Blue collar bada**, hardcore trophy truck builder and hunter/fisher are all words that describe TreadWright Trailblazer King Nick. We found Nick browsing the lovely world of Instagram and quickly realized he carried the same characteristics and ethics we stand for at TreadWright tires. He is a hard worker, no bullshit blue collar down to earth hard working man. You can often find him posting about his1984 Chevrolet M1031, shooting his custom barrel rifles, hanging out with his lovely girlfriend or down right testing the shi* out of TreadWright Tires.
A: I’ve been building off-road race vehicles (Trophy Trucks) for the past 10+ years. Now I’m a fulltime student getting certified for CAD – 3D modeling.
A: Love the experience so far! My sponsorship has been so rad, the guys at Treadwright treat me like family and keep in touch as well as always do the right thing if a problem ever comes up. I’m planning on being a teammate for a lifetime.
A: My hobbies are typical man activities. They range from fishing (saltwater and fly), spearfishing, camping with my girlfriend and the dogs, hunting, shooting guns, hiking, kayaking, exploring, welding/ fabricating, and cooking. I love being outdoors!
A: For sure the Squarebody chevy. I have been a life long fan. I was hooked when I was a kid, my old man had an extensive background in racing (top fuel, jet dragsters, top fuel boat racing, shifter karts, ATVs and dirtbikes) and his vehicles of choice have always been square body Chevys.
A: The Vehicle that I am running my Treadwright tires on is a 1984 Chevrolet M1031 contact maintenance rig (retired military). I had the original contact box on for a few years with the 12KW PTO generator, Miller welder and air compressor, 55-gallon freshwater tank, propane hot water shower, bed, sink, stove, tools, etc. Ended up making a few changes and now I am currently running an M1028 Communications bed with a soft topper, to save about 3000 lbs.
A: I’ve always been pretty anti-social media, but eventually got hooked with Instagram at first I made it to keep in contact with my friends and post pictures of my racing and fabricating life. Over time, it just became a platform for my truck and the rare photos of my personal life. (my followers are much more familiar with my truck than myself).
A: My passion came from my childhood on the race track from my old man. I’ve been a gearhead since I started to walk. That branched off to a solid 20+ years of BMX, Baja bugs, (I built a full tube 5/1600 car in high school, daily drove it with no windows or floor, just a roll cage, fuel cell, PRPs, and Crow harnesses). From there it went to high-end race trucks for the Lucas Oil off-road series, lots of Baja Mexico Score racing. As well as the west coast desert racing with some hot rods, custom vintage Harley Davidson choppers, clothing companies, and overland truck companies sprinkled in between all of that.
A: Buying American means everything to me! I’ve been using my hands to build things for well over a decade, and the amount of time, energy, effort, skill, blood and sweat that goes into some of these projects sets a level of pride that cannot be achieved in cheap imported goods. I often find myself fixing or modifying objects right out of the box when I try to save a quick buck, which reinforces the pride in the stamp of MADE IN THE USA. I have a super old school and analog mentality living in a digital world.
]]>Overlanding is a vehicle-based journey. It doesn’t require going on trails or having a roof top tent and a lifted vehicle. Just have to get in your car and go!
]]>Adventurer, overlander, student, and outdoor enthusiast are a few words we use to describe TreadWright Trailblazer David Todd. David is currently a full-time student at the University of Denver studying marketing with aspirations of finding a job that fits his current lifestyle. David first caught our attention with his Instagram page @trailbount4r where he has been gaining a devoted following of outdoor enthusiast. David has been running TreadWright Guard Dog tires for a little over a year and has nothing but a great experience with the product stating:
"The Treadwright Guard Dogs grip on the trails, on the road, in every condition and have held up to countless wheeling trips throughout Colorado and Moab. Couldn’t ask for a better experience."
Recently we took the time to go one on one with David to learn more about him, his hobbies and how he can sustain this lifestyle.
A: My hobbies include off-roading, overlanding, and photography. Really just about anything in the car scene
A: Some of my favorite trails, I wouldn’t say are overloading trails but more rock crawling trails include Chinamans Gulch, Kane Creek, and Gold Bar Rim.
A: I try and get out to go wheeling once or twice a month if not more but I tend to break things a lot with the difficult trails I do so this past year my car has sat for about a month at a time while I save up to fix whatever I broke.
A: My rig is currently set up for a mixture of camping trips and rock crawling, but I am slowly moving more towards the rock crawling side of the offroad world.
A: I have a lot of modifications listed out below:
A: What makes my vehicle unique would be the story of how I got it. I bought it from my neighbor for $1250 5 years ago and didn't know anything about off-roading.
A: It is tough finding time to get out and explore. It's just something you have to do. I know that I want my career to be in the off-road industry, so I force myself to learn to find a way to turn this into my job and make myself be able to go outdoors and create content for the companies I work with all while doing things that I love.
A: It is extremely difficult finding time to get out and explore but I know that I want my career to be in the off-road industry so I force myself to learn to find a way to turn this into my job and make myself be able to go outdoors and create content for the companies I work with all while doing things that I love.
A: I created my Instagram page @trailboundt4r so that I could have a place to share my experiences and build with others. Through growing it I have been an influencer to a lot of people and been able to help them with their builds as well as have made a ton of friends through it. I am slowly learning to monetize the page as I now have a large active following. Through my page, I have built some amazing relationships in which I wouldn’t have some of my best friends today if it weren't for my Instagram account.
A: I would say one thing my followers don’t know about me is that I am a full-time student. School comes first for me, and that is my main priority. Also, the fact that I’m only 21 years old.
A: If I could do one thing for the rest of my life and not have to worry about money it would be to get into the off-road racing scene. Being able to race in King Of Hammers, Mint 400, Baja 1000 has always been a dream of mine.
A: To “overland” on a budget, you mainly just need to travel the world with whatever vehicle you have. Overlanding is a vehicle-based journey. It doesn’t require going on trails or having a roof top tent and a lifted vehicle. Just have to get in your car and go!
A: I wouldn’t necessarily say I overland but more go and hit trails with friends. Sometimes that turns into a couple of days long camping trips. When I think of overlanding, I think of traveling the world months at a time living out of your vehicle.
A: The most essential thing that you can take with you on trips is recovery equipment. You never know what situation you will be in and having a good set of recovery equipment is the most important thing.
]]>Every February over 40,000+ individuals and 300+ teams gather outside of Johnson Valley, CA for the hardest one-day racing event in the world, The King Of Hammers. It is known for chewing up vehicles and spitting out tires, desert racing of 100MPH with rock crawling gear ratios as low as 100 to 1. This race is meant to test every aspect from your equipment setup to your driving skills. This is why TreadWright Tires is excited to announce that we have continued our partnership with Gear Monkey Racing (GMR) for 2019. Together we're showing the durability of TreadWright Tires unique Mold Cure Process.
Gear Monkey Racing is lead by Daniel May-Applegate Founder of GMR, Daniel started this team in 2018 while living in NYC.
Daniel May-Applegate came up with the idea to build a racing rig in 10 days or less and race in King Of Hammers. Despite taking 25 days to build their first rig in 2018, they still had an impressive finish.
Driver - Daniel May Applegate
Co-Driver - Justin Raymond
Daniel built his first jeep when he was 14 after his dad and uncle took him wheeling for the first time in the Rocky Mountains.
Race Tires - 35x12.5R17 8PLY Guard Dogs
Pre Run Tires - 35x12.5R17 8PLY Axiom
Gear Monkey Racing raced on February 23rd, 2018 in the Everyman Challenge at King Of hammers and made it 96 miles of 135 and was 6th furthest on the course in their class before getting timed out.
Our tires ran the toughest one day race in the world and came out unscathed. We are happy to say that the King Of Hammers was conquered by our TreadWright Remolded Tires.
Gear Monkey Racing used our 35x12.5R17 8PLY Guard Dogs to compete in the Everyman Challenge at King Of Hammers. Throughout the race, the team saw numerous other teams with blowouts, flats, and punctures with their premium tires as they ran through Baja sand dunes and grueling rock obstacles.
