Overlanders are arguably the most intense gearheads in the outdoor community. They’re willing to spend months (if not years) and thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars dialing in their perfect setup. As such, the overland product market is usually a rich place to find new and innovative gear. Some of it is way too specific and not much use to the general public, but a handful of items have a much broader appeal, and that’s what we’ve rounded up below. Over three days, we scoured dozens of booths at Overland Expo West to find the gear that will help recreational campers enjoy summer camping trips that much more.
Watch: Our Favorite Rig at Overland Expo West
Transcool E3 Portable 12 Volt Evaporative Cooler ($269)
Air conditioning and adventure rigs have never really gone hand in hand. Usually, the AC units you see sitting atop travel trailers and RVs require a lot of electricity to run, meaning your rig needs to be plugged into a standard, household 120v outlet (or “shore power”). Twelve-volt AC units, like the Velit 2000R or portable Zero Breeze Mark 3, are capable of running off your rig’s house battery, but they’re very expensive and run times are usually limited to a few hours without a massive battery bank. The Transcool E3, on the other hand, can run for up to 157 hours on a 100ah battery. It’s an Australian-made, portable evaporative cooler that holds a half gallon of water and only weighs 4.2 pounds. While it won’t cool down an entire rig or room the way a true air conditioner will, it could be the perfect solution for anyone looking to add a little cool air to their rig—especially since it costs just a fraction of a 12V AC unit.
Freedom Camper ($3,299)
Freedom Campers, which until recently was called Tusca Outdoors, makes these nifty little camper boxes that are meant to be mounted in a truck bed or on a flatbed trailer. At 180 to 190 pounds depending on the size you choose, they’re lightweight and designed to be easily removed from your truck or trailer when not in use. They’re also very well insulated—the two-inch, rigid foam walls have an R12-15 rating, which is incredibly high for a camper and means it won’t take much to heat or cool this thing. You can pick from either a truck mounting or trailer mounting kit during purchase, or you can simply strap the box down via ratchet straps.
Devos LightRanger 1200 ($175)
Camping lanterns have been around forever, but Devos is changing the market with their LightRanger series of lights. The LightRanger 1200 is a USB-C rechargeable LED lantern that puts out 1200 lumens and comes with an adjustable light stand capable of telescoping the lantern up to 9 feet in the air. Raising the lantern that far overhead means it’s capable of lighting up a 60-foot area, and it’ll keep the bugs up above you rather than buzzing around your camp table. It can run for up to 80 hours on its lowest setting (60 lumens), and nearly four hours on max.
Rollercam L Track Kit (From $30)
We love it when someone finds a problem with an existing product and decides to make it better. Case in point, the Rollercam L Track Kit. The founder of Rollercam got sick of using traditional cam straps on river trips, which become difficult to tighten when friction builds between the cam and webbing. He designed a strap with a brass roller (hence the name Rollercam) integrated into it, which alleviates the friction problem problem and makes it easier to tighten the straps securely. Rollercam’s latest innovation is the L Track kit, which lets you pair different-length straps that come with L-Track fittings attached to the ends. As a result, you easily secure all sorts of gear to L-track systems commonly used in van builds, trailers, truck beds, and more.
Koni Explorer Shock
While Koni has a long history in the automotive world, the brand is still somewhat unknown in the overland space. This was Koni’s first year at Overland Expo West, and they were showing off their current line of shocks along with the new Explorer series, which is the company’s first overland-specific shock. The Explorer is a 2-inch aluminum, monotube design that features the brand’s ACTIVE FSD, or Frequency Selective Damping, technology. Basically, it uses mechanical components to automatically switch between low and high damping forces depending on whether you’re driving on the highway or off pavement. In other words, these shocks will likely be perfect for the vast majority of overlanders out there.
