Why RYD Overland Exists - God, Family, Adventure, & Gear That Works
My name is Hayden, and I come from a background in USAF special operations aviation where the right piece of gear isn’t just “cool”— it can save your life. In that world, gadgets and equipment aren’t toys. They’re tools of survival. I’ve always had a respect (and a fascination) with equipment that works, not just for the sake of clever design, but because it can protect you, keep you alive, and help you do more than the average person in extreme environments.
Overlanding and camping is going from being a hobby to something more: a lifestyle and a way to pass on real-world skills to my family — because I don’t believe there’s a place in this world for boys to grow up not knowing how to survive outside. My wife and I have four boys, and one of the greatest gifts I can give them is not just love, faith, and knowledge — but competency in the outdoors. There’s something about being outside, in God’s creation, seeing the world in real tangible ways, working with your hands, testing your abilities, breathing real air, and moving away from screens that actually shapes a person. I want my sons to be men who can think, adapt, and protect other people — and I believe that growing up in the outdoors is essential to building well-rounded, capable men. But I also believe in pairing that old-school grit with the best of modern science and technology. The best gear and equipment aren’t just for comfort. They can make you unstoppable when paired with mindset and skill. RYD Overland was born out of a love for gear that works AND a love for family adventure.
Overlanding is something that a group of good friends introduced me to, and the more I do it, the more I realized how perfectly it ties together my passions: adventure, preparedness, training, gear testing, and family time. It presents enough of a challenge to keep me engaged and researching, and it also meshes with a lot of my kids’ interests — meaning it’s something we can do together for the rest of our lives. RYD Overland exists because I believe in raising boys to be strong men, I believe in equipping myself and my family with tools that actually matter, and I believe that adventure should be a regular part of life — not something that happens once a year. The gear and gadgets are fun, but they matter because they work when you need them most.
This brand is about living that lifestyle, testing that gear, and helping other families do the same.
If you connect with what we stand for and want to support this mission, one of the best ways you can help is simply by using our affiliate links when you buy gear. It costs you nothing extra, but it allows us to keep testing equipment, sharing real-world reviews, and creating more content that helps families like ours get outside. Your support truly makes a difference — thank you.
Image provided by PetraOverland.com