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The Gateway Glass 

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Binoculars intimidate. A monocular invites. One lens might be the most social piece of gear you can carry.

by: Michael Constantine Bhanos
written on: July 16th, 2026

Twice in the past month, complete strangers walked up to me because of a lens the size of a pocket flashlight. Once on a pullout above Big Sur. Once in a hot spring in Montana. Every one of them put it to their eye without a second of hesitation. So here’s the point, right up front: the monocular is the most shareable, most social, most approachable piece of glass you can own. It’s the gateway. 

Here’s how I ended up with one. 

I don’t know if it’s my age or just finally slowing down enough to smell the flowers, but somewhere along the way birding became an interest of mine. Not in a serious life-list way. More in a “wait, what is that” way. Which, as far as I can tell, is how it starts for everyone. 

So when I saw Bushnell had a booth at the Sea Otter Classic cycling event, I was intrigued. Optics aren’t exactly the core market at a bike festival. I walked over with no agenda beyond honest curiosity. I told them the truth, which was that I had an old pair of Brunton binoculars that were fine but not great, and I was thinking about upgrading. We (AvantLink) work with Bushnell on the affiliate side, but I don’t think that’s what made the conversation good. They were genuinely interested in my enthusiastic story, and I was genuinely interested in the glass. They had a show special going. I left with a monocular. 

That little tube changed how the rest of the trip went. 

We drove down to Big Sur and pulled off above the rock shores where the sea lions haul out. I put the monocular to my eye and there they were, close and textured and alive. And then something happened that I did not expect. People at the pullout started drifting over. A couple of girls were looking out at the same rocks, seeing nothing but rocks. I handed them the monocular and said, you need to look down there with this. They did. Their whole faces changed. 

That’s when I started paying attention to the object itself, not just what it showed me. 

Here is my observation. Binoculars, for all their virtues, have a small chasm to bridge. Handing someone your binoculars is a bit of a production. There’s a strap, a hinge, two eyecups, a focus wheel, maybe a diopter they’ll accidentally spin. People hesitate. They say no thanks, I’m good. 

A monocular has none of that friction. It passes between strangers as easily as a phone. One lens, one eye, one hand. Everyone intuitively knows how to hold it and where to put it. Nobody has ever needed instructions for a spyglass. It’s practically pirate-coded. You hand it over and people just look. 

It happened again a week later, in Montana. After XOverland’s The Big Thing event, we soaked at some hot springs on the way home, and I had the monocular with me because there was a beautiful garden with birdfeeders right off the water. Even at close range, the glass did something the naked eye can’t. It pulled the bird all the way in. You could see the texture of the feathers, the deeper, richer color, the pattern work on the wings. And once again, people we didn’t know came over. In a hot spring, wearing swimsuits, total strangers put a monocular to their eye and started narrating what they saw. It wasn’t strange or odd. It was the opposite. It was an invitation. 

I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Kirk, AvantLink’s Marketing Manager, was with me at Sea Otter and watched the same thing happen. People who would normally wave off an offer were drawn to it. It attracts. It doesn’t ask anything of anyone. 

Since then I’ve added the Bushnell A5, a 10×42 waterproof binocular, to the fleet, and I love it. It’s the better instrument for actually watching. But the monocular I carry is the one that gets shared. Mine is the A series in tan, and the design itself seems in on the joke. It’s a fun color. It fits in a pocket. It has what I can only describe as a party mode built in. Packable, playful, and easy enough that the barrier to entry is zero. 

So here’s my case. If you’re curious about optics, or you know someone who might be, don’t start with the big glass. Start with one lens. The monocular is the gateway. It gets you looking, and better than that, it gets the people around you looking too. It turns a pullout on Highway 1 or a bird feeder off a hot spring into a shared moment between strangers. 

The sea lions were great. The birds were great. But honestly, the best thing I saw through that monocular was what happened around it. 

The Overland Dad Rig: Why Adventure Trucks Are More Practical Than People Think

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by: Michael Constantine Bhanos
written on: June 11th, 2026

Overlanding gets a bad rap sometimes.

You know the joke.