Friday, February 1, 2019, to Saturday, February 9, 2019
Class 4600
4679
You can purchase a spectator ticket here for as low as $30 or you can stream all the races live here
Follow us on our Instagram page for exclusive videos from Gear Monkey Racing team throughout their adventure.
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Alex has earned his stripes as a TreadWright Trailblazer for his emerging presence on Instagram, love for outdoors and consistency in blazing trails. Alex attributes his passion for exploring and overlanding to his father who had him hiking outdoors and off-roading at a young age.
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Adventure seeking, outdoor enthusiast and living life one mile at a time. We are describing our latest TreadWright Trailblazer Alex Fleming a 19-year-old Journalism major at Colorado State University. Alex has earned his stripes as a TreadWright Trailblazer for his emerging presence on Instagram, love for outdoors and consistency in blazing trails. Alex attributes his passion for exploring and overlanding to his father who had him hiking outdoors and off-roading at a young age. Staying true to his love as a new age journalist Alex can often be found outside recording his life digitally through Instagram while exploring in his 2000 Toyota 4 runner (Named Kevin the bird from UP).
A weekend trip I did on Lockhart Canyon and Lockhart Basin in Moab, UT with a close friend. It is my absolute favorite due to just being two people, two trucks and a lot of time in the dirt. Lockhart is a trail that pushes your patience a little, It seems to be never-ending, has steep sections and, takes a bit over a day to complete. This trip was the first time I had my Guard Dogs in Utah, and I was also blown away by the traction and ride quality on the rocks in the sand.
My trip planning is very minimal, I usually make up a quick idea using trail books or reading forums and then I just go for it. This has worked out so far, and the spontaneous adventures are always much more rewarding to me. Making a concrete plan always stresses people out when you get off schedule, which happens 99% of the time and it ruins the trip for some. Having no plan leaves the idea of freedom, you can do whatever you want, and it adds to the sense of being disconnected from day to day life. As far as gear, It's almost always the same for every trip. I gear check before I leave to make sure I have everything using a checklist. As far as food, I just get what looks good and use Ramen and dry foods as a backup in case something goes wrong, or I run out of "real food."
Pack everything outside of the vehicle so you can see it all laid out, easier to see if you're missing anything. Then pack it into the truck in an organized manner so you can find it all. If you do this, most the time you won't forget anything. I sometimes use a quick checklist of critical pieces. Main things for me is tools, food, recovery gear, camera equipment and communication devices like ham radios, then chargers for all the devices.
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Meet TreadWright Trailblazer Miguel Robles out of Salinas, California. Known for his incredible photos on Instagram featuring his 2015 Jeep Wrangler JKU Sports Unlimited. Miguel aka Valley_JKU has slowly been gaining recognition in the off-roading and jeep community with features on Jeeps official Instagram page, TreadWrights and many other highly touted brands.
It is Miguel's consistent quality photography, expeditions, and pride he takes in his rig that keeps his popularity in the community ascending. Miguel started his rock crawling and outdoor overlanding as a hobby, but it quickly became a lifestyle after meeting numerous like-minded individuals out on the trails that felt like family. Now the lifestyle consumes Miguel's free time as he itches for the moment to be off work to be out on the trials experiencing, living and submerging himself in an outdoor adventure.
Miguel isn't an expert nor a novice he is still learning from each trip jotting notes and learning from his faults. Miguel currently devotes an adequate amount of time planning his micro-adventures ensuring he is well prepared. For more extended expeditions, one can find Miguel meticulously planning out the details of the excursion 2-3 months in advance.
We recently asked Miguel what his favorite trail/expedition was and he responded, "Calico ghost town! It is a fun experience with slick rocks in lake alpine. Though I am looking forward to finally hitting the Rubicon trail."
Miguel recommends that you always over pack and be over prepared! You can never have too many spare parts, clothes, and tools. It's always better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it!
I think it goes without saying that if you haven't started following Miguel and his expeditions on his Instagram handle Valley_JKU you are missing out.
]]>“Tires are one of the most abundant pollutants to our water system. As someone who makes his living off of the quality of waterways, it is vital to do everything possible to reduce the human footprint. It is not often you find a product which supports your goals concerning carbon footprint, which is also cheaper and performs better than the competition. It is funny to say, but TreadWright is a badass tire which is also green, not a lot of companies can claim that."
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Ennis, Montana has 800 resident humans and several million trout. You get a feel for the size of the town walking around with Joe Dilschneider, owner of Trout Stalkers, America’s finest little outfitter and fly shop. Joe says hello to one person after another as he makes his pass by the gas station over to the shop. “It’s hard not to know everybody in town,” Joe explains as he apologizes for another quick “hello” followed by “you betcha”, little-unintended interruptions that punctuate our conversation walking through Ennis. A River Runs Through It meets Cheers. Located south of Three Forks, Montana, Ennis is perfectly perched on the western side of the Madison River, just below Ennis Lake and about an hour drive from Bozeman. In the summer months, you will most likely see more trucks trailering fishing boats – drift boats – than not. People come from around the world to fish for the famous Brown Trout, and Joe along with his wife and crew of guides bring peoples dreams to real life. Google “Trout Stalkers,” and you’ll find a veritable angler’s Hall of Fame. In internet terms, the name itself is synonymous with 20+ inch Brown Trout.
Joe found himself in the West for the first time in college when he left his hometown, St. Louis, to study at the University of Colorado – in Boulder. “I didn’t fish or hunt much growing up but fell in love with the outdoors in college. I love being outside, and I love being around others who enjoy the experience as well. There isn’t anything better." Pulling into the parking lot of Trout Stalkers is an authentic Montana experience, as dirt covered Toyota Tundra’s, Chevy 2500s, Dodge Rams and Ford pickup trucks line the gravel lot, the collection of vehicles is a testament to the lifestyle found in Ennis, known as Big Sky Country. “We cover a lot of country looking for fish, and are not afraid to take the bumpy road to make our clients have the best day.” It takes a fishermen’s eye, but after experiencing a day of fishing with Trout-Stalkers one might be tended to look at the different tires on the trucks. You might be surprised to see TreadWright written on the sidewalls, rather than Goodyear, BF Goodrich, or Toyo. “We found TreadWright a couple of years ago through Facebook.”
Joe says that he ordered a pair for his truck to test them out, and was impressed by the toughness. “At first I thought about just using them during the winter, because our drive over the pass to Big Sky Ski Resort is no joke, but was blown away by the wear on the tread, and kept them on through the summer month’s right into Elk season. Next thing you know, it was snowing again, and I had yet to take them off.” It was not long before the rest of guides at Trout Stalkers were rolling on TreadWright tires. “Our trucks are our lives. Clients are in them, our families are in them, and nowhere we go is a short drive. A re-manufactured tire makes a lot of sense, and TreadWright has designed a product which allows us to get a longer life out of our tire for a price which helps each one of us.” Joe continues to explain the value of a re-manufactured tire beyond the performance, and how important it is ethically to his business. “Tires are one of the most abundant pollutants to our water system. As someone who makes his living off of the quality of waterways, it is vital to do everything possible to reduce the human footprint. It is not often you find a product which supports your goals concerning carbon footprint, which is also cheaper and performs better than the competition. It is funny to say, but TreadWright is a badass tire which is also green, not a lot of companies can claim that."
Read How the Second Biggest Ski Resort in the US is Saving on their Fleet Vehicles
]]>The product allows for Big Sky to stay true to their environmental temperament while getting to get top-tier performance. TreadWrights proven ability to handle inclement weather, icy roads to other rigors winter conditions has been put to the test with Big Sky. Big Sky Fleet vehicles have to be able to run in negative temperatures, plow snow and run crews up maintenance roads. Affirming the reliability of TreadWrights durability and performance without breaking the bank.
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An hour south of Bozeman, Montana via U.S Highway 191 sits legendary Big Sky Mountain Resort.
