With Overland Expo SoCal 2025 wrapped up, I wanted to highlight some of the coolest rigs, gear, and upgrades I came across. The event was packed with exciting builds and innovative products at every turn—it was impossible not to be excited!

Before even getting into the event, I found a fellow Sarge Green Gladiator in the parking lot, so of course I had to park next to it and leave a Northridge4x4 sticker tucked under their windshield wiper! 

The parking lot itself mine as well have been apart of the Expo as there were so many cool rigs to see before even getting into the event itself.

Walking through the entry of Overland Expo, there were immediately tons of Jeeps, Broncos, Ram trucks and off-road trailers front and center. 

The first rig I checked out was this nicely outfit Jeep Gladiator complete with a Magnaflow Overland exhaust system and a whole host of Roam adventure Co. overland upgrades, Eaton E-Lockers, Revolution Gears and of course some Roto Pax Water containers! This Gladiator is an excellent example of how you can outfit your Gladiator for overland adventure.

AEV had a huge presense at Overland Expo SoCal, featuring several of their well built 4x4's. The first one I saw on display(it was hard to miss!) Was their AEV Prospector XL Ram 3500. This truck featured a massive camper that would make any off-road adventure luxurious. 

Of course, AEV also had on display an off-road ready AEV equipped Jeep Gladiator. This rig was complete with 35" tires, AEV Savegre II Wheels, an AEV 2.5" DualSport RT Suspension system, AEV JL RX Front Bumper, Warn Zeon 10-S Winch, AEV 7000 Series LED Off-road Lights, Baja Designs 20" light bar mounted with AEV's Skid Plate Light Mounts and AEV's Front Trail Cam Relocation Kit! 

There were also many classic rigs on display like this Toyota FJ. The classic KC Daylighters really complete the classic look for this FJ, who doesnt love those yellow smiley face covers?! Another classic I spotted was a Jeep CJ-7 Renegade. It was sporting some beefy Nitto tires, Warn VR Evo winch and a huge assortment of other mods that gave it trail dominating look. I'm sure you could hit just about any trail in that CJ-7!

74Weld had a big presence at the Expo, featuring several 4x4s equipped with their portals. I especially liked checking out the new Tacoma and Landcruiser they had on display, with their portal system they were able to fit 37 inch tires on stock suspension! They also displayed a cool see-through portal box that shows the internal gears and bearings that makeup their portals. Their steering rack housing kit was also on display, showing off its bomb proof construction, this would be an excellent upgrade for independent front suspension equipped 4x4s.

Near the 74Weld booth, the Method Race Wheels booth prominently showcased their Bead Grip wheels. These innovative wheels feature integrated grooves(pictured below) on both the inner and outer bead seats, enhancing tire bead engagement for a stronger hold at lower pressures. I run a set of Method 705s on my Jeep Gladiator and have aired them down to single-digit PSI on the trail without issue. Bead Grip wheels are the ideal choice for those who want enhanced tire bead retention on the trail while maintaining excellent performance for daily driving.

I also saw a good amount of Ineos Grenadiers at the Expo. After getting an upclose look at this new 4x4, I can't deny that the Grenadier really seems to be an excellent choice for those looking to hit the trails and go on a long overland adventure. The Grenadier is the ultimate love letter in appearance and capability to the original Land Rover Defender, before the Defender got redesigned into what many people call a "soccer mom SUV", their words not mine! 

Toyo’s booth showcased their full off-road tire lineup, offering a close-up look at the aggressive tread of the Open Country M/T. This tire is built to handle tough terrain such as mud, rocks, sand and more with confidence—and looks good doing it! If an aggressive tread is what you want, the Toyo MT should be at the top of your list.

Truck campers and toppers were everywhere at the Expo—it seemed like nearly every truck had a bed rack or camper shell of some kind! My two favorite pop-up camper shells were the AT Overland Habitat and the Toppo Toppers Badlander. The AT Overland Habitat stood out because, instead of popping straight up, it folds over the back of the truck bed, creating a huge sleeping area. I was impressed that it only weighed 340 pounds—light enough for my Gladiator. However, my favorite was the Toppo Toppers Badlander. Unlike traditional wedge-style pop-ups, it offers a massive sleeping area with the entire camper roof popping straight up, while keeping weight down to around 325 pounds. This particular Toppo Topper had a diesel heater as well which would certainly make cold weather camping easy.

Inside one of the convention buildings I spotted probably my favorite overland rig from the Expo, a beautifully restored Jeep Forward Control. It was complete with a roof top tent, huge tires, beadlock wheels, winch bumper, Baja designs lights and much more! I can only imagine how fun it would be to roll down the trail in this FC, however I would be very cautious not to scratch its immaculate red paint job! In that same building I also saw what appeared to be a 1960s Ford P-Series Delivery Truck. It had a beautiful wood paneled interior, PRP seats, cabinets and a sleeping area. If I was going to live out of a 4x4 full-time, this would be a comfortable and spacious option!

The 6th gen Bronco had a huge precense at the Expo, however two of my favorites were the Bilstein Bronco build and the Westin Bronco. The Bilstein Bronco was complete with an ARB Summit Winch Front bumper, ARB Rock Sliders, roof top tent and of course the Bilstein B8 6112 Front and Rear Lift Kit. To me, this seems like a perfect option for building out a Bronco without breaking the bank. The Westin Bronco has massive tires, Baja designs light bar, wide fender flares, steel bumpers, winch, and a roof rack. 

One of the last Jeeps I checked out at the Expo was the Rock Jock 4x4 build. This Jeep featured their Antirock Sway bar which provides this Jeep with excellent suspension flex and increased traction off-road. Its also equipped with KMC beadlock wheels and a Warn Zeon Winch. To top it off its also equipped with some big 37" Nitto Trail Grappler tires.

Overland Expo is a great event for anyone passionate about overland and off-road vehicles. It offers a unique opportunity to get a hands on look at latest gear, explore innovative vehicle builds, and connect with like-minded enthusiasts. Whether you're into off-road adventures, vehicle-based travel, or simply looking for inspiration for your next build, this event has something for everyone.