It���s no surprise that overlanding is booming���when it comes to outdoor adventure, there���s nothing more accessible. With a few key pieces of gear, you can explore the backcountry and camp in comfort in the most remote places. But that doesn���t mean you should just hop in your vehicle and leave the pavement behind. You can avoid a lot of trial and error by learning from someone who has years of experience.

That���s why we enlisted for some expert advice. The adventure videographer started overlanding more than a decade ago as a way to save money while exploring the wilds of North America. He loved it so much that he never stopped. From Baja to Alaska, Muse and his dog, , have enjoyed adventures that will last a lifetime. And they���re not slowing down. ���Now it���s just a way of life,��� says Muse. After thousands of miles, he says the most important thing is having the right vehicle with the . Case in point: On an epic overlanding journey through Baja, Muse decided to take the notorious North Road to a magical surf break. The route required fail-safe navigation, superb driving skills, and tires with excellent traction and durability.

We caught up with Muse and Kicker at on two different occasions this year. The annual gathering, held in four locations from spring to fall, offers a full immersion in overlanding gear and culture. At Overland Expo Mountain West, in Colorado this August, Muse shared his favorite gear��� tires���and canvassed the crowd to learn about other attendees��� favorite overlanding products, from a rooftop tent to an espresso maker.

At Overland Expo West, in Arizona last May, Muse checked in with and all the top makers of vehicles, gadgets, and camping products. ���My favorite part of Overland Expo is the community,��� says Muse. ���Whether you���re a weekend warrior or a hardcore full-timer, the people here are just excited to share knowledge and stories.���

Muse is the same. He loves to learn from others and share some of his hard-won tips. Besides tires, which provide that all-important contact between your vehicle and the ground, he says there are four more key categories you should get right. Call them basic needs for comfort and safety: sleeping, eating, maintaining power, and getting clean. Here���s what Muse found at Overland Expo West to get outfitted on all fronts.

Sleep System

Muse drives a Ford Bronco, which means using a tent or trailer of some type for sleeping. Unless you���re in a larger vehicle with internal quarters, you���ll have to balance setup/takedown convenience with comfort, protection, and stability. ���I use a Thule rooftop tent that turns my Bronco into an instant backcountry hotel,��� says Muse. At Overland Expo West, he stopped by the Thule booth to see what the brand���s engineers have been working on and discovered a new option for rigs like his. The , a hitch-mounted tent, offers many of the same advantages of a rooftop model, but it���s closer to the ground for easier access and is less exposed to wind. Muse hasn���t slept in it yet, but Kicker gave it a quick ���hop-in test��� at the Expo and gave it a paw���s up.

All-Conditions Tires

A good overlanding rig starts with high clearance and four-wheel drive, but it definitely doesn���t end there. Tires are the single most important upgrade you can make when prepping to leave the pavement. Superior traction and puncture resistance are critical on dirt, mud, and rocks, and nothing will serve you better than tires. ���In the world of overlanding, tires are the foundation of every great adventure. The Dynapro family of tires has the traction and reliability you need to explore with confidence,��� says Robert Nasca, product and marketing training manager at . The Dynapro family of tires is designed specifically for light trucks and SUVs, with an emphasis on all-terrain performance and durability. The Dynapro off-road models���the AT2 Xtreme, MT2, and XT���are fine-tuned to fit the needs of overlanding, with different attributes to suit your type of driving.

���With my current Bronco build, my focus is exploring hard-to-access places,��� Muse says. ���Having good tires is super important for that. I want a tire that has great off-road traction but also isn���t too loud during long days on the highway. That���s why I���m running the . Of course, I���m prepared to deal with a flat���everyone should be���but I would much rather have reliable tires and leave the repair gear packed away. I���ve been in a few situations with low-quality tires, and I will never make that mistake again.���

To make the best use of your tires, you���ll want a deflation device and portable air compressor. Lowering tire pressure increases the tire���s footprint, which improves traction on soft surfaces like sand and snow. Be sure to reinflate your tires to the recommended pressure when returning to pavement.

Food Storage

Whether you���re out for a weekend, a month, or a year, eating well is priority number one. First, it���s just plain satisfying to make and eat delicious meals in the backcountry. But it���s also important to eat fresh, nutritious ingredients that will keep you energized and healthy when you���re out for extended periods. For a long time, Muse made do with a conventional cooler. But on longer trips, coolers have obvious drawbacks���namely replenishing ice and dealing with soggy items. ���Kicker and I love to be on the road for months at a time,��� Muse says. ���That���s a lot of ice���if you can find it.��� Fortunately, the technology for portable electric refrigerators has exploded in recent years, and when Muse stopped by the booth, he was impressed with the brand���s latest fridge, which runs on both AC and DC power, requires less juice than a 60-watt lightbulb, and has 45 cubic feet of space.

