Overland Expo certainly has come a long way since the event’s humble beginnings, with events hosted nationally, namely Overland Expo West, Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, and East. Overland Expo West is closest to home for most of the nomadic Overland International (Expedition Portal and Overland Journal) team, and we have a soft spot for the annual gathering of the tribe high up in the beautiful and rugged landscape of Flagstaff, Arizona. It is not often that we all get together, but this year, most of the crew will be there to answer any questions you may have, dish out some inspiration, a ..read more

Organizing and securing your overland gear in a pickup can be something of a challenge. While the bed of the truck is a blank canvas with nearly endless opportunities for designing a build-out all your own, the sheer number of options can also be daunting. The bed rack is a neat and tidy solution to this conundrum—modular, versatile, and bomber for hard-core off-roading, bed racks offer a lot of flexibility in terms of expedition storage and day-to-day usability when you’re not traveling. The Ibex bed rack system from Küat is one of our favorites, and it recently garnered a prestigious interna ..read more

The Honda NX650 Dominator found a lukewarm reception in the U.S. and was discontinued here after just two years. Perhaps we just didn’t understand the appeal of the streety dual-sport. Across the pond the NX lasted 13 years and was deemed a sturdy machine for commuting and the occasional foray on country roads. Its reasonable price and grunty, bullet-proof, 644cc single also made it a favorite of motorcycle couriers. The Raptor Vision Turning a drab Dominator into a riveting Raptor is a story born in Italy. Marco Matteucci’s NX650 build started as a budget-minded project but took on a life of ..read more

The Jeep Gladiator is one of the few midsize trucks that was engineered from the ground up for backcountry applications. In addition, it showcases a best-in-class payload and towing capacity, front and rear lockers, and is the aftermarket darling. Since its inception, it has been a huge hit with overlanders in North America, but in more recent years it’s been adopted by international travelers including Dan Grec, Hourless Life, and Tsavo Touring. I’m actually surprised it’s taken this long to be utilized by global travelers when you consider that this vehicle carries forward the backcountry pe ..read more

Three Mexican nationals, two males and a female, have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad. This development follows the discovery of three bodies (there are recent reports of a fourth body being found) at the base of a cliff in the La Bocana area of Santo Tomás, suspected to be those of the missing surfers, though identification is pending. The surfers journey had taken them across the Mexican border from San Diego in a white Chevrolet Colorado, which was later found burned at a ranch in ..read more

The LX470 seamlessly blends interior luxury with legendary Toyota build quality and durability. This platform carries forward the favorable backcountry attributes of the 100-Series Land Cruiser while introducing Lexus’ fabled refinement. It’s a winning formula that removes a great deal of driver fatigue from the challenging conditions faced by overlanders and allows travelers to focus their energy on appreciating their surroundings. Unsurprisingly, it’s a popular choice for overlanding, with recent examples on our forum including this 1998, 1999, and 2003. There’s also no shortage of inspiring ..read more

If living organisms could write a letter to humans, what would they say? I imagine the message from thousand-year-old bristlecone pines, sequoias, and baobabs would be lengthy (and likely not on paper), while a bird’s eye perspective could be enlightening. But what about the areas we’ve long deemed lifeless, the deserts and dry places? After all, “the middle of nowhere” is, in fact, in the middle of somewhere and is teeming with life. Desert enthusiast John Watson has been riding bikes, backpacking, and touring four-wheel drives throughout the Colorado Plateau since he was a teenager. These ex ..read more

Here at Expedition Portal, we are exposed to many overland-related products, many originating abroad from markets such as Australia and South Africa, where overland travel is a way of life for many. While the Australian offroad industry benefits from proximity to Asia, and the South Africans benefit from a significant purchasing power parity advantage (both suffer from the exorbitant cost of international delivery), it is always great to see outdoor and overland products made in America for American vehicles. Why? Well, there is no substitute for experience, and US-produced vehicles make up th ..read more

Honda is shaking up its adventure bike line with the introduction of the NX500—a mild update and rebrand for the long-standing CB500X. A promised reduction in weight, as well as claimed improvements to the chassis, suspension, engine, and electronics, should contribute to an improved on- and off-road package for the middle-weight moto.  The NX500 is still based on the CB500R and CB500F street bikes, so it’s not a thoroughbred ADV like the Transalp or the Africa Twin, but a 19-inch front wheel, a relatively large fuel tank, and a revised long-travel 41-millimeter Showa SFF-BP inverted fork ..read more

Crossing Continents Episode Three—Malawi follows Scott Brady’s journey through the landlocked nation, including his ongoing challenges with finding fuel. This stunning country is filled with beautiful, warm, and joyful Malawians, which added to the sense of wonder while traveling the length of the most stunning of the Great Rift lakes—Lake Malawi. I laughed out loud when I first saw Scott’s photos from Malawi. My wife Julie, and I traveled overland in that incredible country not that long ago, also at the height of tomato season. Everywhere we went, huge, plump tomatoes overflowed from bucket ..read more