Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2022 i Overland Journal

BEST IN CLASS As a long-time subscriber who has every issue released, I wanted to comment on my appreciation for the content in recent issues. I look to Overland Journal for guidance about equipment, vehicles, and trips, even though oftentimes, featured items are outside my current financial reach. Best-in-class items cost more than generic ones based on the effort put into producing them, the quality of the components used, and their scarcity. [It’s important] to buy the best item for the need even if the price causes us to have to save a little longer. What is the point of producing a magazine that only features the lowest common denominator? A Walmart sales flyer does that for free. The same goes for travel in far-flung parts of the world. While…

The Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube is a fun little gadget to keep in your vehicle’s center console or mount to your backpack strap when you are heading out the door for an adventure. Primarily designed to help you get a closer glimpse of that far-off summit or unidentified bird, with the addition of the Inspector microscope, it can also be used to view tiny objects like insects or plants. Upon receiving the Zoom Tube, I attached it to my backpack with the included Peak Design Capture Clip. This clever system provides a secure mounting point for the monocular, allowing it to be quickly and easily removed when you want to observe something in the distance. This mounting solution is secure enough that I could scramble up rocks and jog down…

Roof tents certainly have their place, but most buyers would benefit from purchasing a solution that is lightweight, easily removable, and half the cost. There have been few options to address those practicalities until the recent launch of the Rev Tent by C6 Outdoors. The company was started by two travelers that have spent a lifetime exploring Africa and the Americas; in doing so, they realized that less was, in fact, more. The team at C6 spent three years developing a roof tent that is also a ground tent, a rack tent, or even a truck-bed tent. All in, with the roof tent brackets and ladder, the tent weighs only 84 pounds. When used without the roof tent platform and ladder, it weighs an impressive 25 pounds. The tent easily…

Our convoy of Toyota Troop Carriers, each packed with two weeks’ provisions, including 250 gallons of fuel and water, turned west off the highway at Bi’r Ţarfāwī, 60 miles north of the Sudanese border. Within an hour, we were cruising the pristine Selima Sand Sheet. The vast expanse of smooth, featureless sand stretched to the horizon in all directions, broken only by a wayward crescent dune. It was a breathtaking introduction, the first of three visits to the Libyan Desert, part of the northeastern Sahara that boasts an unparalleled concentration of geological and historical highlights but, within Egypt’s frontiers, has not a single water source or human occupant. The Libyan Desert sweeps from eastern Libya to the Nile and was a tough nut to crack. By 2000, roll-on/roll-off ferries no…

WAKING UP TO THE SOUND OF THUNDER IN THE DISTANCE, I opened my eyes and raised my hand to block the tropical sunlight from my eyes. The ever-present layer of moisture clinging to my skin would have been unbearable if it wasn’t for the gentle breeze blowing across the Amazon that morning. Swinging my legs out of a hammock and onto the faded blue metal deck of the river barge, I stood up, stretched my arms above my head, and greeted the day. How long have we been out here? I thought to myself. It was day three bobbing down the Amazon River on the deck of a cargo barge, en route to Iquitos, the largest city in the world that is not accessible via any roads. Food on our…

It was the end of June 2021, and Covid-19’s third wave was spreading like wildfire through South Africa. Lockdown regulations were expected to be tightened, and travel restrictions were imminent. Despite this, I was driving my Land Rover Defender 110 up from Cape Town with all the luggage and equipment for my next overland expedition to Botswana. Joining me were the eminent optometrist and fellow 4x4 enthusiast Karl Danneberg; his son, cameraman Cam Stuart; and my wife and seven-year-old daughter. In the face of coronavirus, we had a very different epidemic in our sights. According to the World Health Organization, more than two billion people have a near or distance vision impairment. Almost 50 percent of these cases could have been prevented or have never been addressed, making poor vision…

SERVES 2 PREP TIME 10 minutes COOK TIME 6 minutes EQUIPMENT fire pit and grill rack or barbeque, 5-6 long skewers, knife, plate 1 firm pineapple (gold to brown skin, leaves green and loose)1 pound or 500 grams large prawns (around 16 to 20)1 tablespoon honey Ground black pepper1 lemon or lime After four years on the road and with South America in our rearview mirrors, Simon and I arrived in Panama and rode north, exploring the delights of stunning Central America. Cruising through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador, we leant the bikes right and explored Guatemala and Belize. Across yet another border, we arrived on the white shoreline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The Caribbean was already casting its spell, and shellfish were on the menu. We set…

