What happens when two podcast hosts who spend most of their time talking about overland adventure head out on their own separate journeys? Find out in this authentic and insightful episode that is not without its share of humorous stories shared by our hosts. Jimmy and Leah have been hosting overlanding experts, insiders, and influencers for over a year now. Grateful and inspired by what they have learned, they are eager to set out on their own journeys to see what they can accomplish. Just havi...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 63
It is common for many to offer the conventional advice to “never travel alone.” Filmmaker, Sterling Noren, has some alternative thoughts, however, when it comes to solo travel. With extensive solo traveling experience by motorcycle throughout many remote regions of the world, Sterling is on the podcast to share his insight, expertise, and rationale for solo travel along with a couple of good stories based on his vast variety of experiences. Learn what Sterling Noren considers the five essential ...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 62
For anyone traveling into the backcountry whatever the means of transport, taking precautions to prevent wildfire starts and knowing what to do to stay safe if a wildfire ignites near your location are essential outdoor skills. That’s why we’re grateful to have experienced wildlands firefighter, Jessica Braun, share her extensive knowledge and insight to help us learn what we can do to both prevent wildfires and stay safe when adventuring into the backcountry during fire season. Jess explains cu...
Aug 09, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 61
There are some whose expertise when it comes to D.I.Y. vehicle modification, accessorizing, and maintenance is so advanced that they could probably get a job at most pro shops for the price of asking. For most of us, however, our D.I.Y. skills have their boundaries, and there comes a time when we must look to a competent pro shop to assist us with whatever work we’re doing to our overland/adventure vehicle. When that time comes, we hope that everything we’ve packed into this episode will help yo...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 60
Have you ever considered taking all of that money you’d be spending on labor and using it to build your own custom truck camper? That’s exactly what Courtney and Riley Casey of the popular YouTube series, Ambition Strikes , set out to do–and did it. Whether you’re ready to go all-in on a fully-built D.I.Y. truck camper or just looking to customize the camper you have with some ingenuity and sweat equity, this episode will both inspire you and help you to reach your goals with knowledge and insig...
Jul 26, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 59
Water management and purification while hiking and backpacking is one thing, but managing a large quantity of water to supply an overlanding vehicle and several occupants over the duration of an extended trip is a whole different situation. Even if you are not heading out for an extended overland journey in less developed countries, meeting your hydration needs for something like a weekend of mountain biking or a week-long vacation in the remote backcountry will require an effective plan and the...
Jul 19, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 58
Hot dogs and hamburgers are always a win around the campfire, but maybe you’re looking for a way to spice up your culinary experience the next time you head out on the trail. That’s why we teamed up with Linhbergh and Karissa of “ Gondirtin ” for this episode. When it comes to elevating camp cooking, these two bring their A-game every time. The best part is that they know how to radically improve the taste and flavor of camp cooking by making a few simple changes that anyone can accomplish. List...
Jul 12, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 57
On this episode, host, Jimmy Lewis, sits down with XOVERLAND co-founders, Clay and Rachelle Croft, and XOVERLAND Content and Marketing Director, Evan DeHaven, to discuss everything happening that’s been happening behind the scenes at XOVERLAND and the new vision and direction for the company. Clay and Rachelle discuss their original vision for their business and how that has evolved into the XOVERLAND brand. Evan shares the details of the XOVERLAND Network and the many new content areas featured...
