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Overland News of the Week

Roark Launches Women’s Apparel Collection

Adventure lifestyle brand Roark has announced the release of its long-anticipated women’s apparel collection, which will launch at Roark retail stores and online at roark.com. Tailored by travel and inspired by the female journey, Roark’s women’s line will include flannels, jackets, pants, printed wovens, fleece, and graphic tees for autumn, while Spring and Summer 2023 will see the addition of jumpsuits, a short set, pants, jackets, and printed tees. Roark Women’s Brand Manager Dayna Cottee notes that the Roark woman is “the ultimate juxtaposition. Just as much a lover of mountains as she is the waves. Timeless and modern. Tough and feminine. After a decade of modifying Roark’s menswear to fit her needs, she now has a collection that she feels confident in, and stands up to the demands of travel, the trail, and her desire to express her personal style.”

Grayl UltraPress Titanium Purifier Bottle

Grayl recently launched a titanium version of their UltraPress water filter and purifier bottle, which features an etched design and retractable handles for boiling water on a small stove or campfire. In addition to filtering and purifying water, this bottle can also be used to brew coffee or prepare a quick meal. A strategically placed micro D-ring ensures safe collection from hard-to-reach water with paracord or for hanging above an open flame. The UltraPress Titanium bottle also comes pre-installed with a one-way silicone cartridge valve, making it possible to add electrolytes and other water enhancers without compromising the filter’s integrity. Filtering technology includes electroadsportion and ultra-powdered activated carbon with a cartridge lifespan of 300 presses and up to 99.9999% removal of waterborne pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoan cysts.

$200 |  grayl.com 

Fore Winds Lux Camp Stove

Built to tackle the challenge of preparing camp meals in cold and windy conditions, the Japanese-designed fore Winds Lux camp stove offers an output of 12,000 BTUs per hour, 64 minutes of burn time, and a wind-resistant top cover and windshield ring shelter. The stove accommodates a 9.5-inch diameter pot or pan, weighs approximately 6.17 pounds, and is available in a black matt finish. Fueled by an Iwatani butane fuel canister, Fore Winds says that the stove is especially suited for whipping up hot meals for a post-ski refuel. A carrying case is also included with purchase.

$200 | forewindsoutdoor.com

BruTrek Can Coldies

A recent addition to BruTrek’s travel-ready, outdoor-friendly travel presses, and drinkware, Can Coldies feature stainless steel construction and double-wall insulation to keep beverages cold. The cups are finished in Obsidian, Red Rock, and Snowflake colors and include a rubber-padded base to avoid slippage. “Ditch your old foam coozies for our new Can Coldies,” said Jess Nepstad, CEO of Planetary Design, LLC, parent company of the BruTrek brand. “With double-wall insulation, they’ll keep your favorite beverage ice cold, be it beer, soda, seltzer or something else. And because they’re made of stainless steel and have a rubber base, they’ll stand up to any bumping around, inside or out.” Can Coldies are available in three sizes for 12- to 16-ounce cans and come packaged in biodegradable bags to promote sustainability and reduce the waste of single-use plastic bags.

$26 to $30 | brutrek.com

Optima Introduces Lithium-Ion 12-Volt Battery

Optima Batteries recently announced Orangetop, its first lithium-ion battery line. Compatible with Optima’s new Digital 200+ battery charger, the Powerlink system gives users control, charging, and monitoring status via multicolor LEDs, and features a storage mode to maximize battery life in colder temperatures. In addition, Optima CRR comes standard in all Orangetop batteries; the feature detects parasitic energy draws, internally disconnecting the power supply while retaining enough power to start your vehicle. Available in six sizes, with power ranging from 190 to 800 amps and capacities ranging from 3 to 15 ampere hours, the Orangetop is also waterproof and resists dust intrusion. Finally, the line boasts quad terminals to connect your favorite aftermarket accessories.

