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I think we’re officially in “insult to injury” territory, or at least I am because ARB just teased a whole suite of awesome accessories for the yet-to-be-released Kia Tasman. Now, just in review, this pint-sized truck will be available with some cool off-road/utility options straight from the factory, including a four-door cab with a six-foot bed, a tray bed, crawl control, 9.5 inches of ground clearance, and a locking rear differential. However, it doesn’t seem likely that this offering from Kia will make it to the States. With that disappointing thought in mind, ARB’s offerings are still cool to see. For starters, a hooped and hoopless bull bar will provide impact protection up front and a more aggressive look to the controversial front end of the Tasman. For even more protection on the trail, the hooped bullbar can be paired with front rails. READ MORE: A Newcomer’s Guide to Overland Expo – PNW Edition 2025 On the opposite end of the truck, half and full canopies are available for the tray bed. Uptop roof racks for the cab and tray provide plenty of cargo capacity. ARB also lists bash plates, tub lids, rock sliders, and more as part of the Tasman product catalog. All of this, in addition to 40+ items, will be available directly from Kia. Image via ARB Image via ARB Image via ARB Image via ARB Image via ARB Image via ARB Image via ARB Image via ARB Without a doubt, the Tasman isn’t for everyone. The previously mentioned grill and front clip were a bold choice, and the fender flares are a unique design, but when you look at the options, it will make a great work truck or overland rig in the countries where it’s available. Somewhat surprisingly, the starting MSRP of $43,000 AUD (around $28,000 USD, not that it matters) puts it squarely in the middle of the Hilux price bracket, and the top-of-the-line X-Pro trim is just shy of $75,000 AUD (nearing $49,000 USD). Once again, this is close to a top-spec Hilux. Even though it’s not exactly a budget option, some forecasts predict it will be a top seller for Kia in its respective markets. An estimated 20,000 units per annum would make it a quarter of the global production output of Kia. Based on a recent hint from Kia, they’re putting a lot of trust in the Tasman because an SUV version is in the works. However, I wouldn’t hold my breath for that to be available in the States either. Regardless, our overlanding friends in Australia View the full article

"I don’t even know where to begin with this one. You know going into Turkmenistan that you will be experiencing something very different, but I’m not sure it’s possible to be prepared." MASHAD, IRAN TO ASHGABAT, TURKMENISTAN: "It is after all one of the least visited and most secretive countries on earth. Briefly, Turkmenistan is a natural gas and oil rich country that gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union and self proclaimed Turkmenbashi (head of the Turkmen) became its first leader. You may have heard some of the infamous stories such as changing the names of the days of the week, months and even a camel breed to names of himself and his family members or the daily public reading of his self written moral guide/holy book, the Rukhnama, or building an entire city made of marble and gold or mandating every car in the country be white or….the list is endless. The cult of personality is very much on full display in Ashgabat. I have never been anywhere like this. It is indeed a city of marble. everything is so wildly over the top and impeccably clean. It quite literally does not feel real. If you come here you will repeatedly ask yourself “what is this place??” That is not to say it’s unpleasant. It’s quite pleasant and has lovely cafes and restaurants, interesting markets, people (if you see any) are very nice, it feels safe and you can eat off the ground it’s that clean (street sweepers are apparently gifted “elite apartments” after time). It is also very clear we are no longer in Iran and in the land of copious amounts of vodka. Today we welcomed back those who opted to skip Iran and brought 9 new people into the fold! Our small truck family very quickly doubled in size! A really great group dinner out with our fantastic guide Michael ended our first day in the country. Much like the country, I don’t have words to describe Michael! Absolutely hilarious, vodka swilling man who loves his country and sure made it fun to be there. More on Ashgabat in the next post." ASHGABAT BY DAY: "Daytime city tour took us first to the National Memorial complex built to honor those who perished during WWII and