Table of contents for May/June 2022 in TREAD

While there may be some people who do the bare minimum to get by, many of us strive to do our best. Whether it is on the job, while fishing, skiing or biking, most people care about positive results. I am no different and find myself constantly looking for ways to improve Tread and its brand entities, whether its the products or the processes. I tend to be picky at times, with the idea and thought to release the best content possible, but when working on a team, I can not control everything—as much as I try—especially when faced with time restraints. While there is nothing wrong with striving for best results, there are also times I need to let go and be happy with how great things are and…

Warmer weather means getting back out onto the trails. Treat your rig right by replacing its tired and worn wheels with a set of sharp looking rollers. Not only can the right wheel make your off-road ride look better, but it can increase its performance and durability, as well. To help you get started, we collected some of the hottest releases for you to check out on this spread. Which set is calling out to you? FIFTEEN52 / ANALOG HD Analog HD combines classic looks with an all-aluminum construction to reduce unsprung weight. Its center section channels airflow through its slotted pockets to your brake system, and includes a reinforced flange design. Available in 17-inch in the 6x139.7 bolt pattern. fifteen52.com BLACK RHINO WHEELS / CALICO Black Rhino Calico is…

In previous Viewfinders we’ve discussed what I feel are the most important elements of creative photography: distilling a scene into its various components, how to frame a unique composition of those elements, working with light, camera settings, and methodology. And while I have always maintained it is the eye behind the viewfinder that creates compelling photographs, I would be remis to omit the fact that taking your photography to the next level requires high-quality hardware. In this Viewfinder we’ll start with some camera basics, move on to glass (lenses), discuss settings and lens selection, and wrap it up with incorporating some of our newfound knowledge in creating a single image. SLR, DSLR, and Mirrorless The Single Lens Reflex camera (SLR) was a monumental development over previous twin-lens reflex (TLR) and…

There is something very primal about a campfire. Leftover from a time when our brains were a fraction of their size, to when fear, hunger, and pain guided us to our most essential needs, a campfire possessed magnetic powers. Its flames evoke haunting stories, deep discussions, and jocular camaraderie of the folks that gather around them. Around a campfire, there are no cubicles, no neckties, and no briefcases, just people—not long from the trail or far from the trek—harkening back to a time when their ancestors traversed the same wilderness. This allure of the campfire is why people congregate in the kitchen during gatherings: It’s where the food is, where the stove is, and where the social center of the house is. There is no difference between the kitchen in…

The all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra has the underpinnings, chassis, and features to impress. Not only does it share its boxed steel frame with the new Sequoia, Land Cruiser 300, and Lexus LX 600, but also has new, more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrains. “I WAS SUPER IMPRESSED WITH HOW THE HYBRID SYSTEM CREATES A VERY SMOOTH POWER DELIVERY CURVE.” I got a chance to get behind the wheel of both the Capstone and TRD Pro Tundras at an early press event in California. I tested the new hybrid pickup on road, off road, and while towing. I even got some time to pick the brains of the lead engineers behind this impressive truck. Let’s dive into the details and some of the key take aways from experiencing this new truck. Hybrid:…

We’re seeing change: electric vehicles, or EVs, are starting to become prolific in the marketplace. Electric all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive adventure rigs are starting to make appearances on the trail. Even though we consider ourselves early adopters of high-voltage vehicles, EV ownership dates back nearly 200 years ago. Let’s take a look at EV off-roading and all-electrics: their past, current state, and what’s to come. EV History Highlights Some think EVs have only been around for the last few decades or even the last few years. Wrong. The first crude electric vehicle was developed around 1832 by Scottish inventor Robert Anderson. It wasn’t until 40 years later that all-electric cars started becoming practical. According to the United States Department of Energy, in 1890 another Scot, chemist William Morrison (who lived in…

Off-road enthusiasts globally are eagerly awaiting INEOS Grenadier updates, especially those from the United States and Canada. We recently drove INEOS Grenadier prototypes off road in Hambach, France—the only outlet from North America to do so. Media from Poland, Belgium, Scotland, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK were invited. In addition to mud-filled action, we toured INEOS’ state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, giving us an in-depth, in-person look at the upcoming off-roader. The INEOS Grenadier: It’s Not a Land Rover In 2016, Jaguar Land Rover, JLR, stopped production of its popular body-on-frame Defender 110 4x4 favoring one that featured unibody construction and independent suspension. Land Rover’s move toward ditching its predecessor’s body-on-frame signature for luxury, technology, and unibody architecture created a marketplace gap. This set the stage for newly formed INEOS Automotive—a…