CHRIS SCOTT Chris Scott is an award-winning, UK-based adventure travel writer who specializes in the Sahara; he’s visited nearly 60 times since 1982, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea using motorcycles, 4x4s, a jacked-up Mercedes sedan, local bush taxis, and camel caravans. Chris’ desert films have been featured on the National Geographic channel, and for many years he updated the Outback regions of Australia for Rough Guides. His books in print include Morocco Overland, and the Overlanders’ Handbook and Adventure Motorcycling Handbook (now in its 8th, full-color edition). He recently published short guides on Sahara camel trekking, as well as inflatable kayaking and packrafting. DAN GREC Dan Grec is an adventurer, photographer, and videographer. Growing up in Australia, family camping trips gave Dan a passion for wilderness exploration…

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 2021 Malbec all over my brand-new, coriander-brown pants. I wiped off the residue in haste and rushed to the bathroom to find the wine had almost shed itself already. A quick wipe with a paper towel, and they were pristine once again. Founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia produces clothing for surfing, skiing, fly fishing, climbing, trail running, and other outdoor sports. You’ve surely seen fleeces or puffy jackets adorned with their logo—a silhouette of Mount Fitz Roy. Patagonia encourages consumers to “Buy less, demand more”…

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 only slept in rooftop tents. Well, contrary to popular belief, sleeping on top of your rig is not necessary for overland travel. And as it turns out, sleeping on the ground is advantageous, even enjoyable at times, without the added hazard of falling off a ladder when nature calls at midnight. When it comes to shelter, ground tents are less expensive, significantly lighter, and infinitely more compact than rooftop tents or trailers, for that matter. They can also be pitched in many places where travel trailers can’t…

When selecting a vehicle platform to explore Australia’s wild and remote corners, the list of iconic badges is staggering. Over the years, the Aussie market has been blessed with virtually every platform and model of serious 4x4 ever produced. After years of dreaming, I had a shortlist of potentials: a Defender 110 with the never-die 300Tdi engine, a Land Cruiser Troopy with a monster 4.5-liter V8, a Toyota Hilux, a Nissan Patrol, or maybe even an Iveco Daily with a custom box camper. Of course, all of those come with a factory turbo-diesel engine, ideally suited for long-distance Outback exploration. While any of those would be an excellent choice, and each has a plethora of aftermarket parts and accessories designed specifically for demanding conditions, a nagging voice in the back…

Forced-air diesel and gasoline heaters from companies like Espar, Webasto, and Planar are designed specifically for heating the cabins of vehicles like campervans, trucks, and global expedition vehicles. Regardless of which fuel type you choose, forced-air heaters will operate in most environments (cold weather could be an issue), and some even perform well up to and above 10,000 feet in elevation. They are a worthwhile investment if you want reliable heat at the touch of a button. Given that there are many different models to choose from, we’ve put together this diesel and gasoline heater buyer’s guide to point out the differences between the most popular models currently available so that you can select the one best suited for your particular needs. POPULAR OPTIONS EBERSPÄCHER/ESPAR AIRTRONIC Diesel or gasoline versions,…

Located in southeastern British Columbia, the Kootenay Rockies boast much of the best that the province has to offer: multiple mountain ranges along with clear, swimmable lakes; ample opportunities for camping, hiking, rock climbing; discovering bumpy, pot-holed forestry service roads along the way. This overland route spans the Purcell range via the seasonal Gray Creek Pass, a 90-kilometer stretch of gravel connecting the East and West Kootenays from Kimberley to Crawford Bay, British Columbia. We enjoy meandering along Gray Creek Forest Service Road as an alternative to the highway since it offers a rougher off-pavement experience past poplar trees, wildflowers, and pleasing mountain scenery at a grade of 16 percent. The reward at the end is a ferry ride to Balfour, which takes passengers to the quirky hippie town of…

echnology has advanced considerably over the past couple of decades, and services once out of reach while traveling have become readily available. This is especially true in the wake of Covid-19, as safeguards brought on by the pandemic have allowed expanded insurance coverage and increased availability of what is known as telemedicine. Telemedicine gives us the ability to consult a medical provider from anywhere that WiFi and cellular service is offered. The convenience of speaking to a licensed physician remotely is a perfect fit for the overland traveler, as we often tend to stray far from the safety net of home. Navigating the telemedicine companies out there can be a daunting task, and choosing a platform is a highly individualized decision. To make this undertaking less nebulous for readers, I…

As an African wildlife photographer, my most frequently used tripod for travel is not a Benro or even a Manfrotto. Mine is infinitely heavier, impossible to lift, and occasionally I can stand on it—my truck. But, like everything, it comes with a set of advantages and disadvantages. I have height without standing on a ladder, and it’s steady with no vibration once the engine is off. The truck gets into higher or lower places I would not get to with camera equipment, and I’m relatively safe from predators if I stay in the vehicle. If I have to move quickly for an angry pachyderm, Tintin, my Defender, will scrape past or reverse surprisingly fast with a bit of a wheel spin. Over months of practice, I can maneuver myself Bond-like…