the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake that destroyed the city and killed 10% of the population. The complex is monumental. Next was the National Museum which was also hosting school kids in the most beautiful uniforms of traditional dress. They were eerily well behaved. The museum was very interesting historically speaking, we learned of the ancient civilizations and cities that thrived here and were a major part of the Silk Road. We then visited the world’s largest indoor ferris wheel (Turkmenistan holds many a crazy Guinness world record) and it is ridiculous but oh was it fun. We were the only ones there and there were transformers outside for some inexplicable reason. On to the Turkmenbashi Mosque and Mausoleum. Nobody was surprised at the scale of this place. Nearby was his hometown so we also visited a gold statue of him there. There are several. Lunch time at the Russian bazaar concluded the tour. Michael had me try a few local specialties - some new to me, some not so new. You have your fermented, carbonated camel’s milk of course and dried balls of cheese (kurut) both standard central Asian fare, the twist here being they use camel’s milk being a desert country. I also tried a local dish called Dograma which is a sort of soupy stew made with pieces of bread, meat and onions. I worried I would have a beshbarmak situation on my hands (the worst thing I’ve ever eaten in my life), but alas it was absolutely delicious and comforting. Winner. Next taste was also delicious and new to me - sun dried melon. Who knew! Has even chocolatey notes. Speaking of chocolate notes, the local Turkmen cognac tastes of chocolate and cream even though it contains neither. It is delicious. Lastly I sampled 3 different caviars, extremely high quality. I was very surprised I enjoyed it. I’ve had violently bad experiences trying caviar in central Asian markets before! We thought we had seen plenty of weird up to this point, but we had yet to see the city at night!" ASHGABAT BY NIGHT: "Oh my goodness gracious. None of this can properly be captured on a phone, but it was like Vegas meets the capital in Hunger Games meets a fever dream. First we went to a mall to take in local life and have a quick dinner and the mall was cool AF actually. One of the best supermarkets I’ve ever been to in this part of the world (especially shocking considering how abysmal the shops were outside the city), fashionable club cafes, cool kids, etc Standard mall but with a Turkmenistan twist. First stop on the night tour was Independence Park. The park takes up half the city’s green space and the center piece is of course a golden statue of Niyazov. It’s all very in your face impressive in a wtf way. Which reminds me, Michael told us women aren’t allowed to drive until after 40!? apparently it is an informal law banning women drivers because they are blamed for all traffic accidents?! Anyway, next was the Olympic village and the world’s largest horse statue followed by the Palace of Happiness (wedding palace) that is a freaking giant disco ball. We also stopped at the Ruhnama Monument (I am desperate for an English language copy of this) and yeah that was our time in Ashgabat. I am speechless." ASHGABAT TO DARVAZA GAS CRATER: "I was prepared for bad roads and nothingness, but wow. Once you are away from the city it’s pot holes the size of Mars and strange little Karakum Desert outposts. I mean, how could there be money left after building a city out of imported Italian marble! Our destination was a very infamous one and for some reason the country’s biggest draw. Basically this crater (along with one of mud and one of water) was created when some Soviet gas exploration went wrong. The gas crater was set alight and simply never stopped burning. It is often referred to as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell. It was pretty underwhelming in the light of day but whoa it did light up the sky at night (as did the stars). Truly spectacular. Also the camp was teeming with hedgehogs!! So cute. Worth the effort to come here especially as it won’t be around much longer. (We also played in some dunes, saw many camels and got very covered in desert)." DARVAZA TO KONYE URGENCH BUSH CAMP: "The road went from horrible to barely usable. Very long bumpy day to the bush camp. We stopped in a small town where we were photographed like celebrities. We could barely find a cold drink in the shops though and I’m pretty sure people would rather I not mention the toilets. A bit further, in literally the middle of nowhere, we found another shop that actually had beer, ice cream, cold drinks, vegetables and a fridge full of birthday cakes?!? An essential item for your desert road trips. Cook group actually did end up buying one because it would be rude not to! The stop was an essential morale boost. Welcome to overlanding new guys!! Straight into the hard stuff." Uzbeskistan is next! View the full article

