Table of contents for January/February 2025 in TREAD

Having the opportunity to build my ideal outdoor adventure rig has been a dream for many years, and a new 2024 Toyota Tacoma was the perfect blank canvas. I spent a lot of time looking at the Tacoma’s different trim levels and, based on what I planned to change, decided to go with the SR5 with a 6-foot bed. Now, I know a few people out there will ask, “Why did you go with the longbed?” Well, for how I like to spend time in the backcountry, where I plan on going, and how I wanted to outfit the build, it was the right choice. The first thing to address was the suspension, wheels, and tires. We chose the Stage 4 suspension system from ICON Dynamics. The system comes with…

We can all agree that building an adventure rig capable of long-term outings is our collective dream scenario. There’s nothing quite like suiting up for an extended trip into the great outdoors, but let’s face it—occasional weekend treks are most relatable for many of us. With that in mind, Ryno Lieberman of Ryno Built decided to build a dedicated off-road vehicle that can easily double as a comfortable daily driver too. After weighing out the options, Ryno selected a 2024 Subaru Outback to serve as the base vehicle for this endeavor. It fulfilled all the requests he placed at the forefront of the project and would be able to accommodate all the upgrades Ryno had in store while still having room to build upon in the future. Once Ryno got…

You’ve seen the amazing photos Evan Walsh of Blackhat Studios has captured over the years. We’ve published his work on our pages many times before, but while you were drooling over his exciting still images, have you ever wondered how he reaches the vantage points he shoots from? Most of the time, Evan’s photo locations are not easily accessible in a regular passenger car. Chances are high that he followed his 4WD subjects to these remote destinations in his own killer ride—a 2006 Toyota 4Runner that he has built into an absolute long-travel beast over the course of 4 years. What else would you expect a hardcore off-road photographer to mob to the ‘office’ in? When’s the last time you saw a 4Runner hauling ass through the desert? Not very…

A four-wheel drive that is not a genuine four-wheel drive? Many would say it is common without lockers or fancy computer software to aid traction control—and they would be right. But what about a 4WD pickup that doesn’t maintain at least a single front and rear tire fighting for traction? You probably know what I am talking about if you have a 2012-2018 Ram 1500 (or the 2019+ Ram 1500 Classic) with the Borg Warner 44-44 transfer case. This transfer case has earned a reputation for falling short if faced with deep mud, sand, or snow. I have experienced it firsthand in deep snow and on a sandy beach, and my pickup left me wanting more. So why have this transfer case in your pickup, and how do you know…

I was incredibly fortunate to receive an invitation from Toyota to hang out at what the company affectionately calls Camp Toyota. At Camp Toyota, I tested the most off-road capable Tacoma and Land Cruiser models in the mountains of West Virginia while enjoying the scenery, the trails, and, of course, the vehicles themselves. The Vehicles Through all the fun on the West Virginia trails, I was going to test out an impressive lineup of the Tacoma Trailhunter, Tacoma TRD Pro, Land Cruiser First Edition, standard Land Cruiser, and a Land Cruiser 1958. I actually drove the Land Cruiser 1958 from my home in southern Pennsylvania to the trail/camp location of Twin Mountain Off-Road Adventure located at Old Fields, West Virginia. The drive from my home to the location was about…

01. DECKED/CARGOGLIDE 600 Glide your cargo out to you with one hand on the half-width CargoGlide truck bed slide-out. It features 75% extension, a 600-pound payload, and multiple installation configurations. MSRP -$899 www.decked.com 02. TITAN/SIDEKICK II 15-GALLON FLUID TRANSFER TANK Introducing the TITAN Sidekick II, designed to be the ultimate solution for all your liquid storage and transport needs. The Sidekick mounts over wheelwells, maximizing the usable area in your truck bed, while still offering a massive 15 gallons of capacity. MSRP $349 www.titanfueltanks.com 03. BLUETTI POWER/AC70 PORTABLE POWER STATION 1,000W BLUETTI AC70 portable power with multiple outlets delivers 1,000 watts of continuous power, allowing you to connect and run several appliances at once. Activate the Power Lifting Mode of the AC70 portable power in the BLUETTI app, effortlessly powering…

Back when Darren Parsons first unveiled this truck, it gave off a menacing vibe somewhere in between the cold, calculated nature of Darth Vader with the predatory pounce of the Batmobile. As dark and chilling as it sounds, these two descriptions may still not even totally peg down how demented Darren Parson’s 1975 Ford F-100 was. Obviously, it still is—don’t get it twisted. It has recently received a facelift and other upgrades that have since increased its appeal. For those questioning the origins of this Ford, let’s clear the air—yes, this is the old RPM / RoadHazard truck. It changed aliases as it changed hands, but since Darren purchased this rig, it now responds to the name Lucky7—and it has a whole new persona to go along with it. Surely,…

