Welcome! I’m Chris Emery, an avid outdoors enthusiast hooked on exploring the world beyond where the pavement ends. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy (not to mention money), outfitting vehicles for off-road and overlanding adventure.

I started Ordealist to share what I’ve learned with others interested in off-road and overlanding adventure. I’ve been adventuring in vehicles for over 20 years, and love to talk about it and help other people get started. Whether you are just starting out or have been at it for years, I hope you’ll find the information you need to have fun and stay safe.

What’s with the name Ordealist? I’ve always liked this quote attributed to legendary mountaineer Yvon Chouinard:

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“It’s not an adventure until something goes wrong.”

I’m not an advocate for putting yourself in danger, but it captures the spirit of rugged adventure. Some people like sitting on the deck of a cruise ship. Others find satisfaction in rugged outdoor adventures where part of the fun is the struggle. Where skill, knowledge, and grit matter. If you’re of this later type, you’re in the right place. We’re here to help you suffer in style.

If you want to get a sense for what I like to do in my Jeep, here’s a video from a recent adventure:

Connect With Us

You can follow Ordealist on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, and connect with our community of overlanding enthusiasts.

Getting Started Overlanding?

If you are just getting started out overlanding and off-roading, check out our Overlanding 101 section and sign up for our beginner email course. You’ll find a number of articles to get you up-to-speed quickly:

The definition of overlanding depends on your approach, interests, equipment and sense of adventure.

Guide to getting started overlanding, including choosing a vehicle, gear you’ll need and basic skills and trip planning.

Overlanding has its risk, but with some careful planning you help ensure a safe and rewarding adventure.

Basic guide to the characteristics and components that make a vehicle capable of tackling challenging off-road terrain.

Looking for Overlanding Gear?

The overlanding and off-road gear section offers gear guides, how-tos, reviews and news. Here are a few examples:

Overlanding and Off-roading Events

Check out our events calendar to find overlanding and off-roading events near you.

Want to Build a DIY Overland Trailer

I built my own trailer from scratch and documented the process in a series of posts and videos with the intention of helping other people dive into building their own trailers.

Yep, that’s me using a skateboard truck to build an overland trailer.