O1. DECKED / TOOL BOX The Decked Tool Box is constructed using injection molded, high-impact resin with galvanized steel and aluminum reinforcement. A robust steel armored locking mechanism combined with driver-side lock makes forced entry nearly impossible. It’s molded not welded, so you get a seamless lid and tub as well as overbuilt, moisture repelling, watertight architecture. Seals tightly when closed with an EPDM gasket. Anti-corrosion treated steel and aluminum hardware make for long-lasting durability. MSRP: $750 decked.com O2. ARMORDILLO USA / CR-S CHASE RACK Complete your aggressive, off-road look with the CR-S Modular Chase Rack/Cargo Rack System. This innovative modular system can be purchased together or separately and bolts together for a clean, seamless look and installation. The rack utilizes heavy-duty steel construction and a multi-layer black…

A lot of fun—and sometimes a bit crazy—adventure vehicles come out of Mule Expedition Outfitters (Mule) in Issaquah, Washington. From exo-caged aerospace-quality Vanagon builds to LMTV with a fold-out event stage and everything in-between, Mule has built some super-diverse vehicles over the years. Each company build needs to be a bit different than what the market has seen, and its latest MuleWagon creation certainly fits that requirement. “THEY WANTED A VEHICLE THAT WOULD PRIMARILY BE USED FOR OFF-ROAD TOURING, AS OPPOSED TO A DEDICATED TRAIL RIG OR FULL-BLOWN OVERLAND CAMPER.” Off-Road Touring Concept Mule came to this build by way of some very specific criteria. They wanted a vehicle that would primarily be used for off-road touring, as opposed to a dedicated trail rig or full-blown overland camper. They further…

“ONCE THE SUN GOES DOWN AND THE TREK HAS NOT ENDED, AN EXPERIENCED OVERLANDER KNOWS NOT TO RELY ON STOCK HEADLIGHTS TO SHINE THE WAY.” For some, the key to a long and successful marriage might be vacations to Paris, candle-lit dinners at home, or relaxing on Sunday watching the game. For Karen and Brian Sherman of Queen Creak, Arizona, a bedroom community southeast of Phoenix, the rock-solid foundation for 26 years of marriage is based on car camping and recharging their relationship in Mother Nature. “My wife and I both grew up in rural Pennsylvania,” explains Brian, “so camping was a normal part of life for us. Camping was our connection to recreation, and it was our escape from our crazy friends and family.” As their relationship grew, so…

It’s a crawler, it’s a prerunner, it’s… an overlander? At first glance this wild Chevy Colorado looks like some sort of race truck or maybe some sort of rock crawler. Then you realize this truck has a long bed, a roof top tent, gear cases on the cab roof and is packed with enough gear to go off grid for months—this thing is an overlanding rig. “BEING AN OVERLANDER, THOUGH, MEANS THAT GIRGIS HAS ALL THE ESSENTIALS. THIS INCLUDES TONS OF STORAGE IN HIS TWIN 83L ROAM ADVENTURE CO. RUGGED CASES AND A LEITNER BED RACK WITH DUAL GEARPOD XLS WITH AN OVERLAND(ISH) SUMMIT ROOF TOP TENT ON TOP. One might think the builder of this creation is confused or just can’t make up his mind, but in fact, Matthew…

This daily driver 2017 Ford Raptor was a well-though tout impulse purchase. The plan to obtain one was long in the works, but finding one at a reasonable price range proved challenging. After luck and circumstance brought owner Alex Earle to this truck, his plans to create a basecamp for adventure bike excursions became a reality. “ORIGINALLY, THE PLAN WAS TO BUILD A CAPABLE DAILY DRIVER THAT WOULD ALSO BE USED AS PART OF HIS MOTORCYCLE BASECAMP CONCEPT.” A True Designer A transportation designer by trade, Alex Earle, has spent his life working with manufacturers, teaching students, and bringing motorcycle concepts to life. His company Earle Motors is a creative passion project where he develops, curates, and builds his dream machines primarily with an off-road focus. One of his projects,…