Big Sky Resort opened in 1973 offering the “Biggest Skiing in America.” Through years of acquisitions, Big Ski now has 5,650 skiable acres with some of the most consistent snowfall in the country making them the second largest ski resort in the United States.
Jagged peaks reach the sky as they simultaneously are belittled in comparison to the surrounding openness.
The highest peak at the resort, Lone Mountain, is accessible by a 15-passenger aerial tram that climbs 433 meters up a sheer rock face to gracefully place those who dare. From the top of Lone Mountain, you can take advantage of the largest treeless terrain available at a North American Ski resort, a continuous 4,100ft vertical drop and enjoy a six-mile descent in one run.
In early October, I had the pleasure to speak with John Knapton, Mountain Manager at Big Sky Resort. It took a while for me to wrap my head around the sheer size of the mountain, surrounding area, and most importantly the support system in place to ensure that a massive operation like Big Sky stays running. One of John’s many responsibilities is to keep the 30 vehicle fleet – roughly 30 trucks ranging from 2½ ton snow plows to ½ ton light-trucks used to cruise around the mountain – in tip-top shape so they can support the mountains customer base. TreadWright is proud to be the tire used on all Big Sky’s mountain vehicles, ensuring that Big Sky has a fleet which is operating safely and affordable.
John first found TreadWright when he was scrolling the internet looking for a more cost-effective solution for his pick-up truck. As an avid hunter, and overall outdoorsman, John uses his vehicle for everything from commuting on the highway, to accessing some of the most remote backcountry areas in the region to chase big game. TreadWright provided John with a cost-effective solution without sacrificing durability or performance. Elated with the results and cost savings John started outfitting Big Sky’s Fleet with TreadWright tires stating,
“TreadWright is a more cost-effective solution for tires.”
The product allows for Big Sky to stay true to their environmental temperament while getting to get top-tier performance. TreadWrights proven ability to handle inclement weather, icy roads to other rigors winter conditions has been put to the test with Big Sky. Big Sky Fleet vehicles have to be able to run in negative temperatures, plow snow and run crews up maintenance roads. Affirming the reliability of TreadWrights durability and performance without breaking the bank. All fleets, businesses, and individuals are always looking to cut unnecessary costs, without risking performance and TreadWright Offers that solution allowing Big Sky to reallocate funds from expensive tires to other parts of the department.
TreadWright Tires are manufactured in Houston, Texas, using bead-2-bead mold cure technology, also known as tire re-manufacturing. Due to the rigors inspection process, and only accepting tier-1 casings into the production line, TreadWright provides quality comparable to a top-tier tire in performance, and tread wear, but at a fraction of the cost. John and Big Sky Resort have seen fantastic results on tire performance while saving over $150 per tire.
John plans on continuing to outfit Big Sky, along with himself with TreadWright for as long as they are available. Other members of the Mountain team have picked up on the product, and invested themselves in a pair of TreadWright tires, growing the personal use among the Big Sky mountain maintenance team. The product is tough, made in America, saves money and allows Big Sky to lower its impact on the environment. John explained the uniqueness of the product, but how it is one that makes sense for his organization across the board.
If you or your fleet are interested in getting our fleet pricing fill out the form here and we will be in touch shortly
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TreadWright is in a class of its own though. It’s American, cheaper than its competitors and reduces my footprint on the environment. I am not sure if you can say that about anything in our industry.”
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Armada. Not the Spanish kind we’re talking about the rebellious Park City, Utah ski company known as the industry’s first rider-owned and operated manufacturer. This Armada is known for big mountain and park skis, cutting-edge graphics – inspired by street art – and the knack for connecting with a younger generation of skiers.
Hans Smith, founder and current General Manager of Armada, and has been with the company since its early days in Costa Mesa, California. When the company moved to Park City – a lot changed – especially the weekend adventures. In 2014, Armada and
Hans, gave up the clogged Southern California freeways for the canyons and mountain passes of the Wasatch. No more 6 hour drives to find snow on Friday afternoon. The options are endless with world-class resorts, and vast backcountry for ski-tourism and sled laps (snowmobile access).
Hans packs his snowmobile on the back of a 2011 Toyota Tundra, allowing him to quickly access powder if the crowds are jamming lift lines in Cottonwood Canyon, or up at Park City. At the end of a snow-covered access road, a group of skiers are revving the engines of their powerful 500lb machines making conversation difficult. At first, this might not strike you as a gathering of some of the leaders in climate change awareness, but the truth is, Hans and the rest of the ski industry are doing everything in their power to make changes and raise awareness. Hans explains bluntly that the snow sports industry’s success is directly correlated to the amount of snowfall over the course of a few winter months.
“More snow equals more sales. Period.”
If you look closely among the snowmobiles and diesel pickup trucks, you will notice that these powder hounds have a unique brand of tire, TreadWright. “In the mountains, it is essential to have the most durable gear, from gloves to ski bindings to the tire you are running on your truck.” Hans explains, “Mother Nature beats up equipment, it’s that simple. When you find a product which performs, it is worth staying with it in the long run. TreadWright is in a class of its own though. It’s American, cheaper than its competitors and reduces my footprint on the environment. I am not sure if you can say that about anything in our industry.”
Hans is describing the unique manufacturing process which TreadWright has perfected, known as mold-cure or tire re-manufacturing. The Houston, Texas-based company uses recycled SUV/Light-Truck tires to re-manufacture a tire with commercial grade rubber in both All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain tread. “A lot of folks will confuse the product with a re-treaded tire, at first. But with a couple of minutes of research, it is easy to see that TreadWright is doing something unique in re-manufacturing and upgrading a tire to outperform products which cost $200 more per tire. That’s a $1,000 a set – it leaves a lot more budget for gear.” Hans was honest in saying that at first, he thought the product was going to be iffy, but now that he is on the second set, he appreciates how strong the tread is, and the strength of the commercial grade rubber which results in a better product life.
“Since the casing is recycled, TreadWright can invest in a more durable rubber, resulting in better wear. It’s truly amazing”]]>
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Every February over 40,000+ individuals and 300+ teams gather outside of Johnson Valley, CA for the hardest one-day racing event in the world, The King Of Hammers. Known for chewing up vehicles and spitting out tires, desert racing of 100MPH with rock crawling gear ratios as low as 100 to 1. This race is meant to test every aspect from your equipment setup to your driving skills. This is why TreadWright Tires is excited to announce our partnership with Gear Monkey Racing (GMR). Together we plan to show the durability of our Mold Cure Tire while wheeling Gear Monkey Racing to conquering the Every Man Challenge Stock Race.
Though in the early stages of this journey, GMR is confident in their ability to finish the race though they are already dealing with numerous challenges from budgeting to time. Even with partnerships from TreadWright Tires and Hooligan Off Road GMR still has a lot of items on the budget list that need to be checked off. To get relief from some of the personal financial burdens the team is taking on more sponsors and donations on their website for anyone looking to get involved.
As if bootstrapping a build for the hardest race in the world wasn't already enough they have also found a formidable opponent in time. Less than five months out the Gear Monkey Racing team is balancing their working life with the project build. Daniel May-Applegate, a team member from GMR, believes that along as they have the parts the team can complete the build in 10 days that stay within the 62 Page Rule Book.
Team member Daniel May-Applegate came on our Podcast show this week to discuss their journey in more detail.
If you are wanting to join 40,000+ screaming fans to see GMR compete here is how.
Gear Monkey Racing raced on February 23rd, 2018 in the Everyman Challenge at King Of hammers and made it 96 miles of 135 and was 6th furthest on the course in their class before getting timed out.
Overall, our tires ran the toughest one day race in the world and came out unscathed. We are happy to say that King Of Hammers was conquered by our TreadWright Remolded Tires.
Gear Monkey Racing used our 35x12.5R17 8PLY Guard Dogs to compete in the everyman challenge at King Of Hammers. Throughout the race, the team saw numerous other teams with blowouts, flats, and punctures with their premium tires as they ran through Baja sand dunes and grueling rock obstacles.