Solar Power

You���ll need power for that fridge and all your other devices. Muse also needs power for cameras, phone, laptop, and more. Solar panels (a 100-to-200-watt range is a good target) are the answer for off-the-grid living, but like any electronics, panels are vulnerable to backcountry mishaps. ���You want to be as self-sufficient as possible when overlanding,��� says Muse. ���And that means caring for your gear and always choosing durable options.��� Solar panels don���t get more durable than the ones from , which can withstand direct blows from a baseball bat. Literally. Muse hit the flexible panel as hard as he could, multiple times, and it didn���t break. The panels are also efficient: just plug them into the cigarette lighter or truck-bed plug while you���re driving and into a power station when you���re not, and you���ll never be without juice.

Portable Shower

Play hard, get dirty, and clean up. ���A shower at the end of a long day can make the difference between a good trip and a great trip,��� says Muse. ���But on overlanding journeys, water is almost always a precious commodity, so you need to be able to clean off without wasting a drop.��� That���s why he was thrilled to discover , a portable shower that���s so efficient you can get clean with less than one gallon of water. Pair it with a stove and you can even have a hot shower in less than five minutes. It���s also great for cleaning dishes, gear, and pets, and it���s super compact, so it���s compatible with any rig.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires, and medium truck and bus tires. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

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Whether you���re living out of your vehicle for a weekend, a month, or a year, eating well is priority number one. It���s also just plain satisfying to make and eat delicious meals in the backcountry. Watch overlanding expert top tips for cooking while exploring off the beaten path, and read about the latest off-road adventure gear he saw at Overland Expo West in Arizona.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires, and medium truck and bus tires. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd., headquartered in Seoul, South Korea

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We caught up with and Kicker at Overland Expo. The annual gathering, held in four locations from spring to fall, offers a full immersion in overlanding gear and culture. At Overland Expo West, held in Arizona this May, Muse checked in with Hankook and all the top makers of vehicles, gadgets, and camping products. Watch what he found, and read about the latest off-road adventure gear he saw at Overland Expo West in Arizona.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires, and medium truck and bus tires. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd., headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

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窪蹋勛圖厙 has been covering Overland Expo West for the past nine years. We���ve watched as the show went from a small gathering of hardcore overland veterans to a place where thousands of people, including many who are new to this type of travel (loosely defined as “backpacking out of an off-road vehicle”), come to check out the latest rigs and gear. Some people might gripe that all this growth has diluted the community and crowded out once pristine, and barely known, backcountry spots. But if you take a broader view you can appreciate how overlanding has introduced a whole new community of people to the outdoors. It���s also been a lot of fun to watch brands take overland gear to places we never imagined a decade ago.

After spending three days at this year���s Overland Expo West, held in Flagstaff, Arizona in mid-May, we rounded-up the best new gear we saw, keeping both veterans and newbies in mind and choosing products that we thought were not only innovative but also had a wide audience. Here are our picks.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.��Learn more.

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an adventure videographer, started overlanding as a way to affordably explore all of the places he loves. Watch to learn about his top five tips for overlanding, and find the perfect tires for your rig.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee,����markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires, as well as medium truck and bus tires. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a company headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

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���I started overlanding as a way to explore the places I love as affordably as possible,��� says�� an adventure videographer. So it’s no surprise Muse loves attending Overland Expo, where he can immerse himself in overlanding gear and culture. At Overlanding Expo West, in Colorado at the end of August, Muse caught up with Hankook and all the top makers of vehicles, gadgets, and camping products. Watch and read more about overlanding upgrades and essentials.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee,����markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires, as well as medium truck and bus tires. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a company headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

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Each year, tens of thousands of people gather in Flagstaff, Arizona, for , the overlanding industry���s top trade show and a wonderland for adventure rig inspiration.

There are always plenty of tricked-out vehicles and new off-road campers to drool over, plus seminars and classes to learn about everything from off-road driving skills to how to plan a global adventure. But one of my favorite things to do at the show is wander the booths and check out all of the accessories. There���s an endless supply display to help folks outfit their own rigs, get unstuck, and stay on the road longer. Here are some of my favorites from the 2023 show.