Someone loads up a truck with a roof rack, recovery boards, a rooftop tent, a fridge, camp lights, traction gear, an awning, water storage, a battery system, and enough accessories to cross a continent — only to use it for the most extreme expedition of all: driving to Whole Foods and back.

Fair enough. It’s funny because we’ve all seen some version of it.

But I also think the joke misses something important.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Overlanding isn’t a fringe hobby anymore. Interest in overlanding has grown over 2,000% compared to just a decade ago, and the 2025 US Overlanding Report estimates there are now 3.5 million active overlanding participants in the United States. The core demographic? Largely adults aged 25 to 54 — which is a fancy way of saying: parents.

That’s not a coincidence.

The fastest-growing segment of the outdoor recreation industry isn’t being driven by solo backcountry thrill-seekers. It’s being driven by people who want to bring their families along — people who want better gear, more access, and the ability to stay out longer without making it harder on the people they love most.

A Place for Everything

Once you build an overland rig, the gear is not just “stuff on your truck.”

That truck becomes the home for that gear. The gear has a place. The truck has a purpose. And the whole system starts to make a lot more sense when you stop thinking about it as a vehicle with accessories and start thinking about it as a mobile operating system — for adventure, for family, and for everyday life.

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

That is exactly what a well-built overland rig becomes.

The cooler has a place. The shade has a place. The power station has a place. The recovery gear has a place. The camp chairs, blankets, lights, tools, first aid kit, water, snacks, and random kid gear — all of it has a place.

And that’s critical to sanity.

Because the alternative is not some cleaner, simpler life where the gear magically disappears. The alternative is unloading everything after every trip, finding a second home for it in the garage, reorganizing it before the next trip, forgetting half of it, and then repeating that cycle every time you want to get outside.

That is not simplicity. That is just moving the same gear back and forth which the thought alone makes my palms sweat.

Once the gear is attached to the vehicle, stored properly, and actually used, the vehicle becomes the storage solution. It becomes the staging area. It becomes the launch pad.

The Real Reason Parents Don’t Go

Here’s the truth nobody talks about: packing is the enemy of adventure.

Not the trail. Not the weather. Not the logistics of finding a campsite. The thing that stops most parents from getting outside with their kids is the sheer weight of preparation. The mental load of building a gear list, pulling it from three different corners of the garage, loading it into a vehicle that wasn’t designed to hold any of it, and then doing the whole thing in reverse when you get home — with tired, hungry kids — is enough to make you never attempt it again.

I know this firsthand. I’m a single dad with a three-year-old. If I’m not at the ready, I’m never ready. That’s just the reality of parenting at this stage. The window to go is small. The energy to prep is limited. And a toddler does not care about your packing timeline.

The overland rig changed that completely.

Because the rig is always loaded. The tent is on the roof. The fridge is stocked. The chairs are strapped down. The first aid kit is where it always is. When the window opens — and with young kids, the window opens fast and closes faster — we go. Not someday. Not next weekend when I have time to prep. Now.

Because of my overland rig, we actually go.

That might sound like a small thing. It is not. There are a lot of parents out there who want to camp with their kids, who want to get outside more, who want to build those memories — and the packing and prepping stops them from ever executing. Not once. Every single time.

The overland rig removes that barrier entirely. You are not packing for a trip. You are already packed. You are not preparing to adventure. You are already prepared. The only thing left to do is go.

The Best Dad Vehicle Ever Built

And for dads, especially, that changes everything.

Because when the overland truck is not being used for an actual overland trip, it might be the best dad vehicle ever built.

Not because it looks cool in a parking lot. Not because it photographs well at sunset. Not because it has every accessory bolted to it.

Because it lets you pivot.

And fatherhood is basically one long lesson in pivoting.

You think you are going to the park for an hour, and suddenly you are out for half the day. You think you are just going for a bike ride, and someone needs snacks, shade, a dry hoodie, a bandaid, and a place to sit. You think you are heading to a trailhead, and suddenly the plan turns into a trailgate with the gang with lunch, creek time, a nap, and a full-blown dad-gang field operation.

That is where the overland rig shines.

