Table of contents for July/August 2024 in TREAD

“UNDERNEATH THE GORGEOUS ALL-METAL BODY IS A FULL CUSTOM TUBE CHASSIS WHICH HAS BEEN MATCHED WITH A AR500 SKID PLATE WITH UHMW COATING TO PROTECT THE UNDERCARRIAGE FROM ANY DAMAGE.” Purpose-built rigs can be found all over the country these days, from overlanders to full-on race trucks. But not often do we come across a vehicle so custom, so capable, and with an owner not afraid to drive the wheels off as we did when we laid eyes on Winston—the Jeep YJ owned by Nick Sessions, owner and operator of Session Motorsports in Laporte, Colorado. What a treat it was to spend a couple of hours pouring over the details of this rig and getting to see just how capable of a rig Nick built as the ultimate off-road machine,…

The Australian continent has an average elevation of about a thousand feet, which means anything taller than a speed bump in the otherwise flat-as-a-pancake landscape is probably worth a look. In the case of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, we’re talking about a genuine mountain range that stretches more than 260 miles from north to south, and has peaks stretching up to 3,900 feet in height—genuinely tall by Australian standards. Like all of Australia, these rocky and rugged mountains are seriously old and were formed somewhere around 500 million years ago. Local Aboriginal people have called the area home for more than 50,000 years. With a smattering of wild canyons, dusty tracks, hot springs, and ancient Aboriginal history to explore, there was plenty to keep us busy for…

Carving is a wonderful hobby for young and old. It is 100% analog, works completely battery-free, and has no need for a 5G network. This hobby accompanies us on any adventure and creates valuable experiences outside the digital world. It is creative, meaningful, and invites us to engage in and with nature. Personally, I found so much joy in carving that it became my profession. Since 2014, I have held more than 400 carving workshops with a wide variety of client groups. So, how do you introduce your kids to it? Good Guidance Required Carving promotes and challenges important skills in the development of a child: endurance, strength, fine motor skills, knowledge of materials, imagination, and much more. If kids want to carve, they need peace and concentration, the right…

The year is 1974. Blazing Saddles tops the box office and The Loco-Motion plays on the radio. Meanwhile in Louisiana, Lonnie McCurry started Skyjacker Suspension to cater to mud boggers and provide lifted suspensions to fit larger tires. Fifty years later, Skyjacker has proven more enduring than Grand Funk Railroad and Mel Brooks. The company now caters not only to mud boggers but to rock crawlers, overlanders, and anyone looking for well-engineered suspension components for their vehicle at a reasonable price. And, unlike so many other manufacturers that have been gobbled up by venture capital firms, Skyjacker is still owned by the McCurry family. This gives them the opportunity to not only look at the bottom line, but to invest in endeavors that are a priority to the company, including…

01. RHINO-RACK HARD SHELL ROOFTOP TENT Ready to elevate your camping game? Look no further than the lightweight Rhino-Rack hard shell rooftop tent, tipping the scales at a mere 139 pounds. With the ability to carry up to 44 pounds of gear on top, this rugged beauty has the capacity to cater to all your expedition needs. Get ready to snooze in style on the luxurious 70mm high density mattress as you bask in the thrill of the great outdoors. Need to hit the road? No worries! The convenient bedding storage feature allows you to keep things tidy and secure during transit and storage. With internal storage pockets and boot bags, you’ll have your essentials neatly organized at all times. Rain won’t dampen your spirits either, thanks to the thermally…

“MAINTAINING ITS 3.4L TWIN-TURBOCHARGED V-6, TOM'S SEQUOIA IS READY TO TAKE ON BOTH PAVEMENT AND DIRT, BOASTING ADDED UPGRADES FROM A K&N PERFORMANCE FILTERS AND MAGNAFLOW EXHAUST SYSTEM.” Having an off-road-ready rig can take on many different forms, from dirt bikes and side-by-sides to prerunners and full-fledged rock crawlers. While very different, each of these off-road vehicles is purpose built for the terrain and obstacles they might encounter, with the most prevalent upgrades industry-wide culminating in the suspension systems. Built to explore the great outdoors by way of back country roads and moderate 4x4 trails, Tom Freismuth's 2023 Toyota Sequoia named Mad Yeti is no different. It features top-tier suspension upgrades in addition to a greatly improved factory engine and drivetrain setup, as well as added overlanding accessories to make…

Having the right gear on your rig when you take it off-road is important. Whether you are doing some hardcore rock crawling, playing in the mud, or just out for an overlanding camping trip, having the correct equipment can keep you out of trouble. One of the best and easiest things you can do to your rig is add a winch. This can not only pull you out of a sticky situation, but it can also assist those with you in need. There are tons of options when it comes to winches and their accessories, as well as different mounting configurations. For this installation on a 2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro, we opted for a new front bumper center section that included a winch mount as well as a light…

“MY CAUTIOUS PLAN TO PARK AT THE TOP OF THE ICY HILL THAT LED TO MY NEW HOME AND WALK WAS DASHED WHEN THE RIG STARTED SLIDING TOWARDS A HEAD-ON MEETING WITH AN OLD CEDAR TREE AT THE BOTTOM.” I've never considered myself an “overlander." I'm more of an avid fly angler who has found, over the years, that good fishing spots seldom have comfortable hotel accommodations nearby—or at least one that a fly shop owner can afford. I'm also old enough to cherish a cozy place to sleep when I travel, far away from rattlesnakes and other critters, preferably with a soft bed. My first "build" was out of necessity, as the pressures of running a business and being a caregiver were taking their toll. My 5th gen 4Runner…

“DIESEL ENGINES ARE GREAT FOR TOWING HEAVY LOADS, BUT MODERN DIESELS ARE SADDLED WITH EMISSIONS SUCH AS DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTERS AND EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION THAT INCREASE TEMPERATURES AND DECREASE LONG TERM RELIABILITY.” We often hear people ask what equipment they need to go overlanding, and the answer is always the same—just get outside! Spending time on the trail is the best way to determine what your needs are and what gear is important to you. After traveling down the Pan American Highway to Patagonia, KP Pawley has a pretty good idea of what is important to him and what he can leave behind. He has used his wealth of experience to build this truck, which he lives in full-time, and to help his customers at Zero Declination with their own…

“WHILE KNOWN TO BE UNDERPOWERED WITH A SLUGGISH 230CI INLINE-6 UNDER THE HOOD, THE M715 MADE FOR A GREAT BASE-MODEL TRUCK FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR A RELATIVELY CHEAP UTILITY VEHICLE, ALBEIT NOT BEING KNOWN FOR ITS STRONG PLATFORM.” Retired military-based vehicles have long been popular among off-road enthusiasts when it comes to building a rugged, dirt-worthy machine. From Humvees to 6x6s, go to any major off-road area on a busy weekend, and you're apt to see at least one or two that's been converted for civilian adventure use. But just like with any subcategory of the automotive world, there are a handful of ex-military vehicles you hardly ever see “in the wild,” or at least not built out like a prerunner ready to take on the Mexican desert. One such…

Building a race vehicle can mean many different things to different people—from circle-track cars to drag racers. But when it comes to building an off-road race car, it takes a different drive and understanding of performance and durability to create something not only fortified for the abuse the vehicle will certainly have to withstand, but also something competitive in one’s class. For this, many people turn to professional chassis builders, but some take on the daunting project themselves, proving that even a garage builder can create a worthy off-road race vehicle. Patrick Jones’ Death Proof Crawler is one such race rig. Patrick Jones of Menifee, California, is no new-comer to the off-road world. Having dabbled in everything from drift cars to prerunners since getting his license, Patrick discovered his love…