How much power is too much for off-road driving? The answer depends on the terrain, the driver, and the task at hand. Set practical considerations aside, however, and there is a certain appeal to squeezing as much power as possible from an engine, particularly when the plan involves throwing snow rather than conserving fuel. Ford…
Category Archives: Gear
Off the Map: Essential Paper Maps for Overlanding
My first proper job in the mid-1990s was as a salesperson working out of a major city. Prospective clients were scattered across the urban center, the surrounding suburbs, and as far as the platinum-rich west, often a half-day’s drive away. Each morning began with cold calls and confirmed appointments, followed by time spent at my…
Clean, Safe Water: Filters and Purifiers for Overland Travel
Photography by Brian Slobe To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2009 issue, this article is part of that celebration. “Filthy water cannot be washed.” –West African proverb While the proverb’s lesson probably had…
Toyota Fits Five Snowhunter Concepts With Tracks for SEMA 2026
Toyota has announced five tracked Snowhunter concepts for the 2026 SEMA Show, applying a winter exploration theme to the Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and Sequoia. Practicality may be a secondary consideration, but that is often the case with concept vehicles. They provide an exercise in creativity, demonstrate what is possible, gauge public interest, showcase…
Overlanding Meets Physics: 6 Storage Solutions to Beat the Laws of Thermodynamics
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2007 issue, this article is part of that celebration. The second law of thermodynamics strikes early on overland trips. If you remember the basic version from Physics…
Overland News of the Week, October 23, 2026
Jeep Named Official 4×4 of Moab Jeep and the City of Moab have announced a two-year partnership covering trail stewardship, community funding, and local events. Approved by Moab City Council and beginning in October 2026, the agreement names Jeep the city’s Official 4×4. Jeep will provide annual funding, sponsor events, and support trail maintenance intended…
Classic Kit: The Brunton Pocket Transit
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2009 issue, this article is part of that celebration. It is well to observe the force and virtue and consequences of discoveries; and these are to be…
The New Drive Line Gear from XOverland and FHF
Overlanding has always benefited from adjacent markets, with many attributes and needs shared across backpacking, fly-fishing, military, hunting, fishing, and adventure travel. These categories can introduce solutions from the incubation of fresh perspectives. As Clay Croft and I were driving down the length of West Africa, I took note of the thoughtful features on the…
Leitner Designs Launches Revolutionary Rack for Your Outback
Gone are the days when fitting a roof rack to your rig meant ordering some A1 towers and a couple of load bars from Yakima and calling it good. Roof gutters have long disappeared from the automotive design landscape, and model-to-model updates can subtly change roofline profiles and the hardware on factory rails. Hidden fasteners…
Classic Kit: Tea
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2019 issue, this article is part of that celebration. I’ve had a few travel dramas in my time, but on my latest journey, a serious misfortune occurred….
Field Tested: Gnara x Livsn EcoTrek Overalls
The Gnara x Livsn EcoTrek Overalls are one of those rare pieces of outdoor clothing that feel genuinely designed for women who actually spend time outside. For a pair of technical, utilitarian overalls, they’re surprisingly comfortable, and I wear mine constantly, much to my husband’s disdain. He says I always look comfortable, but also like…
Overland News of the Week, October 9, 2026
Vintage Rides Iron Horse Nomad Trails Documentary Film Coming Soon Each year, Vintage Rides brings the vision of motorcycle travel to life by producing an original documentary film centered on heartfelt stories of adventure. In the latest edition (launching October 15), Vintage Rides tour leader Johann Rousselot arrives in Kyrgyzstan and sets off alone on…
Patriot Campers Introduces a Lighter, Lower-Priced Gen 3 X1
Patriot Campers has introduced the Gen 3 X1 off-road camper trailer, positioning it as a return to the company’s roots: a trailer built for exploration with fewer “unnecessary necessities.” The new model combines structural aluminum construction, revised suspension, and an integrated tent, with a listed tare weight of 895 kilograms (1,973 pounds). For overland travelers,…
Luminous Flux: Swim, Sink, or Shine; We Test Nine LED Driving Lights to Their Limits
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Gear 2013 issue, this article is part of that celebration. I distinctly remember the moment I became aware of auxiliary lights. I was 15 years of age and…
Shopping With Purpose: Practical Tips for Finding Meaningful Travel Mementos
Photos by Richard Giordano All I wanted was a pack of Japanese sheet masks. A seemingly simple task, but as I entered Don Quijote’s brightly lit shopfront, welcomed by the store’s familiar jingle, I was met by the crush of people akin to the nearby Shibuya Scramble Crossing. Shoulder to shoulder with my fellow shoppers,…
EP325 | Principles of Overlanding: App Navigation with Chris Cordes
Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady discusses the core principles of overlanding navigation with Chris Cordes, highlighting primary, secondary, contingency, and emergency backups. They compare three main app categories: turn-by-turn tools like Google Maps, reference/layer apps like iOverlander and Tracks4Africa, and hybrid discipline-specific platforms such as onX and Gaia. While Google excels at everyday routing…
Gear Callout: Laundry at Camp
I haven’t owned a washing machine since 2018, when we sold our first house on wheels, a 40-foot diesel motorhome. Through the intervening years, as my family’s movable homes have shrunk in size, my appreciation for modern appliances has deepened. Some days at camp, when I’m playing catch-up, I relate to Mary Lois Walker Morris,…
Classic Kit: The Hi-Lift Jack
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2012 issue, this article is part of that celebration. It is the unsung hero of expedition travel, an essential piece of kit that any mindful backcountry regular…
Classic Kit: The Pith Helmet
To honor the 20-year anniversary of Overland Journal, we are revisiting special heritage content in the upcoming 100th issue of the magazine. Originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2010 issue, this article is part of that celebration. Home, they say, is where you hang your hat. If that hat happened to be the legendary pith…
Field Tested: Pelican ATX and Aegis Carry-On Luggage
Airline travel without checking bags is a cheat code that is well worth striving for. Free yourself from the worry of theft, damage, and lost luggage (and the wasted time associated) with either of these two premium carry-on options from Pelican. Both offer organized space for up to a week of travel between laundry cycles…