Prices to be announced | optimabatteries.com

Durston X-Mid 1 Ultralight Tent

Canadians Dan and T Durston know the backcountry. The couple boasts an impressive resume as accomplished hikers, including finishing the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail and the first in succession thru-hike of Canada’s Great Divide Trail. Prior to starting Durston, Dan worked as a gear tester and ambassador for several brands, leading him to build his own tents and backpacks with the vision of lighter, more stormworthy, and user-friendly backpacking gear. Using the principles of geometry to achieve a weight-efficient design, the Durston X-Mid Ultralight is spacious, easy to pitch, and weighs 1.75 pounds. Durston points to the tent’s fly first pitch, full double-wall design, no-sag poly fabric, large adjustable vents, protected entryways, and full-coverage fly, which makes it excel in wet weather.

$270 | kaviso.com

SureCall Fusion2Go Max Cell Phone Signal Booster

Compatible with all North American carriers and cellular devices, SureCall’s Fusion2Go Max cell phone signal booster uses ERT and 2XP technologies to amplify cell signals and uplink transmission power. Touted as the “most powerful in-vehicle cell signal booster in its class,” the Fusion2GoMax is designed for off-grid adventures and can be used by multiple people simultaneously. The product is designed, assembled, and tested in the USA and offers a three-year warranty and lifetime US-based tech support. Finally, the device is 5G compatible and, according to SureCall, is the best-performing all-carrier cell phone signal booster on the market.

$500 | surecall.com

 

SHW Offroad Ultralite Drawer Systems

Kentucky-based SHW Offroad employs CNC machining and 3D scanning and design technologies to construct its drawer systems, which are made to fit most Toyota, Lexus, Jeep, Ford, and Subaru platforms. Constructed from high-grade plywood and finished with a polyurea bed liner coating, the drawer systems are outfitted with heavy-duty UHMW sliders, lock-in blocks, and fold-up wings. The Ultralight series ranges from around 50 (Jeep JLU, FJ Cruiser) to 100+ pounds (200-Series Land Cruiser). In addition to drawer systems, SHW Offroad specializes in seat deletes, tailgate storage, and tilting fridge slides.

$900 – $1600 depending on model | shwoffroad.com

Cake Reveals New Electric Off-Road Motorcycle

Recently debuted at the EICMA Motorcycle show in Milan, the limited edition Bukk electric motorcycle delivers top speeds of 62+mph with three ride modes, three regenerative brake modes, and a range of up to approximately three hours. The bike includes Öhlins S46 rear shock absorbers and 297mm of rear wheel travel. Cake has prioritized a lightweight design (thanks to extruded and forged 6061 aluminum frame and components and a 21-kilogram battery), with a newly developed drivetrain with a 72-volt battery and 16-kilowatt motor, delivering over 420 newton meters of torque in a bike that weighs 187 pounds.

$14,970 | ridecake.com

 

The Lost Films Festival

Showcasing videos from around the world, the Lost Films Festival is committed to the idea that the world outside our vehicles is more important than what is inside. Currently accepting films for the 2023 series, the festival encourages filmmakers and storytellers to apply: Whatever adventure looks like to you, the event website reads, the world waits to see it. Applicants may send short, long-form, and short-form vertical films about vanlife, overlanding, and road-tripping around the world, and the next showing will be at the Escapar a la Baja event from February 1 to 6, 2023. 

Our No Compromise Clause: We carefully screen all contributors to ensure they are independent and impartial. We never have and never will accept advertorial, and we do not allow advertising to influence our product or destination reviews.

Ashley Giordano completed a 48,800-kilometer overland journey from Canada to Argentina with her husband, Richard, in their well-loved but antiquated Toyota pickup. On the zig-zag route south, she hiked craggy peaks in the Andes, discovered diverse cultures in 15 different countries, and filled her tummy with spicy ceviche, Baja fish tacos, and Argentinian Malbec. As Senior Editor at Overland Journal, you can usually find Ashley buried in a pile of travel books, poring over maps, or writing about the unsung women of overlanding history. @desktoglory_ash