The team was simply amazed how our TreadWright Tires held up without any punctures, flats or blowouts after seeing so many on the course by other teams. The TreadWright Tires ran in the race are still in such good condition they plan on using the same tires on the next race.
This is a testament to the TreadWright craftmanship and quality of work we put behind every tire. TreadWright has proven that it can not only hang with premium tires but even outperform them on the worlds toughest stage.
Gear Monkey Racing is quoted saying “They call this the toughest single day race in America and these tires survived all of the elements, The high speed 60+mph desert and the toughest rock trails I've ever been on.”
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We were blessed to Host Kraig Becker on episode two of the Adventure Mobile Podcast. Where we come together in the spirit of Adventure! Every week we will discuss micro-adventures and Overlanding trips while also sharing useful information about affordable car builds and automotive tips. Be sure to subscribe to this RSS Feed and our YouTube channel to stay up to date with our latest shows.
Each episode is repurposed for YouTube and our Blog. Below you will find the full video interview and footnotes from the interview.
Kraig is a freelance writer and world traveler who covers mountaineering expeditions, polar exploration, adventure travel, and other outdoor pursuits. He is the editor of The Adventure Blog, is the Adventure and Outdoor Travel expert at About.com, and a regular contributor to Popular Mechanics, OutdoorX4 magazine, Digital Trends, and the Gear Institute.
How to Contact Kraig Becker:
http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/kungfujedi
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theadventureblog/
Big thanks to www.TreadWright.com who makes it possible for us to bring you this weekly content. We cannot express the importance of being Environmentally cautious to reduce our Carbon footprint. TreadWright Tires offers an intermittent solution to reducing tire pollution while supporting the American Economy without sacrificing safety.
Kraig is currently planning an Overlanding route from North Africa to South Africa. The initial plan would be to start in Alexandria Egypt, which falls along the Mediterranean Sea and start traveling south. The route would pass through Cairo and into Southern Egypt before passing into Sudan. From there, Kraig would turn east to reach Ethiopia, and spend some time exploring the countryside. Kraig plans to eventually turn back down south towards Kenya and Tanzania (two of his favorite destinations). After that, it would be on to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and finally, South Africa, finishing in Cape Town. In totally the trip would cover approximately 6800 miles! We will be supplying Kraig with all of his tires needs during this trip as well.
Be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with Kraig's adventure.
]]>We were grateful to start our first episode with Overlanding Expert Ruston Smith the owner of Overlanding USA. Ruston specializes in micro-adventures, which he calls " The Weekend Warrior Model." Like many of us, Ruston has the rigorous grind of the 8-5 job and found the Overlanding trips to be a formidable opponent that usually takes more time than just a weekend. IN this episode Ruston offers real answers on how to keep your day job without sacrificing your intrinsic nature to explore.
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TreadWright designed the show to offer high-value content to their everyday consumers. The show is geared to discuss Micro Adventures and Overlanding Trips while also sharing useful information about affordable car builds and automotive tips.
We were grateful to start our first episode with Overlanding Expert Ruston Smith the owner of Overlanding USA. Ruston specializes in micro-adventures, which he calls " The Weekend Warrior Model." Like many of us, Ruston has the rigorous grind of the 8-5 job and found the Overlanding trips to be a formidable opponent that usually takes more time than just a weekend. In this episode, Ruston offers real answers on how to keep your day job without sacrificing your intrinsic nature to explore.
Decide how long your Adventure is going to be.
How to travel routes?
Scouting a Camp Spot
You can learn more about Ruston Smith and his travels at Overlanding USA
You can follow his Weekend Warrior YouTube Series Here
]]>Email me to be Featured: Send Mail
It's been about six months now and I have accumulated about 8,000 more miles on my Treadwright Mud Claw II tires in 35x12.5x17. I can say that there on and off road performance has been stellar! Since my last review, I have made note of several things that I feel are extremely positive with only minimal detractions. So far, I am pleased with my purchase and continue to be satisfied! I would like to share my latest adventures with you, a little background on why I choose Treadwright, and my latest findings.
There are several reasons to consider an aggressive mud terrain tire such as the Mud Claw II. For me, price, quality, and performance were the top three determining factors. Increased ground clearance, traction, and aesthetic appeal rounded out my decision-making process. I regularly drive in high heat, heavy rain, and stop-and-go city traffic, my 2015 Tank Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (since named Julio) is my daily driver. In keeping with the Jeep lifestyle, I also adventure off road in deep and soft sand, solid and loose rocks, gravel roads, small mud pits, sticks, and debris, plus thousands of miles on road trips; your typical trail and overland conditions. I needed tires that could perform all of these activities without compromise. Luckily, I feel I made the right decision.
I have (5) identical tires purchased directly from the warehouse in Houston, TX. When mounted I had them aligned and balanced. I am now on my fourth tire rotation; I also rotate the spare. To date, there are about 16,000 miles on the tires and there has been a minimal increase in hum from the treads. The tires have remained balanced, and still roll smooth even at highway speeds. I have driven on psi's ranging from 40 to 10 and the tires have not complained. As far as wear is concerned, it is utterly amazing! I am just now able to see the bottom of the sipping and there is plenty more rubber left before the sipping is removed. I expect to easily exceed 30,000 miles and anticipate well over 40,000 at this current rate. I have only had two issues during the time between my last review, chunking and a lost bead at low psi. I will go into these points later. Overall, I have not desired anything more from these tires, they're great!
Somehow, I convinced my wife to take the Jeepers' "pilgrimage" with me to Moab, UT. I also planned a route that would take us through Southern Colorado, another Mecca of wheeling. The journey would cover over 1,500 miles, one-way! We began from Houston, TX traveling westward to the far-west, arid Permian Basin, and high desert of West Texas before heading north to Santa Fe and Taos, NM. We stopped in Roswell, NM to see the sights, a.k.a. aliens, explored the Old World Spanish Colonial charm that is Santa Fe and the humble mountain town of Taos, NM before reaching Telluride, CO. The landscape along the way was breathtaking however was absolutely majestic deep in the San Juan and Uncompahgre Mountains. Here, we tackled Black Bear Pass and Imogene Pass. We asked locals who knew the 4x4 scene and utilized Funtreks (www.funtreks.com) books for more information in Colorado and Utah. Still, in early June the snow pack was too great to complete both Imogene and Black Bear passes. The roads were not cleared. We attempted what we could and I did not even air down. The substrate was rocky and at places slick from cascading water. The switchbacks to Bridal Veils Falls could be treacherous without proper clearance and four-wheel drive low in spots, but are mostly extremely intimidating! I started in two wheel drive with the tires gripping like crazy until four-high was needed, usually in the rough areas. Eventually, due to the steepness four-low had to be engaged. I never lost confidence or grip with the tires and was only really afraid of my driving skills and the perilous drop-offs, at times inches away. We loved our time in Telluride but it became time to head to Moab.
Moab is a Jeeper's dream. Epic trails for a lifetime, beautiful surroundings, all within a fairly small area. Here, we camped off-the-grid in the middle of the desert alongside a long gravel road that crossed several washouts. Moab tested both tires and suspension. Our first day on the trail we completed Fins N Things and Hell's Revenge. Fins N Things was a great warm up. After airing down to 17 psi, I challenged myself on only the most difficult obstacles and only struggled once, on a steep craggy ledge climb where I should have used lockers. On the slick rock, our confidence in the tires was readily apparent, we never second guessed the grip on the sandstone spines. The rock, plus the grip of the tires allows you to accomplish climbs that would be impossible elsewhere. Hell's Revenge is the epitome of a difficult and anxiety inducing trail that tests traction both in pitch and roll. Many times I reached my record for both on this trail! As long as you are smooth with the throttle you'll only get a chirp from the tires, then, it's all pulling from there! The best trail we experienced was Top of the World. While this trail used to be rated easy, it is now difficult and quite a challenge in places. Sections are ledgy and it is easy to get off chamber; other sections are very steep. Still, the tires gripped without slip. Not worrying about your tires allows you to choose better lines, to be safer, or to so that you can push yourself and machine to the limit confidently. The remoteness of the trail was appreciated but also instilled a sense of caution where you don't want to have a mechanical or tire failure. Everything that I heard about Moab was true. It was an amazing experience that all off-road enthusiasts should make at least once.
