TREAD May/June 2024

EDITOR'S LETTER Every year around March, I travel from my home state of Idaho to the coastal tributaries of Oregon to swing for winter steelhead, take in the landscape, and spend some time with friends. My day job is in the fly-fishing industry, and it takes me to some of the most incredible places in the world. But there’s something special about the PNW (or Pacific North Wet as my buddy Todd Rettmann calls it). My favorite thing to do is explore this beautiful corner of the country. As I write this, I’m watching the rain pound outside, thinking about this great issue, and dreaming about my fun adventures planned for this year. What are your plans for spring and summer? Do you have overlanding adventures planned? Old-fashioned camping trips?…

01. FALKEN TIRES / WILDPEAK A/T4W From backcountry trails to the open road, the all-new Wildpeak A/T4W is built to help drivers tackle any terrain. Featuring the industry’s 3PMSF symbol for severe snow conditions, the A/T4W was engineered to perform in harsh winter conditions, with full-depth sipes providing traction for the life of the tire. MSRP $161-$549 www.falkentire.com 02. BELLTECH / 6-INCH LIFT FOR SILVERADOS, SIERRAS Upgrade your Silverado or Sierra with a precision-engineered Belltech 6-lift lift kit to guarantee you can navigate all terrains on your next journey. This bolt-on kit contains ¼-inch-thick steel brackets for strength under the toughest conditions. Along with height-adjustable coilovers and a 1-3/8-inch-diameter front antisway bar for added stability. Belltech stands behind its product with a limited lifetime warranty. MSRP $3,023 www.belltech.com 03. EIBACH…

01. COLUMBIA/MEN’S OUTDRY EXTREME WYLDWOOD SHELL JACKET We’ve all been there—arrive at the destination, set up camp, start the fire, and then hear the stomach-pulling crack of thunder. The OutDry Extreme Wyldwood Shell Jacket will keep you bone dry and comfortable in the most torrential of storms. The membrane is a four-way stretch mesh that’s fully seamed to keep out every drop of moisture. The front zipper is coated with PU for even more waterproofing, and packs down to fit inside a pocket. MSRP: $200 columbia.com 02. CEP/HIKING MERINO MID CUT COMPRESSION SOCKS The anatomical design of these hiking socks, combined with an asymmetric toe box and zone-specific padding, helps to prevent blisters on even the most challenging treks. These socks increase circulation, reduce swelling, and regulate temperature. The crew…

“IN THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, RYNO TOOK OUT THE DISCOVERY’S REAR SEATS AND ADDED A CUSTOM DOG ENCLOSURE, COMPLETE WITH CARGO BARRIERS, WINDOW GUARDS, AND A BUILT-IN WINDOW FAN FOR HIS K9 COMPANION.” Taking out your off-road vehicle for a day trip can only be topped by one thing—taking it out for a multi-day adventure. For Ryan “Ryno” Lieberman, owner of Ryno Built Rod & Custom in Carl Junction, Missouri, taking his vehicles on long weekends and vacations near and far are what dreams are made of. But to get to places where not everyone can reach, he needed a capable vehicle with plenty of on-board amenities to make the trip enjoyable and stress free. That’s why he built his 1998 Land Rover Discovery 1 to be the ultimate off-road…

“THE BUILD TOOK DAN ABOUT TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE, NOT TO MENTION THE COUNTLESS HOURS THAT WENT INTO DEVELOPING ALL OF THE MOTOBILT COMPONENTS HE INCLUDED IN THE JEEP BUILD.” You can tell a lot about a person by what they put into a build. Take, for example, our cover model—a Jeep YJ Wrangler dubbed “El Jefe” built by MotoBilt’s owner and CEO Dan DuBose. Just one look at this masterpiece and you’ll quickly discern that Dan knows what he’s doing when it comes to building badass off-road machines. You’ll also see that his attention to detail, along with the custom components he has and continues to develop for other enthusiasts looking to build custom Jeeps, are second to none! Dan is what you’d call an OG of the off-road…

“BLAKE WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO UTILIZE A GOOD AMOUNT OF READILY AVAILABLE, OFF-THE-SHELF PRODUCTS THAT CUT DOWN ON OVERALL COST AND DOWN TIME.” When we heard that Blake Wilkey of Urban Assault video fame was taking a quick pause from shredding asphalt to building a rock crawling Bronco he refers to as Bloodshark, our attention span was locked on nothing else. We’ve all seen footage of Wilkey ripping though cities from Las Vegas to Tijuana at breakneck speeds and flying over obstacles with the greatest of ease. The level of excitement his driving skills delivers blows right off the charts, but with his latest project he was forced to slow down dramatically as he approached a project with a different set of obstacles ahead. The vehicles that Blake typically fabricates…