Overland Expo East 2021

This was a busy year. Overland Expo East was to be our third Overland Expo event within the space of a few weeks, and it seemed like I had just returned from Colorado when it was time to go again. Overlanding is different east of the Mississippi, and I was keen on seeing how the East Coast version of Expo was doing. As usual, I left Northwest Florida a couple days early for a bit of overlanding and a much needed break from work before show time.

The drive north through Alabama was mostly uneventful save for a few absentminded drivers as I headed straight into torrential rains and buffeting winds. Crossing into Georgia at dusk, I headed through Atlanta in the general direction of the event site in Virginia.

Rather than book a hotel along my route, I opted for some spontaneity by using the iOverlander app which helped me find a quiet, dispersed campsite just across the border in South Carolina. We have no affiliation with iOverlander, but I’m a big fan and have been using this app for a couple of years now as I’ve crisscrossed the lower 48. I really enjoy adding locations to their crowd sourced map, and finding or updating featured ones as I travel. It’s a great way to save some money on lodging if you’re traveling long distances like I do.

Fully rested and with hot coffee onboard, I broke camp just after daylight and rolled back out towards the hardball. Drifting north through the Carolinas in daylight and better weather with my favorite road trip playlist blasting, all was right in the world. With just one last layover at an undisclosed location in northern Virginia, I skipped lunch and pressed on towards friendly territory.

The kitchen was warm and inviting when this weary traveler arrived, and I enjoyed dinner, supper, breakfast, and second breakfast during my stay. It was here at this bastion of hospitality and gastronomical wonders that Tim Bleau joined our merry band of Adventurists for the event.

Mercifully, Tim chose to travel light with only four steamer trunks and a sea bag, and we added his gear to the Jeep in the morning along with a big batch of his famous clam chowdah that would sustain us in camp at Overland Expo East.

Big thanks to Tim and Diane Bleau for their outstanding hospitality at what I jokingly refer to as the Last Homely House in Occupied Northern Virginia (Tolkein references here for the unread).

Underway once again, after a few more hours on the road in Virginia and a stop at Yoder’s country market for last minute provisioning, we arrived at the event site and were quickly checked in. The onboarding process was much improved from what I saw at Overland Expo Mountain West out in Colorado a few weeks back and we were thankful for the soft landing here. At the booth, our IT maestro Greg Henle was already set up in his Shiftpod. Before long, the rest of our crew started drifting in and we we had Old Glory flying high in short order.

The weather forecast was typical for this region in the fall – anything was possible. Being veterans of many previous Eastern events like Mudderland Expo East, and with big rain in the forecast, we were ready for anything. As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.

We even went so far as to invite a special guest to help us with inclement weather preparedness this year – BIG thanks to Andy Nichols and Force Protector Gear for helping us provide ample shelter at our booth for our staff and the Overland Expo attendees.

Speaking of Force Protector Gear, check out the Adapter Shade Panel on the rear hatch and the rest of the awesomeness that is the Goose Gear 60 Series Land Cruiser build. I’ve seen some dialed in 60’s over the years, and the attention to detail and overall wow factor here is second to none. This was the first in a series of jaw dropping vehicle builds to catch my eye at Expo East.

The Venue, and future growth

It’s been said that the first rule of business is location. Through the years, I’ve watched Overland Expo move around to a few different venues as it grew. Any way you slice it, site selection for large scale outdoor events always comes down to compromises, especially for an outdoor focused event as diverse as this. And while it may not be perfect, my prediction is that Overland Expo East is unlikely to outgrow Infinity Downs in Arrington, Virginia.

The same can’t be said for Fort Tuthill in Flagstaff, Arizona though. It’s quite clear after the 2021 feedback that the event needs a larger location with better infrastructure (cough… near bigger markets in SoCal… cough) but that’s a tale for another time around a campfire. As you can see below in this aerial photo, Infinity Downs has the potential to be the largest of the Overland Expos…

On with the Show!

Bottom line up front: Overland Expo East 2021 was a massive success from where we stood. The weather was very palatable, and people came from all over to see what was new after the long hiatus. Read on to learn more!

Photo: John Allen

Vendor Areas

The vendor areas at East were thriving, and of the two shows I made it to in person this year, Saturday at East “felt” the busiest to me. It was absolutely gonzo, with many vendors selling out that day. Those who had things to sell on site versus those who could only talk of “containers stuck at the ports” were the big winners here. There’s still something to be said for making things here in the USA, and the supply chain woes of 2021 may have cemented that once and for all in those minds who may have thought it was smart to outsource everything.

