TREADの September/October 2019 の目次

As summer turns to fall, camping and adventuring season is well underway. How many outdoor goals have you checked off your list so far? Camping, fishing, and roaming about mountain trails are all on my list. I’ve gotten a few goals checked off so far, but still have a few more to go. For many of us, the key to enjoying the outdoors is to let go of life’s worries and just enjoy the simple pleasures of nature. Let’s each try our best to get out there and knock out our adventure lists before the year is out. We love our off-road capable rides and we know you do, too. It’s always enlightening to check out how others build their vehicles. In this issue, we are fortunate to get a…

O1. ICEMULE/THE ICEMULE TRAVELER Need to access hard to travel to places, but still need to bring your drinks with you? The 35L-capacity Icemule Traveler mobile cooler is insulated for over 48 hours of ice retention and can be outfitted to be carried on your back. The Traveler’s removable, butterfly backpack strap ensures it is one of the easiest to carry high-capacity soft coolers around. Don’t leave your drinks behind, carry them on your back. MSRP: $290 icemulecoolers.com O2. LOWA/AERANO GTX LE Looking for drier feet? Lowa’s Aerano GTX Le hybrid hiking shoe combines Gore-Tex’s innovative Surround technology with Lowa’s proven ATC performance features for 360 degrees of breathable comfort that’s suitable for casual hikes and everyday wear. Its waterproof and breathable perforated nubuck upper keeps your feet…

For those that chase adventure and the rush of adrenaline, California becomes a natural place to call home. For Ohio-native, Mark Krumme, an opportunity to ride motorcycles, race cars, and experience what California had to offer became too good to pass up. In 2012, a friend of his had a room available to rent in the highly sought after city of Venice. Located only an hour or so away from a race track gave enough reason for Krumme to make the trek out West. With his trusty Acura Integra Type-R and ‘92 BMW 325IS in tow, he spent his time at the local race tracks honing his skills behind the wheel. Motorsports isn’t a cheap hobby and as his savings started to dry up, he knew it was time to…

Heart palpitating roars, undulating “braps,” and turbo-induced chirps echoed through Washington’s thick forestland as a flurry of men attended to a pair of almost-identically equipped Subaru rally cars. Each man had a specific duty, tools, and knowledge base to assist these vehicles and their occupants. Both cars were centered on oversized pale gray mats with jacks, jack stands, toolboxes, and other parts carefully laid around them. As one was jacked up, the other one was lowered. Each rally car took its turn running through the remote forest — screaming down a twisting course, gliding atop its terrain — beautifully positioning themselves against corners both wide and tight, aggressively chomping up gravel beneath them. Enormous plumes of dust enveloped Mother Nature as they charged their way back to their temporary paddock.…

When you travel well off the beaten path, you may require any and all methods of transportation at your disposal to get you to your final destination. For the bulk of the mileage, we’re likely to depend on our trusty fossil fuel–powered vehicles to get us to the region that we’d like to explore. Once there, however, our manner of conveyance can vary greatly depending on our intended destination and its environmental conditions. We may choose to hike, bike or even ski or climb our way to our intended goal. Depending on distance and terrain considerations, biking can be an efficient and fun way to get to where you want to go. While riding a bike off road can conjure up images of mountain bikes in your mind, there’s another…

By now you’ve seen the specs and probably have seen a few of the ‘20 Jeep Gladiator trucks rolling around the streets near you. Have you been behind the wheel yet? I have, and played with the full gambit of JT configurations, on and off road. Let’s dive into what this vehicle is really all about. Is It a Jeep? Is the Gladiator a Jeep? The short answer is a resounding, yes. The new Gladiator is a stout off-road capable 4x4 with solid axels and body-on-frame architecture. It offers everything you can get in a modern Jeep Wrangler, with the addition of a truck bed. That means you can remove the top and doors, as well as drop the windshield, for the ultimate open air motoring experience. A very unique…

