Hello, adventurers! In this recap we’ve got several new gadgets for keeping your car and campsite ready to go, plus several new off-road camper trailers, rack systems, a very affordable adventure motorcycle, and a couple of gear reviews that we really liked!
That van above is the 1of1 Mojave, an incredibly overbuilt, luxurious camper van that’s made to go just about anywhere. Check out its full story here, and scroll down for more of the latest overland and vanlife goods!
Fresh Gear, Gadgets & Tech
Flarespace nVader rear door racks for Sprinters
Flarespace has expanded beyond window bump-outs to add more space for gear on the back of your 2019-or-newer Sprinter van.
The new Flarespace nVader runs $999 per side and includes mounting slots for a wide variety of optional accessories, from bike trays to spare tire mounts. Add skis, fuel, water, recovery gear, storage boxes, and more, up to 100lbs per side.
Uncharted Supply Zeus Air starts your car & fills your tires
The new Uncharted Supply Co. Zeus Air combines an emergency jump starter battery pack with an air compressor, helping you get moving again if your tire or battery are too low. The 15,000mAh battery is powerful enough to jump start a big 8,0L gas (or 6.0L diesel) engine, and has a digital display showing remaining charge and tire pressure and USB ports to jump start your other, smaller “essentials”.
The built-in compressor inflates up to 150psi with the ability to preset your desired pressure and let it auto-stop, so you can use it for sports equipment, too (a good idea so you’re cycling the battery now and then).
An integrated LED light helps you fix it at night, with SOS/strobe modes for added safety. It comes with jumper cables and an air hose with tire chuck, but you’ll want to add a tire plugger kit in case that flat is from road shrapnel.
Rumpl upgrades their puffy camp blankets
The originals were great, but the Rumpl Puffy Blanket v2 not only adds useful features, it drops the price to $99. The blankets are now made with 100% post-consumer recycled polyester shell and insulation, have a small clip to wear it like a cape, and the bags use a roll-top closure rather than draw cord, making it easier to close up without the blanket pushing back out.
Available in lots of cool colors and patterns, they have paracord staking loops for using as a picnic blanket, are machine washable, have PFAS-free DWR. I love these as an insulator for camp chairs, and they also come in a 2-person size for $199.
Fenix CL22R Lantern has a party mode
The new Fenix CL22R Rechargeable Lantern is a perfectly compact, palm-sized camp light with an easy-to-use brightness dial on top that also has red/flashing red and multi-color party modes. It pumps out up to 500 lumens of warm (3000K) light, with a bright white (6500K)down-facing flashlight on the bottom.
It’s small (just 4.35″ tall and 1.65″ diameter) and light (135g), has a IP65 dust/water-proof rating, and MSRP is $66 (on sale for $49.95).
Recent Stories
Boreas unveils a DIY offroad camper platform
If you just need a rugged, high-clearance, off-road capable camper shell to build our your dream habitat, the new Boreas UB Ultra-Base is a great start. Read more...
TAXA X off-road camper trailers
Compared to their overland-ready models, the new TAXA “X” series get off-road worthy upgrades to help you get a bit further off the beaten path. Read more...
iKamper expands in to truck bed & roof racks
Better known for their rooftop tents, iKamper’s new Raconteur racks & accessory panels give you somewhere to mount those sleeping arrangements, plus a whole lot more gear. Read more...
Royal Enfield’s new adventure moto is a steal
With its nearest competitors starting at thousands more, the new $5,799 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 will hit the US market with more power, more features, and a helluva good price tag. Read more...
Alpha SuperRex eSUV is bigger & badder
While they’re still not producing cars, we can’t help but get excited about Alpha Motors’ concepts. The latest SuperRex is a bigger, more capable electric SUV with serious off-road nods. Read more...
Offrotie keeps your water hose off the ground
For camper vans with integrated fresh water tanks, you know the dread of dragging your drinking water hose across the ground at filling (aka dumping) stations. This solves all that, and makes showers easier, too! Read more...
Scuvvers keeps your seats clean & dry
If your out-of-vehicle adventures get you muddy, dusty, or sweaty, Scuvvers’ seat covers deploy in an instant to keep your seats clean and dry. Then just roll them up and stow them behind the headrest when you’re done. Read more...
