The XOVERLAND Podcast

Rebecca Donaghe is an experienced film producer whose credits include noted feature works such as Finding Forrester, Where God Left His Shoes, and She Gets What She Wants. Her current passion lies in combining her love of adventure with her professional talent as a film producer by leading “special-ops style” expedition production crews to produce award-winning, ethically-minded advertisements within the outdoor space.  Possessing an M.B.A. from Yale, Rebecca is the consummate professional always seeking out new paths to personal and professional growth. That is why she has become focused on pursuing a wide range of adventures around the world that include navigation rally racing, sailing the open ocean, surfing, rock climbing, and even riding through Morocco and Mongolia aboard “monkey bikes.”In this episode, Jimmy is joined by XOVERLAND’s new podcast co-host, Leah Heffelfinger, for a conversation with Rebecca about how adventure can provide far more than thrills. Rebecca explains how, for her, adventure is sought out as a path to learn about herself that leads to intense and often immediate personal growth. Rebecca’s philosophy of adventure and how it affects her life is incredibly detailed and well-thought-through. Whether you are new to the world of life outside of your comfort-zone or have been at it for years, this unique conversation is sure to provide you with some useful ideas and enhance your perspective when it comes to finding your next adventure. Join Rebecca, Leah, and Jimmy as the three have fun exploring just how an adventurous approach to life can lead you to a place of fulfillment and a lifestyle that aligns with your deepest values. Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

This episode is our first dedicated to answering listener questions and the topic is building and equipping vehicles for overlanding, camping, and outdoor adventures of all kinds.Questions range from what the first modification should be on an overlanding vehicle to whether or not you should modify a vehicle in the first place.Experienced XOverland truck-builder and Fleet Manager, Tanner Johnson, and XOverland co-founder, Clay Croft, provide answers to a list of user-generated questions along with sharing their own particular preferences when it comes to overland vehicle builds, even taking a look at their unique personal vehicle choices for outdoor adventures.This conversation is packed with useful information and philosophy about building and equipping overland vehicles, and the time spent listening to it will likely save you both time and money as you take that next step in building your overland adventure vehicle.This podcast is brought to you by onX Offroad!Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

So many of us are super-excited about the release of Toyota’s all-new, 4th Generation Tacoma and the overlanding-themed “Trailhunter” grade. That’s why we were so grateful to have the opportunity at Overland Expo West (2023) to sit down with Sheldon Brown, Toyota’s lead engineer for the all-new 4th generation Tacoma platform.Listen in on the conversation between Sheldon and X Overland founder and lifelong Tacoma enthusiast, Clay Croft, as the two enjoy a detailed discussion about what makes this newest generation of Tacoma a marked upgrade from its predecessors and an excellent platform for overlanders.Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

With one week to go till Overland Expo West 2023, we have event planner and all-around adventure woman, Eva Rupert, on the podcast to discuss what to expect at this year’s Overland Expo West!Overland Expo West is a massive event full of overlanders and exhibitors from all over the world. It is an event that will excite both those new to overlanding as well as seasoned veterans. There is so much to see and do, and Eva is here to share details about activities and events taking place at Expo and how to strategies to create a plan that’s best for you.We also have Rachelle Croft joining us for this episode to share the history of X Overland at Expo and along with a few tidbits about what fans can expect from us this year. Beyond activities and events within the event, Eva provides a detailed look at the food and beverages, parties, and giveaways that will take place at Expo this year.Finally, learn everything you need to know about how to attend whether you’ll be staying in Flagstaff or camping at the event itself as Eva covers ticket sales, public transportation, and event facilities available to overlanders.It’s Overland Expo West 2023! Join us for the conversation to help you prepare for all it has to offer!Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

Join us as we sit down with Expedition Overland Team Doctor and experienced E.R. physician, Dr. Jon Solberg, to discuss Wilderness Medicine for Overlanders. Dr. Jon was featured in Expedition Overland's Alaska: The Last Frontier, and also served as team doctor on Expedition 7s first crossing of the Greenland Icecap. In this episode, Dr. Jon will break down the difference between “Wilderness Medicine” and conventional “Front-Country Medicine.” He will further explain the certification process around Wilderness Medicine education including the various levels of training and means of obtaining it.Jon and Jimmy specifically explore how Wilderness Medicine applies to overlanders and what kinds of unique challenges confront overlanders traveling through remote areas and working with and from vehicles. We plan on this being the first of many podcasts with Dr. Jon addressing the topic of wilderness medicine for overlanders and look forward to producing future episodes addressing specific topics within this field.Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with former Expedition Overland team member, Ty Heaps. Ty’s history with Expedition Overland goes way back to some of our very first episodes, and he and Clay are eager to catch up, share some stories, and offer what they have learned from years of experience in working with groups and teams.Ty served in the Marine Corps prior to joining our expeditions; therefore, he was immediately put in charge of team security as we toured our way through the Yukon, Mexico, and Central America.Listen in to the conversation as Ty and Clay share stories of their adventures while offering hard-earned insight that came from them. Also, find out what Ty’s up to nowadays and how his experience with Expedition Overland influenced his success.Finally, don’t miss out on hearing about Ty’s scariest moment on an Expedition Overland adventure and what it was like for the team to fly their first-ever drone during the filming of Season Zero!This podcast is brought to you by onX Offroad! Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here! 

