Best in Show: The Overland Expo Mountain West

We present our top ten gear picks from this year’s celebrated off-road event.

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Words by Mercedes Lilienthal

After its ‘virtual show experience’ in 2020, the Overland Expo series did a full circle this year with in-person events for the 2021 Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, CO, and the Overland Expo Mountain East in Arrington, VA.

Overland Expo was founded in 2009 by Roseann and Jonathan Hanson and after growing exponentially it was purchased in 2018 by Lodestone Events. Since then, the newest show - Overland Expo Mountain West - was created to reach a wider audience of off-roading enthusiasts.

With 17,000 show-goers, ‘Mountain West’ presented approximately 220-plus seminars and demonstrations, a variety of customized vehicle builds, and 270 registered exhibitors. As COVID-19  forced many recent product releases to be virtual until this year, vendors eagerly displayed their new wares. Here is a cross-section of the top 10 products we chose for you to currently check out and watch out for throughout 2022.

1 Scout Campers

Yakima, Washington-based Scout Campers has been serving Canada and the United States for more than 50 years. Its recently expanded manufacturing facility in the Pacific Northwest allowed the company to ramp up production for three key camper designs including (from smallest to largest), the Yoho, Olympic, and Kenai.

Powered by solar, these models don’t require hook-ups when travelling remotely. The minimalist design offers enthusiasts light-weight truck camper solutions with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Each offers four-season protection by utilizing an aluminum exoskeleton with non-wood composite structural panels. Modular elements offer versatility when on the go, allowing you to remove or retain amenities as needed. Live large, weigh less.

The base prices for the campers start at $19,000, $21,000, and $24,000 USD, respectively. www.scoutcampers.com

2 Campworks NS-1 Off-Road Trailer

Campworks manufactures a premium off-road trailer that allows off-grid adventuring for an infinite amount of time. Its first model, the Campworks NS-1, can sustain its power no matter where you go. Cooking a Thanksgiving meal for several people using nothing but solar power and an NS-1? No problem - they have a video to prove it. Want to charge an all-electric adventure rig (EV) that’s towing an NS-1? That’s doable, too. It can also be upgraded to enable EV charging at camp.

Founded in 2019 and based in Longmont, CO, Campworks offers a premium off-road trailer capable of long-term travel while retaining a high-quality, functional interior.

The base price starts at $40,000 USD. www.campworksco.com

3 Lavabox Krakatoa FireBreather Portable Campfire

Lavabox is a new company that showcased an easy-to-use campfire solution for on-the-go wheelers and overlanders. Based in Denver, CO, company owner and rafting enthusiast Josh Thurmond created a patent-pending propane unit, thoughtfully set inside a military ammo can.

Offered in two different sizes, the Krakatoa FireBreather and Tabletop Vol-CAN-no, the former easily sits on the ground and operates in an existing fire ring or a fire-safe surface. The Tabletop Vol-CAN-no is the more compact model and is a table-top campfire wonder. Both allow easy assembly, disassembly and can be used during fire bans as well.

The price for The Krakatoa FireBreather is $330 USD and Tabletop Vol-CAN-no is $195 USD. www.fireanytime.com

4 Maxxis RAZR All-Terrain Tire

With more than 50 years of experience, Maxxis is known for manufacturing auto, light truck, ATV, and motorcycle tires. Whether you’re running off-road trails or competing in famed off-road desert races like the King of the Hammers, Maxxis makes a variety of quality off-road rubber.

The company recently expanded its RAZR series with the flagship RAZR AT. Targeting CUV, SUV, and light-duty trucks, the RAZR AT combines on-road performance with off-road capability. It includes a new off-road compound for greater tear resistance, tread wear and showcases aggressive sidewalls for increased grip and puncture resistance. Especially important in colder and snowy climates, the Maxxis RAZR AT is Mountain Snowflake-certified.

Prices and sizes vary. www.maxxis.com

5 Super Pacific Switchback X1 Truck Camper

Another newcomer to the overlanding market is Super Pacific, a Portland, OR-based company. Founded in 2020, Super Pacific manufactures the Switchback X1 camper, a four-season hard-shelled roof top tent (RTT) to accommodate a variety of trucks.

Showcasing the Switchback X1 at the company’s first overlanding show, Super Pacific’s booth included multiple trucks with various tent colours and powder-coated finishes. The company also featured prototype MOLLE panel accessories to store extra gear. Their new line-up of accessories is soon scheduled for production.

