“The real work of an expedition begins when you return.” –Louise Arner Boyd Many of us put in the work to plan, save for, and finally embark on a long-term adventure without a single thought as to what we’ll do when we get home. At the time of departure, the last thing you want to…
Tail Lamp | The Joy of Getting Stuck
Opening Photo: The author getting stuck in Antarctica (brrr). Photo by Chris Collard. Oh, I remember the first time I got stuck in the dirt. But the very first time I found a vehicle unmovable was the night my dad gave me my car when I got my license. I wrecked that Honda Accord within…
Build Your Skills With These Off-Road & Overland Adventure Books
Over the years, our staff has been asked a lot of questions about overlanding. But there’s one query that almost every enthusiast seems to have in common. No, it’s not “What size tires can I fit with this lift?” but rather “What will improve my vehicle’s capability the most for the least amount of money?”…
A Touch Of Camel Trophy: Towing a Land Rover Through Canada’s Whipsaw Trail
What do experienced overlanders do when a disabled truck needs to be recovered on the trail? Some of North America’s best off-highway driving instructors and vehicle recovery experts showed us their skills when they recovered a disabled truck from the historic Whipsaw Trail in July 2019. My husband, Steve, and I have driven Whipsaw four…
Learn how to drive the Pan-American Highway
Before I had even heard the word “Overlanding” I set out to drive my little Jeep Wrangler from the top of Alaska to the bottom of Argentina. Needless to say I had the adventure of a lifetime, and I will never be the same. Over the course of almost 2 years I drove 40,000 miles…
Skills: PreFense for Travelers
Be free to explore with the skills and confidence of a protection professional.
Slow Is the Way to Go
We were recently reminded that the unquestionable fundamental principle of off-road driving—drive as fast and necessary, as slow as possible—applies equally to overland on-road driving. Nigeria is a difficult country to travel overland: the roads are either terrible or okay, the police either horrific or friendly and relaxed, the heat sucks the energy from your…
Is the Rebelle Rally the Most Important Off-road Competition in North America?
OFF-ROAD RACING, YEAH!! The smell of gasoline, the sound of thunderous exhausts, the teeming energy drink representatives, and million-dollar tube-chassis race trucks. The Rebelle Rally is, well, none of that. In fact, it’s not a race at all, but rather a competitive and inspiring navigation and driving challenge. Four years ago, when Emily Miller and…
Training Our Limits
“Driver training should be one of the first things we buy for our overland vehicle.” A 36 Hours of Adventure Presented By :: 5.11 Clothing and Bags The most elite units in the world rely on training, best-practice, and continuous improvement; yet many overland travelers skip this critical first step towards competency and safety in…
The onX Off-Road GPS App Shows You Where to Explore
Knowing Where You Can Legally Overland is Half the Battle There are times that even 36 hours of adventure seems impossible to schedule, the realities of daily life, family, and work responsibilities compounding. Sometimes just a few hours is all we have, or as a side trip during a work obligation. While it will be…
Overland Expo is Coming to Colorado! :: Overland News
In an exciting piece of news, Overland Expo has announced its new event in Loveland. Colorado: The Mountain West Overland Expo, scheduled for August 28-30. This is now the third venue in the series, along with the West and East shows. Since 2009, we have watched the Overland Expo grow in scale and influence, the…
The Best Backpacking (Shelf Stable) Camp Meals
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Fall 2019. I can still remember the smell of the horse shashlik, a tub of meat and indecipherable seasonings that we pulled from a freezer in the remote Russian village of Kosh-Agach. The only way I knew it was horse meat was from the line-art drawing of…
Overland Routes | The Rim Rocker
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Summer 2019. Eastern Utah and Western Colorado encompass some of the most beloved off-pavement trails and backcountry terrain in all of North America. Moab, specifically, draws in thousands of visitors each year, stunning them with secluded escapes amidst serene landscapes, but times are changing. Thanks to increases…
The 10 Commandments of Modifying an Overland Vehicle
After a few trips around the world, we have learned several critical lessons (many the hard way) about properly modifying your overland vehicle for adventure travel.
How to Pack for Life on the Road
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…
The Last Manual Transmission 4x4s
Is this the beginning of the end for the manual transmission in North America? Some of us just enjoy rowing our own gears. Others may call the manual transmission legacy technology, or even more accurately, a millennial anti-theft device. The reality is that automatic transmissions have surpassed the manual in not only sales, but in…
The Truth About Bribery
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,…
15% Off Overland Expo East :: Promo Code
The Overland Expo is one of the most exciting events of the year, a chance to reconnect with friends, listen to stories of adventure, and explore the newest products for overlanding. While the west show has been huge in recent years, the east event is also growing, and now changing venues to Arrington, Virginia and…
Did AEV Just Launch the Ultimate Recovery Kit?
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…
Top 10 Used Overland Vehicles
(Updated: August 1, 2019) The used overland vehicle market is more exciting today than ever before, with high quality and capable options available from nearly every major automotive manufacturer. With so many models to choose from, you might be wondering which four-wheel drives make for the best second-hand overland vehicles? In 2011, we published our…