AT Overland Aterra Topper (from $20,500)

It might stretch the definition of an accessory, but we had to include at least one camper on this list. Longtime overland upfitter and camper manufacturer AT Overland launched their at the event. The Aterra joins AT���s lineup of three , including the Summit, Atlas, and Habitat, and is one of the first toppers on the market to blend the idea of a full, hard-sided camper and a pop-up topper that rests on the truck���s bed rails. You can think of it as the weekend-warrior version of the company���s fully-featured, flatbed . Rather than creating a slide-in version of it, AT wisely chose to have the Aterra Topper simply sit on top of, and bolt to, the bed rails, which leaves the customer with full use of their truck bed.

The Aterra Topper is minimal by design, and comes with a bed platform, two fold up tables on the walls, wire chases, and a 185-watt solar panel on top that can be plugged into a power pack, like a Goal Zero. My favorite feature is the rear door, which is large enough to ride an ATV or dirt bike through, or lets you easily store mountain bikes and other pricey gear inside. It���s a smart solution for anyone who wants more protection from the elements than a wedge-style camper, yet wants to retain use of their truck bed and doesn���t need all the bells and whistles of a slide-in.

Kuat Ibex Truck Rack (from $1489)

I���m a big fan of Kuat���s bike racks, like the Piston Pro X, so I was pumped to see them take an even bigger step into the overlanding and truck world with the release of the Ibex truck bed rack. The is an aluminum truck bed rack that���s incredibly versatile thanks to tons of built-in t-channels and available accessories. It comes in full or half-height versions, has telescoping load bars on top, and can be outfitted with molle panels and loads of other goodies, as seen above. So, if you���re looking for a way to mount bikes to the side of your rig, and bolt on Maxtrax, jerry cans, shovels, or a hi-lift jack, Kuat has you covered. On top of that, the Ibex has a static load rating of 1,200 pounds, a dynamic load rating of 600 pounds, and an off-road dynamic rating of 300 pounds, so you can carry what you need.

Goose Gear Park Series (from $1150)

Recently, there���s been a big push to turn crossovers like the Toyota Rav4 or Subaru Outback into overland rigs. This has become even more apparent with the OEMs getting into the game, with Toyota adding a trim level to the Rav4 and Subaru adding a trim level to the Outback. Goose Gear, one of our favorite vehicle storage solution makers, is looking to capitalize on this trend with their freshly launched , a line of storage platforms for folks with those vehicles. They���re one of the first companies to offer a product like this for crossovers, and unlike some of their other units, these can be shipped directly to the consumer for an easy, DIY install. The Park Series system is also incredibly lightweight and removable, which means you can plop it in your rig on a Friday and have a killer overlanding and camping setup for the weekend, and easily pull it out for daily driver duties during the week.

Dometic Hub 2 Shelter ($749)

Dometic���s latest is one of the most innovative structures of its kind we���ve seen in a long time. It uses Dometic���s Air Frame technology, so it doesn���t require poles and is single-point inflatable, which makes setup incredibly easy. You can use it as a vehicle awning, a shade structure, a freestanding gazebo, or even add tent annexes and turn it into a big group tent. It weighs just 19 pounds and packs down small enough to fit in any vehicle, so you���ll always have some shade when you need it.

Agile Off Road Scissor Jack with Axle and Frame Adapter ($339)

On the drive to the Expo one of the tires on my Airstream blew out on the highway. Aside from some minor damage to the underside of the trailer, everything was fine, but we had to borrow a floor jack from an auto shop to change the tire because the bottle jack I had wasn���t substantial enough to jack up the recently lifted trailer. So jacks were on my mind as I wandered around the show this year, and Agile Off Road���s stood out as something I must have. The company took a military issued Hummer H1 jack, which has a 17 inch lift height and a 3.5 ton capacity, plus a wide, stable base for use in soft soil or mud. It also has a billet aluminum adapter that fits a rear axle or frame rail. Agiles designed it to work with Sprinters, but it���ll work with any type of van or heavy lifted rig. If you���ve heavily modified your vehicle then you need a jack that can help you safely change a tire or lift the vehicle���this is the one I���ve got my eyes on.

Kokopelli Bikepacking Bags

Overlanding can be done on two wheels���and even by raft. Case in point: packraft maker showed off their soon-to-be-released line of bikepacking bags at the show. The brand noticed more people doing trips combining ���and often carrying both bike and drybags���so designed its own set of bags for just that purpose. They���re completely waterproof, detach quickly from the bike, and let you easily store your paddle and raft in the handlebar bag. Plus, they eliminate extraneous bags for either part of your endeavor. We���re excited to test these later this summer.�� (Prices TBD.)