The X1 RTT comes standard with items like a premium commercial-grade tent, modular floor panels, a third brake light, and dedicated 12V and dual USB ports. The company’s philosophy is to offer robust, single-priced packages rather than adding multiple options on top of the base price that increases costs. Standard pricing of the RTT for mid-size trucks is $11,995 USD; and RTTs for full-size trucks bump the cost up to $12,495 USD www.superpacificusa.com

6 ARB Full-Size Bronco Summit Front Bumper

ARB, an established Australian vehicle outfitter, offers an extensive assortment of aftermarket accessories for SUVs and trucks. The ARB Bronco Summit front bumper is a new aftermarket upgrade for the eagerly-anticipated full-size Bronco. Similar to other Summit front bumpers, the model for the Bronco can accommodate factory sensors and systems, and highlights two beefy forged recovery points, two jack points, and an integrated space to fit several WARN winch models or the Smittybilt Gen2 X20 10K winch.

Availability and pricing were yet to be announced at the time of publication and an update is slated for late 2021 or early 2022. (Ed note: This bumper will not fit the smaller Bronco Sport.

www.arbusa.com

7 Pelican Cargo Cases

Pelican has a long-standing history of making durable storage cases for the U.S. military and consumers alike. The company just released a new series of storage cases and mounting systems for the overlanding crowd.

The Pelican Cargo cases, offered in eight different case sizes to fit most adventure vehicles, can be securely mounted to a variety of roof racks, truck beds, or vehicle interiors using designated mounting brackets. Designed to decrease wind resistance and vibrations while adding stability, the cases are dust-proof, weather-resistant, and perfect for keeping gear clean while off-road. They are available for Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Ram, Jeep, Toyota, and Nissan rigs. The cases also offer various universal solutions.

Prices and sizes vary. www.pelican.com

8 DOMETIC GO Hydration Water Jug and Faucet

Dometic has long been associated with top-quality portable fridges for the overlanding and RV markets, and just debuted a line of new products under its DOMETIC GO label. From camp furniture and lights to storage containers and water canisters, these products are designed to help enthusiasts enjoy the outdoors easier and more efficiently.

The DOMETIC GO Hydration Water Jug and Hydration Water Faucet is an alternative to bulky water canisters that have spigots in odd places or others that are difficult to use. The Hydration Water Jug is an 11 L (3 gal) hard-sided water vessel that includes multiple dispensing options, which are perfect for filling, cleaning, and dispensing. Designed to fit in the space behind a vehicle’s wheel well, the canister has removable nylon handles and built-in tie-down points.

The Hydration Water Faucet is a magnetic remote faucet that can be used with a one-touch operation and an automatic shutoff. An integrated LED allows visibility for night-time use while the supplied hose can transform any water container into a running water system.

Slated to be available for spring 2022, the Hydration Water Jug is $69.99 USD and the Hydration Water Faucet is $99.99 USD. www.dometic.com

9 Front Runner Outfitters Wolf Pack Pro Case

South Africa-based Front Runner Outfitters introduced the Wolf Pack Pro storage case, a heavy-duty version of its popular black Wolf Pack storage box. The Wolf Pack Pro shares the same impact-resistant plastic as its predecessor but now offers heavy-duty, oversized latches to make opening and closing the case a cinch while an IP66-rated ‘gasketed lid’ keeps out water and dust. Integrated grips make for easy transport and its external design allows convenient Pro tote stacking. (*Ed note - Although similar in size, the Wolf Pack Pros will not stack atop standard Wolf Pack boxes.)

The price for the Front Runner Outfitters’ Wolf Pack Pro storage box is $54.95 USD

www.frontrunneroutfitters.com

10  Forrest Tool Company MAX Multipurpose Toolkit

The MAX Multipurpose Toolkit was initially developed for the forest service in fire control management to take commonly used tools in a compact kit to help fight forest fires. The U.S. Army also became aware of this product and began including it on their light tactical vehicles. After 30 years, the company was sold last year and is now expanding into the overlanding world.

The U.S.-made Forrest Tool company’s MAX Multipurpose Toolkit includes a 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) Hudson Bay axe head with five different tool attachments to include a shovel, narrow pick, trenching pick, Mattock blade, plus a McLeod attachment that combines a rake and hoe. Along with associated pins and axe sheath, the kit fits into a sturdy Cordura carrying case weighing less than 6 kg (13 lb)—the perfect size for camping, hunting, or off-roading.

The price for the MAX Multipurpose Toolkit is $250 USD www.forresttool.com