Overland Journal

RHYAN MCLAURY Rhyan McLaury is a ski mountaineer based amongst the volcanos and glaciated peaks of the Pacific Northwest. A passion for backpacking, skiing, and road-tripping led him into landscape photography in hopes of inspiring folks to experience the wild, rugged landscapes of the Western US. In the wintertime, Rhyan works as the snow reporter at Whitefish Mountain Resort in Northwestern Montana. The job is exactly what it sounds like; he is first out onto the mountain during storm days to shoot photos and report on snow conditions. Rhyan’s currently halfway done with climbing every Western state highpoint and will continue to share his mountaineering journey through his photography on his website or follow him on Instagram. rhyanmclaury.com MISTI TOKARSKY Misti Tokarsky is a passionate outdoor explorer and military veteran who has been…

Technology can be a blessing and a curse, striking a balance between being glued to our screens and Luddite dreams of a cabin in the woods with no electronics. The reality is that our always-on society has yielded a step function in efficiency, communication, and accessibility. However, it has also ushered in a new level of angst, obsession, and distraction. The average American smartphone user spends four hours and twenty-five minutes daily on their devices, and 56.9 percent admit they are addicted to their cell phone. For those who understand the mechanisms of addiction, the smartphone becomes a challenging habit to break, further exacerbated by the army of behavioral psychologists and machine-learning specialists who work for the app companies to keep us doomed to scrolling our lives away. Is there…

One of the challenges when overlanding is having a reliable source of sustainable electricity on tap to power lights, charge an array of electronics from cellphones to computers to drones, and run convenience items such as 12-volt fridges, 110-volt grills, and cooktops. Most off-road camper trailers are covered with a deep-cycle house battery. But those who utilize a ground or rooftop tent or vehicle setup may not have that luxury. That’s why portable battery packs containing lithium batteries are becoming more popular among eco-friendly adventurers needing an auxiliary power supply. The DJI Power 1000, which made its North American debut earlier this year, is the newest entry in the battery pack category. DJI is world-renowned for its drones and lithium battery technology, and this 28-pound battery pack of LiFePO4 (lithium ferrophosphate)…

IN SHOCK I am taken aback by the Summer 2024 cover shot. No vehicle tracks on the beach (a ton of footprints), nor any visible tire tracks. It looks like a photoshopped in vehicle. Am I missing something? Monika Wescott Turtle V FROM ASHLEY GIORDANO The composition of the cover photograph doesn’t include a well-trodden two-track leading from the clearing surrounding the vehicle, which you see in the image below, to the main road nearby. FUEL THE FLAME I’ve read (and own 97 percent of) all OJ issues from 2007 till now and trust your extensive equipment tests. [But] I’d like to submit a correction to “Keepers Of The Flame” (Gear Guide 2024). When reviewing the Primus Tupike stove, Stephan Edwards states that the Tupike only uses isobutane canisters as…

Moab has been the testing hub and playground of capable 4WDs for decades, equal to the Rubicon Trail for both range of difficulty and notoriety. The sandstone slickrock of the Colorado Plateau has also become a required milestone for manufacturers, with engineers and test mules descending on the region for validation and tuning programs. The early Hummer EV SUVs were overland tested in Moab, and now it was time for automotive journalists to see how the new SUV performed. The Hummer testing would not be a manicured test track or something easy like the Fins and Things Trail; we would drive all the hard lines of Jax Trax, meandering through the Cameo Cliffs. Described by onX as “Difficult,” there are steep climbs, ridges, valleys, tight brush, and beautiful views. Based on…

I have more fingers and toes than there are fuses in my classic Land Rover. The engine has no electrical components save for the alternator and the glow plugs. Even the fuel delivery is mechanical. So, I take cues from my trusty Defender and try to keep my auxiliary electrical systems as simple as possible. On the supply side, I have a 100 amp-hour AGM house battery connected to an old-school, solenoid-style isolator and a couple of solar panel inputs—one for the permanently mounted 100-watt module on the roof and a second wired in parallel for a 100-watt portable panel. On the output side, I run a SnoMaster 12-volt fridge, a water pump, an air pump, and a handful of house lights. The system works well, but both the battery…