Is #Vanlife the future of Overlanding?

Some say yes. And if you look across what was on display here at East, at Mountain West, and Overland Expo West in Arizona, the van scene is coming into it’s own right as a major player in the overland industry. Many people are recognizing the fact (some of us begrudgingly) that you can see about 80% of our preferred outdoor destinations in a “soft roader” like an AWD van. And, you can do it extremely comfortably and with decent fuel efficiency. Here’s a sampling of what we saw at East.

Storyteller Overland

Clearly top shelf and targeted squarely at the affluent consumer market. If you’re ready to retire and travel, or just ready to sell your house and work from the road full time, be sure to check out what Storyteller has to offer. We’re impressed.

Backwoods Adventure Mods

If you’re outfitting a van and need some expertise, check these guys out for some different approaches to things and serious vanlife know-how. They’re out on the road living the life and can help you get there too.

Storage Options

We’re starting to see an increase in the number of rugged storage options available in this segment, and companies like Step 22 Gear stand out as real innovators in the overland genre. I’ll do a deep dive on their brand and some new offerings in an upcoming article.

Speaking of storage options, Zarges USA was there and we were able to get our hands on some of the very first Goose Gear top plates for their K470 series boxes. Top plates are a real force multiplier as you now have a single item that does many things around camp while being literally indestructible – step stool, ottoman, or even use it as a small workbench or table next to your camp chair. These Zarges cases are literally bomb proof, bear resistant, and will outlive you.

Terrapod Adventure Systems

New on the scene after a lengthy R&D and iterative testing regimen, Terrapod was on deck with full production versions to check out. Made right here in the USA, these things are full of innovative features and incredibly well thought out. We’ll be documenting their lineup in a full article here #soon.

Big Brands at East

Major players were well represented with Ford, Dometic, GMC, Volkswagen, ARB, Falken, Thule, Redarc, and BF Goodrich on the field just to name a few.

Cool Stuff Sighted at Expo East

Photo by John Allen

Training and Education

At a glance, Overland Expo may look like one big trade show. While this is a part of the story here, there are many layers that make these events what they are. Across this event series I’ve noted an uptick in the interest and attendance for their classes and skills areas. Anyone with decent credit can go out today and buy the latest vehicle and enough overland bling to quickly exceed Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. That’s the easy part.

What isn’t always easy or convenient to attain is the right knowledge, skills, and attitude to safely and responsibly utilize all the vehicle features and other equipment that people add on. Overland Expo makes it easy by providing literally all these topics in one space. We highly recommend that you spend some time and money on the most important tool you own – the one between your ears!

“Although it may not look like it while standing in the middle of the vendor area, the foundation of the Overland Expo event series has always been education. From the very beginning there was an intentional effort, first by the Hanson’s and now by Lodestone, to bring together a cadre of experienced and passionate travelers to share their experiences and expertise with the next generation of travel enthusiasts. There are excellent hands-on experiential based sessions in the Camel Trophy skills area, a plethora of lecture style sessions in the classroom, some video based opportunities in the theater, and now a series of entry level classes in the new Overland Essentials Area.”

Dean Shirley, East Coast Overland Adventures

“The sessions I facilitated this year were focused on covering the basics. Everything from a “What is Overlanding?” class to entry level topics like “Navigation 101” and “Communication 101.” These classes were well attended, often overflowing the tent and necessitating additional chairs bring brought in at the start of more popular sessions. Students listened with wide eyes and fast moving pens as they soaked in what they could in the brief time we shared together. It was my hope that by facilitating these classes and having an area dedicated to the “essentials” that I could model a practical approach to overland travel that stands in contrast to the gear-centric and heavily modified vehicles perpetuated by influencers. I encourage them to find a vehicle and kit that works for them.”

Dean Shirley, East Coast Overland Adventures

Driving and Riding Skills Areas

A major draw at any of the Expo events, this year the weather was fairly cooperative which made for some great times out in these hands-on skills areas. I took the time to hike all over the courses with my camera and came away impressed. And I really like how spectators could grab a beverage at the Oasis and observe the obstacle course from on top of the hill. This is a great event locale with unlimited future potential for BIG driver and rider skills tracks!

Photo: John Allen

Ford Bronco Ride and Drive

Ford was out in force with many new Broncos and Bronco Sports on deck for Expo attendees to try out. Let there be no doubt, Ford did their homework and the end result here with the new Bronco is a platform worthy of the badge. We’re excited to see this segment heat up with Ford, Chevy, Jeep, and GMC all in the arena. We’re still wondering if Toyota even notices their market share is in danger.