One of the highlights of camping and living life on the trail can also be one of its greatest challenges, too. Preparing food and the anticipation of a delicious meal after a long day exploring is something that most look forward to. While travelling by way of off-road vehicle definitely has its perks, one of the drawbacks is the lack of space for everything you want to bring with you, especially when it comes to your mobile kitchen. As you have undoubtedly noticed, there are many choices when it comes to portable stoves, each type geared for a particular activity. There are mobile stoves that are powered by giant 20-pound propane tanks that are sized and suitable to feed an army of hungry tailgaters at a football game, and then…

Warm weather months are best for travelling, cruising and looking for adventure. As we enjoy the last weeks of summer, it’s a good time to spend time on and off the road and be seen in your decked out ride. A set of sharp looking, strong and capable wheels can simultaneously help your rig stand out from the crowd and conquer new terrain. Let’s take a look at some of the latest wheels to hit the market. Which set would you choose? RELATIONS RACE WHEELS/RR5-V The RR5-V’s simulated beadlock design uses real bolts to add more rigidity to its already heavy-duty look. The wheel offers extreme durability to overcome the rigors and unexpected conditions when off-roading. This wheel was designed and built tough to keep up with your drive on…

I’m exploring an isolated gravel track in Uganda alone when the stunning Lake Albert comes into view over the crest of a hill. I strategically park the Jeep to get the best photo possible, and walk away with camera in hand. As I climb the rock bank for a photo, I see the Jeep move. Almost before I can react, it has travelled an entire Jeep length, and is picking up speed fast. I desperately scramble after it, hoping without reason there is a way I can fling myself into the driver’s seat to stop it. Seeing the inevitable, I keep clear, utterly helpless. Within three or four lengths it hurtles out of control into the ditch on the left before striking the rock wall, very hard. The tire takes…

She preferred a remote dwelling. Off the beaten path where large, hardwood logs randomly tucked themselves along an undercut bank in the river. Crudely built by the high water of spring, her hovel was humble but sturdy. This was her fortress. In the shadow of these naked logs she’d hole up for days. A recluse, withdrawn from others like her. Maybe it was her European descendants that were to blame for the shyness, whatever the reason, she had a reputation for being ghostlike—refusing to leave her riverside home until after sundown. As one might expect, this type of demeanor birthed a myriad of rumors. Her reputation became tainted, stained by those who assumed truth without fact. Some thought her to be foxy; deliberately playing those that pursued her. Others claimed…

With 15,000 miles on the odometer, Daniel Kuttner’s Iglhaut Allrad up-fitted Mercedes Sprinter has already proven itself on and off road. From cruising the autobahn at 110 mph to crawling the rocks of Moab, this beast has done it all with composure and confidence. “Allrad” is German for all-wheel-drive, and the Iglhaut Allrad system has transformed this basic two-wheel-drive Mercedes Sprinter into the ultimate off-road van. Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, this beast is rolling on massive 37-inch tires. The Iglhaut Story Let’s start at the beginning. Fritz Iglhaut was a truck driver in the ‘50s who had a dream of building his own trucks, a dream shared by two of his four sons, Friedrich and Hans. They built their first truck in a clay mine after hours. By the…

Described by one off-road enthusiast as being “in dreadful condition,” the Morrison Jeep Trail rises sharply up the precipices overlooking Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River north of Cody, Wyoming. Though not as treacherous as the Fordyce Creek Trail in Truckee, California, nor as technical as the famed Rubicon nearby, the Morrison Trail features 27 very tight switchbacks on the main ascent to the top of Beartooth Plateau. There are breathtaking views of Sugarloaf Mountain to the west, Bald Peak across the river to the east and White Mountain to the south. What’s special about the Morrison Jeep Trail is that it has the distinction of not being on your rig’s navigation. In-car navigation systems are great as long as there are roads and cardinal directions to keep you pointed…

