Gear
Quality Off-Road Comfort
We eagerly awaited the arrival of our new roof top tent (RTT). Four days turned into 14 after the shipping company misplaced it somewhere along the way. When the delivery truck finally dropped it off, the box it was in looked like it had been... Read more
Jun 21, 2022
Testing the Long-Life of Lithium
Most overlanders I’ve met always ask me what kind of secondary power system I use for my fridge and other 12V accessories in my off-road trailer. Up until recently, my answer was always ‘my dual AGM Odyssey batteries with a 4000 W power inverter... Read more
Jun 20, 2022
Top Ways to Trick Out Your 4Runner
Based on the early Toyota Hilux platform, the 4Runner is a proven, capable, body-on-frame 4X4 that has evolved through five generations, has a strong following and is considered one of the most reliable off roaders for the trails and backcountry... Read more
May 31, 2022
Frame Care for Your Off-Road Rig
Any trail in a thick forest throughout the season includes at least one water crossing or wetlands to endure. Fellow off-road enthusiast - Krista Callaghan - has a motto on her Jeep JK, ‘look pretty, play dirty,’ which explains in a few words... Read more
May 25, 2022
Why Tonneau Covers Are So Worth It
It starts the day you forget to remove your power tools from the truck bed that fills with pools of water after a heavy rainfall or when it gets loaded with snow and you have to shovel it out before you can load your gear or materials... Read more
May 7, 2022
How to Choose a Headache Rack
We were recently loading split logs into the bed of a buddy’s truck. Without even looking, our movements were automated - lift, throw, repeat. At one point we both threw at the same time, which is why we don’t know who broke the rear window of the... Read more
May 4, 2022
Make Sure Your Rig is Ready to Run
If your 4X4 was in storage over the winter, you have probably been counting the days until the warmer weather of spring when you can take it out for the first trail run of the season. Before that long-anticipated time comes, however, there are... Read more
Feb 14, 2022
Best in Show: The Overland Expo Mountain West
After its ‘virtual show experience’ in 2020, the Overland Expo series did a full circle this year with in-person events for the 2021 Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, CO, and the Overland Expo Mountain East in Arrington, VA... Read more
Jan 2, 2022
Easy Winter Jeep Upgrades
As two popular consumer shows - Mountain Expo West and East - have already taken place with great turnouts, and with SEMA leaving a wealth of products in its wake, the availability of new gear to trick out your Jeep or 4x4 is at a peak... Read more
Dec 18, 2021
Step Up Your Comfort on the Trail
Finding an ideal campsite in unfamiliar territory after a long day on the trails can be stressful. After being in this situation more often than we care to admit, our solution was simply having the right mobile accommodations to make this task... Read more
Nov 13, 2021
Kinetic Pulling Power
Any avid wheeler knows that a good kinetic recovery rope is the first tool to reach for in efforts to get out of a tough situation on a rural road or trail. Unlike a tow strap or a tow chain, which simply bears the weight of a static load, the... Read more
Nov 1, 2021
A Great 4x4 Idea Can Net You $75,000
It’s easy to come up with a good idea, but getting the cash to make it real can be a huge challenge. SEMA’s Launch Pad competition looks for the best soon-to-be products and aims to lend a helping hand with cold, hard cash (and advice). Let’s gaze... Read more
Oct 14, 2021
We Test: The Assault Vault
We’d all like to head onto the trails and into the great outdoors with every tool and widget, but that comes with a few challenges. The first is weight and the second is where to fit it all. Apart from leviathan off-road rigs like the Ford... Read more
Oct 8, 2021
Protection Where it Counts
If you read our recent “Off-Road Bumpers Explained” article (4WDrive Volume 23 Number 3), you’ll know there are several options available to protect the front end of your rig. After some contemplation, we decided to ramp up the armour on a Chevy... Read more
Sep 11, 2021
Recovery Hooks and Shackles: The Good, the Bad and the Best
It seems that recovery hooks get slapped on the front of every off-road vehicle that claims they are off-road ready. They are often painted a bright colour (commonly red) so you can’t miss them. This is kind of ironic as it assumes the vehicle... Read more
Sep 5, 2021