Let’s face it, overlanders have a bit of a reputation as gear nerds. We appreciate a well-made piece of kit and enjoy the balance of form, function, and practicality that go into its production. But as much as we love our gear, I’ve come to realize there’s a confluence of cyclists and van builders who have taken things to a whole new level. They’ve managed to take something as simple as a bike mount and offer an endless array of options as ingenious and expensive as you’d like. You can buy exterior mounts for the rear doors, vertical options for the interior walls, systems that slide out with gear trays, and mounts that attach to the roof. There are even kits with bike wash stations. In reality, most of us…

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 my camping gear for a week of prerunning, all while driving someone else’s truck. Most recently, I flew to Saudi Arabia, rented a Toyota Fortuner, and explored the country for three weeks. This fly-and-drive kit accompanies me each time, allowing me to camp comfortably, safely, and self-sustained. Essentially, this is my backpacking kit modified for overlanding and packed into a duffel bag. Many destinations or journeys will require specific pieces of gear, but this serves as a baseline for most trips. I also bring my photography equipment…

“Boys, seriously! Knock it off!” I really couldn’t blame them—we were on day 15 of our month-long trip, exploring Montana and filming our family for the first time for our new Solo Series on Expedition Overland. We were all piled into our AEV Prospector with the three boys in the backseat: Cyrus, 15; Ryder, 12; and Eli, 10. It’s a lot to ask three boys to keep their hands, feet, and breath off each other for any amount of time. Dad (Clay) was out of the truck putting away the drone, and I was doing my best to keep it all together. Like clockwork, as soon as these precious boys of ours heard Clay’s hand on that door handle, it was all perfect posture and angel baby children. “How did…

Hyphenated titles come cheap these days. Celebrities aren’t just actors but count themselves as advocates or activists. Emily Miller, a woman whose diminutive stature belies the punch she packs in the way she lives, earns every comma in her introduction. Sports marketer, champion off-road racer, rally instructor, director of the Rebelle Rally, and even farm manager round out her impressive resume. The people Miller counts as friends and colleagues would probably add a few less official ones to that list: confidant, big sister, competitor, ally, friend, and collaborator. Miller has lived big, from growing up a tomboy in Little Rock, Arkansas, to pummeling Toyota Prados and Hilux trucks over the untamed wilderness of Morocco for the win. For her, there is no such word as quit. Can’t is something she’ll…

So, you’ve decided to leave on a long-term overland trip. You saved up the money, purchased a reliable vehicle, the paperwork is in order, and you’re all packed up. The key is in the ignition, you’ve strapped on your seatbelt, given mom a kiss goodbye. The open road awaits. Awesome. Now, I want you to get out of that brand-new, reliable vehicle that you love so much. Take your things with you, except for your cell phone. Oh, and leave the computer behind. No, the satellite phone stays at home, too. And the radio, GPS, and satellite tracking device. Yes, you may bring your wallet, but please remove the credit cards. You’re equipped with paper maps, binoculars, some pens, a notebook, compass, and a 1974 Land Rover Series III. Since…

Weather is the defining quality of a landscape, and aside from the extra effort involved, the wilder it is, the more compelling your photograph. It determines the two most pivotal landscape features: lighting and mood. As seasons shift and change, often introducing dicey conditions, or dodgy weather decides to make an appearance, the elements will invariably prove more challenging. It’s tempting to pack your camera away; instead, uphold a positive mindset in capturing what the situation has to give, despite the odds. Whether the skies are grey, it’s chugging down, or you are enshrouded in fog, get out there and embrace the enthralling possibilities to your advantage. PREPARATION • Wear insulating and waterproof layers, weather-sealed footwear, and pack a hot drink. A poncho will protect you and your camera bag.•…

Many of you likely remember the Ford Explorer rollover lawsuits of the early 2000s. We were inundated daily with news reports about the dangers of the Explorer and the risk to society that SUVs posed in general. Fast forward 20 years, and though we hear less about SUV hazards, most drivers agree that a different driving style is required to that of a sedan. Typically, overland vehicles are in the same category that was labeled as dangerous. Add in that we seem to be adding more and more gear to our vehicles, and there is a potential recipe for disaster. During my career as a development and testing engineer, I’ve been exposed to and involved in some of the mechanical and structural testing used to determine rollover risks. Manufacturers spend…