With literally thousands of products at our biggest event of the year, it’s impossible to do a thorough round-up. As an overlander and overall outdoorsy person, however, I was fascinated by the inventive spirit among the brands and products. Many problems I’ve learned to live with (or have avoided out of fear of not being able to solve in a bad situation) actually have solutions. Big or small, these smart solutions to frustrating problems caught my attention and are worth sharing. Chances are, some of you have also been cursing your bloody knuckles, wet outdoor appliances, dead electronics, or something else that these ingenious gadgets help prevent.
1Up Moto Rack
The new Moto Rack by 1Up is incredibly sturdy and well-crafted. The highlights are built-in straps, optional center peg stand (sold separately), wheel stabilizers, and an additional hitch mount for another rack. Of course, you won’t be able to load another motorcycle on there due to tongue load limitations, but a bicycle rack or other lighter-weight gear carrier would be great. This past weekend, I had to remove my bicycle rack from my hitch, install my moto tray, dig around my garage for straps (it’s always that third ratchet strap that gets lost in the piles), then load and strap down my dual-sport, careful to wrap up the excess straps so they didn’t get unfurled on my way to my campsite. Had this been for longer than an overnight, there would surely have been some cursing as I realized after strapping down the moto that I had forgotten to load my bike in the back of the van, first, and needed to undo all the straps. Seeing this new rack on display at Overland Expo West made me realize how hard I’d been making my otherwise pretty soft life.
MSRP: $1,719.00
Ignik TapRack
Even with a growler in my rig, it sometimes makes more sense to use my little green frenemies if I’m camping away from my rig or want to use an outdoor kitchen. I hate how wasteful they are, though, and I usually end up with a few of them kicking around my van, unsure which one has enough to not ruin breakfast. Being able to refill one-pounders at the propane fill station using the Ignik TapRack means you waste less metal, fuel, and — in the long term — money. And if, like me, you already have a larger take to fill up, it is more of an incentive to get it done before leaving town rather than realizing when you are hangry and in the middle of the woods in Montana that your stove fuel is too low to boil water…. Not that I know anything about that. Plus, it holds up to four bottles so no more looking in the four different places I store things. The TapRack goes on sale in July, but in the meantime, an Ignik runner-up is the heater-skillet/stove combo, the Skullet.
Daylodge Airhaven Awning and Workspace
This awning was invented to solve the problem of snow overloading an awning until it broke. But that’s just one problem awnings can face: I’ve had a factory-installed awning blown off while driving through the Imperial Valley during a wind storm, and had paint ripped off by portable awning magnets that got torn off, also during a wind storm when my awning was set up at camp to protect from rain. Apparently other attendees had similar experiences because many people had asked about how the awning held up in wind. On Saturday, the second day of Overland Expo West 2025, we experienced incredible wind. While for many exhibitors, it was understandably frustrating, for Daylodge it was a perfect way to demonstrate how strong these awnings are and how well they work. They are so light they withstood the wind, and the Annex side panels, made from the ripstop nylon and other windsurf sail materials as the awnings, made a cozy sanctuary to check out their other products, the Workspace. The Workspace is sold in a number of configurations to help you store and use a variety of tiny “rooms” for your outdoor oasis, whether it’s your portable home office, kitchen, picnic, roadside tools, or more.
Awning MSRP: from $799 (Annex sold separately)
Workspace MSRP: from $275
Rig Ready Systems JackOut
If you know, conceptually, that you should be prepared, but have a hard time thinking of what that means, the JackOut or even the JackOut HD by Rig Ready Systems may be for you. This is the kit a loving parent may get their kid when they go off on that Great American Road Trip before college. Or after they’ve left on that trip, when they call two days later asking how to change a flat. Or come home three weeks after that first flat you patiently talked them through, dirt woven into their tee-shirt and the Milky Way still a shining gloss in their young eyes, to announce they are taking some time to find themselves, are going to navigate the country using mainly Forest Service roads headed wherever way West is, will make money selling haiku-on-demand in one horse, no poet towns. Or, hey, maybe you buy it for yourself because as experienced an Overlander as you are, you know that tools fail, batteries die, problems arise, and having a well-built kit can be the difference between a rough day and a really friggin’ terrible one. This kit includes an Adventure First Aid Kit (AFAK) designed by a medic, because if you are bouldering and slice a sidewall, then twist your ankle trying to maneuver to a place to fix it, you’ll have a hard time getting the spare on if you don’t get splinted first.
MSRP: from $1499
Kakadu BlockOut Cot Tent 1P
Kakadu, an Australian-based outdoor brand, makes a variety of cool stuff, but what cot my eye (sorry) was this one-person cot tent. The Blockout is offers comfort, stability, and privacy, while still being relatively compact. The walls roll up for air flow, beautiful views, and bug protection, or can be secured down for privacy or rain protection. Additional space and protection is provided with the included awning and poles. The mattress (sold separately), vertical walls, and comfortable, stable nature of the cot, plus the way it can be easily set up reminded me less of a traditional backpacking tent and more of a Roof Top Tent (RTT). If you’re a light sleeper, can’t or aren’t interested in an RTT, or and/or are camping in a place where the ground is uneven, the bugs or rodents are relentless, or the wind makes an RTT less than optimal, this tent cot seems perfect.
MSRP: $299
To see many of these products for yourself, grab one at a great price, and see what other items might solve your problems, plan a trip to an upcoming Overland Expo event this year. PNW is right around the corner from June 27-29 in Redmond, Oregon, at the Deschutes County Expo Center — don’t wait, grab your tickets now! Click the buttons below to learn more about Overland Expo PNW and secure your spot to see the newest gear on the overlanding market for rigs, camping, and so much more.