Jun 28, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 56
Rachelle Croft sits down to host solo adventure traveler and highly successful YouTube creator, Eva zu Beck, to discuss what’s next for Eva after five years of global traveling. At the time of this recording, Eva is traveling across the U.S. to decide where she’d like to live as she works on her next move to “build a house and live in it.” Being that she was passing through Montana, we got a chance to sit down with her in person at the XOVERLAND Hangar. While she may currently desire to build a ...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 55
In the second episode of our XOVERLAND Podcast Q&A Series, we take on questions from listeners and fans about the challenges of time, money, and geographic location when it comes to getting started in overlanding. Here are a few example questions we work on answering: How do you go overlanding if you’re working a full-time job and have responsibilities related to having a family and a house? Can you really go overlanding if you’re struggling financially? How much do you need to budget for an...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Rebecca Donaghe is an experienced film producer whose credits include noted feature works such as Finding Forrester, Where God Left His Shoes, and She Gets What She Wants. Her current passion lies in combining her love of adventure with her professional talent as a film producer by leading “special-ops style” expedition production crews to produce award-winning, ethically-minded advertisements within the outdoor space. Possessing an M.B.A. from Yale, Rebecca is the consummate professional always...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 53
This episode is our first dedicated to answering listener questions and the topic is building and equipping vehicles for overlanding, camping, and outdoor adventures of all kinds. Questions range from what the first modification should be on an overlanding vehicle to whether or not you should modify a vehicle in the first place. Experienced XOverland truck-builder and Fleet Manager, Tanner Johnson, and XOverland co-founder, Clay Croft, provide answers to a list of user-generated questions along ...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 52
So many of us are super-excited about the release of Toyota’s all-new, 4th Generation Tacoma and the overlanding-themed “Trailhunter” grade. That’s why we were so grateful to have the opportunity at Overland Expo West (2023) to sit down with Sheldon Brown, Toyota’s lead engineer for the all-new 4th generation Tacoma platform. Listen in on the conversation between Sheldon and X Overland founder and lifelong Tacoma enthusiast, Clay Croft, as the two enjoy a detailed discussion about what makes thi...
May 25, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 51
With one week to go till Overland Expo West 2023, we have event planner and all-around adventure woman, Eva Rupert, on the podcast to discuss what to expect at this year’s Overland Expo West! Overland Expo West is a massive event full of overlanders and exhibitors from all over the world. It is an event that will excite both those new to overlanding as well as seasoned veterans. There is so much to see and do, and Eva is here to share details about activities and events taking place at Expo and ...
May 10, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 50
Join us as we sit down with Expedition Overland Team Doctor and experienced E.R. physician, Dr. Jon Solberg, to discuss Wilderness Medicine for Overlanders. Dr. Jon was featured in Expedition Overland's Alaska: The Last Frontier , and also served as team doctor on Expedition 7s first crossing of the Greenland Icecap. In this episode, Dr. Jon will break down the difference between “Wilderness Medicine” and conventional “Front-Country Medicine.” He will further explain the certification process ar...
May 03, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 49
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with former Expedition Overland team member, Ty Heaps. Ty’s history with Expedition Overland goes way back to some of our very first episodes, and he and Clay are eager to catch up, share some stories, and offer what they have learned from years of experience in working with groups and teams. Ty served in the Marine Corps prior to joining our expeditions; therefore, he was immediately put in charge of team security as we toured our way through the Yuko...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 48
We all poop (and pee!), so what are best practices for taking care of our “business” in the outdoors? We’ve invited Matt Caldwell, the Executive Director of TreadLightly.org to help us find answers to this question. Along with explaining best practices, Matt also shares the issues related to human waste that have developed recently as a result of an unprecedented volume of recreational activity on American public lands. From her experience at many overland expos over the past decade, Rachelle Cr...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Like many aspects of overlanding, keeping your vehicle in top condition and ready for your next adventure involves developing a mindset and body of knowledge and skills suitable to the task. For some, overland vehicle maintenance is a Zen-like pursuit that they enjoy doing themselves; for others, it is something they prefer to have done by a qualified professional. In this episode, we take a look at both approaches as well as the middle ground of doing some D.I.Y. maintenance while also knowing ...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Adding additional means of electric power to your overland vehicle is customary to operate everything from winches, lighting, powered refrigerators, and possibly even your favorite coffee grinders. What options do you have to accomplish this task? What is the difference between a “Starter Battery” and a “House Battery”? What are power management controllers and how do they work to optimize power usage and protect expensive batteries and valuable accessories? These are just a few of the many comm...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 45
In this episode, Jimmy is joined by X Overland team members Matt Hopkins (Global Logistics Coordinator) and Ryan Connelly (Operations Manager) to discuss communications for overlanding and outdoor adventurers. Matt is a High Alpine specialist for Gallatin Valley Search and Rescue in Bozeman, Montana, a member of our local HAM radio family, and, in addition to his role at X Overland, owns and operates a long-range trucking business. Ryan has been on several X Overland expeditions and is highly fa...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 44
On this episode of the X Overland Podcast, we sit down with International 4wd Trainers Association Certified Master Trainer, Nena Barlow and Rebelle Rally Champion and X Overland Co-Founder, Rachelle Croft. Nena owns and operates Barlow Adventures , a business focused on teaching people how to operate their 4-wheel drive vehicles safely and effectively. As an I4WDTA Master Trainer, Nena is currently engaged in working to help others become certified trainers in an effort to bring more effective ...
