Best Gear of Overland Expo East 2022

Every Overland Expo presents an opportunity to check out tons of gear from our great exhibitors. However, Overland Expo East 2022 was especially filled with new items and new vendors. From camper boxes to tiny accessories, we found some great items to add to your next overland adventure.

Alu-Cab — Ultralight Rooftop Tent

The new Alu-Cab Ultralight is the latest addition to the lineup of the trusted tent builder. Weighing in at only 125 pounds but sporting the same durable construction that Alu-Cab is known for, the Ultralight is an excellent option for solo travelers looking for a spacious tent that can stand up to plenty of hard miles. This tent is perfectly sized for smaller adventure rigs, like wagons or compact SUVs, and on a larger roof, it leaves room for bikes or other accessories. It’s outfitted with a sturdy ladder, a comfortable mattress, and a mounting panel on top. It might be small, but it doesn’t skimp on any features we expect from high-end rooftop tents.

Clearview — Slide Out Pantry

This slide-out pantry from Clearview brings an amazing level of organization and engineering to the typical camp kitchen outfit. It’s designed to be carried on the Easy Slide ES-100 Plus and offers storage for all of your essentials. It transforms from a compact aluminum box into a three-part camp kitchen in seconds. When everything is stowed, you can still access the lowest level through a handy door without the need to deploy the pantry. Like all of Clearview’s products, this pantry is built to survive the tough conditions that are frequently encountered in the Australian Outback.

HEST – Camp Mattresses

The HEST booth is a dangerous place. It’s all too tempting to test out a mattress, and then you’re easily convinced to extend that test session. With mattresses designed for cots, rooftop tents, the back of SUVs, and even canine adventurers, they have a comfortable mattress for every backcountry sleeping situation. The only thing that might be more impressive than the comfort of a HEST mattress is the fact that each of them comes with both a 100-night money-back guarantee and a 365-night standard warranty.

Reeb Gear — Quick Release Pins

Sometimes you see something so cool that you wish you could figure out a way to use it in your rig. That was exactly how we felt when we saw the awesome hardware solutions created by Reeb Gear. All of their hardware is based around quick-release pins that integrate with the Sherpa panels found on plenty of van builds. They’re obviously well-made, and they allow for the easy removal and replacement of mounting hardware on the panel. The pins work with multiple hooks and loops, so you can always find the right piece to secure accessories to your Sherpa panel. They’re expertly machined and every piece of Reeb Gear is obviously designed to keep your gear secure and modular for years to come.

Seek Outside — 8 Person Tipi

This event was the first time Seek Outside had attended Overland Expo East, and we’re happy to have them. Their 8-Person Tipi is an incredible shelter considering that the canopy weighs in at 4.25 pounds, and it can easily sleep eight while also offering room to stand up. With the addition of a titanium wood stove, the tipi can sleep four with room for gear. It provides a warm space in inclement weather. This lightweight and compact combo makes an awesome backcountry base camp.

Teren Designs — Campfire Puffy Jacket

Puffers jackets have become a ubiquitous part of almost every backcountry wardrobe, but they don’t tend to fare too well around campfires. With the Teren Designs Campfire Puffy, you can throw another log on the fire without worrying about the embers destroying your jacket. This might seem too good to be true, but Casey at the Teren Designs booth was more than happy to demonstrate. Throughout the weekend, he would hold a lighter to his personal Campfire Puffer without leaving a mark. As an added bonus, the jacket has a sharp design with minimal branding and plenty of hidden pockets. Based on the number of jackets we saw exhibitors and attendees wearing, we’re sure they were a big hit at the event. 

SHW Offroad — Ultralite Drawer System

Drawers of all kinds can be found in overlanding rigs. They’re great for storing equipment and keeping everything at hand when it’s needed. However, there’s no denying they can add significant weight to your payload. However, it appears that SHW Offroad has found a way to minimize this drawback to an incredible degree. To give you an idea of just how light they are, a set of drawers, the top platform, and the required supports for a 4runner weights in at only 70 pounds. They also offer heavy-duty models in their expedition series that use full extension slides. All of their products are made in Winchester, Kentucky.

WayOut Box

The WayOut Box made its global debut at Overland Expo East 2022. This box includes everything you need to venture off the beaten path in comfort. The WayOut system is designed to transfer your mid or full-sized truck into a custom flatbed camper without limiting your off-road capability. Self-described as a teardrop on camper on a flatbed, you’ll find the WayOut Box is packed with the infrastructure to hit the trail as a minimalist or fully kitted out. The units weigh between 300 and 700 pounds before being outfitted with supplies, batteries, and water. In addition, WayOut plans to develop their own flatbeds and jacks to form a fully convertible system in the near future.

Wrappon – PF1 Toilet System

We all do it, so why not take care of your backcountry bathroom business with a compact, streamlined, and hygenic system? The Wrappon PF1 Toilet System easily wraps and seals waste without the use of water. By using thermocompression bags, waste and odors are sealed in the bag with a simple pull and lift of the integrated handle. The unit can be powered from a variety of sources so you can adapt it to your rig. The bags are tightly rolled for convenient use and storage. When not in use, the PF1 folds flat and can be stored nearly anywhere.