Exciting New Products Hit The Trail Every Year In Flagstaff
The 2023 edition of Overland Expo West was held in Flagstaff, Arizona from May 19 – 21, 2023 and was officially the largest Overland Expo ever.. The expo welcomed more than 30,000 overland enthusiasts representing 45 US states and seven countries!
Exclusive to this year’s expo was the global debut of the 2024 fourth-gen Toyota Tacoma lineup and the public reveal of the new-to-market 2024 Polaris XPEDITION XP and ADV adventure side-by-sides. Additionally, Toyota also sponsored a Ride & Drive course allowing expo attendees the opportunity to experience the new Tundra and 4Runner vehicles on a dirt track with obstacles built to showcase suspension articulation and off-road capabilities.
As always, the exhibit booths were a highlight at the expo. And, with more than 400 vendors in attendance, there was no shortage of products to view, test and purchase.
Here is a small selection of some of the products spotted by the Off-Road Travel TV staff at this year’s Overland Expo West.
TOYOTA
Toyota took center stage this year with the introduction of the 2024 fourth-gen Toyota Tacoma lineup on Friday, May 19, 2023. Models included the improved TRD Pro with IsoDynamic Performance Seats and adjustable FOX QS3 internal bypass shocks and the all-new overland-ready Tacoma Trailhunter featuring factory-equipped components from ARB, Old Man Emu and RIGID Industries. Both models come standard with the all-new i-FORCE MAX hybrid engine offering 326 hp and 465 lb.-ft. of torque.
POLARIS
The all-new Polaris XPEDITION XP and ADV. Overland, trail, hunt, kayak and utility activities are all possible with these adventure side-by-sides featuring a flat roof that allows the addition of over 100 accessories from companies like Rhino-Rack, MAXTRAX, RIGID and Polaris Engineered. Combine that with the 114 hp engine, 2,000 lb. towing capacity and a fuel range of 200+ miles and you’ve got the perfect vehicle for adventure. This vehicle can be configured and kitted out in dozens of ways to find just the right combinations of features and accessories for your lifestyle.
ICON VEHICLE DYNAMICS
ICON Vehicle Dynamics showcased their Ford Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch Package built with ICON products including their Stage 8 Billet Suspension System making room for ICON Alloys Rebound Pro wheels wrapped with 37-inch Nitto Tires Trail Grappler M/T. Other accessories include ICON Bronco Pro Series bumpers, skid plates, rock sliders, Warn Winch and KC lighting.
NACHO OFFROAD TECHNOLOGY
NACHO Offroad Technology used a nicely-equipped Ford Bronco to showcase their auxiliary LED lighting, mounts and accessories. Their TM5 line-up uses patented technology to get three beam patterns – low, high, wide - out of a single light using only two switches. All NACHO lights are ip68 rated for protection from dust and water, impact resistant and vibration rated to withstand the rigors of heavy off-road use.
MAXXIS
Did you know Maxxis makes tires for extreme off-road, light truck/SUV, Motorcycle, ATV/UTV and bicycle markets? Their display featured both a Jeep Gladiator and Ford Bronco plus an Intense Enduro eBike all fitted with Maxxis tires.
REDARC
Red Arc products offer everything you need for dependable off-grid power. Products include solar panels, pure sine wave inverters, dual battery systems, electronic brake controllers, vehicle management systems, gauges and much more. Head on over to redarcelectronics.com and check out their blog posts for advice on “Choosing the best off-grid power setup for you”, “The ins and outs of inverters” and “Powering remote work with camping solar panels”.
LEITNER DESIGNS
Leitner Designs offers modular truck bed rack cargo systems to fit every active lifestyle. Their patented Active Cargo System carries everything from rooftop tents, mountain bikes, kayaks, Maxtrax traction boards, Rotopax, Hi-Lift Jacks, GearPod cargo boxes, HydroPOD shower kits and much more.
