Overland Journal Podcast Episode 201 When you’re embarking on an overland vehicle build, the electronics side of things can seem awfully intimidating. Alternators, inverters, converters, AGM, solar, induction, fuses, MPPT, LiFePO4, volts, amp hours, watts, DC-to-DC—where does the madness end? Fear not. Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady touches base this week with Redarc Electronics…
Overland Journal Podcast :: Episode 200
Overland Journal Podcast Episode 200 Five years and 200 episodes. Scrolling through the history of the Overland Journal Podcast, going back all the way to the first time Scott and Matt sat down to chat with Dan Grec at Overland Expo in 2019, it’s remarkable how much literal and metaphorical ground we’ve covered. The wealth…
The Overlanding Code to Happiness
Lead photograph by Joanie Pépin Despite becoming more materially affluent over the past four decades, those living in developed countries have not experienced the happiness boost expected from modern materialism. Since the 1940s, we’ve upgraded significantly, installing showers and bathtubs, microwaves, dishwashers, and big-screen color televisions—purchasing twice as many vehicles per person, and adding boats and…
Royal Geographical Society | Classic Kit
Even if we aren’t aware of it, overland travel provides countless immersive lessons in geography. Mobility allows us to observe how cities and towns are connected, whether by fields of cheerful canola flowers, hills punctuated by wind turbines, or riverways choked with litter. We notice how environments change from one place to the next and…
Oregon’s Alvord Desert | Overland Routes
The silence of the Alvord Desert is all-consuming. The column of quiet that descends on the dry lakebed in the evenings reaches through you. Sounds that would be swallowed by the regular cacophony of a workaday wilderness are amplified, like they’ve been plugged into a Marshall stack—the rumble of a pickup truck on the county…
Getting Unstuck: Recovery Items to Keep You Moving
Okay, let’s be honest. Just because I’ve been driving four-wheel drive vehicles for 50 years and just because I’ve covered most of the major four-wheel-drive events in the United States (including numerous trips over the Rubicon Trail, the Jeepers Jamboree, All 4-Fun, Sierra Trek, and Moab’s Easter Jeep Safari), I am not a “four-wheeler.” Getting…
Reza Pakravan :: Modern Explorer
Photography by Kevin Merrey and Mark Game It was 70 days into Reza Pakravan’s bicycle expedition from Norway to South Africa before he cracked. His body weak with a recent bout of malaria and severe food poisoning, Reza and his expedition partner, Steven Pawley, slogged through the Kenyan desert in 40°C temperatures, out of water…
Portable Fire Pits for Every Season
I learned to explore the outdoors when I was quite young, and one of my early mentors-in-adventure was a scoutmaster who was exceptionally cautious about when and where he built a campfire. “Every campfire needs the right campsite, but not every campsite needs a fire,” he would say. These are wise words to live by….
Minimalist Wallets :: Best of Breed
Good times—at least of the sort we’re after—come with a downside. The hard truth behind adventure is that you can’t safely peace out beyond the confines of cell service with nothing but a sandwich in one hand and your car keys in the other. For those of us desperate for even a brief escape from…
Crossing Continents :: Traversing the Cederberg Range to Cape Agulhas
The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way. – Marcus Aurelius With a crack of lightning, the lodestone is magnetized, becoming one of the most unusual and useful stones on earth, melding magnetic…
NEMO Dagger Osmo Lightweight 3P Tent :: Field Tested
After an undulating 14-kilometer hike with 35 pounds on my back, I opened the NEMO Dagger Osmo three-person tent for the very first time under the looming shadow of Mount Assiniboine—motivated by a relentless cloud of thirsty mosquitoes. Perhaps this wasn’t the smartest plan in the world, but it made for a perfect opportunity to…
Flextail Tiny Repel :: Field Tested
Photography by Jason Spafford Outdoor endeavors should be about embracing nature, not battling mosquitoes. Enter the Tiny Repel. Designed by the Shenzhen-based company Flextail—increasingly known for their multifunctional outdoor gear since 2015—this compact device serves as a mosquito repellent, light, and power bank. Using DualRepel technology quickly creates a 30-foot mosquito-free zone (including horseflies), with…
The Meat Trail: A Pilgrimage Across the Americas
Meat is eaten all over the world. Inuits eat it raw, having little fuel to cook with. In Africa, large strips of beef are grilled straight on the coals with no grate. In the USA, indulging in hamburgers and steaks is practically an institution. My preference is to grill a well-marbled piece of beef over…
The Principles of Overlanding :: Insights on Exploring the World by Vehicle
Lessons are often learned the hard way, which, in my case, includes screwing up, getting stuck, carjacked, impounded, detained, delayed, and generally mired in the throes of adventure. Even the worst scenarios had a silver lining (maybe not the carjacking) as my awareness grew, and I adjusted my traveling operating system. During my travels, I…
Iraqi Escapade
Photography by Kira Hak On a cool January night, we sat tucked into a small shelter made of piled stones and tried to warm ourselves beside a stubborn fire. This part was supposed to be the relaxing bit after a long day’s ride. Dinner was almost ready when an odd flashlight pattern was revealed in…
Meal Bars for On-the-Go Energy
The eating experience ebbs and flows. There are times in life when there’s no better feeling than sitting down for a luxurious meal. Every bite tastes like a slice of heaven on Earth melting in your mouth, and you take your sweet time with each swallow in a desperate effort to make the flavors last…
Best Remote Communications for Overlanders :: Video
Remote communications technology for overlanders has evolved swiftly in recent years. The democratization of both terrestrial signals via cell networks and GMRS, as well as satellite connectivity, has transformed not only comms within your travel party but also the ability to work and reach out to friends and family from nearly anywhere in the world….
1955 Citroën Traction Avant 11CV Commerciale :: Feature Vehicle
Photography by Etienne Musslin When we decide to leave on a trip—whether it’s 200 kilometers, around the globe, or somewhere in between—vehicle choice is often something we dive into headfirst. Maybe your trusty steed is parked in your driveway, or perhaps you’ve spent countless hours (and dollars) building a one-of-a-kind contraption with all the amenities….
South Africa’s Namakwa 4×4 EcoTrail | Overland Routes
Photography by Expedition Overland and Expedition Rove Spanning over 600 kilometers through South Africa’s Northern Cape, the Namakwa EcoTrail is the country’s longest official 4×4 route. The title comes with a certain prestige, attracting those who seek bragging rights associated with completing the route in South Africa. To be fair, though, most trek to this…
The Best Remote Communications for Overlanders
The historian Hellanicus recorded the first reference to letter writing, a handwritten note sent in 500 BCE from the Persian Queen Atossa, mother of Xerxes and the Achaemenid Empire (Roberts, 1843). There is little doubt that messages were sent across longer distances in earlier times, but they are lost in the sands. The process changed…