Photography by Richard Giordano, Regine Trias, Tim Sutton, and Ernesto Araiza After traversing over 2,600 kilometers of desert terrain, 128 women left California’s Johnson Valley in mid-October, bound for home. Hailing from 114 cities, 27 states and provinces, and six countries, they drove Jeeps and Fords, Toyotas, and Land Rovers. Some chose Subarus, while others…
The 4Runner is a favorite on the forum with recent adventure-ready builds, including this 1992 SR5, a 2003 Sport, and a 2005. Cue today’s 2006 Toyota 4Runner (220,xxx miles), which showcases a wealth of desirable aftermarket modifications and a CVT Mt Hood rooftop tent, yet is priced at just $14,000. Interestingly, Expedition Portal’s first test…
In the early 1960s, International Harvester — a company known for building agricultural and construction equipment — came to market with a small but rugged pickup truck and wagon (the term SUV hadn’t been invented yet) called Scout. Now the Scout name is back, worn again by an off-road-ready pickup and SUV, but these new…
California has become the first state to ban the sale of single-use propane cylinders. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1280 into law, which mandates that all one-pound propane canisters sold in California must be refillable or reusable beginning January 1, 2028. The bill, introduced by Senator John Laird of Santa Cruz, is designed to…
When NASA needed a camera to capture Apollo 11’s landing on the moon, they trusted one brand—Hasselblad. Chances are you and I will never get to traverse the Sea of Tranquility or crawl out of a lunar crater, but that shouldn’t stop us from wanting to immortalize our own history in the making. Like the…
I’ve lived on the road for a decade in a 1986 Vanagon Syncro, and while it has its caveats, I still believe that vans are optimal for life on the road. They’re easy to drive, relatively cheap to run, and provide a fully enclosed four-season living space. It’s therefore unsurprising that they’re a popular choice…
Colfax Design Works (CDW) has set a new standard with its latest Q.D. camera strap. Built with rugged 1-inch MIL-SPEC nylon tubular webbing and equipped with the proprietary anti-binding CDW Quick Disconnect swivels, this strap is the epitome of versatility and durability. The intuitive design features a push-top button on the swivel that allows for…
The LX 450 carries forward the desirable underpinnings of the venerable 80-Series Land Cruiser but interjects fabled Lexus refinement. It’s a winning combination, demonstrating that rugged backcountry capability and plush interior luxury need not exist in a vacuum. The 80 Series is widely considered a pinnacle overland platform, a sentiment explored by automotive expert Matt…
In this installment of the Expedition Portal series on brands that inspire us, Senior Editor Ashley Giordano profiles adventure travel gear manufacturer STEP 22. I recently found out, thanks to Barbara Toy books and 1950s National Geographics into a Stingray Flat Box, bound for Canada. We access dry food goods, coffee and tea paraphernalia, and…
The size of the average American family has diminished in recent years. But you’d never know it, judging by the king-sized family SUVs fighting for space on the road. According to the Census Bureau, the average U.S. family now consists of about three people, down from roughly four people in 1960. Families have gotten smaller,…