TREAD September/October 2018

For much of the country, the past couple of months have been a real scorcher. With temperature records being broken, we hope that the blistering summer heat hasn’t deterred you from hitting the trails to get some well-deserved wheel time. Tread is made up of equal parts customized off-road vehicles, outdoor activities and its related gear, as well as an insatiable appetite for adventure. It can be a daunting task, but we strive to cover every bit of it. In this issue, we catch up with professional photographers Linhbergh Nguyen and Karissa Hosek as they share, not only an inside look at their Mitsubishi Montero, but give us some useful photography tips, as well. We also witness an impressive Mercedes diesel-powered FJ62 in action. If that’s not enough diesel action…

O1. RUGGED RIDGE/ELITE ANTENNA BASE JK/JL The Rugged Ridge Elite Antenna Base allows you to modernize an often-overlooked part of the JK/JL Wrangler: its antenna. With a unique gear-like appearance and lightweight cast aluminum construction, the Elite Antenna Base installs easily with no modifications to the vehicle. Available in a variety of attractive finishes including textured black powdercoat, vibrant red powdercoat and a paintable raw aluminum finish, there is a style for everyone. MSRP: $27 ruggedridge.com O2. NIGHTSTICK/NSR-1514 This Rechargeable LED Area Light with Magnetic Base is perfect when portability and position-ability are important. This area light cranks out an impressive 1,000 lumens of light on high and 500 lumens on low using a single sealed push button switch. The light can be swiveled independently allowing the user…

If you’ve been hitting the trails like we have, you might have inadvertently sustained some damage to your wheels. Unfortunately, aired down tires and sharp rocks can do that to a wheel. Sure, you can either leave the scratches as badges of honor or fix them, but why not take this opportunity to give your rig a new look with some of the latest wheels on the market? The following selection of wheels is available in aggressive fitments and can increase not only the performance of your vehicle, but its curb appeal, too. AMERICAN EXPEDITION VEHICLES/ MESA WHEEL FOR RAM 1500 Made exclusively for ’09-‘18 RAM 1500s, AEV’s Mesa wheel is based on a proven design that not only looks great, but is also capable of withstanding extremely heavy loads.…

O1. KIMBO’S What do you do when Mother Nature calls when you're already exploring Mother Nature? Designed to allow the wearer to be able to relieve themselves (both numbers 1 and 2) while clothed, this innovative, unisex short allows you to unzip and pop a squat without completely disrobing—in even less than ideal conditions. Made of lightweight Tricot fabric, the shorts are soft and durable with comfortable waist support and venting technology. MSRP: $50 superkimbos.com O2. PETZL/TACTIKKA CORE The Tactikka Core headlamp offers 350 lumens of hands free light. It is ideal for close-range work, as well as for moving about in the darkness. Featuring a mixed beam, it is capable of wide, focused or red night-vision saving lighting. The headlamp comes with Petzl’s Core, a battery that…

When you’re in the wilderness (or local campgrounds for that matter), there arguably isn’t a better type of knife to have with you than a fixed blade knife. Knives are useful for everything, from cutting materials such as rope, opening packaging to preparing firewood kindling and freshly caught fish. Fixed blade knives—especially full tang models—when compared to folding knives, are immensely robust and capable of taking on almost any job that is asked of them. As similar as fixed blade knives may look, there is a virtual cornucopia of different types of knives that are made to fulfill their own distinctive purposes. Some knives are made for general purposes, while others are particularly suited for survival, fishing, hunting and more. With that in mind, it pays to do your research…

There’s no doubt we love our off-road vehicles. Whether it’s a truck, SUV, Jeep, van or whatever else you can think of, the off-the-road capability of a go-anywhere vehicle sets us free to explore just about every stretch of the planet. There are times, however, that off-road fun isn’t defined by explorations of unknown, new-to-you locales. Sometimes, it’s just about letting loose and having off-the-pavement fun. Kawasaki’s Teryx line of side-by-sides are made for both utilitarian and recreational purposes. Available in two- or four-passenger versions, the Teryx4 LE shown here is the later model. Big enough to seat four, the Teryx4 is assembled in Lincoln, Nebraska, and comes equipped to provide you with plenty of off-road thrills. The full-featured side-by-side is powered by a 783cc V-twin engine, and is equipped…