We made the 1,500 trek back home and jumped right back into the dirt again at Hidden Falls Adventure Park, where I first trialed the tires, two weeks later. Now, super confident, I and our group of Jeeps tackled the most difficult trails, WET. When it's wet, momentum and wheel spin are your friends. Here, the limestone mud became slick and the anchored rocks protruded like jagged shards, providing grip but also the capability to shred tires. First, we climbed Green Mile in moderate rain. High revs were necessary to make the climb, everyone had to reverse at least once until a line with traction was found. My tires gripped, cleared pasty mud efficiently, and dug forward. We crawled through Wet and Wild in the peak of the rain. Here, I will say that I did notice a slight amount of lateral slip on wet rocks. After grabbing lunch as things dried out, we went to the most difficult climbs, Loose Rocks, and The Wall, trails with a high roll risk. Words fail to fully express the extreme scenarios we faced. Steep, off-chamber, and loose soil equates to tippy, precarious, and honestly the most concerned I've ever been. Everyone in our group rode three wheels at some point. Loose Rock truly tested the mettle of man and machine. Somehow, these tires churned away at the terrain to maintain progress. These two trails are when I aired down to 10 psi on my non beadlocked Method Racing NV wheels. The sidewalls held up to cuts and extreme side loading and flattened out over the pebbles and jagged edges. Driving back to camp we passed The Wall. Two jeeps in our group were outfitted with 40-inch tires decided it was worth a try, at least one the easier of the difficult lines. One Jeep was outfitted with 37's and two more including myself running 35's. One by one each Jeep made it up The Wall, which is literally a 3 to 4-foot vertical rock ledge and about 15 feet more of 45 degree plus ascent. On my attempt, I climbed straight up no stopping, the only person to do so. Proving that 35's and Mud Claw II's are capable indeed. I have never felt more proud or accomplished after completing these trails.
Continuing my off road quests, our group ventured to Wolf Caves, LLC in Mason, TX to experience the grip offered by a unique kind of Hill Country Granite. Again, more extreme than the previous weekend, rain made even moderate trails extreme. The balance between grip and slip had to be monitored carefully as to not incur a driveline breakage. Again, these tires hooked up perfectly. The compound used has the right combination of wear and traction. However, it was here that I experienced chunking of the outer lugs on the most extreme attempts at higher wheel spin. I rubbed the sidewalls on huge boulders and did notice some abrasion. I don't think this is a fault of the tire, just a consequence of the situation and throttle application. I believe most tires suffered some cuts, bruising, and chunking. These conditions are ones that are not often faced but could occur in other off-road scenarios. On another blind and steep climb without a spotter, I lost a bead when climbing a boulder at a high angle of attack and at low psi. I rolled back to level ground only a few feet away, jacked the Jeep, and replaced with the spare. Later, I inflated the tire as normal and it reseated properly without any further intervention. There was no visible damage to the tire. I consider an example of how tough the tires are but also how it is possible to lose a bead. If you ever get the chance to wheel Wolf Caves LLC, take advantage and do it! The scenery was great and we tackled all but the most extreme the park had to offer.
As always and with any tires I am very vigilant with proper maintenance and monitor their performance. I still say that perhaps these tires tend to “walk” a little at highway speeds and grooved or uneven pavement. However, and again, that issue could be due to my own rig’s setup.
Overall, I am pleased with my purchase and am glad to share another story! I hope that whatever tires you select for your Jeep or 4x4 you will be happy and confident in your decision. I can’t wait to continue the journey with my Jeep, "Julio", and see where the road and trail will lead me next!
2105 JKUR, Tank
35” Treadwright Mud Claw II
3” Daystar Lift
17” Method NV Race Wheels
K&N air filter
Pypes off road high-clearance exhaust
Superchips Trail Dash II
Ace Engineering and Fabrication Stand Alone Tire Carrier
Olympic Front Boa bumper and rear Urban bumper
….Plus more and upgrades to come!
*I wrote this as a story of my experience. This not an advertisement or endorsement for Treadwright tires. I was not paid to make these statements. I do not guarantee that you will have the same results as me. I DO hope you enjoyed and found it helpful!
]]>This week features some of our most beautiful content from Alex Fleming and his 285x75R16D Guard Dogs. Alex is a student from Fort Collins, Colorado. The rig alex uses is a beautiful Toyota 2000 SR5 Sport 4R. This classic vehicle is very similar to what OverlandNomad uses as well. Alex uses a Canon 7D MKii camera to capture some of the best shots we've seen to date. If you wondering if the Treadwrights can handle the offroad terrain, look no further than the high definition shots Alex Takes.
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This Friday we are featuring Alex Fleming and his Guard Dog 285x75R16 Guard Dogs! Alex is a student at Colorado State University and provides us with some of the best original content from Colorado and different Terrains from Slip Rock, Sand, and Mud! Read more about Alex and his build on this week's Feature Friday! Don't forget to e-mail Tony@Treadwright.com if you would like to be featured! The rest of the blog is from Alex Flemster himself! Enjoy!
Hi, my name is Alex Fleming. I'm 19 years old, I am a student at Colorado State University and a freelance photographer and cinematographer, and this is my 3rd gen 4runner.
I am running 3" of lift with 285/75r16 Guard Dogs with Kedge Grip. My 4runner has full armor for tearing it up in rocks and keeping me safe on the highway. I have a homemade full-length roof rack with an Odin Designs rooftop tent that I use almost every weekend. Under the hood is a stock 3.4l motor with minor mods, and has 190k miles. I have the optional rear e-locker which helps a bunch in sticky situations and a gear ratio of4:30that helps me pull the 33" tires with a little more ease.
The places I use my 4runner the most are in the Colorado backcountry, that consists of heavy washboard roads, deep sand, loose rock, granite, mud and boulder fields. The Guard dogs have been outstanding. I have yet to be stuck with these tires though I'm sure the time will come. I also find time to travel out to Utah and the Moab area where I drive on slick rock and sand. The rubber grabs the slick rock great and the tread pattern has no problems in the sand.
As the Overlanding scene continues to grow at an unprecedented rate we began to wonder - what are the best Overlanding Tires? Should Overlanding Tires be the most aggressive? It's natural here at Treadwright to start shopping for tires and gravitate towards the most aggressive Tread Design. The most aggressive tire means better grip and more traction which is why we have four wheel drives vehicles in the first place, right?
Well, the most important factor is and always will be safety. A fresh tire with a healthy amount of tread will exhibit significantly better grip for braking and handling. This can make the difference when you are turning on that tight corner on that rainy night, which is why tire selection is an important part of vehicle performance.
In this Treadwright Feature Friday we are taking a dive into some highly touted Overlanding pages to offer insight on what tires they use and where they travel. There are much more Overlanding pages out there than you might think, so we aren't trying to leave any of the awesome groups out on this post. If you want to add to this story please email Tony@TreadWright.com - we want to hear from you.
It's hard to cover any Overlanding topic without mentioning Overlanding USA - one of the biggest influencers in the entire market. Did we mention we are giving away a Guided Trip by Overlanding USA?
Editor: Derrest Williams, Jr.
Welcome to Feature Friday!! Where we take the time out of our week to go in-depth on some of our favorite wheelers and help spread the word on how they put their Treadwrights to work. This week's feature is one of our most active posters who many know as @the_mee_guel on Instagram. @the_mee_guel whose real name is Miguel Robles is always wheeling in the west coast with his Rough Country lift and his Jeep Club 831 Valley Jeeps! Miguel has a beautiful Instagram page and an amazing Youtube page that reviews all sorts off-road accessories. You can check out his most recent review of his Guard Dogs here.
