I have to admit, when I was first handed the GearPods® Wilderness emergency kit for evaluation I chuckled. Decades of testing, reviewing, and custom-tailoring such kits have left me with a bias against “off-the-shelf survival”, and…
WCXC Southwest Trip: Canyon de Chelly Video
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via West County Explorers Club: I cut together this quick video from our trip to Canyon de Chelly in northeastern Arizona. Apologies for the wind noise.
Overlanding + Fly Fishing = Awesome!
An exciting new video series from Thad Robison and the team at Motiv Fishing. Their first episode pushes them deep into Mexico, including some incredible jungle terrain. This is a killer teaser – can’t wait for the entire episode.
Review: Gear Pockets
Gear Pockets are just that—a grid of organizational pockets for holding your gear. The system is designed with the wall of a garage or tent in mind, but it can be used just as easily on…
How to Open a Can Without a Can Opener
Say you’re camping and just about to crack open a can of tomatoes for your stew when you realize — d’oh! — no can opener. If there are some rocks or, better yet, some concrete nearby, to scrape the top of the can on, you can get it open.
No can opener? No problem.
Bentley’s EXP 9F SUV Concept
via West County Explorers Club: Leave it to the English, the inventors of the luxury SUV, to push the limits of that vehicle segment into new, outrageous terrain–understatedly outrageous, that is. Bentley’s new SUV concept, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this year, makes a mere Range Rover look positively populist.
It’s called the EXP 9F, which—let’s be honest— doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. As for the look and feel of it though. That’s another story. There’s so much style, upon stateliness, upon brawn in this vehicle that it’s hard to imagine these disparate elements coming together in any kind of comprehensible way, yet they do. Whether it will make sense as a functional object remains to be seen. I can’t imagine hitting the trails with a 600hp, W12 engine, quilted, white, leather seats, 23″ wheels, and all-wheel-drive. That said, I’m looking forward to seeing the videos of the first person that does.
Rumor has it that it’ll be out in 2015. If, in three years, you happen to run into Jay Z on some remote hillside, this is the SUV he’ll be driving.Porsche 911 Off-road
via West County Explorers Club: It’s pretty amazing to see what this mostly stock 911 can do off-road. Finally having the engine in the back makes sense.
La Aduana: 1968 Kaiser/Jeep Wagoneer
via West County Explorers Club: There’s a beautiful ’68 Jeep Wagoneer 4×4 on ebay right now. Back then the Wagoneer was still made by Kaiser (formerly Willys). As for this black-plate example, the seller reports about…
Exploring Iceland with AEV
A compelling adventure video from the team at American Expedition Vehicles. Iceland is a beautiful and rugged country that tugs at my soul. I arrived just a few days after AEV returned to the US, so this footage is particularly poignant to me. Well done guys.
La Aduana: M35A2 “Deuce-and-a-Half”
If you’re looking for a tough-as-nails off-roader, I don’t think you’ll get more bang for your buck than this 6×6 M35A2 “Deuce-and-a-Half” Army truck.
The Top 5 Trip Reports
Trip reports are to Overlanders what wine is to the French—a daily necessity.
When not traveling, there are no better ways to dream and plan your next adventure.
Exclusive First Look at the New AT Overland Off-Road Flatbed trailer
A flat bed that’s tough as nails, and as capable as any 4WD you pull it behind.
Camel Trophy, The Land Rover Years
via West County Explorers Club: This video details the last ten years of Land Rover’s involvement with the Camel Trophy. It’s 90 minutes of non-stop action beginning in 1989 with Defender 110s in the Amazon to Freelanders driving across Tierra del Feugo in 1998. In all of the other years the Discovery features prominently. You’re probably familiar with a few of these segments. It’s nice to see them all strung together. Enjoy.
Review: The Magellan eXplorist 710
Technology and I don’t often get along. I tend to be a little old school in how I do things
Gear: Binocular Review
These are all good binoculars. After spending some time with them though, some differences have emerged. Here are my impressions.
Ural Sidecars, Built By Hand!
Since producing the first M-72 motorcycle in 1941, the skilled artisans at URAL Motorcycles have been producing their machines by hand!
Here’s a quick look inside the Ural factory as they assemble one of their infamous sidecars!
VOTD – The Inca Rally!
For those of you who likes adventure in a different way, make sure to check the first edition of the Inca Rally!
The Rally starts August 1st, so you still have 2 months to register and make your way to Peru.
A Journey into Somaliland in an FJ Cruiser
I became interested in Somaliland as a traveler and as an economist. At the time, I was writing a chapter of an economics textbook and wanted to use the pirates of the Gulf of Aden as the topic of the chapter.
VOTD: TAD gear interview at Overland Expo
Overland Expo was filled with great vendors and exciting products – it’s hard to pick one amongst the group! Here’s a quick interview with Triple Aught Design‘s founder and owner. Make sure to check the Expedition Portal channel on YouTube for many more great interviews with Persephone!
VOTD: Driving in Sand Tracks
via West County Explorers Club: Here’s an excellent video from South-African 4×4 expert, Andrew St. Pierre White, showing how to drive in sand, especially in deep tracks.
Thanks thanks for the tip, Greg!