The Overland Journal Podcast

Overland Journal Podcast host Ashley Giordano interviews writer, ecologist, and Overland Journal co-founder Jonathan Hanson for the publication's 20-year anniversary. Hanson discusses his favorite expedition vehicles, including his 1973 FJ40 and a 1993 Land Cruiser Troopy traveled across Australia, Africa, and the U.S. He shares how early field-biology work and outdoor exploration shaped his approach to conservation and travel, leading to the creation of Overland Journal and Overland Expo alongside Scott and Stephanie Brady. Reflecting on his editorial philosophy, Hanson recounts collaborating with Tom Sheppard on the Vehicle-Dependent Expedition Guide, highlights memorable journeys in Southern Africa and Egypt, introduces his new publication, Exploration Quarterly, and offers practical advice on vehicle modifications, low-impact driving, and essential overlanding gear.

Jonathan Hanson: Exploring Overland | Jonathan Hanson Author | Exploration Quarterly |

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Overland Journal Podcast host Ashley Giordano speaks with Candida Louis, an adventure tourer, motorcycle guide, and the first Indian woman to ride solo across all 25 states of India and from India to Australia. Louis shares how she transitioned from finance to professional riding, leading 57 tours. She discusses completing a 32,000-kilometer solo journey across India and how social media is shifting perceptions of female riders. She also details her eight-month expedition from India to Australia supporting the Change a World Foundation in honor of Alastair Farlin. Finally, Louis offers advice for traveling in India, addresses media misconceptions, updates listeners on her knee injury recovery, and previews upcoming tours in Mongolia, Japan, South India, and the Americas. 

Candida Louis: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website | Grinning Monkeys

Overland Journal Podcast Episode #326

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The Overland Journal Podcast is brought to you this week by General Tire

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Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady discusses the core principles of overlanding navigation with Chris Cordes, highlighting primary, secondary, contingency, and emergency backups. They compare three main app categories: turn-by-turn tools like Google Maps, reference/layer apps like iOverlander and Tracks4Africa, and hybrid discipline-specific platforms such as onX and Gaia. While Google excels at everyday routing and real-time traffic, onX offers specialized backcountry features, including land ownership layers, trail data, weather updates, offline mapping, and off-road turn-by-turn routing. The pair emphasize thorough pre-planning, downloading maps for offline use, re-evaluating routes after navigation mistakes, and carrying redundant devices alongside paper maps. Finally, they explore responsible land stewardship, onX’s trail-verification process, global expansion, AI planning tools, and the Overwatch Rescue evacuation add-on.

Overland Journal Podcast Episode #325

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The Overland Journal Podcast is brought to you this week by Hankook Dynapro Tire and GME Radios

New to Overland Journal and want to grab a subscription? Visit Overland Journal and enter code: overlandpodcast at checkout for 20% off. We thank you for being a subscriber.

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Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady speaks with Christoff and Vanessa Ailert of Get Out Go! about overlanding across Southern Africa and the US. They compare community culture, gear needs, and why items like rooftop tents or extra fuel are less essential in North America. Sharing insights from full-time vehicle travel, they emphasize weight management, efficient camp setups, and discuss their 79 Series Land Cruiser with an Alu-Cab camper. Highlights include navigating African corrugations, intense moments on Sani Pass, and a police encounter in Mozambique. Recommending Botswana and "Cry of the Kalahari," they share how their mission helps inspire outdoor adventure while supporting travel logistics in Africa.

Website | Instagram | YouTube | FaceBook

Overland Journal Podcast Episode #324

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The Overland Journal Podcast is brought to you this week by Hankook Dynapro Tire, Mohab

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Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady chats with Amanda and Patrick from Rugged Destinations. They share highlights from pre-running the Back 400 and skills course at XOverland Ranch in their newly built Mitsubishi Canter JDM firetruck, their passion for JDM imports, and what inspired their outdoor travel. The couple discusses transitioning from traditional careers—Patrick as a mechanic and Amanda as an IP paralegal—into full-time creators. They detail pivotal journeys to Prudhoe Bay and Baja, as well as the realities of overlanding as a family, including homeschooling, communication, and safety. Finally, they reflect on supporting veteran organizations, sponsoring the Northwest Overland Rally, and their upcoming plans to drive through South America.

Website | Instagram | YouTube | FaceBook | Pinterest

Overland Journal Podcast Episode #323

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The Overland Journal Podcast is brought to you this week by Hankook Dynapro Tire

New to Overland Journal and want to grab a subscription? Visit Overland Journal and enter code: overlandpodcast at checkout for 20% off. We thank you for being a subscriber.

