TREAD November/December 2017

Blink and you’ll miss it. Time flies when you let life pass you by, and it’s not slowing down for you to catch up. How many off-road adventures do you have under your belt this year? Is the answer, “not enough?” (Is it ever enough? Probably not!) That’s what Jack and Eileen Livezey, owners of the Jeep Rubicon on the cover, would probably answer. Their insatiable appetite for outdoor adventure and friendships that are forged on the trail drives their love affair for off-road life and the overland community as a whole. Building their JKU became a family bonding experience that you can experience first hand in, It’s A Jeep Thing. Dan Grec has been travelling throughout Africa for well over a year now and shares with us, a hidden gem that…

O1. WARN HIDDEN KIT (’17 FORD SUPER DUTY) Some vehicle owners want the functionality of a winch, but without the winch visible on the front of the vehicle. For these folks, WARN offers the Hidden Kit Mounting System. With this kit, you can mount a WARN winch using factory frame holes while retaining the factory bumper. Newly released for the ‘17 Ford Super Duty, it is also available for select Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge, and Ford full-size trucks as well. MSRP: $670 (Skirting Kit $280) warn.com O2. FAB FOURS JK TUBE DOORS The Fab Fours Front Full Tube Doors provide the ultimate in aggressive styling, functionality and durability for the Jeep JK Wrangler. Experience the trails and the road the way it was meant to be, with little to no rattles, open visibility and substantial…

Nothing sets the visual tone of a vehicle more than its wheels. In the case of your Jeep, truck or SUV, a new set of rims can change its look up and add to its style quotient, as well as increase its trail presence. Whether you opt for a rugged and chunky design or prefer a refined, polished look, you can’t go wrong when you find the right wheel. Let’s take a look at the latest wheel designs on the market. MAMBA/M22 The M22 is a one-of-a-kind, mesh-inspired design featuring a sleek matte black finish with ball-cut machined spoke accents and drill holes. Available in 5-Lug and 6-Lug options, the M22 comes in 16x8, 17x9, 18x9, 18x10, and 20x9 sizes. mambawheels.com FUEL OFF-ROAD/D608 ENDURO The new Enduro from Fuel Off-Road takes the classic 7-hole…

O1. ADVENTURE MEDICAL KITS MOUNTAIN EXPLORER KIT Don’t let a minor boo-boo sideline you from exploring the trail up ahead. The Explorer medical kit is tailored to families or smaller groups on weeklong adventures. Suited for extended camping or long stretches on the trail, the kit is outfitted with first aid supplies to take care of a variety of injuries and ailments, from cuts and sprains to allergies and dehydration. Comprehensive yet compact, the Explorer can easily fit in your rig or even your daypack. MSRP: $59 adventuremedicalkits.com O2. RUKO RUK0061BZ Having an easy to spot, easy to grip knife within arms reach when you’re exploring the backwoods is always a good idea. Whether you need it for every day tasks or an emergency, this folding knife in blaze orange would be hard to…

A knife is only as strong as its blade… and its handle. A knife’s tang is the portion that extends past its blade reward into the handle. Partial tang knives may have only a short section of blade material that protrudes into the handle while full tang knives run the full length of the handle. As you can imagine, a single piece of metal that runs the entire length of the knife from the blade’s tip to the end of the handle makes full tang knives stronger and more balanced than their partial tang cousins. They also allow the user more leverage and applied force when using them against hard surfaces. Let’s take a look at a selection of the latest full tang knives to hit the market.. 01. BRADFORD USA/ G3…

LENGTH 23.07 inches FRONT & REAR TRACK 9.78 inches WHEELBASE 12.75 inches GROUND CLEARANCE 3.14 inches BATTERIES NiMH (4-7 cell) or LiPo (2s-3s) URL traxxas.com O1 DRIVELINE PORTAL AXELS Portal axels lift the differential pumpkin to provide outstanding ground clearance while reducing strain on the driveshafts. Steel gears are employed to assure trouble-free performance, even on technical trails. LOCKING DIFFERENTIALS T-Lock Remote Locking Differentials give you the freedom to lock or unlock the front and rear diffs. New sleeved micro cables control the differential action for scale appearance without limiting suspension articulation. TRANSMISSION The TRX-4 is equipped with high and low gears that are engaged at the flip of a switch. Select high-speed gear on the road and switch to low range for extra torque on rough terrain. O2 SCALE DETAILS WHEELS & TIRES 1.9-inch diameter rims come pre-mounted with S1-compound Canyon Trail tires to…