]]>Welcome to Feature Friday!! Where we take the time out of our week to go in-depth on some of our favorite wheelers and help spread the word on how they put their Treadwrights to work. This week's feature is one of our most active posters who many know as @the_mee_guel on Instagram. @the_mee_guel whose real name is Miguel Robles is always wheeling in the west coast with his Rough Country lift and his Jeep Club 831 Valley Jeeps! Miguel has a beautiful Instagram page and an amazing Youtube page that reviews all sorts off-road accessories. You can check out his most recent review of his Guard Dogs here.
If you want to be featured on our Treadwright Blog or Feature Friday - Email Tony@Treadwright.com
We Let Miguel take it away from here! Enjoy this week's Feature Friday:
Treadwright tires are a company I decided to go with when I first started building my Jeep , not only because they're 100% American made but because they they are Eco-friendly as well , due to being recycled tires. Now Don't jump to conclusions these aren't low-quality tires just because they remold them. They have a very detailed process to create these high-quality tires that come at about half the cost of other name brand tires with the same reliability that I myself have had with them.
I run 35/12.50/17 Treadwright Guard Dogs on my 2015 Jeep Jku sport. I got them on my Jeep about a week after I bought it, right away I noticed these tires were quiet! I had run BfGoodrich Km1's on my previous Jeep and they were loud once I hit around 40mph. As far as traction goes I've never had a doubt these tires would grab! Since my local Jeep club (831ValleyJeeps) tends to hold at least one trail run a month they've seen their fair share of mud, snow, sand, and rocks.
I've gone out to Hollister Hills out in California plenty of times during the summer and in the winter when they have extremely sticky mud and these tires have a great ejection process and didn't lose traction going up steep hills! I just recently took them out to Calico Ghost town through the Odessa Canyon trail and man these tires surprised me once again.
Since I do own a Sport I don't run lockers on my Jeep, being aired down to about 17psi all around the Guard dogs had very little to no slip at all going through steep climbs and sharp rocks. Even after the pounding and rubbing through the trails all weekend I was able to embark on my 400 mile journey back home with no problems at all.
So if you're interested in High quality and reliable tires as well as Proudly USA made tires go check out Treadwright and put them to the test! I can say you won't be disappointed!
Thanks for checking out this weeks feature Friday!!! Make sure to follow Miguel on Instagram @the_mee_guel and don't forget to email Tony@Treadwright.com to get your Jeep club and Vehicle featured on our Treadwright Feature Friday.
]]>Our Feature Friday this week is featuring Gizzard Stone!! A family oriented Overlanding page. Make sure to check out to check and follow the Treadwright Youtube and the Treadwright Facebook Page to catch their upcoming content with some new Treadwright Warden 265x75R16. Email Tony@Treadwright.com if you would like to be featured on our Feature Friday and our Treadwright Blog!
]]>We’ve been doing the whole overlanding thing since long before we learned the word. When I was a kid we’d take the family Bronco on back roads camping trips to remote places in Colorado and the Southern Sierra Nevada. My first vehicle was a 1979 Jeep Cj-7. I even spent a lot of years pushing Subarus as far as I could. Now we explore and camp with our two little boys same as we always have, we just have to bring more snacks.
Gizzard Stone Overland started when I got my 4Runner 3 years ago. This is THE truck I lusted after in high school, and I searched all over Reno to find it. It’s a 1999 sr5 4x4 with the 3.4L V6 and 5 speed manual transmission. It has the factory electric locking rear differential which i have used many times and it is AWESOME.
The truck is set up pretty basic right now with Bilstein 5100 struts in the front set 1.5 inches over stock ride height. In the rear I have Old Man Emu 906 springs to combat sag and 1.5 inch daystar spacers to match the front. We are running 265/75 R16 tires which are slightly over stock, but they don’t rub anywhere and the spare still fits under the truck. Other than that the truck is pretty plain and simple, though I’m working on some organizing mods for the interior.
We love exploring the area around Reno, NV where we live literally 4 minutes from the closest 4x4 trail. We are working towards documenting our favorite trails in videos on our YouTube channel, and next month we’re taking a group from Overland Bound on a tour of the Virginia Range to view the wild horses.
The roads out here are rough and peppered with gnarly pokey rocks that eat up tread blocks and rip side-walls like mad. We’ve had pretty good luck in recent years, but it’s not un-comon for us to carry a spare spare when we go exploring the remote areas of central Nevada where you might not see another traveler all day.
Recently we did a three day tour of the Mojave National Preserve, first video is live not on YouTube. Our overlanding goals and plans include a tour of the Pony Express route in Central Nevada and the Plumas Backcountry Discovery Trail in California.
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This weeks Feature Friday is featuring Tim Hallam from BleepinJeep.com!!! Tim recently tested a set of Claw 33x12.5R15s by driving them from California all the way to Moab before wheeling them all over the trails of Utah!!!
We were recently lucky enough to have a set of our 33x12.5R15 Claw Mud Terrains tested out by Tim from BleepinJeep.com - one of the best resources on YouTube for offroad advice and some of the best content on the internet. Tim was able to put his set of 33x12.5R15 Claws to the test in Moab. The build was codenamed "Green Machine." Here is a quick walkaround of Tim after initially receiving the tires.
Right after installation, Tim was wheeling at Hole in the Rock Trail which is three hours away from any town of significant size. Being the only rig without lockers Tim was able to wheel 26 miles while staying in 2WD and only being winched three times (these results may not be typical; as Tim Hallam and BleepinJeep are professional wheelers).
After initial installation, Tim was able to put a punishing 2,000 miles of interstate and highway miles plus several hundred offroad hours. Fellow wheelers were astounded by how far Tim was able to get in rear wheel drive. Treadwrights rubber was able to grip Utahs slick rock sandstone with ease.
Tim will be releasing a full in depth review on these Claws very soon including footage of his wheeling in Moab and honest feedback about their performance! Sign up for our Treadwright Blog to check out once he releases it!!
]]>This weeks feature Friday is featuring Gear Monkey Racing!! GMR is prepping to
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GMR is building a 4600 stock class vehicle for the Ultra4 race King of the Hammers, happening Feb 8th 2018. We will be debuting our team and the vehicle at this race! Most teams build their vehicles over the course of months or years. We will be building and assembling ours in just 10 short days; only weeks before the race! King of the Hammers is said to be the hardest one day off-road race in the country. It brings more than 40k, 4x4 enthusiast to Johnson Valley desert to experience the greatest congregation of off-road gearheads you have ever seen!
We love this sport and we love the camaraderie it brings. Most can agree, when you have a 4x4, regardless of brand, you are part of an exclusive community. That is why one of our goals as a team is to seek out and partner with american made companies that are dedicated to producing an amazing product for the extreme off-road enthusiast; the weekend wheeler and the everyday dirt road traveler.
The vehicle we have decided to build is a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. It will be modified within the context of the Ultra4 rules, one of the rule being limitations on tires. The vehicle has to run on DOT non-sticky tire, limited to 35” tall. Tires are in the top 3 most important aspects of this race. It is almost impossible to get through KOH without at least one flat tire. When looking for tires, we wanted reliable and made in the USA. With many of the tire companies pushing overseas, we wanted to bring it back home. Treadwright tires was our answer! After talking with the the Ultra4 technicians about Treadwright tires and their amazing process for remolding they approved them for the race!
Partnering with Treadwright is huge! They will be the first remolded tire to ever enter this race! We are very excited to have them on our race vehicle to show the offroad community that remolded tires are just as reliable and durable as the other brands from overseas. We will push these tires to their limits and beyond throughout King of the Hammers 2018 and the rest of the season. We will be running the Treadwright Guard Dog MT in 35/12.50/R17.
