Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Fall 2019. I can still remember the smell of the horse shashlik, a tub of meat and indecipherable seasonings that we pulled from a freezer in the remote Russian village of Kosh-Agach. The only way I knew it was horse meat was from the line-art drawing of…
Overland Routes | The Rim Rocker
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2019. Eastern Utah and Western Colorado encompass some of the most beloved off-pavement trails and backcountry terrain in all of North America. Moab, specifically, draws in thousands of visitors each year, stunning them with secluded escapes amidst serene landscapes, but times are changing. Thanks to increases…
Project Mercedes G-Class Wrap-up
We finish our long-term Mercedes overland project by simplifying it.
How to Pack for Life on the Road
In preparation for your journeys, you will no doubt visit REI or Cape Union Mart or Decathlon or whichever “outdoor adventure” retailer has the market share in your country. There you will be seduced by a vast array of products, each seemingly essential and equally desirable. Water filters, solar torches, fire starters, carabiners, deep Arctic…
Life on the Road: Purposeful Provisions
A field tool kit refers to the tools you keep in your vehicle for roadside and trailside repairs and handiwork; the key is to assemble one that fits your vehicle. Use it at home when wrenching on your truck to get acquainted with what works and what is lacking. It is better to find out…
The Right Trousers
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2019. It’s important to have field pants that cover the middle ground. We’re not talking about waxed über-cotton kit, cutting-edge combat trousers, or dedicated snow and ice outerwear. Here, we examine some of the best everyday wear trousers that are not too tactical or technical. We…
Feature Vehicle: RAM 1500 EcoDiesel
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2019. Regular readers may recall that I have spent a great deal of my flexible time as an amateur poisonous snake wrangler and own a Ford F250 that was purpose-built for this task. I know this will come as a shock to many, but I’m considering…
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…
Roof Top Tent Comparison Test :: Who Takes the Prize?
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Spring 2019. I still remember how -57°F felt, a cold beyond description, as if all life had escaped along with my body heat. I recall fighting against the cover of the roof tent, the vinyl becoming hard as stone in the frigid temperatures of the northern Canadian…
The Truth About Bribery
By Bryon Bass, Graeme Bell, Scott Brady, Dan Grec, and Lois Pryce Intro by Dan Grec Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2019. The very word bribery often strikes fear into the heart of those who have never experienced it. Terrifying images of corrupt military brandishing automatic rifles come to mind,…
The Overland Photographer’s Camera Kit
Photography by Bruce Dorn and Stephanie Worstein You often hear “It’s the artist, not the tool,” that really matters. While that may be true in some cases, things definitely get more complicated when we’re talking about photographers and their choice of camera equipment. At its foundation, photography is both an art and a mechanical craft,…
Backroads Rubicon
One of the Southwest’s premier guides builds a Jeep Wrangler for the road less travelled.
The New Road to Tuk
One of the last great driving experiences to be had in North America.
Made in the Shade – Overland Journal’s 270 Awning Head To Head Test
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2019. As I tightened the last bolt of the awning’s mounting bracket, I smiled, envisioning how the scene would unfold. Soon I would be sitting on some remote sandy beach, the waves lapping on the shore while I sipped a cold drink beneath the unfurled…
Outdoor Retailer Show Adopts Overlanding
Expedition Portal and Overland Journal first attended the Outdoor Retailer show in 2006, over 13 years ago. Initially, we were met with reserved curiosity, the outdoor industry unsure about its relationship with vehicle-based adventuring. However, in the subsequent years, we have received more and more attention and adoption from the community, and the outdoor industry…
The True Cost of Knockoffs
As an overlander, I am always surprised to see knockoff products bolted to the side of a vehicle that is destined for the backcountry. That small amount of money the purchaser saved might ultimately leave them stranded and cost the industry they love dearly. Per the 2018 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and…
Asp Kickin’ Ford: Bruce Dorn’s Project Ford F-250 Super Duty
Cinematographer Bruce Dorn prepares his Ford F250 for a drastic mid-life carrier change.
Where the Road Ends
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Spring 2019. Photography by Jake Hamby and Alex Manne We rolled up the 20-foot-tall garage door a little bit before 3:00 a.m. The temperature inside the WWII-era steel Quonset hut plummeted as the wind forced snow and ice in around us. One by one we…
A Brief History of our Federal Public Lands
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Spring 2019. When following back roads across almost any state in the American West, you’ll encounter a patchwork of public and private lands. “No trespassing” signs often adorn fence lines surrounding the latter, while more welcoming ones often announce your arrival onto federal public lands….
Expedition 65
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2018. Photography by Alfonse Palaima, Scott Brady, and Colin Evans Expedition 65 was not a tour; it did not even have a leader. While some might view that as a recipe for ending friendships, it played into a grand experiment and ultimately a…