Overland Journal Winter 2023

MOTIVATION STATION I just wanted to say thank you. I have been watching your videos for a while [Expedition Portal YouTube channel], and you all have inspired me and my young family to do a few trips around Europe, the Middle East, and now up to Northern Africa. I am a truck driver from the UK, and I am moving with my Michiganian wife back to Detroit [where] we will be setting up a 4x4 to go all over America. Keep up the hard work. Gallal Al-Mawri GO GREEN As a long-time subscriber, I enjoy your magazine very much. I did notice Summer 2023’s “When Nature Calls” [was] glaringly missing one item in the subsection Urination Bottles: the venerable Gatorade bottle. The wide-mouth 1-quart Gatorade bottle has provided urinary relief…

MARIANNE TODD Marianne Todd has been a professional photo-journalist and writer since 1987. Her career began in newspapers and rapidly spread into national news magazines. Her work has been featured on the pages of Time, Life, National Geographic, Newsweek, and the Wall Street Journal, where she was nominated for Photographer of the Year International. Todd became a publisher in 2009, creating titles reflecting the music, arts, and tourism industries of the South (she still sports the accent), and her work as the official photographer for Governor Haley Barbour led her to photograph everything from Hurricane Katrina to presidential visits. Since moving to New Mexico four years ago, she has left hard news coverage to travel on her trusty BMW F 750 GS, journeying the roads of America and beyond.…

In 2021 Land Rover reintroduced the Defender 90, a 102-inch wheelbase overlander that combined all of the technology of the 110 and 130 into a more nimble package. My first time behind the wheel of the D90 was on a sandy track in the United Arab Emirates; it was a beautiful spring day in the Arabian desert that brought an epiphany—the case for less. All of my early overland vehicles were small, with the longest being a 103-inch wheelbase, and yet, I always seemed to have enough space (further evidence of Parkinson’s Law). The Defender 90 is diminutive by modern standards and refreshingly minimal. Fromthe driver’s seat, it had all of the comforts of any luxury 4WD, yet it was a joyous affair to pilot, traversing the test loop with…

There has never been a more exciting time to buy a mid-size truck, with offerings from all the major brands and models being more capable than ever. These new trucks are also more comfortable for long-distance travel, and we even see payload numbers (ever so slowly) improving. A decade ago, there was only one mid-size truck that overlanders would consider, and now there are a half-dozen options, with the all-new GMC Canyon AT4x vying for the front of the pack with features never seen before in the segment. POWERTRAIN The 2023 Canyon uses an all-new drive-train powered by the GM-engineered-and-manufactured L3B, an all-aluminum, 2.7-liter, 4-cylinder, turbo-charged gasoline motor. With dynamic fuel management and variable valve timing (featuring three cam profiles), the motor can be optimized for everyday driving, maximum fuel…

Thirty years ago, AM General began selling a civilian version of their M998 Humvee. The original Hummer was equal parts capable, commanding, and entirely unique—it was legendary. The 1992 model came equipped with independent front and rear suspension, torsion differentials, and 37-inch tires. Now three decades into the future, Hummer has released another wagon, arguably more capable, more comfortable, and equally commanding as its forefather. And not coincidentally, the Hummer EV SUV is also engineered with IFS/IRS and the ability to fit 37-inch tires. The first thing I noticed about the 2024 Hummer EV was the proportions, a handsome combination of bold fenders and large-diameter tires. The 39-degree approach and departure angle also added to the balanced presence, all communicating a vehicle fit for adventure. Easter eggs also abound, with…

Teardrop trailers are old-school cool, with a lineage that dates back to the DIY plans of the 1930s. The trailer style has remained popular ever since, and for a good reason—they just work. The teardrop perfectly balances compact dimensions, sleep-inside comfort, and timeless style. Most small trailers use a rooftop tent for sleeping, but it isn’t easy to justify the expense when you can (in most cases) mount the same tent to the top of the vehicle. Teardrops earn their keep because of the quiet, four-season, secure sleeping pod they provide, and few teardrops match the Escapod Topo 2 for delivering on that promise. Escapod was born out of necessity and became the American dream for co-founders Jen and Chris Hudak. Like many great company stories, it started with a…