It is shade on demand. Cold drinks on demand. Snacks on demand. Power on demand. Tools on demand. Blankets, layers, wipes, chairs, lights, and whatever else the day suddenly requires.

It is not just an adventure vehicle. It is a DOV — Dad Operations Vehicle.

Kids Love Gear Too

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: kids are just as drawn to the gear as we are.

There is something about a rooftop tent, a fridge full of cold drinks, a set of recovery boards, or a glowing camp light that captures a kid’s attention in a way a screen never quite does. It is tangible. It is real. It has a job. It’s the world of tools, not toys.  And when you explain what each piece of gear does — how the traction boards get you unstuck, how the power station keeps the lights on, how the awning turns any patch of dirt into a basecamp — kids lock in.

Gear is a gateway.

It pulls them out of their heads and into the present moment. It gives them something to be curious about, something to touch, something to help with. A kid who is handing you the recovery board or pumping up the air downed tires is not thinking about a screen. They are present. They are part of the operation. They are invested in the adventure.

That is one of the quiet superpowers of the overland rig. It does not just carry the family into the outdoors. It gives the kids a reason to care about being there.

Beyond the Fantasy of Escape

For a lot of people, overlanding is marketed as escape. Get away. Go remote. Find the wild. Disconnect.

All of that is real. But there is another layer that is just as useful — and maybe more honest about how most people actually live.

Overlanding is not only about getting far away from life. Sometimes it is about being better equipped for the life you are already living.

A well-built overland rig can support camping trips, road trips, ski days, bike days, beach days, soccer tournaments, trail cleanups, school pickups, tailgates, emergency weather, and random Saturday adventures that start with “let’s just go see what happens.”

That kind of readiness is valuable and critical for memory making.

The fridge that keeps drinks cold on a five-day backcountry trip also keeps snacks ready after a 90-minute bike ride. The awning that creates shade in the desert also creates shade at the trailhead. The power station that runs camp lights also inflates lake floats, charges cameras, phones, and speakers. The storage drawer that organizes recovery gear also keeps kid gear from becoming a rolling disaster.

The gear does not stop being useful when the trail ends.

Prepared to Say Yes

That is the real reframe.

Overlanding is not just about looking prepared. At its best, it is about actually being prepared.

Prepared to go farther. Prepared to stay longer. Prepared to bring people with you. Prepared to make the day easier, better, and more memorable.

And yes, sometimes that fully loaded rig will be sitting in a grocery store parking lot. That does not make it ridiculous. It might just mean the same vehicle that got used hard last weekend is also the vehicle picking up dinner on Tuesday and supporting mtb bike clinics on Thursday.

That is not fake adventure. That is integration.

The gear has a place. The vehicle has a purpose. The family has options.

So maybe the overland rig does not need to be defended as some extreme expedition machine.

Maybe it needs to be understood as something more practical.

A mobile basecamp. A family adventure platform. A dad-gang support vehicle. A rolling garage. A shade structure. A snack station. A tool kit. A power hub. A reason to say yes more often. A reason to stay outside with your kids.

Yes to the trail. Yes to the park. Yes to the campout. Yes to the last-minute plan. Yes to staying longer because you actually brought what you needed — and no to screen time and staying indoors.

That, to me, is the real value of the overland vehicle.

Not the fantasy of disappearing forever into the backcountry.

The ability to show up better wherever the day takes you.

Sources

2025 US Overlanding Report (Rudiment LLC) • Offroadium Overlanding Trend Analysis • SEMA Rise of Overlanders Report

Global Pet Expo 2026: The Missing Link in Pet Mobility (and the One Brand Actually Doing Something About It) 

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by: Michael Constantine Bhanos
written on: April 27th, 2026


Global Pet Expo 2026 is massive. You walk the floor and it feels like every corner of the pet world is covered – nutrition, toys, grooming, health, you name it. 

But I kept coming back to the same thought walking the show: 

Where is e-mobility? 

Coming from the world we live in at AvantLink – cycling, overland, outdoor—mobility is foundational. It’s how people actually live with their gear, their kids, their routines. 

So it stood out that almost no one in the pet space is really thinking about: 

how people move with their animals day to day. 

There was basically one brand leaning into it. 