We all poop (and pee!), so what are best practices for taking care of our “business” in the outdoors? We’ve invited Matt Caldwell, the Executive Director of TreadLightly.org to help us find answers to this question.Along with explaining best practices, Matt also shares the issues related to human waste that have developed recently as a result of an unprecedented volume of recreational activity on American public lands.From her experience at many overland expos over the past decade, Rachelle Croft knows that for many people new to overlanding (and to outdoor recreation in general), pooping, peeing and taking care of hygiene concerns in the outdoors can cause a considerable amount of anxiety. That’s why she’s on the show for this episode to share tips to assist people in feeling more comfortable with taking care of all of their needs in the outdoors.This is a sticky conversation that needs to be talked about, and the X Overland team is here for it in this episode! Join us for a conversation not to be missed!Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

Like many aspects of overlanding, keeping your vehicle in top condition and ready for your next adventure involves developing a mindset and body of knowledge and skills suitable to the task.For some, overland vehicle maintenance is a Zen-like pursuit that they enjoy doing themselves; for others, it is something they prefer to have done by a qualified professional. In this episode, we take a look at both approaches as well as the middle ground of doing some D.I.Y. maintenance while also knowing when it’s time to involve a shop. And speaking of shops, we take a look at the differences between dealerships and independent shops and the role both of these play in the maintenance of your vehicle. We also explore how to communicate with the mechanics who work on your machine so that you can trust in their work and know you are getting the best value for your money.In this episode, you will learn the basics of maintaining your overland vehicle both at home and while on the trail, discovering what to look for when it comes to checking your vehicle’s fluids and torquing nuts and bolts to spec. You will also learn what to look for when checking your air filter and how to know when it’s time to replace it along with best practices for changing your engine oil and filter.Additionally in this episode, you will find pro tips for keeping your diesel engine running in winter and for optimizing the performance and longevity of both diesel and gasoline engines. You will also find an in-depth discussion about “Starter Batteries,” “Starters,” and “Alternators” which will help keep you from experiencing a vehicle that leaves you stranded by failing to start in the backcountry.Matt, Ryan, and Jimmy have lots they are eager to share about all things involving overland vehicle maintenance. Join the discussion to find out what you need to know about vehicle maintenance to keep your vehicle reliable and to increase its longevity throughout a life of adventuring. Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

Adding additional means of electric power to your overland vehicle is customary to operate everything from winches, lighting, powered refrigerators, and possibly even your favorite coffee grinders.What options do you have to accomplish this task? What is the difference between a “Starter Battery” and a “House Battery”? What are power management controllers and how do they work to optimize power usage and protect expensive batteries and valuable accessories? These are just a few of the many common questions regarding electric power management in overlanding vehicles we seek to answer in this podcast. Join us as we explore portable power systems as well as discuss best practices for building a permanently installed power system while learning more about battery type and selection, solar power, and how to do the math to calculate your unique power needs.Jimmy, Matt, and Ryan even spend time breaking down definitions of “Amp-Hours,” “Watts,” and “Volts” while illustrating how these three elements of electric power interact to create a sustainable source of energy for your overlanding vehicle. This episode is packed with knowledge and useful tips to help you learn how to create and manage a power system that will suit your needs for overlanding and vehicle-based adventures of any kind!Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!

In this episode, Jimmy is joined by X Overland team members Matt Hopkins (Global Logistics Coordinator) and Ryan Connelly (Operations Manager) to discuss communications for overlanding and outdoor adventurers. Matt is a High Alpine specialist for Gallatin Valley Search and Rescue in Bozeman, Montana, a member of our local HAM radio family, and, in addition to his role at X Overland, owns and operates a long-range trucking business.Ryan has been on several X Overland expeditions and is highly familiar with every type of communication device used by our teams, from handheld radios to Starlink.These guys are more than qualified to discuss all aspects of communications for overlanding and outdoor adventure and that’s exactly what we do in this episode!Read the full show notes here!Watch this podcast here!