Are “Skinny 35s” The Sweet Spot For Daily Drivers? Whether you’ve dabbled in building your off-road rig or are a seasoned veteran, you’ve likely heard that “35s” are the gold... The post 35×12.5″ Vs. 35×11.5″ Tires – Pros & Cons appeared first on Trail4R.com - 5th Gen 4Runner Mods. View the full article

A few vehicles from films seem to stick out to enthusiasts and the general audience more than others. The Delorean, a host of cars that 007 has driven, and at least if you’re a fan of Spielberg and/or dinosaurs, the Explorers and Wranglers from the Jurassic Park series. The characters getting their first introductions to the brachiosaurus via the 1992 Wrangler YJs is an iconic scene that now lives on via memes across the internet. Of course, there’s also the classic chase scene with the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and the Jeeps even made an appearance in Jurassic World in 2015. Photo by Jeep Photo by Jeep Photo by Jeep Now, with a new Jurassic World film that features Jeeps hitting theaters next week, we have a sneak peek of the vehicles that are continuing the legacy of the franchise with these legendary off-roaders. This partnership isn’t just confined to the big screen. Jeep has produced a series of ad spots that include the same visual effects team as the film, highlighting several Jeep models that will be available with “Jurassic Trail Rated” badges this summer. Beyond this additional badge, later this summer, 2,000 U.S. Jeep dealerships will roll out Jurassic-themed point-of-sale kits, including posters, dino-themed mirror hangers, claw marks, and footprint decals. READ MORE: Overland Solar’s New Panel Supports Anti-Poaching in Africa Along with the various Wrangler models, the spot offers a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it glimpse at the upcoming Jeep Renegade model in the first few seconds of the video below. It’s fun to see these types of partnerships for marketing and branding purposes. In the decades since the original Jurassic Park, we occasionally see DIY versions of the YJ Wranglers from that film at Overland Expo and out on the trails. As Jeep rolls out the special branding alongside Jurassic World Rebirth, we hope to have the opportunity to check out these touches on the new models in person soon. View the full article

Some years ask questions, while other years answer them~ My question to you: Did you enjoy your story? You may be thinking, “But my story isn’t over yet”. We get it, neither is ours, and yet in our pursuit of a life less ordinary, we spend hours each year discussing where we want this road to take us. And those answers help direct us along the right path. What we see around us is that although so many have so much, society has more and more people who are dissatisfied with their lives. 10 Days. How many people never take a trip longer than 10 days? How many people never use up all of their vacation time? Brook Silva-Braga A Map for Saturday. Recently, I came across a video that I first discovered years ago. When I first saw it, it brought me to tears. Seeing a couple living life to the fullest in the wilds of South America, as we were planning our own trip south of the border, was beyond inspiring. The voice-over added to the video near the end asked two important questions. The first: “Is it possible to be happy with this life?”. The second, the one that cut to the quick, “Did you enjoy your story?” As many know, my mom passed away in 2005. Two of Jim’s siblings passed years ago. We have several friends who lost young children, and a sweet friend recently died just one week after getting a cancer diagnosis. None of us is guaranteed more than this moment in time. We need to not take a single day for granted. Every day, the question “Did you enjoy your story”? should be in the front of your mind. We have been so fortunate, blessed really. We knew early on that seeing the world and living life out in the world was what we wanted. Now, as we near our 60s, we are still absolutely focused on living in a way so we will never regret our choices. We are not going to retire in 5 years and live in Boca. Lol, partly because we can’t afford to. But more so because we’ve seen the world, and it has shaped who we are. And once that switch has been flipped, you can’t go back. “You think you’re in this alone, but then you see that really there are so many