Byrna Compact Launcher ($549)
It can be a little spooky to drive your overland rig out into the middle of nowhere, set up camp, and just hope that nothing goes wrong. Some people bring firearms for protection, but if that makes you uncomfortable, the Byrna is a great alternative. The device, which looks exactly like a traditional gun, fires less-lethal projectiles that are powered by a CO2 canister. Those projectiles, which are round and not designed to penetrate, come out at 400 feet per-second and will deter most humans and many animals within a 60-foot range. If you want added protection, you can also load the Byrna with rounds that are full of a chemical irritant that sprays out when the projectile makes impact. The CL is not classified as a firearm so you don’t need a permit or background check, but you do have to be 18 years old to buy one.
Kama Palma Mat ($122)
When we first walked up to the Kama booth, we were confused by the product on display but drawn in by the beautiful colors and designs. Owner and founder Rachel Dobronyi explained that what we were looking at were high-quality mats made from a 1000-denier nylon shell and lined with marine-grade foam. These mats spreadsout quickly but also pack up into a tight and easy-to-transport bundle. When we asked about their intended use, she gave us a laundry list. She said people use them as changing mats during ski, surf, and bike days, put them outside their vans as a place to hold their shoes, and even drape them over the back of their truck tailgate so they can transport mountain bikes without scratching any paint. We photographed the medium-sized offering but there’s also a larger mat that would be great for gatherings in the park, and a smaller version that people can use as a place to sit when backpacking or hunting.
Onwrd Headrest Bag ($100)
When you head out camping, there’s always a question about how to transport and store the little stuff. We’re talking headlamps, walkie talkies, extra cords, flashlights, etc. The best place, based on lots of experience, is in a headrest bag like this one from Onwrd. With two big storage pockets, it will hold a family’s worth of headlamps, help you keep your cords organized and tangle-free, and also comes with a padded sunglasses pocket so you have a safe space to store your sunnies overnight. There are other companies out there that make headrest bags, but we think Onwrd’s design is the best because it slips over any headrest on the market via elastic bands and then can be tightened down with straps so it doesn’t rattle around on rough roads.
Pacific Adventure Works Hideaway Double Sleeping Platform ($699)
We’ve been going to Overland Expos for a decade now and noticed that there’s a new trend in the market. Some people still want big campers and plush rooftop tents, but lots of other folks want to keep their camping setup as simple as possible. Enter sleeping platforms like the Hideaway, which slides into the back of your SUV or truck and creates a comfortable but ultra-simple way to sleep in your car when you’re adventuring off the grid. Similar to an extra-large cot designed for vehicles, the Hideaway come in three sizes (single, double, and XL) and is made in the U.S. from durable materials, including 500-denier cordura fabric for the cover and anodized aluminum for the legs. The legs are also adjustable so you get storage underneath, and when not in use, the Hideaway packs away and roll up into a similarly-sized package as a ground tent.
Benchmade Bugout with Grey/Redstone Aluminum & Richlite Handle ($400)
The Bugout is a wildly popular model from Benchmade because it’s the perfect size for everyday carry. At just 4.22 inches when folded up, it fits nicely in your pocket and never interferes when you need to grab your phone or keys. But at a respectable 7.46 inches when open, it’s enough knife for any everyday task—cutting salami at the campsite, gutting a fish, opening a box, etc. This version of the Bugout recently launched and ups the ante by using a higher quality blade (CPM-S90V stainless steel) and by including the red richlite material on the handle that’s designed to come away with its own unique patina over time. The Bugout is not the knife you want for a hunting trip, or a survival outing, but you’d be hard pressed to find a nicer knife for everyday use.
1Up Moto Rack ($1,719)
Well-known as the premier bike rack company on the market, 1Up just expanded its offerings with a rack specifically designed for motorcycles. The Moto Rack borrows a similar design from the company’s original bike racks with two arms that clamp down on the wheels but don’t rub any of the frame compartments. It also comes with included wheel chocks that fit in the trays and sit snugly against the tires to cut down on wobble. If you want even more security, the rack has a mechanism to hold and tighten down ratchet straps that go over the arms (or any part of the bike) to create one more layer of assurance. Rated to carry motos up to 500 pounds with tires up to seven inches wide, the Moto Rack is not designed for big road motorcycles but instead for dirt and enduro bikes or other smaller, two-wheel motorized devices. An included ramp that pulls out of the tray makes loading and unloading a cinch.
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