Helinox Toasty Lightweight camp furniture has come a long way, and the brand Helinox is a perfect example of the intersection between smart design and modern materials. For instance, their Chair Zero is a 17-ounce camp chair that adds huge amounts of comfort in the backcountry despite its diminutive weight. But this week, it’s actually a furniture accessory of theirs…

  Show Notes for Podcast Episode #41 Interview with Sinuhe Xavier, Filmmaker, Photographer, and Global Traveler Summary: Matt and Scott interview Sinuhe Xavier, award winning cinematographer, commercial director, and photographer. Sinuhe shares his insights on traveling the globe on a motorcycle and in a 4WD as a lifelong learner. Sinuhe shares his insights on photography, Land Rovers, the Utah Traverse,…

If there’s been one ride that both completely broke me and reaffirmed that bikepacking completes me, it was Iceland. Home to some of the planet’s most active volcanoes, Europe’s largest glacier (Vatnajökull Glacier), geysers, stunning mountains, rugged coastlines, trolls and elves (yep), and, of course, the Icelandic Highlands. This country has gained a legendary reputation for adventure cycling over the…

Words by Lisa Morris, photography by Jason Spafford   A learned friend advised that if I were to raise funds for a big two-wheeled trip successfully, I’d have to adopt the mantra Don’t be too stupid to be poor. Being frugal is the easy part—surrendering the daily caffè latte, monthly subscription to premium television, and an annual visit to the…

Sitting down to write an article about the California 395 corridor stirs a conflicting range of emotions within me, mostly because I want to share this magical area with others, but in doing so, I worry that these places might end up getting “loved to death”. But then I remembered two things. One, anyone should have the opportunity to experience…

Midnight on 7 August 2008, Steve Burgess and Dan Richards in their Land Rover Defender 110 double-cab are just two miles away from the Alaskan coastline and a place in the record books.   Photography By Mac Mackenny Aand Steve Burgess Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2021 Issue.   The year was 1986, and the…

Scotland is often included in the top 10 most beautiful countries in the world, and for good reason. I still remember the feeling of complete disbelief as I drove up the country’s west coast for the first time. How could these landscapes possibly be adjoined to the same landmass as England? The stark contrast left my jaw agape, mouth dry,…

Ooni Gas-powered 12-inch Pizza Oven As someone who grew up less than an hour from Manhattan, I take pizza somewhat seriously. To me, good pizza has a thin crust, and it needs to be cooked quick and hot. Generally, this is difficult to achieve in a conventional oven, let alone while traveling in a vehicle, but there is a solution….

Overlanding has become a very popular segment for a few years now, but as we know, many companies have been offering car camping options for longer than most of us have been around. Looking back at history, it looks like Henry Ford may have actually started the craze in 1917 by offering his first truck with a 1-ton capacity! (Source: …

Necessity is the mother of invention, and quite often, the best-selling products offer solutions to everyday problems. I’d not heard of Rumpl Blankets before writing this piece, but within 10 minutes, I was sold. Rumpl began their journey “in the back of a van,” where on a surf/ski trip through California, the founders awoke to freezing temperatures and a van…

Above: We made every effort to test each platform thoroughly, with evaluations occurring on five continents and over thousands of miles. While technical terrain performance is the most compelling (like testing the Defender in Namibia as shown), it is but one of six categories we scored. Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2021 Issue.   There…

  Show Notes for Podcast Episode #39 Interview with Justin and Kyra of Westx1000 on living remote, exploring Japan, and doing more with less Summary: We interview Justin Coffey and Kyra Sacdalan of Westx1000 about living remotely, exploring the lost villages of Japan, riding motorcycles, and the joys of adventuring with less. Justin and Kyra have spent years facilitating a…

There have been a lot of highlights in my life since I started this crazy journey with Expedition Portal and Overland Journal. But to this day, one of the most memorable and fun experiences I can remember has been the opportunity to test drive an AEV Jeep with a Hemi conversion and manual transmission. I drove it on a day-long…

Words By Lisa Morris, photography by Jason Spafford.   Before setting off on your next getaway, road trip, or vacation of a lifetime, you may be in a quandary as to which camera to invest in. Do you really need to spend $5,000 on a professional camera with an array of lenses, a complete set of ND filters, a tripod,…

Food, water, and coffee. The triumvirate of life. I wouldn’t say I was addicted to coffee, only that without my morning espresso, I’m completely unable to function—often not sure who I am, where I belong, or what day it is. On my bicycle tour from John O’Groats to Lands End, I packed a heavy stove-top espresso maker—enough said. Anyway, whilst…

Show notes for episode 38 Principles of Overlanding: Tires and Wheels Summary: Matt and Scott review the different considerations for tire selection, including tread pattern, compound, and size. For wheels, they review the critical attribute of backspacing, along with the pros and cons of steel vs aluminum. This episode sponsored in part by: https://beyondclothing.com/​ https://iconlifesaver.com/ Show notes:  Fundamentals: Wheel construction…

Based in Oroville, California, West Coast Adventure Vehicles believes that their campervan conversions “have the power to save our favorite, wild spaces.” It’s a bold statement, but when you consider the impact that even just a few small groups can have on a campsite, trampling vegetation underfoot or under tents, you can start to see the point West Coast is…

This 36-Hours of Adventure is presented by Nimbl Vehicles. Nimbl also provided a loan of their Evolution camper, which we used for this journey. Curiously, one of the last significant unexplored regions of North America was the Sierra Pinacate, a vast desert of lava and sand stretching from Southern Arizona to the Sea of Cortez. That map was not filled…

Show notes for episode 38 Winter Vehicle Test Update (TRX, Ducati, Frontier, and Royal Enfield) Summary: Matt and Scott discuss their recent vehicle tests, including the new Ram TRX, the Ducati Multistrada V4S, and the Royal Enfield 650 INT. They also give insights on the exciting new Nissan Frontier, and getting started with Matt’s Ram 2500 AEV project vehicle. This…

When you think of Harley Davison motorcycles, do you imagine mud, sand, and mountain roads? Do you think of straight-lining up a sandy slope, or drifting a dirt corner? No? Well, you should because Harley Davidson just added Adventure Touring to their website, where you’ll find the newly revealed Pan America 1250. If you are now trying to picture a…