others out there doing the same thing.” A Map for Saturday Years ago, we first saw A Map For Saturday. Brooks Silva-Braga left his fancy job in sports broadcasting and backpacked around the world for one year, producing a spectacular documentary along the way and changing his life forever. Yes, he went back to “normal” life as many do, and married, had children, and went back to a job in television. But his experience and the people he met along the way upended his perspective. “A normal life just doesn’t seem that attractive anymore”. A Map for Saturday The last bit of the documentary flashes to interviews with many of those he shared time with during that year. Each and every time I watch this documentary, I find myself sobbing, listening to like-minded individuals talk about how much they dread going “home” because, after a certain amount of time, the road is home. They talk of how alive they feel when out in the world, how they plan on simply going home to work to earn money so they can, once again, re-enter the life of those on the road. “It’s like your life is a chalkboard and you are slowly erased, so you return ‘home, ‘ but you just don’t fit anymore.” A Map for Saturday A couple of times per year, we dig out that DVD and watch it again. We remember all of our firsts; the first time our plane touched down in Puerto Vallarta in 1994 and we discovered a vibrant city that has been our destination more than any other in our travels, has been our home at one point, and may very well be again in the future. The first trip to Europe, armed with Rick Steves‘ “Europe through the Back Door,” a Eurail pass, and no agenda. The first time we sat in awe watching a lion roar in South Africa, enjoying wildlife wandering past our Land Rover, and the view of the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town. We remember our first street noodles in SE Asia, finding the perfect beach in Australia, hanging with penguins in New Zealand. We’ve sailed some of the most majestic rivers in the world; The Yangtze in China showed us an entirely new culture. The Nile brought us to some of the most magnificent ruins in Egypt. Floating the Rhine and Danube gave us a glimpse into the magnificence and history of central Europe. There is no adrenaline high like entering a new country, having no idea where we’ll sleep that night or how we’ll get around, but knowing we’ll figure it out. India…we’re coming back for you! The most challenging place we’ve ever traveled was the place where we have never felt more alive. Love it or hate it, India changes you forever. Nomads. Vagabonds. Gypsies. We are, as Jimmy Buffett sang, the people your parents warned you about. We are the people, there isn’t any doubt We are the people they still can’t figure out We are the people who love to sing “Twist and Shout” Shake it up, baby We are the people our parents warned us about Returning to Thailand for a few weeks in February was a full-force reality check on our most authentic selves. Out in the world is where we are most at home. Currently, we are more settled into one location than we’ve been in decades. Today, we embrace precious time with family that can’t be replicated, all as we regularly check airfare to our next exotic location. In answer to the wise old man’s question, YES, we did enjoy our story and fully plan on continuing to live a life as wide as it is long to weave more chapters into our amazing life. Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin. ~ Grace Hansen The post Did You Enjoy Your Story? appeared first on The Next Big Adventure. 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The Venn diagram of those who liked Tetris growing up and overlanding as adults finally has some clarify of that middle cross-over space, thanks to Dometic’s latest launch: a new line of stackable, modular coolers and accessories designed specifically for car camping and overlanding. Lovers of organization and overlanding, this launch is specifically for you. Read on to learn more about the Dometic Recon Series. The Recon Series was developed as a whole new ecosystem, one designed to squeeze as much usable space from SUVs and overlanding rigs as possible. The individual hard-sided coolers are built to stack on top of one another, using non-stick feet and corresponding depressions in the lids to nest securely on top of each other. The folding handles on the side of each cooler tuck away discreetly into recesses in the sides of each cooler, enhancing side-by-side packing. Dometic acquired overlanding brand Front Runner in 2021, and it seems to have taken a few cues from the overlanding experts on the FR team. The