About
About us & how we rate
Overland Gear Lab is an independent comparison site for US car campers and overlanders. We turn messy product listings into clean, comparable data.
Where the data comes from
Each product starts from its Amazon.com listing: title, brand, price, rating, images, feature bullets and the technical table. We normalize every spec into a typed field with a single unit (pounds, inches, quarts, watt-hours, °F). When the listing is incomplete, we fill gaps from the manufacturer's official page or from established reviews and owner forums, and record that source on the product page. Anything we cannot confirm stays blank and shows as “—”. We never estimate a spec.
How the editor scores work
Every category has six score axes from 0 to 10, shown as a radar chart. Scores are derived from the specs across the range of products in our catalog (for example, the largest capacity scores high on “Capacity”), then adjusted by at most one point for factors the numbers miss, such as owner-reported build quality. They are comparable only within a category and we recompute them when the catalog changes. Scores are our editorial judgment, not manufacturer claims.
Rooftop Tents
| Comfort | mattress_in + sleeps + interior space vs catalog range |
|---|---|
| Setup speed | inverse of setup_min across the catalog |
| Weather | waterproof_mm + season_rating + shell_type |
| Build quality | materials, hardware, warranty_years, review signals |
| Low profile | inverse of weight_lb + closed_height_in |
| Value | overall score vs discountedPrice within category |
Portable Power Stations
| Capacity | capacity_wh normalized to catalog range |
|---|---|
| Output | ac_output_w + ac_surge_w + port count |
| Recharge speed | solar_input_w + inverse ac_charge_h |
| Portability | inverse weight_lb, Wh per lb |
| Longevity | chemistry + cycle_life + warranty_years |
| Value | price per Wh within category |
12V Fridges & Coolers
| Capacity | capacity_qt normalized |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | inverse avg_draw_w per qt |
| Cooling | temp_min_f + pull-down speed from reviews |
| Portability | inverse weight_lb + handles |
| Features | zones + app + protection |
| Value | overall vs price |
Vehicle Awnings
| Coverage | coverage_sqft normalized |
|---|---|
| Weather | waterproof_mm + upf + wind stability |
| Deploy speed | inverse deploy_min + freestanding |
| Build quality | frame, fabric, hardware, warranty |
| Light weight | inverse weight_lb |
| Value | overall vs price |
Camp Kitchens & Stoves
| Power | btu_per_burner + total_btu |
|---|---|
| Simmer control | editorial/review signal |
| Wind resistance | wind_guard + burner design |
| Cooking space | burners + cook_area_in |
| Portability | inverse weight_lb + packed size |
| Value | overall vs price |
Recovery Gear
| Strength | rated_strength_lb vs typical GVWR x3 guideline |
|---|---|
| Grip / effect | editorial + review signal |
| Durability | material + warranty |
| Packability | inverse weight_lb + length |
| Ease of use | editorial |
| Value | overall vs price |
Prices
Prices are snapshots captured on the date shown next to each one and labelled approximate. Amazon prices change often; the price on Amazon at the time of purchase is the one that applies.
Reviews
Review summaries describe what verified Amazon buyers say at capture time. We do not write or edit buyer reviews and never publish invented quotes.
Sample products
This preview build ships with clearly marked sample placeholder products so you can see the comparator, radar charts and rig builder working. They are not real products, and their values are illustrative.
Contact
Email: hello@overlandgearlab.com