Overland Industry News: October 2018

Here are the top headlines from the overland, off-road, travel, and outdoor industries from October 2018.

#AdoptARover Road Trip Highlights Dog Adoption

Three dog-loving organizations - The Petfinder Foundation, Orvis, and Barbour - have teamed up and are proud to announce the #AdoptARover Road Trip – a 30-stop tour of the East Coast to find homes for dogs and raise awareness for pet adoption. 

“We are delighted that Orvis and Barbour, two family-owned companies that know a thing or two about the richness dogs bring into our lives, are hosting this wonderful tour,” said Petfinder Foundation Executive Director Toni Morgan. “Not only will this shed light upon the importance of pet adoption, but we hope to make a lot of dogs and people very happy in the process, too!”

The trip runs through March of 2019. Pit stops at Orvis stores from Vermont to Alabama will feature adoptable dogs from local shelters looking for a new home. You can read more about the #AdoptARover Road Trip at www.orvis.com/adoptarover

Dometic Continues Their Support of Tread Lightly!

While Dometic's first #25000CleanMilesContest is ending, the fun is not over yet. There is still two more months to be entered to win a Dometic CFX and contribute to the 25,000 Clean Miles Campaign. Starting November 1 Dometic is challenging everyone to take out what they bring in, leaving no scraps behind. To be entered to win, simply post a photo with your trash on Instagram or Facebook using #CleanTrailsOnly with the total amount of trail miles covered without littering. 

Dometic wants everyone who enjoys the outdoors to be empowered to join in this effort at any time. Walking your dog? Pick up trash along the way. Anytime you are outside and see trash or have trash, be sure to keep it off the ground to keep the Earth clean and sustainable for many years to come.

Trxstle on Schedule to Fulfill Reservations in Late November

Beau recently spoke with John Smigaj, Trxstle's Co-Founder & CEO, about the company's first production run of the CRC System, a unique expandable fly rod/reel storage device. After failing to secure Kickstarter funding earlier this year, the team was able to secure the needed project funding from local investors and started production in March 2018.

John shared with Beau that all of the plastic parts, packaging, and accessories are done and being assembled. Although the team is still waiting for some of the aluminum parts to come back from anodizing, they expect "expect to have product in our warehouse at the end of November to start fulfilling reservations."

Once the team can ensure each of their reservation holders has product en route, they will go live with the CRC System on their site. You can read more about the CRC System and find the latest timeline by visiting Trxstle's website at www.trxstle.com.

Matador Launches Advanced Series

Matador is thrilled to announce its new Advanced Series, a new collection of products designed to take adventure travel to the next level. The launch includes updates to several of Matador’s award-winning products as well as brand new product releases. The Advanced Series, which includes the new FreeFly16, The Freerain24 2.0 (previously the Freerain24) and the Transit30 2.0 duffle (previously the Transit30), redefines packability with technical gear capable of handling the elements.

The Freerain24 2.0 (MSRP: $64.99), an update to the Freerain24, is the lightest waterproof packable backpack on the market. Waterproof CORDURA® fabric, sealed seams, rolltop main compartment, and sealing zippers withstand the most extreme elements. At 6.6 oz, the upgraded 24-liter backpack features compression straps, an adjustable sternum strap, tether points, and breathable weight-distributing shoulder straps. The storage bag’s new rolltop design is elongated for fast packing and can compress to fit in the palm of a hand.

You can find more about Matador's new Advanced Series by visiting their website at www.matador.com.

Dometic Introduced next Generation Portable Battery

Engineered to satisfy outdoor and mobile lifestyles with high electrical demands, The Dometic PLB40 is the lightest and most powerful battery in its category. It allows adventurers to travel further and stay longer in nature with a safe and reliable power supply.

Harnessing the latest developments in battery technology, the PLB40 is a unique and innovative portable battery. Dometic's decision to use Lithium Iron Phosphate (known as LiFePo4) makes the battery unit lightweight, compact, and able to deliver stable power for a longer time compared to the Lithium Ion batteries currently available on the market.

Specifically designed to power a cooler, such as a Dometic CFX for a weekend, 12V devices, and USB accessories, the battery has a 2-pin threaded connection and flat discharge curve. Its robust and rugged features make it ideal for outdoor use.

You can find out more about Dometic's PLB40 and full-line of powered coolers by visiting their website at www.dometic.com.

Toyota and Kevin Costner Build the Ultimate Adventure Truck

Appearing at Toyota’s 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show display, Kevin Costner’s custom Tundra Platinum is a truck that was built to conquer the great outdoors.

“I was delighted to get a call from Kevin asking if we were interested in collaborating with some video content featuring the Tundra,” said Ed Laukes, group vice president – Toyota Division Marketing. “Kevin is an avid outdoorsman and is very particular about the equipment he uses. The fact that he identified the Tundra as being the best truck to fit his needs says a lot about our products.”

The Tundra has been outfitted with an array of custom equipment to tailor its use to Mr. Costner’s passion for nature and active outdoor lifestyle. The project fabrication and assembly were performed by Complete Customs of McKinney, Texas.

“Kevin was involved with the project from start to finish,” said Complete Customs owner and chief builder Shaun Freilich. “He had some drawings that he drew personally to convey his concept. I made some renderings based on his ideas, and then we flew out to his home to meet him and work out the final details.”

You can read more about this amazing build in their full press release by clicking here: Ultimate Adventure Truck.

Good To-Go Continues to Expand Production Facility, Staff

Elevating expectations of what prepared meals can taste like continues to be a big job for Maine’s Good To-Go. This Fall, the brand completed a 900 square foot addition to the new building they built two years ago, while adding another 2 members to the office and 3 to production. Good To-Go is also now under USDA inspection. With these additions, the brand is laying the groundwork for more growth in 2019 as it continues to position itself as a leader in the camping meal category. Read the full story here.

___________________________

Author

Beau Johnston is an engineer, writer, and photographer who is dedicated to proving you can find a balance between work and life. He is the Co-Founder and Publisher of Living Overland and a member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. When he isn't working, you can find him exploring National Parks, fly fishing, and camping with his wife (Krista) and their two dogs.

___________________________

If you found this travel article helpful, please consider using one of the affiliate links below. The price is the same for you, but a small percentage of the purchase price goes to us, which helps keep this site going. Thank you!