TREAD May - June 2021

Malleable Mindset How many times have you taken off for a trip, only to arrive at the destination and realize you forgot to pack an important item? Have you had to change your route on the fly when an originally chosen dirt road or trail wasn’t drivable? All too often, we’re faced with situations that require us to pivot. In the overlanding life, it’s a regular occurrence, and we learn to take changes and challenges in stride. After all, who really plans to crack a diff when out on the trail? No one. The perfect plan can be quickly altered at the snap of the fingers. Whether it’s plans for a trip (or for me, plans for a TREAD issue), I’m constantly planning and replanning ... to then adjust the plan again. Rather…

O1. BODY ARMOR 4X4/SKY RIDGE PIKE ANNEX ROOM Quickly and easily turn your Pike Roof Top Tent into a two-story backcountry “condo” with the Pike Annex Room. The Annex easily attaches to the Pike tent’s extended floor and provides extra space for cooking, storing camping gear or changing clothes. It encloses the rooftop tent’s ladder, providing a buffer between your sleeping quarters and the outdoors. MSRP: $210 bodyarmor4x4.com O2. KC HILITES/FLEX ERA 4 80W COMBO BEAM High intensity meets robust construction: The KC FLEX ERA 4 is the newest addition to KC’s all-new family of next-gen lighting. Featuring an awesome, 7,912 True-Lumens, the FLEX ERA 4 is built to keep pushing through the night. This kit comes with two 80W KC FLEX ERA 4 LED lights, two light covers, a wiring harness and a…

01. MIDLAND ER10VP E+READY/ COMPACT EMERGENCY RADIO Don’t be caught off guard; be prepared at all times with the slim and compact ER10VP emergency radio. An essential piece of equipment when you’re hiking, overlanding or camping, the ER10VP will immediately alert you about incoming inclement weather. This versatile radio doubles as a flashlight with “high,” “low” and “SOS strobe” options in case of an emergency. MSRP: $20 midlandusa.com 02. UST/PACK A LONG CAMP TABLE The Pack a Long Camp Table is a lightweight, space-saving table that gives you a sturdy surface for mealtimes and other camp activities. Made of a strong aluminum alloy, it’s waterproof, weather resistant and supports up to 30 pounds. This useful table features a quick, simple setup, and it’s lightweight and easy to store. MSRP: $62 ustgear.com 03. YETI/RAMBLER 10 OZ. LOWBALL YETI…

Many of us have just ridden out one of the harshest winters in recent memory. The snow is mostly melted now, and the wet trails are finally drying up (although they’ve been left a bit worse for wear). What this situation calls for are highly capable wheels that can shrug off any potentially damaging blows the terrain tosses at them. Before you head out on the trails, treat your rig to a new set of wheels and tires. A quality set will keep you and your passengers safe and also give your ride a fresh new look. To get you started, here’s a selection of some of the hottest wheels out now. MAMBA WHEELS/M27 With a unique mesh-inspired design, the M27 was built to take on any road or trail. Available in 5-…

For many of us, knives are indispensable tools that we carry either on ourselves, in our packs or in our vehicles daily. It seems that more often than not, they’re currently only used to slice open those brown cardboard packages with smiles emblazoned on them. Nevertheless, when called upon, they can do plenty more. No matter whether the job is prying open a can of peaches or cutting an entangled seatbelt to save a life, it’s important that the knife is strong and reliable. In this edition of “Made the Cut,” we take a look at popular utility knives that are dependable as much as they are useful. 01. BRADFORD USA/ 3D GUARDIAN 3 OVERALL LENGTH: 6.75” BLADE LENGTH: 3.5” BLADE MATERIAL: M390 HANDLE MATERIAL: G-Wood WEIGHT: 3.96 oz. MSRP: starts at $179 bradfordknives.com 02. KERSHAW/ TURISMO CLOSED LENGTH: 3.9” OPEN…

O1 FRAMESET FRAME Cutting-edge components that make up the frame include a FACT 11m carbon chassis and rear end, carbon shock extension, asymmetrical design, 29 Trail Geometry, SWAT Door integration and flip chip Head Tube/Bottom Bracket adjustment. FRAME REFINEMENTS The bike includes a threaded bottom bracket, a fully enclosed internal cable routing, 12x148mm dropouts, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, replaceable derailleur hanger and 130mm of travel. O2 SUSPENSION FRONT SUSPENSION Front dampening is handled by a Fox Float 34 Factory with GRIP2 dampers that feature Kashima Coating with the following specs: 15x110mm, 44mm offset, 140mm of travel. REAR SUSPENSION The rear is supported by a Fox Float DPS Factory rear shock with Rx Trail Tune and EVOL Air sleeve and a Kashima Coat that features a three-position adjustment with open mode adjustment selection. O3 DRIVETRAIN SRAM COMPONENTS The 30t steel chainring-based drivetrain is…