The Only Real Player on the Floor: GYROOR 

GYROOR has been in e-mobility for over a decade, and they showed up with a lineup that actually considered pets as part of the equation. 

I’ve been riding their GYROOR C1 Plus Scooter for the past couple of weeks, and it’s one of those products that makes more sense the more you use it. 

It Rides More Like a Bike Than a Scooter 

This isn’t a typical stand-up scooter. 

  • You’ve got a seat 
  • Foot pegs 
  • And you’re essentially straddling it like a compact bike 

The dog sits in a center basket, but importantly, low and centered between your legs. 

That changes everything. 

It feels planted. Way more stable than a handlebar basket or anything mounted high. You’re not fighting balance – you’re just riding. 

The Entry Point Is What Makes This Interesting 

Let’s talk about what actually makes this viable for people. 

This thing is roughly $600. 

That’s a completely different conversation than cargo bikes. 

  • Cargo bikes: $3K–$8K+ 
  • Big, heavy, hard to store 
  • You’re lifting your dog into them 

With this: 

  • Low step-in height 
  • Side door on the basket → dog walks in and out 
  • No lifting, no wrestling 
  • Way easier on both you and the animal 

And when you’re done? 

  • It folds down 
  • Fits in a garage corner, a trunk, or the back of a 4Runner 

It’s just a much lower-friction way to get into the idea of moving around with your dog. 

Where It Actually Gets Used 

This isn’t about replacing long rides or big adventures. 

It shines in the in-between moments: 

  • Getting from home to a trailhead 
  • Running over to a park 
  • Short urban hops where walking feels long but driving feels unnecessary 

In places like: 

  • Salt Lake City 
  • Park City 

That’s a daily use case. 

Especially when the weather heats up: 

  • No burned paws on asphalt 
  • No exhausting your dog before you even start 
  • Just get them from door to dirt to grass 

What Needs Work 

The platform itself is solid. 

The weak point is the center basket. 

  • The parallel rails, especially the top rail bends easier than it should 
  • Minimal reinforcement 
  • Open structure means paws can slip through 

I bent the top rail just leaning on it while standing up. That’s not ideal. 

If they fix this, it’s a much stronger product: 

  • Add vertical supports to the baskets parallel bars 
  • Reinforce the top rail 
  • Tighten up negative space of the basket with mesh or structure 
  • Build in a quick-release so you can pop the basket off easily 

Right now it works, but it could be way better with a second pass. 

The Bigger Takeaway from the Show 

This isn’t really about one scooter. 

It’s that almost no one else is thinking about this at all. 

You look around the show and realize: 

  • No real pet-first cargo bikes 
  • Very few purpose-built trailers (many types of strollers however) 
  • Almost no integrated mobility systems 

Most of what exists today is borrowed from the kid category and repurposed for pets. 

There’s a big opportunity sitting there for brands that already understand mobility to step in and do this right. 

Final Take 

GYROOR is early – but they’re directionally right. 

The GYROOR C1 Plus Scooter works. It’s stable, it’s practical, and most importantly, it’s accessible. 

At ~$600, foldable, easy to store, and simple for a dog to get in and out of – it lowers the barrier to actually using something like this in real life. 

It’s not perfect yet. But it’s one of the only products at Global Pet Expo 2026 that felt like it was solving this real, everyday problem. 

And right now, that’s enough to stand out. 

AvantLink at SHOT Show, The Gundies, and Industry Day at the Range

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by: Scott Chaplin
written on: March 1st, 2026


AvantLink was proud to exhibit at Industry Day at the Range during the SHOT Show — one of the most energizing weeks of the year for the 2A community.


Industry Day always reminds us that this industry is built on relationships. Brands, agencies, publishers, and creators come together not just to showcase products, but to strengthen partnerships. There are a lot of amazing people in this space — principled, hardworking, and deeply committed to freedom. A big thanks to Kelsey Puryear for making it all happen and for the opportunity to be a part of it.

Our team was fully engaged throughout the week. I had the privilege of representing AvantLink alongside our Business Development lead, Jeremy Britto, who did a remarkable job connecting with brands, agencies, and media partners. Jeremy continues to build meaningful relationships that turn into long-term partnerships, and it showed all week.