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Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady interviews Ant Austin of We Will Roam in Montana about balancing a tech career with long-term overland travel using remote work and contracting. They explore storytelling as the connection between tech, AI, and adventure, highlighting practical AI applications for creative organization while noting concerns over disclosure, scams, and Overland Collective’s stance against AI-generated editorial. Ant shares memories from a three-month Japanese journey in his 2011 VDJ78 Troopy, including a Land Cruiser community barbecue near Nagoya and Japan’s unique soundscape. He also reflects on pivotal Australian travels like the Telegraph Track, offering key lessons on slowing down, navigating high-stress encounters, and prioritizing clear communication and mental health during extended journeys.

We Will Roam | Instagram | YouTube | FaceBook | Spotify

We Will Roam Launches 5-part Australia Overland Series

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The Overland Journal Podcast is brought to you this week by General Tire

New to Overland Journal and want to grab a subscription! Visit Overland Journal and enter code: overlandpodcast at checkout for 20% off. We thank you for being a subscriber.

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Overland Journal Podcast host Scott Brady talks with team member Jack Mac about minimalism and life on the road. Jack shares insights from over five years managing Expedition Portal’s classifieds and global travel by bicycle, backpacking, and vehicles like a 70 Series Land Cruiser Troopy. They discuss how a travel mindset lowers consumer spending, why high-end gear can become a burden, and why you should choose a vehicle you can afford to lose. Jack reflects on how bikepacking taught him minimalism and pacing, details a perilous Iceland crossing, and emphasizes preparation, managing vehicle mass, supporting local communities, keeping overhead low, and his passion for photography.

Bicycle Touring Apocalypse Instagram | Facebook

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The Overland Journal Podcast is brought to you this week by Hankook Dynapro Tire and Midland Radio

New to Overland Journal and want to grab a subscription! Visit Overland Journal and enter code: overlandpodcast at checkout for 20% off. We thank you for being a subscriber.

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Overland Journal Podcast host Ashley Giordano interviews Jack Langton, who cycled 8,000 miles from London to Singapore. Over 150 days, Langton trained on the road, braved solo camping, and navigated intense environments like India and Turkey. He emphasizes the overwhelming generosity he encountered, especially throughout Central Asia. After returning to his consulting career, Langton launched "The Human Project," creating mini-documentaries that capture diverse global stories. His filmmaking journey has taken him across the U.S., East Africa, and Europe. Jack discusses building trust with subjects ranging from traveling circus performers to NGOs tackling social issues like FGM and albinism-related threats in Kenya and Uganda. Through these short films, he highlights resilient communities, including Nairobi’s street kids and Ugandan skate culture, bridging human experiences through digital storytelling.

HUMN: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok

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Sponsored in part by Hankook Dynapro Tires and Mohab 

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Overland Journal Podcast host Ashley Giordano interviews Jess and Dave of Global Traces from Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, about five years of overlanding in their MAN HX60 expedition truck with their dog Otis and five-and-a-half-year-old daughter Isla. They explain why they chose a truck for long-term autonomy and comfort, how they bought an ex-British military HX60 cheaply with low kilometers, and how they designed and project-managed a split build to prioritize space, headroom, a raising/lowering bed, and essentials like a washing machine. They discuss tradeoffs of size and weight, common questions about cost, fuel (about 28–30 L/100 km), and toilets, plus how they afford travel through savings and Dave’s photography work. They share lessons and community support from multiple recoveries, including a major winch rescue in Tajikistan, and outline revised plans after Mongolia border restrictions for animals.

Global Traces: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Photopositive

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Sponsored in part by Hankook Dynapro Tires

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Overland Journal Podcast host Matt Scott and Scott Brady discuss rugged terrain (RT) or “hybrid” tires as a third category between all-terrain (AT) and mud-terrain (MT), arguing RTs let ATs and MTs stay true to their strengths while better matching overlanders’ mostly-on-pavement use. They compare void ratios, noise/vibration/harshness, tread life, snow and wet-road performance, fuel-economy impacts, and load capacity, with examples from Toyo RT Pro, BFG HD Terrain, and other models. They stress how subjective tire testing is and describe past double-blind, same-vehicle testing, hoping to run an RT test later. Key buying attributes include 3-peak mountain snowflake ratings, sidewall construction (not just ply count), siping tradeoffs, and tire width choices favoring taller, narrower sizes for fit and efficiency. They critique treadwear warranties pushing harder compounds and note rising tire costs.

New to Overland Journal and want to grab a subscription! Visit Overland Journal and enter code: overlandpodcast at checkout for 20% off. We thank you for being a subscriber.

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This episode sponsored in part by General Tire 

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