Innehållsförteckning för Gear Guide 2023 från Overland Journal

REAL-WORLD EXPERTISE As an automotive engineer specializing in chassis and body integrity, I was pleasantly surprised to find such an informed article in the Summer 2022 issue. Roof loading [“How Much is Too Much?”] and GVW (gross vehicle weight) is such an important part of what I do, and it is great to see a magazine take on a topic so often overlooked. The author [Sean Gorman] obviously knows the engineering involved, but also [includes] real-world applications. I’ve never read something that combines the expertise to inform an engineer and the explanation that would relate the importance to the average reader. Thank you, Overland Journal, for providing a beautiful magazine and a tremendous source of real-world expertise. Josh Warner 1993 Mitsubishi Montero SMELL THE ROSES I’ve listened to every episode…

Simple is nearly always better than complicated, and lighter is frequently superior to heavy. Such is the case with the new MoonShade by Moon Fab, an impossibly compact (when stowed), simple, and light awning suitable for most overland applications. When I first purchased my Scout camper, I wanted to forgo the heavy, bolted-on wing awning and instead chose this 9- by 7-foot stowable unit, which only weighs 8 pounds and fits in a 28-inch long soft case. The MoonShade uses 13-millimeter tension poles to create a sturdy support for wind buffeting and rain shedding. Nineteen-millimeter telescoping support poles set the height and angles, along with stakes and guylines, to limit lifting during gusts. What separates the MoonShade from other awnings we have tested is the supplied and available accessories, like…

Snow Peak is self-described as a gathering brand; its products are designed to facilitate an appreciation and connection with nature for the sake of it—nothing more. Established as a climbing company in Japan in 1958 by Yukio Yamai, Snow Peak’s evolution quickly moved to car camping products, followed by their entry into outdoor apparel. After a decline in car camping in Japan in the 1990s, Snow Peak Way was born as a way for the company to connect with customers, gathering feedback and inspiration from the people who mattered most. The event changed the company’s direction, and a move was made to bypass wholesalers, reorganizing to direct supply, and Snow Peak flourished. Three generations have carried the Snow Peak flag in the Niigata Prefecture, and the business remains in the…

The Mississippi Valley is as reposeful as a dreamland, nothing worldly about it … nothing to hang a fret or a worry upon.– Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi Author William Faulkner probably said it best. “To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.” I grew up hearing this quote frequently. Having been raised in the hotbed of the Civil Rights Movement, I had always assumed I knew what it meant. We had arrived in the South in the early ’70s, just after integration. As a child, I didn’t quite understand the complexities of this new land. It was hot and humid and filled with strange politics and unconventional social customs, a language to which my ear had not yet been trained, and music so good…

The road has been our home for the last six years. During that time, we’ve relished getting to know the intimate details of North America through its winding dirt roads and small towns. Like any travelers, we have goals and bucket list destinations that are always sitting in the forefront of our minds. One, in particular, had captivated our imagination for as long as we could point to it on a map and was the last stone we needed to overturn before starting our travels on other continents: Alaska. Enough was enough. We put the Last Frontier on our schedule for the summer of 2020. I don’t need to fill you in on what happened in 2020. Everyone’s plans had to be put on the back burner. During that year,…

The electric revolution has taken hold, with every segment of the transportation industry offering electrified solutions. From vans to boats, we are seeing rapid adoption of this proven technology, now delivered with the range and performance to meet the needs of discerning buyers. While the most remote overland expeditions are outside the scope of EVs (today), there are so many fun applications for their use while adventuring, including motorcycles. Enter the Volcon Grunt, a scrappy moto with balloon tires, reverse, 75 miles of range, and even 400 pounds of payload. Riding the Grunt is a joy; the retro lines and comically huge tires bring a smile to the face and a steady flow of questions from onlookers. It feels powerful but somehow not dangerous, and I was even able to…

I CAN STILL HEAR THE SOUNDS OF THE CONSTANT TRAFFIC—the smells of fuel, burning trash, and incense omnipresent. The smiles of the people we rode past are burned in my memory, as vivid as the colors of Kerala, which I’ve thought about every day since my return. India was one of those places I didn’t see coming, in the sense that I didn’t know back then the lingering impact it would have on me, even as I write this. The adventure started with a phone call from a friend in Spain who reached out asking if I had ever thought of completing excursions with my business, BonaFide Moto Company, into other countries other than our home base of South Africa. Perhaps, India? The thing is that I didn’t have any…

When Chief Three Eagles, leader of the Salish peoples, first encountered the Lewis and Clark Expedition party in the wide valley of Ross’ Hole, Montana, in 1805, he was baffled. The men weren’t wearing any blankets. Had they been robbed? “Bring the best buffalo skins,” he is said to have requested, “one for each man to sit on. Bring the best buffalo robes, and put them over the men’s shoulders.” Although the men involved in the Lewis and Clark Expedition did carry blankets (packed away in their bags), the team only used them for sleeping. But this cultural exchange broke the ice between the two parties, and it wasn’t the first time (or the last) that a blanket would be used for more than physical warmth. We tuck ourselves into…

