How many times have you passed a gas station wondering if you should turn back and top off the tank? Are you constantly curious about how much gas is actually remaining when the low fuel light illuminates? Have you looked at those gasoline-filled 2-liter Coke bottles in Mexico and pondered what the percentage of cola…
Redefined Sound :: Cardo’s Connect App 5.7 Update
This week saw great news for Cardo Freecom X and Spirit users, the new 5.7 Cardo Connect App update which promises to greatly improve listener experience. The best motorcycle Bluetooth headsets continue to get ample time in moto forums. There are as many impassioned arguments for either side as there are dedicated and loyal users….
Colfax Design Works Project TOAD 65 Liter Drybag: A Fully Waterproof Duffel That Doubles as a Backpack
Colfax Design Works is a soft goods designer that creates durable products for diverse environments. All their products are made in the USA to lessen the carbon footprint. They make products for adventure travel, and their primary offering is the Project TOAD (tactical operations amphibious drybags) 65-liter drybag. I’ve been testing the TOAD drybag for…
Overland News of the Week
Prints for Wildlife Fundraiser Running for the third year, Prints for Wildlife will be raising funds for African Parks. This conservation non-profit currently manages 20 parks in 11 countries on behalf of governments in the hope of safeguarding and securing protected areas in Africa. Over 100 wildlife photographers will donate one fine art print each,…
Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard’s All-In Climate Change Investment
Overland travel can change not only your life but also the lives of others. Back in 1968, the world was a very different place; Yvon Chouinard, the founder and owner of Patagonia, Inc., and a few friends bought an old van and set off from California for a six-month overland journey to South America despite…
Yes, Overlanders Sleep in Ground Tents, Too
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2022 Issue. I toiled in the desert sun, slept under the stars, got bloodied, spilled beers, and picked cactus spines out of my fingers and feet for days to develop some opinions on this selection of ground tents. What’s that, you say? I thought overlanders…
Nomadix Puffer Blanket: An Ultra-versatile Blanket For Minimalist Overlanders and Travelers
“Own Less. Do More” is more a manifesto than just a tagline for Nomadix. They call their first and most popular product The Only Towel You Need. In short, it’s designed to work for everything you could possibly use a towel for. Nomadix’s original towel is lightweight, super-absorbent, odor and sand-resistant, and dries quickly. And…
Expo Gear You Will Want to Explore: Savvy Creations for Outdoor Comfort
Amid massive builds with habitat boxes, larger-than-life bumpers, rooftop tents, and overlanding gear at this year’s Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, Colorado, the displays of homegrown and sustainable-minded companies punctuated the landscape. These are the companies and products that always garner my attention for their creative ability to meet industry demands and emerging markets….
Fly-and-Drive Kit: Universal Equipment That Works Anywhere in the World
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2022 Issue. Over the years, I have found myself stepping into rented or borrowed vehicles for a myriad of trips. These adventures include flying into a destination, borrowing a vehicle, and dry camping for multiple days. Last year I chased the Baja 1000 and needed…
Scosche Powerup 600 Torch Portable Emergency Car Jumpstarter: For The Time When Your Vehicle Needs A Jump
Headquartered in Ventura County, California, Scosche is a family-owned company of outdoor enthusiasts that creates consumer technology for adventurers. They make vehicle accessories, car audio products, and other electronics, testing them in real-world scenarios to see how they’ll fare. I’ve been testing the Scosche Powerup 600 Torch portable emergency jumpstarter for the past month. I…
Making it Out Alive: Learn to save your own life or the one you love
Fieldcraft Survival and TacMed Solutions, companies providing industry-leading medical, simulation, and protection solutions for combat military personnel and first responders, collaborated on this comprehensive trauma kit, the MTK (Mobility Trauma Kit), with everyday mobility, off-roading, and overlanding in mind. The kit includes everything you could need in a life-threatening emergency: a tourniquet, modular bandages, combat…
Stopping the Bleed: Yes, it Can Happen to You
Kevin Henson has been answering calls to horrific accident scenes for at least 34 years. The trained paramedic and retired fire chief still grimaces a little when thinking about the worst accidents he’s attended. Many of them involved motorcycles. But there’s one item he never reached for in a trauma event: a first-aid kit. When…
Four Simple Moto Gadgets with Big Pay-Offs
FOBO Bike 2 Monitor your tire pressure continuously with this easy-to-use Bluetooth monitor, even while riding. The FOBO Bike 2 is compatible with most motorcycles and can detect slow or fast leaks, providing alerts on tire pressure changes. This tool is super easy to install. Mount the sensors onto your tire stems, download the app,…
Starlink and T-Mobile Team Up to Launch “Coverage Above and Beyond”
Due to the absence of a significant cellular tower network in rural and low-population areas in the USA, mobile connectivity is a challenge when traveling off the beaten track, but, eventually, we will look back on the good old days when you could pack the rig and leave the world, and the internet, behind while…
BioLite BaseCharge 1500 Rechargeable Power Station and SolarPanel 100: The User-Friendly Battery Bank and Solar Panel For Everything, Anywhere
BioLite’s mission is to empower people and do good for the planet by providing access to renewable energy in the developing world, especially in East Africa. Until now, BioLite has mainly done this by creating products for sustainable cooking, home lighting, and low-power devices. BioLite has historically sold energy-efficient smokeless fire pits, wood stoves for…
Bulbag USA: The best little bag on the planet
UkoalaBag has undoubtedly grown in popularity since its inception in 2013. The multi-pocketed pouch bag has become a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts because of its ability to carry a wide variety of essentials while being effortlessly strapped to the hip of its wearer. And now, with the release of Bulbag USA, the Georgia-based company is…
Dometic Go Compact Camp Chair Long Term Review
I am large, not as large as I used to be, but still larger than I wish to be – think rugby player two decades past his prime. There are fewer advantages to being large than one who is not large might imagine. Yes, we do get more automatic respect than most, we can reach…
Patagonia Performance Twill Jeans
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Summer 2022 Issue Purchased for a trip to Saudi Arabia, the first test of these jeans was on the plane departing Toronto. We were giddy to be on the Boeing 777 and celebrated with the finest red wine. The thin plastic cup immediately cracked and spilled…
Life Giving Warmth Kodiak Battery Powered Heating Blanket: The Warmth Of A Heating Blanket Without Being Tethered To A Power Cord
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, Life Giving Warmth was born with the creation of the Cozee, the world’s first-ever…
Overland News of the Week
Volcon Off-Road UTVs to be Powered by General Motors’ Electric Propulsion System Off-road powersports company Volcon Inc. has announced it will power all of its off-road utility terrain vehicles with General Motors’ electric propulsion system, including its all-electric UTV, the Volcon Stag, which will come to market in 2023. The GM system will provide instant…