Ford had some other eye candy on scene like this very nice Expedition build

Fun People

There’s a TON of people that make these events what they are. Between the staff, the volunteers, and the vendors, everyone seemed to be having a good time, especially once the weather started turning in our favor – no rain for once! WOOT!

Big Rigs and Feature Vehicles

Big rigs and feature vehicles are always a big draw, and Expo East 2021 did not disappoint.

This 200 Series Land Cruiser build by Richard Sines was featured in the Goose Gear booth and caught our eye with it’s excellent layout and attention to details.

Attendee Camping Areas

One area that we make it a priority to cover at every Expo is the attendee camping area. In our opinion, this is a great opportunity to see how people are living out on the road, as many here are on longer trips and “pop in” for the show on their way across the country. You’ll usually see some rare makes and models out here, and meet some of the best people along the way. We avoid hotels when traveling if at all possible, and we highly recommend camping on site here instead for a more grassroots experience.

Photo by John Allen

In conclusion

We had a great time, and it’s always cool when you see SO MANY like minded people in one location like this. In any organization, it’s always about the people and we’re blessed to have been a part of this great endeavor for so many years now. Thanks for reading, and if you’re interested in learning more about all of this sort of stuff and more, head on over to our Forum and join the discussion!

BIG thanks to my my crew for coming out and helping support our effort with boots on ground in Virginia: Tim Bleau, Greg Henle, Ryan Schmidt, Andy Grace, and Andy Nichols. Oh, and Jax too. You guys rock.

Overland Expo West 2021

For what feels like forever, Overland Expo West has been part of the calendar, like a holiday or some event that is just always in May.  It’s just always assumed that it’s going to be there, it’s just a question of which weekend in May.

Then things changed, and May came and went twice without Overland Expo West.  Meanwhile, the folks at Lodestone Events persevered, and thankfully they were able to lock in dates for September 2021 to get the original and longest running Overland Expo back on the calendar.  Coming in hot on the heels of the new Overland Expo Mountain West in Colorado, things were looking good. Mountain West was a great event, and you can check out our coverage of that event HERE.  Yet Mountain West was the first of it’s kind, and West was coming off of a long pause, so the question remained:  How would the OG Expo in Arizona return to form after this long hiatus?

The answer is: Almost like it never left. Folks are clearly ready to get outside, and back into outdoor activities and big events like this.  Overland Expo West is this awesome mixture of so many things that make it enjoyable for so many reasons.  There are the exhibitors, both new and old who bring all kinds of new gear and ideas from all over the world to share with attendees.  There are classes on just about everything from knot tying, to how to get published in this industry.  The camping areas are filled with the vehicles of folks who are actually doing the thing and using their vehicles for travel – and a trip through the campground at any Overland Expo is a great use of your time.  And of course there are the people – which has honestly become my favorite part, because you never know who you’re talking to, and there are some truly awesome folks that come to these events.  It’s good to have Overland Expo West back.

We spent the weekend walking all over the show to find cool new gear and rigs to share with you – here are some of our favorites, in no particular order.

Antigravity Batteries: I have been using Antigravity Batteries for years in motorcycle applications and they’ve proven to be great batteries, so it was exciting to see their product offerings expand into new categories at Overland Expo. Keep an eye out for new power stations, new jump start batteries, and new automotive applications in the coming months.

Deadman Off-Road: The Deadman Earth Anchor has been updated for better functionality and ease of use. These things are incredibly versatile pieces of kit – they can be used as tree savers, buried everything from sand or snow to create a recovery point, and as a work surface if you need to crawl under your truck in the mud.

Antishanty: I originally saw these trailers at SEMA 2019, and I have to say that I was impressed. These are well made all aluminum box trailers that can haul all of the toys and serve as a fully-featured camp trailer.

Garmin: Garmin is continuing to expand their offering of cool gadgets with a wireless switch controller that can be controlled with a Garmin Overlander Device. No running cabling through your firewall? Yes please!

ICON Vehicle Dynamics: This one is big – IVD launched their new IIC and CDEV system at Overland Expo. This is essentially a smart suspension system, that uses a brain called the IIC to measure data from sensors 1000 times a second to determine what the vehicle is doing. It can then send signals to CDEV shocks that can adjust damping in as little as 40 milliseconds. Not only will this system turn your truck into a magic carpet off-road, but if you need to do something like make an evasive move on the highway, this system can spike the damping on each side of the vehicle as needed to help keep the vehicle in control. Fitment currently exists for 2.5 shocks for Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, and Jeep JL/JT.

