Best in Show: Overland Expo West 2023

Dec 18, 2023

Our Motors Editor, Bryon Dorr, dove deep into the 400+ vendors at Overland Expo West 2023 to bring you the hot new gear in the overland world, as well as a few really cool rigs. Let's dive in!

With 15 Overland Expo events, including the past 10 West events, under my belt, I scoured the 400+ vendors this year for the latest and greatest gear. While I found a lot of the same stuff I’ve seen for years, I did manage to dig up quite a few intriguing new products that are worth a look. Everything from a massive truck camper build to a car seat for your dog caught my eye.

Check out the video I shot at Overland Expo West 2023 to hear about these new products directly from the founders, designers, and reps.

Whether you spent the time watching the video or not, you can find the pertinent info on the latest and greatest in the overland world below.

Elevation Off Grid created this monster overland build for Bowen Customs and turned a lot of heads at Overland Expo West 2023. The Warthog build has the largest Bowen custom truck bed ever built, which includes a 60-inch wide garage. That massive bed is on a RAM 4500 chassis and rides on Liquid Springs suspension. It has a Supertramp Camper on the back and 23Zero rooftop tent on the cab. The whole thing is 10 feet high when the tent and camper are collapsed.

While this one isn't for sale, you can buy one to your own spec starting in November for $350,000-450,000. Contact Bowen Customs if you’re interested.

Campany Vans Furniture Kit is being imported by RRE Global into North America. It's made of special lightweight wood, and the entire kit for a 170 Extended Sprinter only weighs 350 pounds. That includes the shower, fridge, bed, kitchen, etc. The entire system is attached via airline tracks and can be removed in just 20 minutes.

Pricing starts at $15,000 for a complete Campany Van Furniture kit. You can get yours through RRE Global.

Just before Overland Expo West, we got the exclusive scoop on the Aterra Topper from AT Overland. This hardshell truck topper camper starts at $20,000 and is one of the most versatile camper toppers we’ve seen yet.

I’ve used a GooseGear interior system for years in my GX460, and I love it. Now, there is an interior storage and sleeping system solution for small crossovers like the Outback and RAV4 (with more coming very soon).

The GooseGear Park Series flatpacks and is assembled by the customer. It doesn't require a mounting plate, comes in three height options, and can be optioned in a wide range of ways. It is custom-made for each vehicle, to ensure the top surface is flat within each vehicle. Over 6 feet of flat sleeping area is available in each of these small crossovers with this system, without removing any seats.

Pricing starts at about $1,500 and goes up from there. Build out your own system for your vehicle and use the case on GooseGear's website.

Think of the Rubicon Dog as a child seat for 40-80-pound dogs. It is a double-walled rotomolded unit with a built-in tether system.

It launches soon on Kickstarter and production units are expected this fall. MSRP is $699, but the introductory Kickstarter price is $379.

Think of the Polaris Xpedition as a 72-hour overland machine. It's a UTV that is set up for weekend camping adventures off the beaten path. It is offered in a two- or five-seat configuration and an open or enclosed cabin.

It offers things like AC, heat, Fox shocks, 30-inch tires, and so much more. Pricing starts at about $28,000, and easily climbs to north of $45,000. They will be hitting showrooms later this summer.

If you have a pickup with a 5-foot bed and want a hardshell camper, the new Scout TukTut is for you. It's the perfect companion for Gladiator, Ranger, Colorado, and the like. Purchase this little camper with just two benches and a bed or fully built-out, including a GooseGear interior option.

Built, they weigh about 965 pounds or base at 634 pounds. Pricing starts at $16,500 and fully built runs about $27,000.

Possibly the cleanest and most configurable truck rack I’ve ever seen is the brand-new Kuat Ibex. This rack is easily configurable at two heights, has adjustable cross bars, offers side-mounted bike racks, and has a ton of accessory mounting options. It is available for both mid-size and full-size trucks, and pricing starts at about $1,500.

Good batteries in your overland vehicle and/or RV are super important to keep all the electronics and systems running smoothly. Size and weight are super important as well, and dcs (deep cycle systems) have a great solution for a lot of applications. The dcs Slimline LFP Batteries are lightweight, easily mountable, rated for cranking amps, and Bluetooth app-enabled.

Currently on offer in North America are a 100ah ($1,150) and a 200ah ($1,750) lithium battery. These high-end batteries have been tried and tested in Australia for years now, but are just hitting the U.S. market.

Since you’re already probably bringing the kitchen sink, toilet, TV, shower, fridge, lounge chairs, and more on your overland adventures, you might as well also bring a couch and coffee table. The SofaBOX is a super-comfy couch in a waterproof box and comes with a matching coffee table aluminum box.

The SofaBOX is built to order — think custom upholstery — and is imported through RRE Global. Pricing is about $4,000.

