We dive into the culinary schizophrenia of modern camping. From the humble stick to the tactical Skottle, this is a manifesto on how we eat in the wild—and why we spend thousands of dollars to replicate the kitchen we left back home.

This list is your answer to the cold sweat of a calendar that ran out of days. It is the antidote to the paralysis of choice. We stripped away the fluff, the gadgets, and the shiny plastic landfill-in-waiting to give you the only thing that matters: utility. Stop scrolling. Stop panicking. Click the links, secure the gear, and take the credit for being the only person who actually understood the assignment.

Leading a convoy is stress. It is managing egos, risks, and logistics. But when you see the line of amber lights winding through a canyon at dusk, you realize you aren't just driving. You are facilitating adventure. Reading about it is safe. Planning it is intoxicating. But doing it is the only thing that counts. Don’t let the rig rot in the driveway waiting for a "perfect" weekend that never comes.

Let’s skip the supply chain chaos. This year, we aren't chasing shiny objects. We’re investing in the local shops that keep us rolling, the skills that keep us safe, and the digital tools that help us get lost. A guide for resilience in a turbulent economy.

Until that “picturesque” dusting of snow isn’t a dusting. It’s a shroud, a silent, white curtain dropping on the whole play. Or that “lovely” coastal breeze, the one that smells of salt and freedom, turns into a humid, heavy, bar-knuckle fist. Suddenly, "storm surge" isn't an abstract term on the Weather Channel. It's a very real, very wet threat aimed directly at your axles.

This is the part of the adventure that doesn't make the Instagram feed.

This isn't your average home-prep guide. This is about what happens when the adventure bites back. We’ll cover the why, the how, and the seasonal etiquette for staying alive.

Forget the curated Instagram feeds. This is the real story of camping with dogs—the gear, the training, the unwritten rules. A practical guide for the overlander who knows adventure isn't always pretty, but it's always worth it.

Let's talk about the cold, hard truth that kills more good trips than bad weather and bad directions combined: the slow, quiet death of your electronics.

Let’s be honest. The romance of the trail is a lie. A story we sell ourselves in the gear shop to justify the price tags. We fetishize the struggle... The reality, five miles in with forty pounds digging into your shoulders, is that you’re not a spiritual wanderer. You’re a beast of burden.

It’s about control. It's the difference between "scorched" and "seared." Lay down a big Coleman or Blackstone griddle and you’re not just making breakfast; you’re holding court. It's the centerpiece of a car camping kitchen setup that's a greasy, beautiful, temporary temple of sizzling pork fat.

The road teethes at your tires and the air smells like hot sage and bad decisions. But which rig belongs on that road: fuel, hybrid, or full electric? This is a real-world guide to the pros, cons, and practical trail tactics for the modern overlander, helping you pick the right hammer for the nail, whether your destination has a plug or a pump.

The lie is that with enough preparation and a good enough plan, you can somehow tame the wild. We learned the truth of this with sweat stinging our eyes and a map turning to pulp, deep in the relentless jungles of Laos. Our 'legitimate track' had vanished, leaving our fully-kitted Toyota Hilux utterly useless. This is the story of what you do when the plan dies, and the real adventure begins.

For us, weekend adventures aren’t about cramming more in — they’re about finding more space. Space in the rig, space in the schedule, space to just be together. That’s what Side Quest Overland is all about.

“The gut check is simple. Don’t let the search for the “perfect” build keep you in the driveway. Gear is a tool, not a ticket. Whether your rig rolled out of a catalog or a Facebook Marketplace ad, the only thing that matters is whether it gets you to the places you want to be.”

At Side Quest Overland, we talk a lot about gear. Whether it's upgrading suspension for a trail rig, dialing in tire pressure before a bikepacking trip, or packing the perfect camp stove, we know that preparation is everything. But there's one piece of gear that gets overlooked far too often: your body.

Imagine you're deep in the backcountry — out of reach, off-grid, low on supplies — and a drone buzzes overhead with exactly what you need: a fresh oxygen canister, a med kit, or just the extra fuel you forgot to pack.

That’s not science fiction anymore. On Mount Everest, drones are already saving lives.

And while most of us aren't climbing to 8,848 meters, this breakthrough has big implications for overlanders, bikepackers, and everyday explorers who push into the wild.

Let’s take a look at how drone-delivered oxygen is changing Everest — and how it might change the way we all adventure.

The plan was simple enough. Pack light, grab a rod, toss a few sandwiches in the bag, and ride out with my son for one night under the stars. It sounded good on paper. But by the time Friday showed up, life was already off balance — work wasn’t done, gear wasn’t packed, dinner hadn’t been figured out.

The sensible thing would’ve been to stay home. Catch up. Try again next weekend.

But there he was, helmet in hand, standing by his bike with that look — the kind that says he’s already halfway gone. So we went. No ceremony, no second guesses. Just a father, a son, and a quiet promise that some things matter more than being caught up.

Most kids today can swipe before they can walk a trail. They know how to scroll, but not how to read clouds. They recognize app icons better than animal tracks. Something’s gone missing, and it’s not in a lost-and-found box. It’s out there. In the mud. In the woods. In the questions that come when there’s nothing else competing for your attention. This is why we go outside. And why we keep going back.

Are they always climbing, collecting, and asking questions about every bird, bug, or rock they encounter? If your child’s idea of fun involves muddy boots, forest trails, and wide-open skies, then you're raising a young adventurer — and that’s a gift worth celebrating.

But what do you give a child who already loves the great outdoors? If they’ve got dirt under their fingernails and a heart full of curiosity, these top outdoor gifts for kids will fuel their imagination, deepen their connection with nature, and inspire a lifetime of exploration.