The easiest way to get into overlanding is to simply just go.

“You need a shelter, you need food and water, and you need some safety gear.” says Brad Kowitz, the creator of TrailRecon, a wildly popular YouTube channel dedicated to all things overlanding. “That’s my advice, just get the basics, get out there, and go have a good time.”  

Helping folks get outside and experience the benefits of nature is the whole reason Brad and his wife Regena started TrailRecon. The channel debuted in 2015 with a video that Brad and Regena’s son Jordan made of their trip to the mud caves in California’s Anza Borrego State Park. The video gained an audience and soon the Kowitzs were posting about all their camping trips. The channel went viral. Now, with almost half a million subscribers, TrailRecon covers every aspect of the overland adventure, from camp cooking to vehicle mods to detailed trail reports.  

Even though Brad has reached next level YouTube fame, getting on a trip with TrailRecon is not out of reach. Brad is the face of E3 Overland — a nationwide overland community that helps to educate, empower, and entertain folks on the trail. In addition to web-based learning, E3 focuses on in-person events that get members together all across the country. Brad says joining members on E3 events keeps him grounded and connected to people who love the outdoors.

You can hear more about how you can join TrailRecon on an overlanding trip in 2022 on episode 13 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. Plus, you won’t want to miss Brad’s take on overlanding with a full-size pickup, the benefits of traveling with an offroad trailer, and Regena’s sage advice for making a reluctant spouse fall in love with roughing it in the great outdoors.

If you want to follow in the tread of TrailRecon and plan custom overland trips far away from the crowds, you’re going to need Gaia GPS Premium. With a Premium membership, you’ll be able to create your own routes, download maps for offline use, and access the entire map catalog, including offroading favorites like MVUM, the mines and minerals layer, satellite imagery, USFS roads and trails, weather maps, and more.

If you don’t have Gaia GPS Premium yet, you’re in luck. For a limited time, podcast listeners get a 40 percent discount on Gaia GPS Premium. Sign up now to get the maps for every adventure -- from overlanding to hiking to hunting -- all in one app on Gaia GPS.