It's honestly been a while since I've had some time to get dusty on the trails but I'm hoping to break that streak soon now that things are getting more stable and the weather is starting to cool off again. Plus, now that I'll be in Michigan - I have a whole bunch of new trails to explore. One thing though that remains the same, whether I'm cruising through sandy washes in 120 degree heat or ice crusted forest trails in Michigan - being able to communicate with the other folks in your pack makes things more fun and far safer too. While mobile phones are good on highways, on the trails they don't always work and that's where Cardo Systems comes in with their Packtalk Edgephones ORV.

Rockford Fosgate has just introduced their new Ranger Roof Audio System, a trailblazing innovation in outdoor sound technology that will absolutely make you the loudest guy at the party. This audio system is specially engineered for Polaris Ranger off-road vehicles and features eight speakers, two subwoofers, and a remarkable 1,500 watts of sound.

I've been fortunate to embark on countless adventures, conquering diverse terrains from driving a Baja Challenge car through Mexico to navigating an old Toyota across Java. I even joined forces with the BMW GS Trophy team for some exhilarating off-road experiences on two wheels. But let me tell you, my recent three-day escapade in Moab with the CAM Mobility crew left me awe-struck and taught me more than I ever imagined.

Polaris Off, the leader in off-road vehicle innovation, today unleashed two show-stopping limited edition offerings in partnership with iconic motocross, mountain bike and action sports brand Troy Lee Designs (TLD) - the 2023 Polaris RZR Pro R Troy Lee Designs Edition and matching RZR 200 EFI Troy Lee Designs Edition. While the RZR 200 EFI Troy Lee Designs Edition marks Polaris’ first ever limited edition RZR 200, both limited edition models carry the vivid, race-inspired design aesthetic that has become the calling card for TLD for nearly 40 years.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe is a vehicle of compromise offering iconic off-road prowess, interior comfort, and the torque of a V8 with the efficiency of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The 2.0-liter four-cylinder PHEV drivetrain provides a combined 375 horsepower and an impressive 470 lb.-ft of torque, with a max towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. In addition to offering 21 miles of all-electric range and 370 miles of total range. Moreover, while running on hybrid gas-electric power, Jeep states the Wrangler 4xe MPG can achieve an impressive 49 miles per gallon/kilowatt.

When the folks at Polaris invited me to Camp RZR as their guest, I was beyond excited for the opportunity to ride the iconic sand dunes of Glamis (a bucket list item for me) and have some fun. But once I got there, went through the safety briefing, and made my way onto the dunes, I was beginning to wonder if I had gotten in over my head, as riding in sand was very different than the dirt and mud trails I was used to. 

One of the things I love about living in San Diego isn't just the pretty awesome weather all year round but rather the hot dusty playground located just on the other side of the mountains from where I live downtown. This is area, the Anza Borrego Desert, is an incredibly playground with a mixture of terrain ranging from insanely tough to perfect for novice riders. You guys know how much I love the Colorado ZR2 and so when we got the chance to take it's big brother then Silverado ZR2 for a spin... well... you know I jumped at the opportunity!

It would be an understatement to say that Ford's Bronco was one of the most wildly anticipated vehicles to become available this year. Promising to be a "Wrangler Killer" by taking the decades of engineering that Jeep had invested into it's off road king and offering a new perspective, Bronco has some big shoes tires to fill. Is it able to do so? We took it on one of our favorite trails to find out.

This weekend I had a chance to look back at some of the fun trips that I've taken over the years and right up there in the top 20 were I discovered a pattern - I really like the freedom of going fast, getting dirty, and having fun with my friends while exploring new places. While there's an undeniable level of comfort sitting in a fully enclosed truck or SUV, some of my favorite adventures were spent strapped into a Polaris RZR.

GMC has been one of our absolute favorite truck brands for almost as long as we've been doing automotive features here on ManTripping. They've earned that respect because they continually merge the two things that I think most guys look for when it comes to a set of wheels - rugged utility and ultimate comfort that is wrapped up in a stylish package.