Mar 22, 2023•35 min•Season 2Ep. 43
What were the best parts of Expedition Overland’s Nordic travels? Expedition leader and film director Clay Croft reflects upon his experiences while overlanding throughout Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and perhaps the most intriguing country yet—Iceland. Listen in as Clay discusses everything from camping opportunities along the T.E.T. (Trans Euro Trail) to exploring European history to river crossings in Iceland. Get insight into the differences between overlanding in Europe vs. Central America...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Richard and Ashley Giordano of Desk to Glory are back at the X Overland Hangar preparing for their next adventure, so we thought we’d better catch up with this dynamic overlanding couple before they disembark. The two are sporting a new build and have big plans for the future. After spending some time discussing their work with Expedition Overland Season 5, The Nordic Series , Richard and Ashley share the details of their new build and the why behind their choice of platform. Finally, the couple...
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Have you thought about shipping your overland vehicle across the ocean to venture to far-off destinations? Across the Atlantic to begin overlanding throughout Europe or maybe Africa? Or south to Columbia to begin the second leg of the Pan-American Highway? Maybe you’d like to ship your vehicle to New Zealand or Australia? You may have imagined these dreams but are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of such an undertaking, or perhaps you’re committed to getting your vehicle overseas but are in ne...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Relationships and marriages can be as tough as they are rewarding, and starting and running a successful business with your partner can present even more challenges. Clay and Rachelle Croft discuss what it’s been like for them to start and operate a successful business together based on an original idea of filming overland travel. Clay and Rachelle open up about both the challenges and rewards found in traveling and working together and share their thoughts on the concept of work-life balance an...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 39
If you're a fan of Epic Family Road Trip (EFRT) , then you know all about the amazing camp cooking that goes on in the van Stralen family. Today, we sit down with Carol van Stralen, mother to Peter, Dan, and Caroline and wife of Pete Sr., to discuss philosophy, mindset, and best practices for delicious overland camp cooking! Carol shares her own origin story as a camp chef, her original sources of inspiration, and how she came to understand the joy of cooking in all areas of life–especially whil...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Few would argue that Goose Gear builds some of the best cabinetry and storage solutions for overlanding vehicles in the industry. At X Overland, Goose Gear has continued to meet our demanding needs as both overlanders and filmmakers, equipping our vehicles with custom-built storage solutions that keep our overlanding gear and camera equipment safe, secure, and accessible. In this episode of the X Overland Podcast, we have a conversation with Goose Gear owner/founder and CEO Brian Fulton. Join th...
Feb 01, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 37
When it comes to taking kids on adventures in the outdoors, Megan Walthall has a lot of experience to draw from. The mother of three children (two girls and one boy), Megan and her husband, Bryan Walthall, have seen a lot in their years together adventuring as a family. Along with a host of outdoor experiences in their everyday lives, Megan and Bryan teamed up with Expedition Overland in 2020 to take their three children on an epic overlanding adventure: The Walthall Family Solo Series . Learn f...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 36
X Overland editor, Laura Titensor knows how to take risks and go after her passions. Now, this critically acclaimed filmmaker of her mini-documentary The Mark We Make is here to share her insight and story of how an idea and goal, turned into much more. As one of the final selects from the inaugural Overlander Film Fest , Laura is no stranger to taking chances. Growing up in Utah, she loves canyoneering, camping, overlanding, and travel. If you are interested in making your first film or how to ...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 35
With the increased popularity of overlanding and vehicle-based adventures of all kinds, our campsites and trails on public lands are experiencing unprecedented use. While increased use of public lands creates issues, it also creates opportunities for more support directed toward their conservation, restoration, and enhancement. In this episode of the X Overland Podcast, we sit down with Executive Director of Tread Lightly!, Matt Caldwell, to explore the issues, solutions, and opportunities surro...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 34