Kakadu Outback Shower ($499)

One of the cooler parts of Overland Expo is that brands from across the globe gather in one place. has been making quality overlanding gear in Australia for 80 years, and just launched a line of products in the U.S., including this awesome heated . It���s an all-in-one setup that includes a showerhead, pump, lithium battery, and pump. It���s all built into one lightweight, compact package that stores easily and runs off of a standard one-pound propane canister. The battery will power the unit for two hours straight, and you can get four hours of hot water off one propane tank, so you���ll run out of water long before needing to recharge the unit or swap fuel. Another brilliant feature is that when you turn off the water flow at the shower head, it automatically turns off the burner so the water doesn���t get scorching hot (it kicks back on when you turn the water on). I built my own DIY version of this a few years ago, but spent a ton of time at the hardware store finding the right tubes and fittings. I wish this system had been around then, and am excited to test it out.

Renogy Rego Smart Solar System

Renogy is a major player in the off-grid and overland power system market, long known for making affordable and quality components like solar panels, solar charge controllers, and batteries. Their recently launched caught our eyes because it���s designed to be extremely easy to install. It comes with all the necessary wiring and Anderson plugs for easy, plug-and-play connections, which saves a ton of time over wiring them yourself, like I did recently with my dream truck camper build. The Rego system has seven different components, so you can easily add on more capacity and capability as your build evolves. One of those is the new 400ah lithium battery, which is one of the smallest batteries of this size we���ve seen. This is the most customizable, yet easy to install system on the market that we���ve seen. (Pricing depends on components.)

The Mounting Co. Mount (from $249)

We���re lucky to have one of the best overland shops in the country, (TAV) where I live in New Mexico. They���re known for their incredible work building some of the most capable adventure rigs around, so when we saw their new quick-release mounting system, we paid attention. The new lineup of is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, and designed to help you securely mount everything from a Pelican case to a cooler to your rig���whether on a roof rack, in a truck bed, or on the back of an SUV. The designer has a background in trophy truck racing, where small time savers like how quickly you can change a tire or get to your recovery gear mean the difference between winning and losing. The system consists of a base plate and an incredibly simple pin locking system. As a videographer, I could see this being a great way to securely mount a Pelican case full of camera gear in the back of my truck, and I���m sure there are a billion other uses folks will come up with.

Benchmade Full Immunity Knife ($300)

Overlanders can���t resist a good blade, as evidenced by the heavy traffic in the Benchmade booth this year. Maybe that stems from the idea of preparedness being ingrained into overlanding, or maybe it���s because Benchmade makes a superb, sexy knife. Either way, we were impressed by the new collection, which feature a 2.5 inch CPM-M4 blade in a Wharncliffe profile. Translation? This small, assisted-open knife is a perfect everyday carry companion, and the blade size means it conforms to virtually all blade-length restrictions so you can keep it in your rig at all times.

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To fully take in Overland Expo West���held in Flagstaff, Arizona from May 19 to 21 this year���you have to do two things. First, you���ll want to walk around the show and gawk at the amazing rigs that sit in the company booths. These vehicles are hung with all the newest gear and spit-polished to perfection. Second, after you���ve walked the show, you should head to the on-site camping area where thousands of attendees have stationed their personal rigs for the three-day event. These vehicles, which real people are using to adventure across the world, aren���t as shiny, but they���re often more creative, and always inspiring. We spent two days tracking down our favorite vehicles from both areas. Here are 12 we wanted to jump in and take out into the wilderness.

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Rig���D Supply RambleRack-1 Bike Rack ($900)

Rig���D calls this an off-road because it���s meant for people who want to haul their bike down dozens if not hundreds of miles of bumpy and rutted dirt roads and not worry about the rack or the bike. They assured us the bike would stay absolutely locked in place and not get bent out of shape thanks to a number of factors, including a symmetrical front wheel tray and a burly front arm that locks in place at 90 degrees and never touches the frame. The rack itself will take plenty of abuse thanks to a high-quality steel build. The RambleRack-1 is designed to work in conjunction with the company���s swing out tire carrier but can also be mounted straight into a rear receiver. Right now they���re only offering a one-bike version but they told us a two-bike model is on the way.

Trelino Composting Toilet (from $500)

Most camping toilets have one catchment that combines liquids and solids, creating a mess that stinks up your vehicle. But , which is based in Germany, smartly divided their small camping toilet into two compartments so that each kind of waste is separated. The liquids go into one plastic and solids into another that���s lined with compostable bags. If you dump a little ash or saw dust onto the solids, they almost immediately dry out and won���t stink up your rig. For disposal, check city regulations. Some allow you to put the dried and bagged solids in the garbage, while others, including Moab, Utah, do not (you can usually bring them directly to transfer stations, though). As for the liquids, you can empty them at a dump station, into a vault toilet, or into your toilet at home.

