TREAD July/August 2019

If you were to choose any of the new off-road vehicle offerings to take your next trip in, which one would you select? Surveying the available choices, it seems that we are now experiencing a golden age of off-road vehicles. We should count ourselves as lucky. There probably hasn’t been so many great vehicles to choose from at a single time than now. From the venerable Toyota Tacoma to a diesel-powered Chevy Colorado and the latest generation Jeep Wrangler, each vehicle has been developed to take us anywhere we want to go with unparalleled safety, capability and reliability that we haven’t experienced before. As if we weren’t spoiled enough, Jeep went ahead and finally dropped their highly anticipated pick-up truck, the model year ‘20 Jeep Gladiator. We get a first…

The right set of wheels can instantly turn a mundane everyday driver into a head-turning looker. They can also increase the wheeling capability of your rig and give it the surefootedness that you seek. Wheel aftermarket manufacturers design and make wheels to suit any taste and function. Take a look at some of the latest models to hit the market. Do you see your future set in this collection? DV8 OFFROAD/887 These wheels are perfect for your new Colorado or Canyon. The DV8 Offroad 887 wheel was made specifically for the 2nd Gen Colorado/Canyon. With its +20mm offset, this 17x9 wheel strikes a balance between the OEM offset (+33) and a typical aftermarket offset (0). This puts the tire in the deepest and widest part of the wheel well, allowing…

O1. BOSS AUDIO SYSTEMS/ BAB8 If you are tight on space but want big audio power with thumping bass, BOSS Audio’s BAB8 is a great solution. The all-in-one slim-fit combined amplifier and subwoofer unit allows for installation where most other amps and subs simply won’t fit, such as the tight confines of a pick-up truck, Jeep or SUV. BAB8 includes a variable low-pass filter, RCA inputs, bass boost, auto power on with Smart Sense, remote subwoofer control, and a single voice coil configuration. MSRP: $120 bossaudio.com O2. DMOS COLLECTIVE/THE STEALTH SHOVEL The Stealth Shovel is the original award-winning DMOS shovel. Getting outside is awesome, but sometimes stuff happens — you get stuck. The Stealth is a compact do-it-all shovel that lasts. Made from lightweight and durable T6-6061 aircraft…

O1. CAULDRYN/COFFEE SMART MUG AND BLENDER COMBO The Cauldryn smart mug allows you to select beverage temperatures between room temperature through boiling and maintains it all day long. Its 10-hour battery life serves you the perfect temperature drink from the first sip to the last. Brew coffee, heat up soup, cook, even boil right in the bottle. Control the mug via built-in heating controls or over a smartphone app. Attach one of the optional accessories, like a blender that can chop ice, and turn it into a mobile smoothie/frozen drink machine. MSRP: $150 cauldryn.com O2. ADIDAS/TERREX FREE HIKER Rule number one about adventuring should be to take care of your feet. Don’t skimp on comfortable, protective footwear. Adidas Terrex Free Hikers are lightweight shoes built for ultra-comfort on…

Because not every situation requires you to whip out a knife large enough to dice up an entire side of beef, we present to you a selection of the latest knifes equipped with short blades. There are times when a shorter blade is more suitable to use over a long one, as in the case of shaving down wood to make kindling for a campfire or opening up a freshly delivered package of new parts for your truck, for example. A larger knife, while more powerful, can be harder to control for detailed work. Short blade knives come in all different sorts of styles, from traditional folders and fixed blades to automatics and even more unique styles such as a retractable floating blade like to one seen in this guide.…

If you live in a city where rideshare electric scooters seem to have popped up on every corner out of nowhere, you probably fall into one of two categories: you’re either a fan of them or you find them a real nuisance. Electric scooters are conveyances that can get you to and from a location with ease and expediency. Just hop on and hop off, it’s just that easy. Unlike riding a bike, stepping onto the scooter’s pad and stepping off take very little balance and coordination. As long as you know how to stand, you’re good. This bodes well for someone as uncoordinated as this author. For some time now, electric scooters have been relegated to the realm of paved roads and sidewalks. Needing a smooth surface to run…