During SHOT Show, we also had the opportunity to recognize two outstanding partners:

  • Agency of the Year: Ryan Repp and the team at Repputation Marketing
  • Affiliate of the Year: Eric and Paula Hung and the team at Pew Pew Tactical

Ryan and his team continue to elevate brands through thoughtful strategy and execution. Eric, Paula, and the Pew Pew Tactical team set the standard for educational, high-quality content that serves the firearms community the right way.


We were also honored to sponsor The Gundies, a fantastic celebration of excellence in firearms media across the 2A space.


One of the highlights of the week was spending time with Adam and the team at MidwayUSA. We are thrilled to officially welcome MidwayUSA to AvantLink and look forward to building a strong, long-term partnership together.


We also had great conversations with Josiah McCallum and the team at Palmetto State Armory — one of our top customers and a true leader in the space. It’s always energizing to talk strategy and growth with a partner that continues to innovate and push forward.
Throughout the week, we reconnected with John and Natalie from Hook & Barrel, John from Warrior Poet Society, Paul from Legally Armed America, and many others. And of course, we got to hang out with one of the best in the business — Tim Brandt from Murray Road Agency.
The energy, innovation, and camaraderie throughout the week were a powerful reminder of why we’re so committed to serving this vertical. The 2A community is strong because the people behind it care deeply about doing things well.


We’re grateful for the partnerships, the conversations, and the friendships.
We can’t wait until the next one.

AvantLink Event Recap – Affiliate Summit East & The Creator Economy

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by: Scott Chaplin
written on: September 30th, 2025


AvantLink was proud to attend Affiliate Summit East and The Creator Economy, held back-to-back at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York City. These premier gatherings brought together leaders in affiliate partnerships, performance marketing, and the creator economy, offering a unique opportunity to connect with some of the most influential voices in the industry.

Representing AvantLink, Scott Chaplin (VP of Global Sales) and Chuck Hamrick (Affiliate Team Lead) participated in a series of productive meetings and valuable networking sessions. The events provided an ideal platform to showcase AvantLink’s expertise while strengthening existing relationships and building new ones.
We were especially pleased to meet with:

  • Elaine Rau (Rockporch)
  • Annie Ferlmann (Capital One Shopping)
  • Josiah McCallum (Palmetto Outdoors)
  • Morgan Bell-Shildt (tvScientific)
  • Michelle Kalinowski (NYMO & Co.)
  • Social influencer Ellie Dobleske

…alongside many other innovative partners and professionals who continue to shape the future of affiliate and creator-driven marketing.

The energy and collaboration at Affiliate Summit East and The Creator Economy underscored AvantLink’s commitment to supporting growth across the performance marketing ecosystem. We left New York with new opportunities, stronger connections, and greater visibility for our role in the evolving industry.

Community, Collaboration, and Growth at GOALS, Knoxville 

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by: Scott Chaplin
written on: August 18th, 2025

This year I had the privilege of representing AvantLink as the official sponsor of the Media Room at the GOA Goals event in Knoxville. It was an incredible experience, and I’m proud that AvantLink could play such a key role in supporting this gathering. 

The Media Room quickly became a central hub for industry leaders, brand representatives, affiliates, and media professionals. People came together to connect, collaborate, and recharge, and it was rewarding to see the space so alive with conversation and ideas.

I spent the week alongside my colleague, Jeremy Britto (Director of Business Development), meeting with affiliates, merchants, and partners, while also making sure the Media Room felt welcoming and productive for everyone who stopped by. It was the perfect setting to highlight AvantLink’s ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of the outdoor and shooting sports industry through affiliate marketing. 

One of the highlights for me was reconnecting with so many friends and partners. Perry and Frank from Right to Bear, Tim Brandt from The Murray Road Agency, Josiah and the team from Palmetto State Armory, Nathan from Mitchell Defense, Ron from Ryker, and Laura from Taurus were just a few of the many who made time to stop by. Their presence and engagement helped turn the Media Room into a true hub of collaboration and innovation, and those conversations reminded me of why these events are so valuable.