Recon Series takes design cues from the popular Wolf Pack Pro boxes, which are also engineered to stack and nest with one another. The Recon Series builds upon this by adding the cooler element to the stackable design ethos. Not satisfied with reviving the concept of stacking hard sided coolers (Coleman had Party Stackers a decade ago, but discontinued them), Dometic has included soft-sided accessories and options into the Recon ecosystem as well. The new line includes three hard-sided, injection molded coolers — which range between 16 and 69 liters (18 and 100 cans without ice) — and three soft-sided coolers, as well. These are available in 12, 17 and 21-liter sizes. Dometic also launched a Recon Tote along with its hard and soft coolers. READ MORE: 10 Things You Can’t Miss at Overland Expo PNW There are more functional features we’d be remiss not to mention: On the hard-sided coolers, the lids can open in multiple directions, in case you’re trying to grab a beverage from an awkward angle. The latches also function as bottle openers. Further down the line, Dometic says it plan to offer a spigot that swaps in for the drain plug, transforming the cooler into a portable water jug full of icy cold delight. The soft coolers are designed to squeeze into tight spaces, and use zipper-free lids with dual-hinge latches for more convenient opening options. The reinforced base and abrasion-resistant 840D nylon TPU-coated outer shell ensure these rugged coolers will last for years to come. The Recon line is available now, with all coolers retailing between US$225 and $425. SHOP NOW View the full article

Our next big trans continental trip through South America is upcoming and due to start in Colombia at the start of October. We drive all the way south through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, to the southern tip of Argentina at Ushuaia. Then it is back north again through Argentina to Uruguay and Paraguay before finishing in Rio in time for Carnival. You can then continue from there further north through Brazil, taking in Suriname, Guyana and French Guyana before finishing back in Brazil in Manaus. There aren’t many spaces left for this year's trip, so book now if you'd like to join. Plus, mention you've read this newsletter for a 5% discount! HIGHLIGHTS OF SOUTH AMERICA Wander the cobbled alleys of the old city amongst churches, monasteries and plazas in Cartagena Take guided walks and explore the Amazon from a lodge in Ecuador Hike the Classic Inca Trail Trek or take a train to reach the famous UNESCO World Heritage site of Machu Picchu Journey through endless grasslands, stupendous mountains and glaciers in Patagonia Hike the W-Trek in Torres del Paine National Park or take boat trips to see the penguins in Puerto Natales Travel to the most southerly city on earth, Ushuaia Experience the pulsating and cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires Take in the enormity of Iguazu Falls from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides Explore the vast wetlands in the Pantanal, home to hundreds of species of birds and fish, including Piranha! Celebrate Carnival in Rio, chaotic, crowded and great fun Exploring the Brazilian Coastline lined with beautiful beaches and great marine life Search for the endangered spider monkey, sloths, capybara, and the elusive jaguar in Parque Nacional Monte Pascoal Take in the music, cuisine and religion in the Afro-Brazilian city of Salvador Relax in your hammock on your journey by riverboat along the Amazon River Visit Europe's Spaceport and museum, a facility used to launch satellites into space in French Guiana Overnight stay in a Jungle Lodge nestled in the rainforest of the Guyanese Amazon Explore the Amazon's largest city, Manaus offering a rich variety of nature, culture, art and dining Spaces Available on our South America Trips 3 Spaces Available 18 DECEMBER 2025 SANTIAGO TO BUENOS AIRES (31 DAYS) PATAGONIAN ADVENTURES SANTIAGO TO RIO (58 DAYS) COAST TO COAST VIA PATAGONIA 18 JANUARY 2026 BUENOS AIRES TO RIO (27 DAYS) WATERFALLS, WETLANDS & WILDLIFE 6 Spaces Available 2 OCTOBER 2025 CARTAGENA TO USHUAIA (100 DAYS) TIP TO TAIL CARTAGENA TO RIO (19 WEEKS) KINGDOMS & CARNIVALS CARTAGENA TO MANAUS INC. GUIANAS (29 WEEKS) TRANS SOUTH AMERICA CARTAGENA TO QUITO (21 DAYS) COLOMBIAN ADVENTURE CARTAGENA TO LA PAZ (58 DAYS) BANANAS & LLAMAS 23 OCTOBER 2025 QUITO TO SANTIAGO (56 DAYS) ANDES & AMAZON QUITO TO RIO (114 DAYS) KINGDOMS & CARNIVALS 9 NOVEMEBER 2025 LIMA TO RIO (97 DAYS) KINGDOMS & CARNIVALS 12 Spaces Available 18 FEBRUARY 2026 RIO TO MANAUS VIA THE GUIANAS (62 DAYS) TROPICS OF SOUTH AMERICA View the full article