Recent Reviews
BougeRV Aspen Pro electric cooler
If you’re looking for a full featured yet affordable electric cooler that holds up to multi vehicle use and teenagers, check our review of the BougeRV Aspen pro electric fridge. Read more...
STKR FLi Over-Lander telescoping light
The STKR FLi Over-lander light pole packs down small but extends to 10′, hovering over your campsite to light up the entire area, with an amber mode that won’t destroy your night sky views. Read more...
Field Notes
- Tesla wrote a Cybertruck Off-Road Guide and it’s awesome
- Here’s the difference between FWD, RWD, AWD & 4WD
- Dobinsons adds long-travel suspension for GWM Tank 300s
- Zero Breeze MK3 portable AC cools faster, for longer
- NOCS adds binocular cleaning kit (works for cameras, too)
- Paka’s Sol Hoodie is the perfect lightweight alpaca SPF30 layer
- Peak Design launches Outdoor Line of camera packs & bags
- Here’s a cool home-made hovercraft
- Check out this killer future Mitsubishi Delica concept
- Outdoor Tech’s magnetic Bolt speaker sticks to your car
- Pirani’s insulated “solo” cup is a eco-friendly tumbler
- Got BBC programming (or a VPN)? Watch The Last Overland
Big Deals
It’s Preptember, so look for deals on emergency supplies, first aid kits, and related items from these brands:
- Get 50% off OnX Offroad w/code OR50 (ends 9/16)
- Up to 40% off Uncharted Supply survival/1st aid gear
- Midland Radio has discounts & bundles (incl. MXT275!)
- Up to 30% off Sagan Life water filter & storage systems
Wandering Thoughts
To be fair, I’ve had a few laughs over the Cybertruck.
This Reel is particularly good.
But I have to hand it to Tesla on their Off-Road Guide, it’s legit, and worth skimming for any new-to-overlanding driver even if they don’t have a Cybertruck.
And if you’re Cyber-curious but too embarrassed to admit it, it’s a pretty cool overview of the vehicle’s features, some of which are quite impressive.
It’s easy to mock something so different. And some folks have done some really dumb (funny) things with their Cybertrucks.
(Some people have done some really dumb (funny) stuff in Jeeps, Toyotas, Broncos, and vans, too. Were they any less dumb than the Cybertruck driver?)
But, I’m trying to imagine the Cybertruck in five years. Or 10 years.
Tesla’s first car, the Roadster, came out in 2008 and it still looks thoroughly modern. How many 16-year-old vehicles can you say that about? The current Model Y and Model 3 have basically the same lines and style as that original and still look futuristic.
While there are few that currently call the Cybertruck’s looks “amazing”, I do think that’s partly because it looks so dramatically different from what we currently think of as a “truck”.
Polarizing, sure. But I suspect it will (visually) hold up pretty well.
All of which is a very roundabout way of getting to my point:
I like to keep an open mind about people. It’s easy to take one look at someone’s vehicle (or bike, house, clothes, hair, etc.) and judge them. But I find it far more rewarding to strike up a conversation first, see what they’re here for, and learn why they chose the (insert product category here) they did.
It’s the same reason I watch videos explaining the suspension of vehicles I don’t own…because I like learning how things (and people) work.
Some people think the Cybertruck is the coolest thing ever, and that’s fine. Some people think a 20-year-old Jeep that breaks down all the time is pretty cool, too. I have a van. My friends have Tacomas, 4Runners, Subarus, and Broncos.
I don’t really care what someone drives, we’re still friends. If we’re all out on the trail together, that’s what matters.
And hey, if that Cybertruck isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, then we get to use our recovery gear, which is also cool, amiright?!?
Cheers,
Cheers,
PS – You may have noticed a couple of stories from our new writer Shaine Smith! We’ll have more announcements soon, AWOL is growing!
Adventurous Way of Life covers the best new gear, gadgets, and tech for those who dig the outdoors, health, fitness, camping, cooking, overlanding, vanlife, and the adventurous active lifestyle. Subscribe here to get our periodic newsletter recaps by email.
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