A great product for any camper setup is a set of wheel chocks, leveling ramps, and sink plates. A tidy quality version of all of that in one product is the TRED GT Leveling Kit. It has been on the Australian market for some time, but is just being introduced on this side of the pond. It is rated to 10 tons, is Australian-made, and comes with a lifetime warranty. A full set will run you $130.

A hot shower after a long dusty day on the overland trail is always nice. Here's a great solution, the Kakadu Outback Shower. This 16-pound battery-powered shower system offers 4 hours of hot water from a single 1-pound propane tank. It is just being introduced to the U.S. market (available in July) and will run you $500.

Securely mounting large gear like Maxtrax, RotoPax, and the like on the outside of your overland vehicle always seems to be harder than it should be. Overland Kitted has you covered though, with its brand-new Spare Tire Accessory Mount.

The system is completely made in the USA and can securely mount a wide range of gear to a rear-mounted spare tire. Pricing for the Maxtrax mount kit is $340.

Finding shade and shelter on the trail and around camp isn't always easy. The Eezi-Awn DragonFly 180 offers a great solution with a ton of protection from the elements. It is a 180-degree awning that is self-supported and can be purchased in driver-side or passenger-side configuration.

There is also a mini version for smaller vehicles. The full-size unit weighs 55 pounds and costs $1,350. The Mini version weighs 45 pounds and costs $1,275. Eezi-Awn is distributed through Equipt 1 in North America.

If you ever wanted to drive over a 5-gallon bucket, massive rocks, or fit 37-inch tires to your Tacoma, your prayers have been answered. 74Weld now offers Tacoma Portals. These portal axels are 1.22 gear reduction units that provide a ton of extra ground clearance and retain the factory suspension geometry.

Some mild trimming and body mount relocation are required to fit 37s. The kit also upgrades the rear drum brakes to disks.

Pricing for the whole kit runs about $20,000. The 74Weld Tacoma Portals kit will be available by the end of the year.

One part pop-top camper and one part off-road utility trailer the RMO (Rustic Mtn Overland) Anzac is altogether an RV. The RMO Anzac trailer has a custom GFC pop-top camper system, Dometic Fridge and PLB power unit, and Cruisemaster Suspension. It can be fitted with GooseGear cabinets and even carry a dirt bike. The dry weight is 1,600 pounds, so just about anything can tow it.

It is fully RV certified, offering the best financing and lower insurance rates. Pricing starts at $32,995.

Having AC and heat in your camper or large ground tent is a super nice luxury, but not usually easy to accomplish. The EcoFlow Wave 2 fixes that. It offers 5,100 BTU of cooling and 6,100 BTU of heating in a small package that can be self-powered.

It runs on an optional lithium battery or can be plugged into a 12V power source. The Wave 2 comes with exhaust ducting and when bundled with the battery, costs $2,199.

Australians love their off-road camper trailers and more and more are making it to our shores. The latest to do so is the aor Odyssey, displayed at Overland Expo West 2023. This hybrid model is fully featured, super comfortable, has a massive 74-gallon water capacity, and weighs about 3,000 pounds. It is available through XGrid Campers in North America and costs from about $68,000 to $78,000, depending on options.

I have an MSA fridge drop-slide in my GX460 overland build and love it. The latest and greatest is the new MSA Power Slide. It has the same functionality as a drop slide, but does so at the touch of a button. It also offers up a slide-out table surface for added usefulness.

The MSA Power Slide will be available in North America in August at a cost of $1,950 (add $460 for the fridge barrier). It will be available through The Bush Company USA.

Race proven and now ready for the overland community The Mounting Co. has developed a super-secure quick disconnect mounting bracket. It is made of aluminum with a titanium pin and stainless steel hardware. You can mount up just about anything inside or outside of your vehicle with the sizes of brackets on offer. All are made in Phoenix, and pricing ranges from $249 to $339.

If you want a super configurable truck bed rack that is fully tonneau compatible then look no further than the new Trukd Bed Rack. It is a super-modular truck bed rack system that you can configure to your needs. I appreciate the low-side/high-side overland setup, which allows you to keep your RTT down low while having an awning up high. Pricing starts at about $900 and goes up to about $2,100.

The latest adventure motorcycle helmet on the market is the Scorpion EXO XT9000 Carbon. It has a full carbon shell and only weighs 1,550 g (medium size). It has a unique internal deep channel ventilation system and air fit inflation fit system.

The shield is removable without tools, and the helmet comes with dark and clear shields, as well as a Pinlock insert. The Scorpion EXO XT 9000 costs $499 and is available now.

The belle of the ball at Overland Expo West 2023 was the 2006 AEV-built Jeep Wrangler LJ Rubicon in the Overland Kitted booth. It is a true unicorn, with only 13,000 original miles on the odometer.

It has 37-inch tires, Highline Fenders, Dynatrac 60 axels, Recaro seats, and so much more. Oh, maybe most importantly, it has a 5.7L V8 Hemi under the hood. While many of us might want this, it's not for sale.

It's hard to find the right camper for your truck, but we've got you covered with our list of the best truck campers for midsize pickups. Read more…