OVRLND Campers: Built in Flagstaff, AZ, OVRLND Campers are awesome campers that come with even better stickers. A few of the guys at OVRLND live out of their campers, and with years of experience on the clock supporting their design, these are well thought out units that don’t cost a second mortgage.

ALP Generators: These propane powered generators were a big hit at the show. No gasoline fumes or fuss, and everyone has propane for camping, so why not have a generator that runs off it as well? Solar only works when the sun is out afterall.

Dometic: This is a company that is continuing to make waves, and their new Dometic GO line of camp kit looks great. Standout products include their new HYD-J11 water jug, matching HYD-WF water faucet, and their super packable electric blankets – the CMP-H1 and CMP-B2. They also had a center console cooler installed on a truck parked in their booth.

iKamper:  Bringing some innovation to the skottle / discada game is iKamper’s Disco. You can hang the disco, use the disco in skottle mode, or pull the burner out and have a propane / isobutane burner to work with.

On X Off-Road: This navigation app is continually getting updated with new features. Two of the latest updates include active wildfires and the much requested addition of folders so you can stay organized and quickly access specific info on the fly.

MAXTRAX: Spotted at the show was MAXTRAX’s new line of recovery kit which features shackles, and kinetic ropes of varying lengths. Of note here is their new fuse shackle, which is a way to plan a known point of failure into a recovery rigging system. You can get all their latest gear through Adventure Imports here in the US

NISMO: Nissan is getting into the performance parts game through NISMO with a line of off-road accessory parts for their XTerra and Frontier platforms. OEM engineering, fit, finish, and compatibility (so things like airbags and crush zones still work.) is always a win in our book.

ARB: Bronco parts are incoming! Expect to see the full ARB treatment including armor, Old Man Emu suspension and a number of other Bronco-specific goodies in the coming months. ARB is also getting into the rack game with more base racks being produced for other applications beyond their current lineup.

Step 22: If you ever have a need for a bag or for some help organizing your gear, Step 22 needs to be on your radar. From their new kitchen kit to organizing toiletries, tools, personal items, recovery gear, clothes, and tech/camera equipment, Step 22 makes bags that are over-built and exceedingly well thought out. And they’re easily the BEST LOOKING storage ecosystem on the market, bar none.

Force Protector Gear: FPG makes some really nice shade systems and other quality gear. Check out our review of their company’s outstanding Shade System HERE. Their booth was popular under the blazing sun, as their shade systems make things considerably cooler than other offerings by actually blocking the radiant heat that most tarps and awnings fail to mitigate.

Pelican: More boxes, in more shapes, and Overland specific styles are the latest from Pelican Cases. New boxes are designed to be left up on a vehicles’ roof or out in the elements, and I really like the custom laser topo work done on a few of these cases for the show.

QuietKat: There were a number of e-bike vendors at Overland Expo this year. Quietkat is the company that partnered with Jeep to create the Jeep e-bike. Their line of bikes runs from hardtails to full suspension setups with trailers for hauling even more kit afield.

Gear Repair: I was stoked to see a booth for gear repair at the show. So often the things that take a piece of outerwear or a favorite bag out of commission are things that can be fixed, and this crew out of Utah was working for tips, which is an awesome price to pay for getting a second lease on life for a loved piece of gear. I hope this continues to be a thing at Overland Expos in the future.

Highroad Adventure Gear: These guys partnered up with the Last US Bag Company to bring some innovative new gear to the show. Their Woodgaiter is a great way to pack and transport firewood, and their Treadpack bag is great for gotreads or recovery gear, and it can be used as a line damper when using a winch.

HD Pan America: I’ll just say that this bike has proven a lot of people wrong with how good it is. This engine cut away was pretty well done too, and eagle-eyed readers will notice some really impressive tech in this mill. We love seeing American companies like Harley-Davidson evolve!

Mosko Moto: Many moons ago, Mosko Moto was just a couple of guys with one product and a few hay bales to make a booth at a long past Overland Expo. Today, they’ve grown into a powerhouse in the motorcycle industry. They make killer luggage and bags, and their foray into riding apparel is looking like a great success. All of their gear is well thought out, and I love their open design process that incorporates rider feedback at every step of the way.

Forest Tool Company: This thing was pretty cool – a true multi tool with a Pulaski, shovel, pick, axe, Mc Cloud and more. The best part about their design is that the harder you swing the more secure the joint gets, which is more than I can say for other attempts at forest multi tools I’ve seen in the past.