Although Gear Monkey Racing is a new team, we are working hard everyday to achieve our goals through the help of our sponsors and the support from our off-road community. So, please check us out at Gearmonkeyracing
]]>Tires are a major component of any Jeep or 4x4 build. There is a plethora of choices, multiple categories, and probably the most important factor, price, which must be considered. For me and my 2015 Tank Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited, I had several reasons for selecting Treadwright Tires to outfit my rig.
As part of my build, I tried wherever possible to buy local, American-made products, from American based companies. I don’t want to compromise on the quality of my build, but I also don’t want to pay high premiums for every accessory. Criteria for my tires were: 35 or 37 inches to help increase my ground clearance, increase traction, and for aesthetic appeal. They needed to not be too portly, as to decrease my performance, be at least as aggressive as the BFG Mud Terrain T/A treads that came stock, and could handle well on road with a decent mileage rating.
I consistently encounter heavy rain, sand, solid and loose rocks, gravel roads, mud, sticks, and debris; your typical trail and overland conditions. But, I also use my rig as a daily driver, at one point commuting 60 miles a day! So, on-road performance and wear were also a major factor. Much like the rest of the Jeep community I thoroughly read reviews, view videos, and ask questions of my fellow jeepers. I also make my own decisions and draw my own conclusions. Based on my criteria, I selected the Mud Claw II tire in 35x12.5x17 and I’m very glad I did!
I purchased (5) identical tires directly from the warehouse in Houston, TX. Since I was in the area I had them mounted at a local tire specialist. I was able to utilize two discounts for my order; one for the order and another for picking up my tires in person. The tires mounted, balanced, and aligned just fine as per the technician’s notes and my observations. Upon driving, I didn’t notice any vibration, shimmy or, deviation. I did notice a pleasant, high-pitched hum. I have an off road exhaust and the sound of the tires is barely noticeable; even without the exhaust, I believe the sound of the tires is unobtrusive, including through my premium soft top.
That weekend, I trialed the tires at Hidden Falls Adventure Park, Marble Falls, TX. I met up with some fellow Jeepers and tackled the trails. I prepped the rig by engaging 4x4 low, disconnecting the sway bar, and airing down to the lowest Treadwright recommends without voiding the warranty, 17 psi. The other rigs’ had 37-inch tires to my 35-inch tires yet my combination kept up and excelled at the challenging terrain. Our first trail of the day was one that I refused to complete and backed down after attempting with my stock BFG Mud Terrain tires (255, 75 R17) several months earlier. Impressively, these tires made the climb easy, no lockers, no slips, and no problems. From there we completed several more challenging level 3-4 trails (on a 1-5 scale) each with climbs, descents, and off chamber sections. Mud was cleared at low speeds, the tires didn’t chunk on sharp edges, and they held their shape without too much bulge all while maintaining a nice contact patch. I have since visited Hidden Falls Adventure Park again and have been even more impressed, taking on level five trails.
In Texas, you can drive on the beach, a great off-road experience! With my stock BFG Mud Terrain tires, sand driving was fun but the lack of diameter made the ride slightly bumpy and there wasn’t too much floatation in the super fine sands along the coast (San Luis Pass, Jamaica Beach, Bolivar Peninsula, Quintana Island). However, after the switch to Mud Claw II’s I ventured to Matagorda Island, TX for an American Outback beach driving experience. These tires floated over the soft sands easily. Just a blip of the throttle will let you know how these tires are meant to “dig”. You can easily bury yourself with a lead foot. Although I didn’t air down for this excursion, deflating to 15 psi would have been nice. We drove for a total of 40 miles along the shore, over razor-sharp shells, debris, and hardened driftwood. At one point I even pulled a jagged, scalpel sharp, shard of shell out of the tread area of the tire with no damage! Since this beach trip, I have visited the South Padre Island seashore with equally pleasing results.
Now, I have accumulated over 6,000 miles of road driving, including torrential rains, sand, warm and cool weather, and various road substrates. I have encountered only one, but serious concern. After rotating in my new spare, a 5 tire rotation, it quickly developed a defect after 5 miles. I slowed down for safety and made sure plan for any catastrophic action. The tread driving area began to bulge and the bulge was about 8 inches long. As I drove, it made a distinct thumping vibration. I made it home and then made arrangements to activate my warranty. Before venturing out again, I decreased the tire pressure slightly to prevent more bulging and kept my speed slow to prevent heat buildup or separation. Customer service was prompt and I was able to exchange the tire the same day from the warehouse. The incident was upsetting but was quickly rectified. I still trust the tires but I am also very vigilant with proper maintenance and monitor their performance. Since then, the tires have performed flawlessly.
Other customers have mentioned that Treadwright tires are “soft”. I disagree. Under the weight of my Jeep and with time I have found the tires to have compacted or hardened with time (at least by touch, you need a tire densitometer to actually measure compound density). There are little signs of wear thus far and I expect to tentatively exceed 40,000 miles. Not bad for a very aggressive tread! Of note, I will say that perhaps these tires tend to “walk” a little at highway speeds and grooved or uneven pavement. However, that issue could be due to my own rig’s setup.
Overall, I am pleased with my purchase and am glad to share my story! I hope that whatever tires you select for your Jeep or 4x4 you will be happy and confident in your decision. I can’t wait to continue the journey with my Jeep and tires and see where the road and trail will lead me next!
*I wrote this as a story of my experience. This not an advertisement or endorsement for Treadwright tires. I was not paid to make these statements. I do not guarantee that you will have the same results as me. I DO hope you enjoyed and found it helpful!
2105 JKUR, Tank
35” Treadwright Mud Claw II
3” Daystar Lift
17” Method NV wheels
K&N air filter
Pypes off road high-clearance exhaust
Superchips Trail Dash II
Ace Engineering and Fabrication Stand Alone Tire Carrier
Olympic Front Boa bumper and rear Urban bumper
….Plus more.
]]>Treadwright Guard Dog MT in 285/75R16 to go on some adventures that words simply can't explain.
]]>Overlanding is self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically, but not exclusively, it is accomplished with mechanized off-road capable transport where the main form of lodging is camping, often lasting for extended lengths of time (weeks, months, years) and spanning international boundaries.
We are a husband and wife team for the most part with an occasional tag along buddy or two. We both love the outdoors and adventuring off the beaten path. Put those together and add 4x4, you just can’t go wrong with that combination. We started off hitting up local lakes and parks to camp at but knew there was so much more out there to discover. So after some careful planning and long nights talking about our future and what we wanted to achieve, we decided that we were going to take on the whole country.
So became Maverick Expeditions USA.
First step was to have reliable transportation that can take us long distances efficiently and comfortably and something very trail worthy. We already had a Jeep Wrangler but it just wasn’t cutting it. Small interior and not exactly fuel efficient having to stop every couple of hours for gas. After test driving a few different brands we inevitably ended up with Toyota. Lots of amenities and interior space and cargo, great road manners and fuel efficient. Not to mention a reputation for its off road capabilities, this was a no brainer choice.
We now have a small fleet of two Toyota trucks: 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road and 2016 Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO.
Though we have many items on our list for upgrades and must have gadgets, tires are pretty high on the list. There are so many different brands, sizes, and tread patterns out there it can get frustrating trying to pick the perfect one. You need to consider road comfort and noise, off road abilities an all different types of terrain and load ranges. We are proud to have partnered up with Treadwright Tires. They make their tires right here in the USA and with recycled materials. By making them here, it boosts our economy and creates jobs here at home. And using recycled materials lowers the costs of manufacturing, which in turn, reduces the cost for the consumer as well. It’s a win, win, win for everyone.
Now some people are skeptical about purchasing from Treadwright because, yes, they’re remolded tires. But you don’t need to be. Treadwright Tires are made the exact same way as a new tire and are DOT approved. This means they have to go through the same rigorous and extensive testing just like every other tire manufacturer to prove they are safe for the consumer and other people using the road. My entire career has been based around the automotive industry and I know what quality looks like when I see it. I worked at Discount Tire for nearly a decade and have laid hands on hundreds of thousands of tires, I can tell you that Treadwright Tires are top notch. If you put them next to a brand new big name brand, you wouldn’t be able to tell which was new or remolded, that’s how great these tires really are.
