Overland Journal Gear Guide 2013

51 to 71 ° North Me and a group of seven fellow adventurers recently completed a trip from 51 to 71° North—destination Nordkapp in Northern Norway—in the depths of a harsh winter. Our journey in late January and early February covered over 4,000 miles and involved a mix of wild camping and cabins. We travelled in four Land Rover Defenders suitably modified for the conditions that included temperatures down to -41°C (-42°F). While the weather was generally favorable, at times we had to adopt ‘convoy-rules.’ We radioed truck-to-truck in visibility of 5-10 meters (15-30 ft), guiding ourselves from one roadside marker pole to the next. As a keen amateur photographer, one key memory I will keep is the stunning scenery blessed by superb sunrise and sunset light. Oh, and of course, the Aurora…

Roger Chao Roger Chao is an accomplished mountaineer, whitewater kayaker, caver, rock climber, polar explorer, backcountry skier, bike tourer, and hiker. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Young Adventurer of the Year medal by the Australian Geographic Society for a world-first expedition in Southwest Tasmania. In 2007, he became the youngest person to cross the Greenland Icecap, unsupported and unaided, from east to west. For this he was elected as a member of the New York Explorers Club, on which he now serves as Vice-Chairman of the Australian/New Zealand Chapter. In 2008, having completed a research project on the Inuit peoples of the Arctic regions, Roger was also inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. In 2010, he completed a 12-month expedition ride through Central Asia on a…

I recently spent a month in the land down under, Australia, where whirlpools spin in the opposite direction (not really), they drive on the wrong side of the road (excuse me, the proper side), and a marsupial from the family Macropodidea is the national symbol. This was my sixth trip to Australia, the last being a 6,500-kilometer solo trek across the Simpson Desert and adjoining areas. This time I’d be attending the Australian Safari, then borrowing a vehicle from ARB for a trip across the Southern Coast and sections of the Outback—again solo. If at all possible, I always get a window seat. I can roll up a sweatshirt like a pillow and sleep; I’ve got a thing for composing images off-the-wing; and I love to scan the landscape for possible…

The Las Vegas Strip...Sin City or Overlanding Mecca? The Las Vegas Strip isn’t considered an overlanding destination. There are no trails; it’s almost impossible to find a patch of dirt. The Strip lacks natural beauty or genuine culture—it is merely an elaborate facade intended to draw its prey in…to a casino. It may have its time and place, but I’d venture to say that the Strip holds little attraction to many overlanders. Yet for a short time each fall, virtually everyone in the automotive industry, has their eyes fixated on Sin City, including us overlanding addicts. The reason—the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show. SEMA, founded in 1963 as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association, is primarily a performance car show. But this doesn’t mean 4WD vehicles and equipment aren’t significant contributors. The…

During the Roman Empire, no general was allowed to bring his army into Rome. Crossing the Rubicon River, which was the Emperor’s line in the sand, instantly rendered a general and his legions outlaws. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC, he passed the point of no return, committing himself and his men to a life or death gamble. Only by winning the resultant civil war could Caesar avoid the consequences of his actions. Though not a life or death scenario, the team who championed Jeep’s Rubicon project 10 years ago also took a huge risk. While corporate bean counters didn’t think consumers would embrace the pricier Rubicon, a small group of internal Jeeping enthusiasts pushed the project through. Early estimates determined that a scant 3,500 Rubicons would be…

A torrential rain pounded on the doors, blowing horizontally in the near gale-force wind. We were close to the beach and clawing our way diagonally up a hillside of loose dirt and sand, which was rapidly turning to mud. The Atlantic Ocean, visible outside the passenger-side window, hammered the beach with rarely-seen intensity. Beyond the windscreen, the dirt road was literally crumbling and washing away before our eyes. I’d come to Morocco to test the new Range Rover, a vehicle known to swaddle its occupants in luxury and cocoon them from the world outside. When I think of Morocco, I envision baking heat, blowing dust, and endless, undulating sand dunes. I expected that the air-conditioning would be one of the most tested features in the vehicle. Instead, it was the heated…