The photos inside are sure to make your mouth water. The simplicity of its format makes it easy to take with you anywhere. This 45-page cookbook gives two main sections, Sauces and Entrees, for a solid Volumoe 1 offering. The recipes are easy to follow so anyone can prepare gourmet meals anywhere. The Overland Cook will be put to use immediately upon its delivery at home or on the road. Even better, It includes tips to stay organized and provides information on camping etiquette. I enjoy nothing more than celebrating people I encounter in the outdoor adventure community. There are some great people doing some really cool stuff out there. This issue we further the camp kitchen and cooking theme with a couple notable cookbooks. One is from a fellow…

01. 5.11 /OUTPOST CHRONO Keep good time while on the trail. 5.11’s Outpost Chrono features a 44mm stainless steel case with an IP coating and mineral crystal face. It also has a pull-crown for time adjustment and start/ stop buttons for its stopwatch features. Hands and hour marks feature luminous material for low light time reading. Outpost is water resistant to 330 feet. MSRP: $120 511tactical.com 02. STIFF MOTHER TRUCKER / PAIN RELIEF CREAM Being on the road for endless miles can do a number on your body. Get therapeutic pain relief in the form of this pain relieving cream. When applied as directed, Stiff Mother Trucker pain relief cream helps stimulate the body’s natural functions to reduce pain and inflammation with our signature blend of all-natural ingredients.…

LENGTH 33.55 inches WIDTH 14.88 inches WHEELBASE 19.74 inches GROUND CLEARANCE 4.25 inches WEIGHT 25 pounds URL axialracing.com O1 SUSPENSION/ MOTOR SUSPENSION. Scale coilover shocks provide shock absorption and dampening over rough trails and rocky roads. The Jeep’s hard anodized aluminum oil-filled coilover shocks feature threaded shock bodies for quick and easy ride height adjustment. MOTOR. The large-scale Jeep utilizes an oversized Spektrum brushless electric motor that is mounted in the chassis just aft of an engine detail piece. The 1200Kv motor is larger than most sensored motors with dimensions of 56mm in diameter and 84mm in length. O2 SCALE DETAILS AUTHENTIC WHEELS. Yes, those are Black Rhino Primm wheels you see on this rig. The injection-molded, 3-piece functional beadlock wheels allow tires to be removed and replaced…

Colorado resident Renée Brinkerhoff’s childhood wasn’t that of an average youngster. Her early years were divided between a small beach town in Southern California and Southeast Asia during the height of the Cold War. She and her family also called Hong Kong home during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, where they lived through the turmoil of the Red Guard riots. Additionally, they resided in Laos during the end of the Vietnam War. Brinkerhoff’s childhood shaped her in many ways, but she didn’t realize this until later in life. Everything is Possible Instead of pursuing a professional career, Brinkerhoff, a mother of four, was a stay-at-home mom. It wasn’t until her last child departed that her life changed forever. At 55, Brinkerhoff realized she had been telling herself a one-liner for decades. What…

As we settle into spring and approach summer, finding the right camp cocktail masterpiece can make you the hit of your next expedition. We connected with Devil Acres Distillery last year and had the chance to play amateur mixologist with their Jigger & Jones gin. While a classic gin & tonic may hit the spot for some, others may prefer something a bit fancier. We took our bottle of Jigger & Jones out to Moab in early July, when temps exceeded 100-degrees every day. The light gin flavor was refreshing and a cocktail certainly cooled us down during happy hour out on the trail. Depending on real estate in your fridge or cooler, you can whip up a fancy drink or keep things simple. Here are two gin cocktails that…

When it comes to making food, we have observed that there are generally three types of people; those who do not cook, those who love to cook and those who are born bakers. We love to do both, but it’s usually easier to cook at the campsite than bake, for obvious reasons. We can’t bring our oven with us. Anyone who finds themselves exploring the outdoors would find it near impossible to bring an oven with them for some fireside baking. We’ve seen some technically “portable” ovens, but they tend to be heavy, cumbersome, and take up a lot of valuable in-vehicle storage space. Ovenless Baking Omnia, a brand from Sweden, has produced an ovenless baking system that can make your favorite baked goods anywhere you set up your portable…