KC HILITES
Retro overland rigs were found throughout the expo grounds. But, one of the coolest, most-unique retro rigs was in the KC Hilites adventure area. Del Uschenko built this 1959 Chevy Apache featuring a custom aluminum Trail Cap shell with a GoFast Campers rooftop tent and an LS3 engine under the hood. Other goodies include 18-inch billet wheels with STA Tires, Fox suspension components, an Atlas transfer case and, of course, KC lighting. This was by far one of the coolest trail-capable retro rigs we’ve seen.
JEEP
The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Overland concept originally debuted in May 2023 at Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, UT. Fortunately, Jeep brought this ultra-luxe $110,000 concept to the Overland Expo. Under the hood is the twin-turbo 3.0 liter “Hurricane” inline-six engine delivering 510 horsepower and 500 lb.-ft. of torque. Interior modifications include the removal of the second and third-row seats to enable access to the carbon fiber and aluminum Redtail Skyloft rooftop tent. The Skyloft features its own power source by way of 380 watts of solar and a 60-ah lithium battery.
XPLOR
XPLOR by Sunflare builds rugged flexible solar panels for the off-road, overland and RV segments. Panels come in 115-watt, 140-watt and 180-watt configurations and are adhesive-backed for an easy no-screw, no-bracket installation. XPLOR stands behind its products with a 25-year warranty for power output.
MIDLAND RADIO
Midland Radio presented its extensive lineup of two-way radios, CB radios, weather and emergency alert radios and a large selection of accessories including antennas, mounting systems, speakers and batteries. The Midland MXT Micromobile mounted radios are a great fit for those wanting an in-vehicle mounted communication option. And, the Jeep-branded T77VPJ X-talker is made for Jeep loyalists preferring a rugged handheld radio offering up to 38 miles of range.
CAMBURG ENGINEERING
Camburg Engineering used its heavily-modified Overland Ford
Raptor to showcase its suspension products and accessories. The vehicle also featured a Magnaflow exhaust system, KMC Wheels clad with BF Goodrich Tires, Optima Batteries and products from Rugged Radios, Sparco, and Scosche to name a few. There’s no mistaking this Ford Raptor as it is wrapped in matte black vinyl with topo background, large Camburg logos and a slew of strategically-placed partner logos. It’s not unusual to see this vehicle on the streets of Southern California as Camburg often hits the trails to test new products.
PATRIOT CAMPERS
Australian-based Patriot Campers manufactures high-quality, off-road camper trailers. The Gen 2 X3 offers a full-auto setup by simply pushing a button on a remote control transforming the camper trailer into a functional and comfortable space. Other features include soft open and close doors eliminating the need for exterior latches, remote-controlled central locking, a rooftop Exorack allowing items to be stored on the hard roof while traveling, multiple storage options accessible from both inside and outside, a comprehensive battery management system and lighting setup with the option to control all lighting directly from a phone app, 17” PCOR Alloy Wheels with 33” MT tires, trailer brakes, airbag suspension, slide-out kitchen, hot water system, interior heating vents, awning and so much more. These camper trailers are built tough to take the abuse of off-road travel yet offer full-auto setup and provide a comfortable space while staying in the wild.
ANTIGRAVITY BATTERIES
Antigravity Batteries offers lithium-ion products for the motorsports, powersports and adventure markets. The RE-START battery line has built-in, wireless jump-starting and a full battery management system with OEM sizes for most cars and trucks. The MICRO-START is a lithium-ion jump-starter. The pocket-sized device doesn’t just jump-start vehicles it is also a personal power supply for your phone, tablet, laptop, camera and more. Antigravity Batteries also offers energy storage solutions including lithium-ion deep cycle batteries, portable power stations, solar panels and accessories.
GOOSE GEAR
Goose Gear uses state-of-the-art CNC machinery to craft cabinets and storage solutions for the overland and off-road markets. Its Plate System mounts to the floor or bed of your vehicle and provides the foundation for safely securing a variety of storage modules or gear.
This Jeep Wrangler JLU features a two-drawer locking storage module and CampKitchen designed to house a fridge and stove in one cabinet yet using separate slides to allow the components to work individually.
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