Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2020. I woke up to find my tent in my face. Why had my shelter collapsed, leaving me wrapped up in a lasagna of damp nylon? I lay motionless, listening for any clues that might suggest the cause of my predicament. It was early and quiet,…
Montana by Land Rover
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2020. Even by the standards of Montana Land Rover clubs, this idea seemed like a pipe dream under the paired influences of Scottish ale and mid-winter cabin fever. The proposal was such: a weeklong overland foray in early May into some of the most remote country…
Nitro Gear’s Restored Trakka Troop Carrier | Feature Vehicle
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2020. All too often, the vehicles we love are eventually lost. Old muscle cars are traded in for more practical sedans or wind up in a ditch, road trip vans succumb to high miles and blown motors, and our trusty camping trucks begin to rust after…
Everyday Essentials :: Products That Make Your Life Easier
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2019. I recently had the privilege of leading an amazing group of women from Montana to Idaho on our very first all-ladies overland trip for XOverland. The seven of us all had different experience levels, and it was a great opportunity to plan, film, and…
Claymore Ultra+2 Rechargeable Area Light | Field tested
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2020 issue. The business luminary Peter Drucker once said, “Don’t make a hundred decisions when one will do,” and that philosophy applies equally to overlanding. I have shifted my approach from highly specialized equipment to now looking for high-quality products that serve multiple uses, reducing weight,…
The Primus Camp Kitchen | Field Tested
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2020 issue. The year was 1911, and Roald Amundsen had just arrived at the South Pole. Roald was known for his pedantic nature and the extreme lengths he went to in testing equipment prior to an expedition. His stove of choice was the Primus, and it…
Destinations :: Lesotho
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2019 issue. By Emily Sheff Images by Emily Sheff Lesotho’s smooth rolling hills and intermittent rocky crags, and the way each mountain’s many shades of green reflect a sheen onto the unfettered landscape will leave you breathless. Meeting Lesotho’s people, who are warm and quietly affectionate…
Overland News | Book Reviews
This article was originally published in Overland Journal‘s Summer 2020 issue. Two Wheels South: A Motorcycle Adventure from Brooklyn to Ushuaia By Matias Corea Review by Scott Brady ISBN 978-3899559767 This hardcover volume is a beautiful journey of adventure motorcycling with a thoughtful balance of art, design, and constructive insight. In particular, I appreciated the…
Amphibians on the Zambezi
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2020 issue. Northwestern Zambia is covered in soggy floodplains and even soggier drainage wetlands, sandwiched between endless acres of strangling forest. Deep below the surface, however, are rich deposits of copper ore which have long been attracting teams of exploration geologists to this inhospitable land. They…
Tom Sheppard Reviews the Suzuki Jimny
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2020 issue. If you find the absurdity of black leather seats scaldingly hot or sticky in summer and dark-slippery-cold in winter; if the advantage of flush, pop-out door handles escapes you; if a line of 10 tiny touchscreen icons has you taking off your gloves, reaching…
Overlanding as a Team
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2020 issue. As an instructor for various overlanding skills, I am often asked what the secret is for encouraging an unenthusiastic partner to appreciate the outdoors and how to make the overland experience enjoyable for them. People wonder if the solution may rely somewhat on buying…
The Basic Overland Gear Everyone Should Have
The Overland Journal Podcast #20 Principles of Overlanding: The Basic Overland Gear Everyone Should Have Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding, Matt and Scott review the top 10 pieces of kit that help support local and international overland travel. Topics include navigation, communications, recovery equipment, medical kits, training, tools, and more. This list is all…
The Collective :: Moto Maintenance
This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2020 issue. After being on the road for 20 months through Latin America, when people ask me what I missed most about home, I have to answer that it’s my tools. Specifically, a shop full of tools with ample space to maintain and repair my motorcycle….
Modern Explorers: Justin Coffey & Kyra Sacdalan
Embracing adventure, one day at a time.
What is Overlanding? :: Podcast #18
The Overland Journal Podcast #18 Principles of Overlanding :: What is Overlanding? Summary: For this Principles of Overlanding, Scott and Matt discuss the history of the term “overland,” and how to properly define it within the context of experience, with input from a large quorum of other overland travelers. They also pose a series of…
Field Tested: Xpel
A self-healing film that protects vehicle paint against the hazards of road and trail.
Royal Enfield to the Dig Tree
In 2015, I had some fuel buried in the Western Sahara by a Belgian couple on their way to Mauritania. A few weeks later, they sent a picture of a thorn tree with “CS” carved on the trunk. “Mark two meters north, and dig,” it said. “We left you a mystery gift.” I nicknamed it…
Agile Offroad 3.5-ton Scissor Jack with Axle and Frame Adaptor
Various common jacking systems can work for changing tires off-highway. Hi-Lifts are manual, demand solid jack points on the vehicle (steel frame-mounted rock sliders and bumpers), can be very hazardous in unfamiliar hands, and if you do use it to swap a tire, you’ll also need a jack stand. Bottle jacks are simple and have…
Living Legend :: Lois Pryce
Smitten with life, UK adventuress Lois Pryce has always been on the move. At 13 years of age, an unchaperoned, week-long trip on bicycles through Cornwall’s back roads with friends introduced her to the possibilities of travel by design. And also to the idea of minimalist travel, taking shelter where you can find it, and…
Living Legends: Interview with Elspeth Beard
Elspeth Beard tells how motorcycling around the world at a young age set her on track for a life of challenge and achievement.