When Björn and Katja sealed the deal on their 1984 Mercedes-Benz 508D bus in 2018, the interior was empty, the exterior was painted fuchsia and cobalt blue, and proper insulation was non-existent. But it lacked the extensive rust they found on other models, elicited the retro look they were going for, and was for sale on their home island of Gotland, Sweden. It was a rare find. As the evening light faded, the couple opted to inspect the bus the next day, excitedly driving their new project vehicle homeward. Days later, they poked around inside, noticing the beginnings of water damage. This led them to the roof. “There was water everywhere,” Björn recalled. “It was a catastrophe.” “Beelzebus” is the devilish moniker for this rear-wheel-drive buss, which houses an 85-horsepower…

While filming a documentary on travelin Pakistan, Eva zu Beck was offered the chance to attend a jirga near the border with Afghanistan. Accompanied by her host, Eva entered a world rarely seen by tourists, let alone a solo female traveler. Designed to settle disputes, a jirga involves hundreds of tribal members gathering in a circle; but this meeting was different. The men seemed puzzled. What was this young woman doing here? Large, loaded guns were dropped into a pile in the middle of the crowd. As she sat down, a bearded man on the other side of the circle pointed to zu Beck aggressively, pointedly speaking in Pashto. Eva tells the story during a TedX Islamabad Women event. “I was pretty anxious by that point and felt I shouldn’t…

Many traditional Moroccan recipes make use of a tagine, a cone-shaped earthenware cooking vessel that produces mouth-wateringly delicious braises. While traditional tagine cooking is absolutely incredible, it presents a couple of problems for overlanders. First, many people don’t own a tagine, much less have one they’d be willing to take out on a trip. Second, tagines need a long time to slowly simmer—not exactly ideal when the sun is setting, and dinner would be nice to have about now-ish. So to speed up the process while retaining as much flavor as possible, we adapted this meal to be prepared in a cast iron skillet with a lid. It’s a one-pot wonder but performed in two acts, aided by ras el hanout, a blend of ground cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, and…

Life Giving Warmth was started by Paul and Carolynne LaRue to keep their daughter, Brianna, warm while out on adventures. Brianna has cerebral palsy and needs to stay warm because of the poor circulation her disease causes. So out of necessity, the company was born with the creation of the Cozee, the world’s first-ever battery-powered heating blanket. Now, Life Giving Warmth has created the Kodiak, a rugged battery-powered blanket for those who love the outdoors. In anticipation of the season turning, I tested this new offering in some colder temperatures at high elevations. It made late-night stargazing sessions cozier and kept me comfortable for hours past bedtime without having to retreat to my sleeping bag. Once you charge the two included batteries in advance, you can take this blanket anywhere.…

The year 2009 was memorable for many reasons: US Airways Flight 1549 hit a large flock of geese shortly after takeoff and successfully landed in the Hudson River, the swine flu ravaged the world, and Overland Journal printed their 12-volt winch review in the Gear Guide. A lot has changed in winch technology in 13 years, but some things have stayed the same. Some people argue that a winch is an antiquated tool. Vehicles today are more capable than ever, with traction control systems, improved tire technology, and the addition of aids such as traction boards. It is true that 90 percent of the winch recoveries I have ever done were to pull someone else out of a predicament they found themselves in. But that means that the other 10…

Long-term overland travel requires self-sustained living, and part of that living demands electricity. At the very least, most travelers are using those charged particles to power 12-volt fridges and LED camp lights. More often than not, overlanders are now including induction cooktops, freezers, heaters, and large DC-to-AC inverters in their vehicle builds. As considerable electrical loads become the norm, the inclusion of absorbed glass mat (AGM) and lithium batteries are paramount. To charge those batteries, you can utilize the vehicle’s alternator, but if you want to keep the battery banks topped up when sitting still in a remote location, solar is by far your best option. In 1954, Bell Labs showcased solar panels for the first time. They used their panel to power a small toy Ferris wheel and radio…

It’s the desert I most remember. Its immensity and utter silence have lingered in my memory over many years. On this, our first night away from humanity, we hiked a short distance from the truck. It appeared so tiny and insignificant, yet it was our home, our lifeline, and our sole means of survival in this harsh yet spellbinding landscape. Overhead, the immensity of the heavens stretched unimpeded to the horizon in every direction, ablaze with stars beyond imagining—an affirmation of infinity. The silence was absolute. The only sounds were our breathing and the ticking of my watch. A pebble, carelessly tossed, shattered the stillness like the smashing of a pane of glass, and then it returned, embracing us like an invisible cloak. More than 60 years have passed since…

Our world is silent and white, covered in hoar frost. The deposits of ice crystals on stems and leaves have turned the desert plants into magical pieces of natural art. We are enveloped in fog, and even though we’re parked right next to them, the red mud walls of the crumbling Khorezm fortresses are hard to distinguish. The dreary weather adds to a sense of mystery in the land known today as Uzbekistan, a country with many ruins and remnants of history. They reflect a dynamic and prosperous past, particularly the days when the land lay right in the middle of the Silk Road. Uzbekistan is one of five “Stan” countries in Central Asia, the others being Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (east), Turkmenistan (south), and Kazakhstan (north). Originally, these lands were…

I’ve always been the kind of person to jump into things with two feet first. I had an excellent job in the solar industry but spontaneously quit so I could have a chance to reimagine my life. We’d pulled our kids from school and embarked on a journey filled with life lessons on the road. We sold a bunch of our belongings in a garage sale and passed off our cat to a nearby family. We committed to our souped-up Toyota Tundra being our base camp and home. It’s this “two feet first” mentality that invigorates life, but it’s this same state of mind that got me into trouble while at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The first few days of our new life had their challenges. We realized…