Summary: Matt and Scott discuss the importance of innovation and engineering in the development of aftermarket components, along with Dave’s story of transitioning from white water kayaker to industry leader.   Guest Bio:  Dave Harriton’s career began with four AAA tows and UM’s business plan competition. Now he owns the largest and most respected Jeep accessory company in the…

Photo courtesy of The Referee & Cycle Trade Journal, v. 15 May-Oct. 1895 via the Smithsonian Archives Between the busy streets of Broadway and Binney in Cambridge, Massachusetts, lies a tree-lined path nestled aside red-brick buildings of Harvard University. A sign at the Broadway Street entrance dedicates the paved walkway to Kittie Knox, “…an African American bicyclist and activist who…

  Show Notes for Podcast #78  Summary: Ashley Giordano interviews Brazilian overlanders Sergio and Eleni of @projetomundocao about how an object in an unexpected location changed their lives forever, leading to nearly a decade of travel in their 2000 Land Rover Defender 110.   Guest Bio:  I’m Sergio, 48 years old and I worked all my life as technical salesman…

Photography by Richard Giordano I remember blissfully roaming through the Americas, connecting to WiFi at my leisure, refusing to purchase local SIM cards, and providing the occasional update to our fans back home (my parents) via an inReach communication device. I used public WiFi for the basics: emails, updating our travel blog, and the occasional video call with family members…

“Get out there and travel”. It’s a seemingly simple statement, but it takes a lot of courage for many women to take the leap, whether they are single, a wife, and/or mother. I know because I hit the road hard more than a decade ago and have never looked back. Well, to be honest, after being on the road for…

Real estate prices these days are just insane, and as a prospective first-time buyer, that can feel pretty demoralising. I remember my dad telling me that he purchased his first house here in the UK for £23,000; well, that same property is now worth close to £300,000. With that in mind, overland vehicles may appear overpriced at first glance (while…

In an age where it has all been done before, there remains one great overland challenge. A team of explorers has set out to drive two prepared Land Rover Defender 110’s from London to New York, without the aid of airlifts or boats. Currently the team has made it all the way to Tjita, Russia with only a few minor…

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2021 Issue. Photography by Richard Giordano The electric vehicle revolution is here. From Long Way Up to the Extreme E Challenge, electric vehicles are gaining popularity and exhibiting great potential. With countless automotive manufacturers announcing plans to build all-electric pickup trucks, such as Tesla’s Cybertruck, the GMC Hummer EV…

  Show Notes for Podcast #76 Sean Gorman: Adventurer and 4WD Expert Summary: Scott Brady interviews Sean Gorman, discussing travel and expeditions around the globe.     Guest Bio: Sean Gorman  Sean Gorman is the founder of Sea2Summit Experiences, an automotive consulting business specializing in off road drive experiences, long range expedition preparation, off road vehicle engineering development/ technical support…

  Show Notes for Podcast #75  Gear of the Year 2021 Summary: Matt and Scott riff on the best gear of the year, the ultimate new SUV’s, trucks, and campers Host Bios: Scott Brady Scott is the publisher and co-founder of Expedition Portal and Overland Journal and is often credited with popularizing overlanding in North America. His travels by 4WD…

Classic Land Cruisers, much like Volkswagen campers, have become a wanderlust icon on social media. Thanks to photographers such as Forrest Mankins, I can’t remember what the FJ60 looks like in anything but dusky low-light with a canoe on the roof and an open tailgate. It’s a vehicle that’s become synonymous with adventure, and subsequently, prices have rocketed. However, there…

This is excellent news for us desert lovers. Billy Creech has been elected President of the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association (“MDHCA”) non-profit which was formed in 1993 with the mission to research, conserve and share the natural and cultural history of the Mojave Desert. The MDHCA runs the 75 acre Goffs facility and is the source of much…

Photography by Richard Giordano When I sent a membership request to the Black Series Camper US Facebook group, I felt like a bit of an infiltrator. Sure, I had spent over a month in the 2020 Black Series HQ19 and had my own opinions about the trailer, but I was also genuinely curious how the product had been received on…

  Show Notes for Podcast #74 Summary: A buffet of choices to serve different needs, from backcountry to backyard. Finding the perfect camp table for overlanding or car camping can be challenging, but we’re here to help with brief reviews of seven different folding camp tables. Here are a few of our picks. Host Bios: Matt Swartz My name is…

The new Tundra Capstone grade provides a premium collection of features and upgrades for those who appreciate luxury mated to capability. As the new flagship in the Tundra lineup, Capstone builds on the features of Toyota’s all-new, full-size truck and will be arriving at dealerships this spring. Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but we predict the premium vehicle will…

The current semiconductor shortage combined with shipping delays has made purchasing new vehicles challenging. So instead of placing orders with dealerships, many buyers are looking to the used vehicle market instead. Even though prices are up, there are still deals to be had on lightly-used vehicles, both stock and fully-kitted. The Expedition Portal forum classified section is one of our…

Over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, and over a billion hours are consumed per day. It begs the question, how does a creator get their voice heard when the metrics are stacked against them? I sat down with Chad DeRosa, full-time overlander, award-winning filmmaker, and professional YouTuber (Living the Vanlife), to learn more. Chad is…

On January fourth, Garmin announced the addition of three new GPS navigation devices to their popular Tread line of off-road focused products; the Tread Overland Edition, Tread XL Overland Edition, and Tread SxS Edition. Garmin says, “the Tread series is purpose built for powersports enthusiasts seeking adventurous rides off the beaten path and for overlanders planning to take their rigs off-the-grid…

  Show Notes for Podcast #73   Summary: Interview with Nick Taylor Guest Bio:  NICK TAYLOR A Colorado-based Brit–originally from Sunderland–and a Chartered Engineer and technologist who became a devotee of the worlds deserts. He’s lived in half a dozen countries and traveled to over 70. Over the last 15 years he’s extensively traveled in the Sahara and Rub’ al…

As we look back at nearly eight years of full-time, vehicle-based travel, we consider ourselves fairly experienced travelers. So it’s embarrassing to admit we make rookie mistakes from time to time. We should know better. Over the past weekend, we completed a whirlwind but magical tour of La Huasteca Potosina, a tropical region in interior Mexico known for its waterfalls,…