Go Fast Campers Chase Frame ($2,100)

Go Fast is best known for creating a lightweight but bomber camper shell that has a (keep your eyes open in the West and you���ll see them all over the place). Now the company is launching a lightweight but bomber . The advantage of a bed rack is that it allows you to keep your truck bed open for hauling wood, boxes, building materials, etcetera. But the Chase Frame has mounting points so you can also haul every piece of gear known to man including bikes, rooftop tents, surfboards, Maxtrax, jerry cans, awnings, and anything else you think to bolt or strap on.

Geyser System (from $260)

creates a highly efficient way to wash yourself and/or your dishes on the road. Using less than a gallon of water pumped through a tube into a connected sponge, it gives you about 15 minutes of use to wash off dirt and grime. The water flow is just enough to get your entire body thoroughly soaped and rinsed. It also comes with additional sponges so you can use one for baths and another for washing camp dishes. If you buy the lower cost model you���ll need to boil a third of your water in a camping stove and then mix it with two thirds room temperature water. The more expensive one comes with a built-in heater that gets the water to somewhere between 99 and 108 degress Fahrenheit. Both models need to be plugged into an external battery for power.

Factor 55 HitchLink Pro 2.0 ($135)

If you have a vehicle with a two-inch receiver in the back, it would be smart to carry one of whenever you go off road. It slots into the receiver, locks into place via a (bought separately, from $15) and acts as a recovery point that another vehicle can use to tow you out of a jam. The Pro version just launched and it���s designed to work with both hard and soft shackles and is cross drilled so that you can rotate it 90 degrees in your receiver for either a horizontal or vertical orientation. Made from machined billet aluminum and tested to a breathing strength of more than 50,000 pounds, it���s a high-quality product that will help ensure you can get unstuck.

TruckVault Base Camp 1 Drawer System ($4,420)

There are several truck drawer systems on the market but drew our attention because the passenger-side drawer is specifically set up as a camp kitchen. When you arrive at camp all you have to do is pull it out and you have immediate access to a platform with your camp stove as well as a built-in cutting board, several smaller cubbies that store all your spices and dry ingredients, and a drawer space for cooking utensils and other items. The driver-side drawer stores camping gear and the top of the system becomes a sleeping platform or storage area for additional gear. TruckVault says the Base Camp 1 can be customized to fit all the most common truck bed designs and lengths on the market.

Step 22 Quoll HD Packing Cube Multicam���Small ($27)

Regular packing cubes prove their value in your suitcase or backpack by organizing small items. The same goes here, but the are made from a 500-denier Cordura to hold much heavier overlanding items���from tools, to kitchen utensils, to extra nuts and bolts for your vehicle. Step 22 also makes organizers for your (GoPros, drones, etc.) and bomber .

Colfax Design Works Q.D. Camera Strap ($69)

The stands out in a very crowded field for several reasons. First, it���s made from one-inch mil-spec webbing, which means it qualifies for heavy military use and is ultra durable so it won���t fail and leave your pricey camera on the ground. Next, Colfax makes a super reliable and fast quick-disconnect system so it���s easy to take the strap off if you want to sling your camera onto a tripod or gimbal. And finally, the adjustment is buttery smooth so it���s easy to lengthen or shorten the strap.

Hest Dog Bed (Starting at $149)

Your dogs are likely more tired than you during a camping trip because they spend the entire day running laps and jumping in the water. To make sure they���re rested, Hest developed a that���s lined with two layers of premium memory foam. The outside is covered with a tear-resistant and waterproof layer, and when not in use, the dog bed easily rolls with integrated compression straps up for storage.

Eezy Supplies Rig Caddy V2 ($200)

is just a metal shelf that attaches to your truck via magnets. But we thought it was one of the more brilliant gear designs we saw at Expo because it smartly organizes a bunch of disparate gear. The shelf is the perfect spot for small but important items like keys, sunglasses, and cameras, and it also works with a series of add-on attachments that hold everything from a beer to cook tools to fishing poles. Each Caddy comes with one attachment of your choice, then additional attachments can be bought separately. The magnets, which can support up to 15 pounds, are rubber coated so you never have to worry about it scratching your paint.

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We love cruising the attendee parking lots and camping areas of Overland Expo coverage looking for unique builds. These rigs aren���t quite as high-gloss as what you���ll see in the show itself, but they often employ more ingenuity and have more character. These are the 11 builds that impressed us the most.

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