In preparation for your journeys, you will no doubt visit REI or Cape Union Mart or Decathlon or whichever “outdoor adventure” retailer has the market share in your country. There you will be seduced by a vast array of products, each seemingly essential and equally desirable. Water filters, solar torches, fire starters, carabiners, deep Arctic sleeping bags, inflatable pillows, collapsible…

(Editor’s Note: Expedition Portal was fortunate to actually see the Defender in person a month ago, sit in it, and explore every corner of the finished vehicle. These are our thoughts having experienced it in the flesh.) Today is a significant moment for North American overland travelers, as Land Rover launches the new Defender to the world. In recent memory,…

From a not too distant past, the definition of “home” was as concrete as its foundation. It was a solidly built place with four walls, a roof, and was permanently placed onto a chosen piece of land. Fast forward to more recent times, and that definition has completely changed, taking on a much more metaphysical meaning. We’re now constantly bombarded…

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Spring 2019. I still remember how -57°F felt, a cold beyond description, as if all life had escaped along with my body heat. I recall fighting against the cover of the roof tent, the vinyl becoming hard as stone in the frigid temperatures of the northern Canadian winter, and how good it…

By Bryon Bass, Graeme Bell, Scott Brady, Dan Grec, and Lois Pryce Intro by Dan Grec Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2019. The very word bribery often strikes fear into the heart of those who have never experienced it. Terrifying images of corrupt military brandishing automatic rifles come to mind, and a backhand exchange of…

Anyone who explores the backcountry has or will get stuck. It is just part of the unpredictable nature of venturing off the beaten path, which can include sudden storms (mud), deep sand, or that snow-filled mountain pass. Being properly prepared as an overlander includes bringing along a comprehensive self-recovery, or vehicle-to-vehicle recovery kit, and AEV just dropped a serious set…

Photography by Bruce Dorn and Stephanie Worstein You often hear “It’s the artist, not the tool,” that really matters. While that may be true in some cases, things definitely get more complicated when we’re talking about photographers and their choice of camera equipment. At its foundation, photography is both an art and a mechanical craft, and craftsmen definitely benefit from…

The 3.6 Liter Pentastar is a good motor and provides reasonable economy and power for a stock Wrangler. But what about those living at a higher elevation, towing, or hauling a heavy overland load?  This new supercharger is 50-state legal and works on 2012-2017 Jeep Wrangler JKs (maybe a JL option is on the way? Hint, hint). The dyno-proven numbers…

The bonfire had died down to a glowing mound of coals, but with good-natured prodding from the hundreds gathered around it, Teepee Dave, the resident pyrotechnic, hauled more pallets over from the stacks ringing the pit and stoked the flames back to life.  Ray Hyland, one of the event organizers and the ring leader of this menagerie, raised the mic…

Editor’s Note: I still remember my first major adventure with Bridgestone tires, mounting a set to a Suzuki Jimny and then driving the vehicle from Spain to Mongolia… without a single flat. That included the Middle East and most of the ‘Stans, including the infamous Wakhan Corridor along the border of Afghanistan. It is exciting to see them launch new…

Editor’s Note: We are honored to work with Dan Grec of The Road Chose Me, who has been a longtime Expedition Portal forum member and friend to our organization. In the days of Instagram and tag-a-long journalists, Dan is the real deal, having planned and executed his own circumnavigation of both South America and Africa. Dan also founded WikiOverland and…

Overland News :: Factor 55 Press Release (unedited as supplied by the manufacturer) Soft Shackles- The Factor 55 10 inch Standard Duty Soft Shackles are Made in the USA under the uncompromising Factor 55 quality standards. Like all Factor 55 rigging products, these shackles have been lab and field tested to assure consistent repeatable minimum breaking strength values. Each Standard…

Few topics that pique the adventurer’s imagination as venturing into the planet’s wild and remote locales. Throughout the epoch of time, the human spirit has drawn these rugged individuals to the far corners of the earth in an attempt to sail, hike, or drive to where others have yet to venture. This year marks the 50th anniversary of such an…

“Begin er niet aan, dit is verslaavend (Do not start, it is addictive).” –taken from a sticker given to me by a Dutch overlander Recently I wrote a short letter to my friend Dr. Rosselli seeking clarification. Dr. Rosselli is an internationally renowned Colombian neurologist, and himself an overlander who primarily travels unknown and dangerous corners of South America in…

We put five of the market’s most popular shell campers in a head-to-head test to determine which one might be best for you. 

One of the last great driving experiences to be had in North America.

Company Spotlight: Hastings Overland Photography courtesy of Hastings Overland When most people think of a road trip through Canada (British Columbia in particular), they think about wide-open spaces with room to roam all to yourself. While possible, many only follow the well-trodden path en route to well-established hubs such as Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler, without knowing how to find the true,…

The year was 1969, and it seemed that there was nothing we humans couldn’t do. Man had not only broken the sound barrier but created a commercial airliner that would do so every day. Computers that had once taken up small buildings were being condensed down to something that could fit on your desk, and by the end of 1969,…

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to winching. What should you do and what is considered best practice? What are the don’ts or things that can get you into trouble? I sat down with Warn Industries’ Strategic Communications Manager Andy Lilienthal, also my husband, to go over the basics of winching. Editor’s note: The photography provided is…

The open road, a tank full of fuel, and no deadline for a return home; that’s a dream many travelers share. We imagine ourselves roaming the world from the crests of cascading sand dunes to the shores of remote mountain lakes, fulfilled by the vast riches our Earth has to offer and the memories we’re creating along the way. Unfortunately,…