Right now the Tacoma is rocking the Treadwright Guard Dog MT in 285/75R16. This is an aggressive tread that is ideal for all off road situations but exceeds expectations for on road requirements on long trips. This is easily my favorite tire to drive on. Soon the 4Runner will be equipped with Treadwright Tires as well and we will be unstoppable.
While Maverick Expeditions USA is still a young company, we have much to learn and we are meeting new people all the time and have relationships with great companies that would never be possible without taking that first step. We have many plans for our future and I hope that someday we see you all out there on the trails.
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Husband, father, and an avid outdoorsman.
I love exploring. I also love 4X4's. You put those two together and you get Overlanding. Ask my wife and friends and they can tell you I am an addict to it. I spend weekends exploring back roads, camping out at the beach, hiking deserts and mountains. The outdoors is where I feel like home, where I can meditate with God.
I have a love of the outdoors and 4WD rigs. I've been exploring the back roads and camping in Texas since high school in my 1992 Toyota Pickup 4WD. I share the places that I visit and any updates on my rigs on Instagram @OverlandNomad. Now with the new build, The Mule ('02 4Runner), I will be exploring more areas and further away from home. The Mule is shaping up pretty solid, especially with the new Guard Dog MT's by TreadWright! More terrain will be explored thanks these grippy, dependable, tough tires. Make sure to get out and explore!
You don't need a fancy rig, expensive gear, or a lot of money to get out. It just takes willingness to get out the door and explore your surroundings and beyond!
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Email Tony@Treadwright.com to be featured on Feature Friday!!
So this winter I was driving around on some half worn, terrible all season tires. I live in upstate NY, where winter can be quite harsh. This is my daily driver, I do a fair amount of wheeling and trail rides and was having problems with getting around and really needed some quality winter tires.
Did some research and found out about TreadWright Tires. Was skeptical on how well the tires would be with the price tag they had but they perform better than any tire I've had on this truck. They've seen hard packed dirt roads, snow covered pavement, highway, off-road in deep snow, soupy mud and thick mud.
They ride and work great in all conditions I've put them through. I've put about 7k miles on them and see no visible wear. Not only do these guys make quality products, there customer service is incredible. The amount that those guys did to get me my tires while a winter storm was on its way is more than appreciated, and will definitely have me coming back to buy more tires. To anyone that needs a quality aggressive tire that works in many if not all conditions, get ahold of Treadwright Tires
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Email Tony@Treadwright.com to be featured on our Feature Friday!!
I have the TreadWright Guard Dog 315/75R16 on my 1996 Lexus LX450. My second set on this truck. They are holding up great just like the first set. Air down fine when on the trails and no performance problems. I get lots of interest, questions, and "hey, where did you get those?" People are amazed at the price and quality...
I use these tires on my daily driver, my truck at the deer lease and my rock climbing rig.
I am located in Dallas and wheel frequently at the Bridgeport OHV park.
My 1996 Lexus LX450 has factory lockers and a 2 1/2" OME lift. The tires compliment thus rig nicely, have minimal road noise, and tuck up nicely when I flex out my rig.
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During the harsh winter season in Connecticut, David is depended on by his community to plow many main roads and driveways so people can go about their daily commutes without getting stuck in the snow. As you can see in Davids many plowing YouTube Videos, this is no easy task.
David uses Claw 265x75R16 with Kedge Grip to plow heavy snow for hundreds of miles a day. He is a professional landscaper that uses his Treadwrights to complete incredible projects from Natural Stone Staircases, Waterfalls, Ponds, Shrubs, Flowers, and Trees. To see more detailed information about Davids work check out his website here. For a 360 degree video of Davids Plow Rig check out this video.
Natural Stone Staircase (Courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/david.fetzner)
David has some excellent videos of him plowing through snow with his Claw 265x75R16 on his YouTube channel. Kedge Grip is a fine combination of walnut shells and glass particles that are mixed into the entire tread compound during the manufacturing process. Mixing Kedge Grip with the rubber compound allows Kedge Grip to be available for the entire life of a TreadWright tire. This compound helps people like David get better traction during severe winter temperatures like sleet and snow.
From David Fetzner himself:
Ronnie is an old-school mountain man from the mountains of West Virginia. His YouTube page YouTube.com/cherokeeronnie goes over everything from handgun reviews, Jeep FAQs, and general adventuring.
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Chris is a professional driver from New Hampshire. Facing the fierce winter of the North East, Chris needed a 31x10.5R15 that he could trust to make it through the tough terrain. When his tires started to wear on his Jeep XJ, he turned to a diesel mechanic for some advice..
Check out the rest of this story on this weeks Feature Friday!!
I bought a set of 31x10.50R15 Wardens because my Jeep isn't only my off-road vehicle but also my daily driver and are very impressed with them, especially in snow. My previous name brand tires of a different all terrain pattern were, quite frankly terrible in snow so this was a welcome change.
I initially had a problem, but TreadWright made it MORE than right. Excellent customer service. American made. Green. Cost effective. What more can you ask?
Thank you TreadWright. You have gained, no, earned a repeat customer.
]]>John is from Southern California and needed some new tires for his '03 Wrangler Build. He read about Treadwright in his off-road magazine - and the rest is history!
]]>This Feature Friday is from John Johnson! If you would like to be featured for Feature Friday, email a blog about yourself with some pictures of your rig!
I recently bought an '03 Jeep Wrangler that needed a bit of work. It needed a new rear diff and front axle replacement. It also had worn out tires it had were equivalent to 33". My build required 35" tires for the terrain here in Southern California so I did research to find a quality tire at a great price. I happened to find articles from off road magazines stating the Treadwright tires performed great and that they were made in the USA. After checking out the site I decided to go with the Guard Dog LT 315/75R16 tires I've never ordered tires online before (always been to the local stores that have tires in stock) but due to the great price, free delivery, reviews, and the fact that they keep tires out of our landfills I thought I would give them a shot. Tires arrived quickly and had them put on. I'm super happy with the look and the tread design which I expected to do well. I wasn't disappointed. These tires grip and crawl over everything I need to. Even an off road trip over snow and ice didn't stop them. For comparison, my son also has a Jeep with new Mickey Thompson 35"X12.5" tires and my tires are just slightly larger than his. Unfortunately (or fortunately in my case), my Jeep is only used for wheeling trips so they may not get the road use required to do a wear review but I expect them to last me a very long time.
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This Week we are featuring Dan Leal and his Claw II 35x12.5R20
Dan lives in the Bay Area and uses his Claws to commute from Sacramento to his home in the Bay Area! Dan is able to turn heads with his Claws, while riding on a College Student budget! This Fridays for you, Dan!!
]]>This Week we are featuring Matthew Gamm and his Wardens!
Matthew lives in Northern Iowa and has recently driven through parts of Wisconsin battled rain, sleet, ice, and snow. Not once did he even need to use his 4 wheel drive!
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This Feature Friday is from Matthew Gamm:
The past couple of years I've been looking into buying a set of tires. I wanted what everybody wants. Cheap, reliability, good looks, good performance, and made in the USA. Also keeping in mind that I have a camper that's 7500lbs and a bumper flat bed and every weather condition possible living in North East Iowa. Well in August of 2016 I decided to go with Treadwright easy to use mobile site and order the wardens they were advertising. I will admit I was very nervous getting a remolded tire but the new bead to bead mold really seemed like a good idea. So within a week I had all 4 of my Warden 315/70r17 tires and I had them mounted ASAP on my 06 Dodge Ram 2500 Hemi. Of course I was camping that weekend so right away they got to pull camper home. They did awesome. Since August I've had these tires battle gravel roads, rain, mud, snow, sleet, and ice. They handled great in every situation. I've got around 5,000 miles put on these and I haven't noticed any uneven wear or any faults in these tires yet. For the price I spent and the warranty they offer I'm definitely going to recommend these guys and always be a returning customer.
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