We are always looking for ways to level up our trucks, and one of the fastest ways to add protection is to beef up the bumper. Body Armor 4x4 makes that super easy with the Pro Series II Rear Bumper. The engineering and design of this bumper made the installation process a dream. Follow along as we upgrade Project Tread!…

In beautiful Temecula, California, lies an off-roader’s paradise known as TCB Ranch. This property is a fully private lot with everything you could ask for when it comes to testing, tuning, and proving your off-road rig has what it takes to handle the harsh terrain of any desert or rock course. On Saturday, Oct. 26, Doug and Sterling from Dweezy Shop rented the property and decided to have one big Southern California pre-runner meet. Doug invited Eric Conner from Socal Suspension and his beautiful 1974 F-100 named Vivian 2.0 to help run all the demos and organize the trucks that were out there to jump and party. Eric and Doug brought out some heavy hitters in the pre-runner community to demo their trucks for all of the locals and spectators…

In the world of vehicle builds, every project tells its own story—and sometimes, those stories run in parallel. Sometimes they even run in circles. For those who know me, they’ll remember that while I’m no longer a stranger to all things off-road, it wasn’t always that way. It wasn’t that long ago that I found myself stuck on a dirt side road in Wrightwood, wondering how I was going to get out of 6 inches of mud, gravel, and slush. Fast forward almost seven years later, and what started as a casual conversation between two friends—Eric Dalcin and me—about buying Ford Mavericks turned into a dual-build adventure involving two identical Subaru Crosstrek Sports. These were vehicles I should have started with from the beginning. The original appeal of the Maverick…

01. COAST RL35R HEADLAMP The hands-free RL35R headlamp from Coast uses cutting-edge voice-recognition technology to make versatile lighting responsive to intuitive spoken commands. Engage this game-changing voice control feature and then tell your headlamp what to do—with options for power on/off, lighting output, beam shape, beam color, and more. Ideal for hands-on work and messy environments, the RL35R makes portable lighting as dynamic and easy as possible. MSRP: $99 coastportland.com 02. PATAGONIA NANO PUFF QUILT Incredibly warm for its weight, the Macro Puff Quilt from Patagonia is a nearly queen-size blanket that uses the same insulation material as the company’s Micro Puff Hoody. It packs down easily for travel, stays warm even when wet, and is ideal for curling up in after a frigid day on the skin track. Made…

I travel a ton with my truck, and one of the things I’m always looking for is a better way to organize, store, and protect gear from the elements. The new YT8 system from DECKED is the perfect answer to all of those needs. The company made the buildout to install super quickly and easily by yourself in the driveway of your shop. Not only is it super functional, but it looks great as well.…

Dan answered before I could even ask, eyes glinting with a hopeful sparkle. “I’ve been thinking we should sleep in a swag!” That should’ve been my first clue. He had just finished walking me through a high level overview of the build—the Gladiator he was working on to explore all the remote corners of his homeland of Australia. While I was impressed by the elaborate slide-out kitchen, drinking water and filtration system, and obvious 4x4 capabilities, I couldn’t help noticing it was suspiciously light in the sleeping department. “A swag?” I parroted back nervously. I rolled the word around in my mouth like a new piece of candy. “Swag” has a way of swirling around the teeth and gums like the name Maggie. Even with Dan’s soft Australian accent, worn…

Demko Knives, known for its innovative folding knife locks, offers two standout models: the AD20S and the Shark-Cub. Both knives utilize the Shark-Lock mechanism, which enhances both functionality and ease of use. However, these two models serve different purposes, with distinct features and materials that cater to varying user needs. Shark-Lock Mechanism: A Core Innovation Both the AD20S and the Shark-Cub use the Shark-Lock, a spine-mounted locking mechanism. This design allows the blade to open and close efficiently with one hand, reducing the need for excessive wrist manipulation. The Shark-Lock mechanism distributes load across a pin that connects the blade tang with the handle. This structure helps in absorbing pressure effectively, similar to the Tri-Ad lock, another Demko creation that has been used in Cold Steel knives. The Shark-Lock’s placement…

We’ve all spent endless hours online searching for local and not-so-local trucks listed for sale. Even if we don’t necessarily need a new pickup, there’s no harm in looking, right? In theory, the practice of doom scrolling through classified ads is innocent enough, but every now and then things can quickly escalate past the act of window shopping. Before you know it, you just might find yourself hitting the road with an empty trailer “just in case” the truck in question is in fact too good of a deal to turn down. Even if the seller’s description is incorrect or simply misleading, there’s still a chance that truck is following you home whether under its own power or hitching a ride on that car hauler. Impulse buying a hell of…