Overland Expo West is a massive gathering of trucks, vans, SUVs, and those that love traveling in them. And the event is chock full of new overland gear for 2018!
More than 350 vendors showed off the latest gear for vehicle-based adventure travel in Flagstaff, Arizona. We scoured the Overland Expo to find the coolest new overland gear for 2018. We’re pretty stoked about the treasures we uncovered. This is some of the latest and greatest gear from the event.
7P Recovery Rings
The 7P Recovery Rings replace heavy and bulky pulleys/snatch blocks used for winch recoveries. 7P are experts at off-road recovery and have developed two sizes of this new winch recovery tool. They work along with a soft shackle to replace the traditional snatch block pulley. Made of machined aluminum and anodized, they are stronger, lighter, and have fewer moving parts to possibly fail.
The rings just debuted at Overland Expo. The small is rated at 11,240 pounds, and the large is rated at a whopping 40,465 pounds. They retail for $39 and $69, respectively.
QUQUQ Camping Module
The QUQUQ is a full camping system in a box. It includes a bed, cooktop, sink, water container, and fridge slide (on the two larger modules). It comes in four sizes to fit a wide variety of vehicles, including Jeep JK, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes G-Wagon, and Mercedes Metris. This system is an innovative all-in-one vehicle camping system that is super easy to install and remove from your vehicle.
The QUQUQ vehicle camping system debuted in the U.S. at Overland Expo. It costs between $3,990 and $4,490 depending on size. While not easy to pronounce, it does look like a quality unit that quickly and easily converts many vehicle types into quality camping rigs.
Method Race Wheels 701
Too often, a top-quality, good-looking wheel that’s race-proven around the globe is hard to find. Method Race Wheels debuted its new 701 wheel at Overland Expo. A new wheel isn’t that exciting, but the 701 is no ordinary wheel.
The Method Race 701 wheel is street legal and allows you to run extremely low air pressures for optimal off-road traction. The wheel has some special shapes that Method calls “bead grip technology.” These shapes create a bead lock wheel, without the traditional street-illegal bead lock design.
The 701s will cost $230 each and will be available in the fall in 16- and 17-inch options for a wide range of vehicles.
Adventure Tool Company Travel Bag
The ATC Travel Bag is a TSA-compliant carry-on that’s just as good for air travel as for four-wheeled vehicle-based adventures. ATC modeled it after traditional military flight bags. It even has a Velcro strip across the front that displays a prominent morale patch. The bags are made of either waxed canvas or 1,000-denier Cordura and lined with bright-orange Cordura. Full-wrap riggers webbing handles and #10 YKK USA zippers complete the quality package.
Offered in waxed canvas, black Cordura, and coyote Cordura, the ATC Travel Bag retails for $130. The Colorado-made bags debuted at Overland Expo.
CBI Off-Road ZR2 Winch Bumper
CBI Offroad Fab is known for creating impressive hard goods for a wide variety of off-road and overland platforms. The Chevy Colorado ZR2 is a super capable off-road vehicle right from the factory. But it lacks a winch option. CBI fixed this issue while retaining the good looks and styling of the ZR2.
The CBI ZR2 Winch Bumper will be available in the next few weeks for about $700.
Exploro Classic Overlanders Knife
There is little that can match the quality feel of a handmade knife. Exploro is a San Francisco Bay Area company that hand makes quality knives for a wide variety of purposes. Its knives are of top-notch quality.
The Exploro Classic Overlanders Knife debuted at Overland Expo and is a fixed-blade bushcraft-style knife. The handle is made of G10 and comes in a variety of colors. You can choose from steel (CPM154) or titanium (Ti6Al4V) blade. It comes with a handmade leather sheath and costs $200.
T/BOA Regulation Shirt
T/BOA Outdoor is a small U.S. company that is slowly building a full line of quality outdoor apparel. It released its all-new Men’s Regulation Shirt at Overland Expo. The shirt is made of Schoeller E2 Insulation and is embedded with active silver. The Regulation Shirt is stylish, understated, lightweight, durable, and SUPER soft.
The T/BOA Regulation Shirt retails for $145 and will be available online soon. While not inexpensive, it’s for sure super high quality.
Bomber Products Trax-Lock
Maxtrax is one of the easiest, safest, and most useful vehicle recovery tools out there. It’s not small, however, and finding a good place to store them on or in your vehicle can be an issue. Bomber Products has developed a top-quality product that allows you to mount and lock Maxtrax to a rear spare tire carrier.
The Bomber Products Trax-Lock retails for $250, but you can preorder it at a discount through June 15. They should start shipping around mid-June.
STEP 22 Gear Recovery Straps
Every vehicle that goes into the backcountry should have the minimum recovery gear. When traveling with other vehicles, that would be a recovery strap and two (preferably soft) shackles.
There are lots of options out there, but none that are American made and properly labeled per rigging standards. STEP 22 Gear, a company started by making super durable Hi-Lift Jack covers, now offers a full line of high-quality, properly labeled, American-made off-road recovery products.
American Overland Adventures
Adventure vehicle rentals are popping up all over the place! American Overland Adventures hopes to capitalize on this trend. It now offers fully outfitted Chevy Colorado ZR2 overland vehicles for rent from its Hood River, Oregon, base.
You can’t take your average rental car off road. But American Overland Adventures encourages off-road travel! The ZR2 is a super-capable vehicle and ready to take you down the road less traveled.
American Overland Adventures recently launched with two vehicles, debuting its services to the overland tribe at Overland Expo. Rentals cost $300 per day or $1,800 per week. The vehicle comes fully equipped with a rooftop tent, all off-road recovery gear, and all sorts of fun overland accessories. Adventure sports gear racks, for things like bikes and skis, are optional extras.
More to come soon! Overland Expo West 2018 was absolutely massive and full of cool gear and impressive vehicles. Current estimates put attendance this year at a record-breaking 15,000+ people.