Wagan Tech: Is a family owned company that has been selling jump starters, inverters, solar power kit, and other safety products for the last 35 years.  They just launched a line of solar generators / power stations called lithium cubes, and we’ve got one on the way to do a full review on, so stay tuned for that.  Wagan supports the Rebelle Rally, and they happen to be really nice folks too.

Rigd Supply: If you’re in the market for a hitch mounted swing out, check out Rigd Supply. These things are well made, rock solid and silent. They also come packed with useful features and options.

Leitner Designs: Leitner continues to expand their offerings for their Active Cargo Systems with their new 4.8 gallon Shower Pod, and their new medical kits designed to work within the Leitner Gear Pod ecosystem. The new first aid kits are ready to go and come pre-stocked with brightly labeled, top shelf medical supplies from MyMedic. We’ll talk more about this Leitner Designs/MyMedic collab in a future article.

Shiftpod: Spotted here in the wild at the event… the new Shiftpod III features improved ventilation and an integrated carbon fiber frame & hub system making it significantly lighter than the previous iteration. It still has that signature  “Burning Man” look with a true 4-season fabric system that is both heat reflective and insulated with mildew protection and hydrophobic coatings to protect against the elements.

Loki Basecamp Falcon 8: For roughly $135,000 you can have this crazy camper to drop in your full size truck with an 8 foot bed. It’s VERY nice, and it’s also estimated to weigh in around 3,000 pounds, so I’ll let the comment section expand on that.

Equipt Expedition Outfitters: If you know, then you know. If you don’t know, then know that these guys import top shelf stuff from all over the world, and they happen to be outstanding humans too. One of the treats to Overland Expo is always the Equipt party on Saturday night, and this year was awesome as always. On the new gear front, Eezi-Awn now has a 2nd and 3rd gen taco cab rack, and National Luna has some great DC to DC chargers that you can install as a standalone kit, or in one of their awesome battery boxes.

Kokopelli Packraft: I am continually impressed by the way folks use these things to link adventures together. From stringing together obscure routes in the Grand Canyon to big safaris through some of the best canyon country has to offer, these little boats are tough as nails and a real force multiplier on any trip. This new 2 person version is awesome, and can be seen here in “packed up” form leaning against the bow of the fully inflated boat.

Canyon Coolers: Their coolers are killer, and their new drinkware designs are a refreshing serving of something new in a world of powerdercoated clones. Canyon’s new ice sacks are also a great way to keep melted ice out of your food.

Truckhouse: Where do I begin with this one… The truckhouse is a single piece composite camper that’s inspired by the TRD Pro Tacoma, which also happens to be platform it’s riding on. There’s apparently an extensive list of modifications that are done to a TRD Pro Tacoma prior to installing this camper, like stretching the frame and completely replacing the rear axle. I’m willing to bet that this thing is more than 3,000 pounds over the GVWR of a stock 2022 TRD Pro Tacoma, which is 5,600 pounds for reference. The guys that build this thing said they enjoy flipping the bird to the auto industry so it will be interesting to see how this goes to say the least. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Super Pacific: The growing wedge camper game gets yet another new entry, this time from the Pacific Northwest. Competition is good for the consumer, and Super Pacific is bringing some cool functionality to the game with unique features and design choices. Sleeping platforms are cut for Molle, and they can be hung vertically when not in use. The Super Pacific Campers are made in what they call “aircraft style” using a fully riveted design which is incredibly strong. This allows for plenty of internal space to route wiring too.

Ford Bronco: This thing is the business, and I’m going to enjoy watching a few Jeep owners I know over the next few years to see if they get on the blue oval train. Hey Toyota, if you’re reading this, where are you?!

Classes: Overland Expo is so much more than a place to just come oogle the latest shiny widgets, and kick the tires on the latest and greatest vehicles. It’s a great place to learn, and there is an extensive schedule of classes on all kinds of topics from knot tying to MAXTRAX usage, and a million other things. Even when it’s pouring rain there are classes.

Random Overland Expo Stuff: Overland Expo is so many things, and it’s attended by so many different folks from just as many different walks of life. So sometimes you just see stuff that’s photo worthy:

In closing, it’s good to have Overland Expo West back. Whether you are an accomplished around the world traveler, or someone who is just testing the waters with this whole Overland thing, Overland Expo West is always a great time. There’s just a lot of awesome that gathers together for this show, and while there’s always a few things that make you scratch your head at any large show like this, on the whole it’s an awesome event attended by great people. As best as I can tell, the outdoor industry shows no signs of slowing down, so it will be exciting to see what the coming years bring for the Overland Expo event series and the Overland industry as a whole.