O1. TACTICAL WALLS/VMOD FOR JEEP & FJ CRUISER The VMod is an organizational vehicle upgrade for the Jeep JL, JK and Toyota FJ Cruiser. Made of sturdy, non-abrasive plastic, the VMod creates a modular slat system on your vehicle’s tailgate for storing tools and equipment to keep within quick reach. Swap out modular mounts and hangers to securely configure and mount gear on the VMod any way you like. MSRP: $199 tacticalwalls.com O2. WARN/SPYDURA NIGHTLINE ROPE Spydura Nightline takes regular winch rope and gives it increased visibility. Made from durable ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene with a UV coating, this rope is exceeding durable and is compatible with winches with a 12,000-pound capacity or under. The dual color weave also incorporates a light-activated 3M reflective strand for exceptional visibility.…

LENGTH 81.1 in. WIDTH 45.1 in. CLEARANCE 9.8 in. FUEL CAPACITY 4.2 gal. WEIGHT 628 lbs. 1 PERFORMANCE ENGINE The 400ASi is powered by an efficient fuel-injected 376cc four-stroke, four-valve engine. TRANSMISSION The KingQuad’s fully automatic variable ratio (V-belt) Quadmatic transmission has 2WD and 4WD modes to handle various trail conditions. DRIVE An automotive gate-type gearshift lever allows you to easily choose high- or low-range, neutral or reverse. Select two- or four-wheel drive with the flip of a handlebar-mounted lever. 2 SUSPENSION/FRAME SUSPENSION Independent front and rear A-arm suspension offers a smooth ride and an impressive 6.7 inches of wheel travel. Twin rear shock absorbers provide agile handling and a plush ride. TIRES/BRAKES The KingQuad’s dual front hydraulic disc brakes feature calipers with large 34mm pistons and wide brake-pad surface…

After spending years building one of the most refined and capable fifth-gen Toyota 4Runners out there, Isaac Marchionna realized the limitations of the platform he was working with. Late last year he got an offer on his 4Runner that he couldn’t refuse. He already knew what was next. He went straight to the dealership and purchased one of the last Magnetic Grey ‘18 Ford Raptor Supercrews available in the country. Why A Raptor? Marchionna built his ‘15 TRD Pro 4Runner in an overland style, but with an emphasis on high-speed desert travel. It was a jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none–type build. Over time it got too heavy and complex, which lead to significant wear and tear on big adventures, especially faster off-road excursions in Baja. In the end, Marchionna wanted a vehicle that was…

From the tarmac to the trail, pants have made long strides in their versatility and design. For years the most groundbreaking design for travel and the outdoors were convertible pants that zip-off into shorts, which by today’s standards could be considered a pair of “dad pants”. Today when it comes to traveling and adventuring in the wild, there’s a whole new host of options for pants that are built to perform with stylish good looks. Innovation with fabrics and technology have been paired with functional modern design to help create this new category of pants over the past few years. New materials and durable water-repellent (DWR) treatments help the performance of these pants due to their water-shedding and quick-drying properties, as well as the overall protection and durability they provide.…

The Texas Motor Press Association held its first Texas Off-Road Invitational event at General Sam’s Offroad Park in Huntsville, Texas. Several auto manufacturers brought their newest all-wheel-drive (AWD) and four-wheel-drive vehicles for nearly three dozen automotive journalists to test off road in order to receive the newly coveted “Off-Road Truck of the Year” or “Off-Road SUV of the Year” awards, which are presented by the press association. Numerous AWDs were featured. From five- to eight-passenger SUVs, entry-level run-abouts to extraordinary top-of-the-line luxury models, a plethora of adventuremobiles were driven. Three off-tarmac AWDs in particular caught our eye when testing capability, technology and off-pavement prowess. 2019 ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN SUV FUEL ECONOMY: 12 city, 20 highway, and 14 combined MSRP: $406,225. THOUGHTS: Now this isn’t something you see (or drive) every day.…