardest to please. Whether you’re shopping for…
Overland News of the Week
Wolf Tooth Components B-RAD System Over the last 10 years, bikepacking has grown in popularity exponentially and this has generated a huge array of purpose-built bikes, parts, and accessories. In fact, there has been so much innovation over the past decade that it’s hard to believe the industry can produce something original. Wolf Tooth has…
Outdoor Adventure X Festival
During the pandemic, air travel came to a grinding halt and more people than ever turned to overlanding and camping as an escape. Despite restrictions gradually being lifted, this trend shows no signs of slowing down and has spawned some exciting new events. One such example is the Outdoor Adventure X festival, which will debut…
Chasing Singletrack in Utah
The trip began with a bust; a crunch, rather. I’d slung a nifty laundry tube from Radius Outfitters over the headrest of the driver’s seat in my Ram Promaster, wedging it carefully between that and the kitchen wall behind me. But when I hopped in the van for the first leg of an autumn journey…
Stream2Sea Sunscreen And Bodycare Products: Sunscreen, Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Lotion, and Lip Balm That Won’t Harm Waterways
Stream2Sea creates sunscreen and other hair and body care products that are safe for waterways. Many companies claim to make environmentally safe sunscreens, natural shampoos, and more. Stream2Sea also makes this claim but backs up its assertions with testing. Stream2Sea has the only products proven safe for simple nematodes (C. elegans), freshwater fish, saltwater fish,…
Interview :: Heike Pirngruber, Solo Overlander
Heike, a German national who considers herself a global citizen, has been traveling solo around the world for the past nine years, first on her bicycle and then, more recently, walking with a pushcart and her adopted Mexican dog, Butch. Heike first found herself cycling from Germany to Australia in 2013 after leaving her job…
Over-The-Counter :: Medicine for Travelers
As travelers prepare to return to international travel, many will likely forget to pack their over-the-counter and prescription medicines. Many more will forget to check the international rules and regulations for common medicines easily obtained in their home countries—but possibly not allowed overseas. Trip-takers consistently list “forgetting to pack prescription and over-the-counter medicine” as one…
The Great Gravel Boom :: 4,000 riders expected at Garmin UNBOUND Gravel 2023
unbound adjective un·bound | \ən-ˈbau̇nd\ 1: having no limit The gravel race that began with 34 participants in 2006 will boom through the scenic rolling hills of Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie in 2023, with thousands of cyclists clamoring for a lottery ticket to ride. Although participants will hit blacktop roads in smaller sections, the vast…