The long awaited all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra is finally here and we had a chance to test it out on some trails in San Diego, patrolling the southern border as well as prowling some of Southern California’s highways. Our summary judgment - Toyota has delivered exactly what they needed to keep existing customers excited about the brand and attract some swing customers with long awaited updates that make this one of our favorite trucks available today.

Jeeps are a great way to explore the wilderness. But they have one big problem: they can't take you off road! There's not much fun in going out on a dirt road if you're stuck inside your car, and over time it will get dirty and smelly. Don't worry though, there are five easy steps that you can take to make your jeep more open for nature when offroading!

While most people are eagerly awaiting the launch of availability of the full-sized Bronco, the Bronco Sport is earning a special place in my heart. Initially I joined the chorus calling it the "baby Bronco" because it appeared to be a vehicle simply riding on it's big brother's legendary branding. After putting it through it's paces though and talking with Bronco Sport owners, I'm convinced that this may be the perfect off roader for all but the most die-hard and technically skilled adventurers.

Two of our favorite trucks are the Chevrolet Silverado and the Colorado ZR2... well now they've come together to create a truck we can't wait to get our hands on next spring. The 2022 Silverado ZR2 takes the existing Silverado to the next level, bringing it closer... and in many ways superior to the current generation Tundra TRD Pro and F-150 Raptor.

We loved what Chevrolet did to the Colorado ZR2 with the Bison package and it looks like GMC is headed down that same path with this one. While they seem to be positioning this OVRLANDX truck as purely a concept to stoke the imagination, we would love to see something like this available for purchase at GMC dealers. Even if it was simply a set of dealer-installed options this would be exactly what Canyon needs to fully differentiate itself.

Last week, the folks from INEOS Automotive brought me to a mountain top on the Appalachian Trail near Fairfax, Virginia to check out the INEOS Grenadier. Now when I first got the invite, like most of you, I had never heard of INEOS or the Grenadier before. But a quick Google search turned up some photos of a pretty rugged looking truck, so I was excited to learn more about the Grenadier and see what it was all about. Since the vehicle we were previewing was an early pre-production prototype, we didn't get a chance to drive it. Hopefully I'll get the chance to take one off-roading in the future.

When Ford, in 2017, formally announced that they were bringing Bronco back, the off road enthusiast world lost their shit. This was one of the biggest brands in off road history and now it was coming back in exactly the right time where we have the most advanced suspension technology in history and a wide variety of engines that are designed to be robust enough to handle virtually anything we can throw at it on the trail. Then... a year later a new "Bronco" emerged and that quickly got derided as simply the "Baby Bronco", a vehicle simply riding on the big brother's coat tails. In many ways, that is accurate since I'm not sure the Bronco Sport would survive on it's own if it were called something else - for instance if it were simply called the Escape Sport.

One of the things I absolutely love about Joshua Tree National Park is that it is a near perfect spot for people to learn how to drive off road vehicles. You can dip your toes in the sand rolling along Geology Trail or get the adrenaline going in the Old Dale Mining District and still have a great time. This park is your place to advance skills at a pace that you are comfortable with and that matches personal experience and technical abilities of your vehicle. Over the years I've done exactly that, first having explored trails with a Jeep Cherokee and now, earlier this month I returned with the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon. 

For some, a car or truck is a static item that only receives updates when something breaks. For others though, the initial purchase is just a starting point. Over time you'll want to improve your axels, suspension, maybe add a turbo. Sometimes things unfortunately just stop working and it's time to replace a part or two. While there are some fantastic OEM part options on the market as well as custom aftermarket parts manufacturers, in some instances, buying used parts can be a great option too that will save money while delivering maximum value.

For enthusiasts who crave soul-stirring, legendary off-road performance and a new level of on-road performance, Jeep® introduces the V-8-powered 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392.