I picked up an ARB tire repair kit. I hate how bulky the case is though.
EVA foam, pick and pluck from a pelican, and some contact cement to make a removable tool organizer for the BROG bag that I use for the compressor.
I might revisit how I store the kit on the Tacoma.
EVA foam, pick and pluck from a pelican, and some contact cement to make a removable tool organizer for the BROG bag that I use for the compressor.
I might revisit how I store the kit on the Tacoma.
Been meaning to post this. Did some camping late Oct. Trying out an OzTent Bunker. Sort of in between a ground tent and a RTT.
Mix of the pros and cons
Mix of the pros and cons
- I can pitch an awning to create a dry area and step out w/o getting rained on
- Up off the ground.
- Heavier than my Marmot 2 man because of the frame. 38 lbs.
- Packs relatively up small though. Can fit in the back of the Subaru with the seats up.
- Slower than my RTT to set up.
- Faster than any tent I own, including the ShiftPod, to set up.
- Built in padding to lay on that I wish I could remove. The material will get grungy.
- Plenty of mesh pockets on the side walls to put stuff in.
- No see um mesh is removable and replaceable.
Interesting design. Is it tall enough to stand under the awning? Faster than a ShiftPod?? We have a Mini and can't imagine anything faster than popping the five points.
It's tall enough that you could prop yourself up inside. I'd have to stand up a separate awning over it. I picked up Green Elephant tent poles and Hennessy rainfly for that. Every Oct. they'll dump their mismatched gear for about half price. You can almost always find an odd hammock rainfly.
Setup involves folding the it open, folding the legs out, opening it, flipping it onto it's legs, pulling the risers up at the head, putting the rainfly on if necessary. The rainfly hooks into the cot legs so you don't have to drive in tent pegs unless you want to pull the bottoms out and away from the cot.
I plan on doing a write-up once I used it a few mor times.
Courtesy of one damnable turkey.
The Subaru fog light kit is $350ish so after the deductible I picked up a Baja Designs conversion kit. Plus a hood blackout to make it more Overlandy.
The BD kit off Rally Innovations comes with pigtails to use the OEM plug however there's a key in the OEM plug that flipped between 2022 and 2023. Until the BD kit is updated. On the Crosstrek, prior to 2023, follow the instructions (or test the pigtail on the OEM plug before assembling anything). For the 2023 the wire order is: OEM wire color -> pigtail wire color -> BD light wire color.
Neg. = black -> blue -> black
Pos. = blue -> black -> white
The Subaru fog light kit is $350ish so after the deductible I picked up a Baja Designs conversion kit. Plus a hood blackout to make it more Overlandy.
The BD kit off Rally Innovations comes with pigtails to use the OEM plug however there's a key in the OEM plug that flipped between 2022 and 2023. Until the BD kit is updated. On the Crosstrek, prior to 2023, follow the instructions (or test the pigtail on the OEM plug before assembling anything). For the 2023 the wire order is: OEM wire color -> pigtail wire color -> BD light wire color.
Neg. = black -> blue -> black
Pos. = blue -> black -> white
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Gallowbraid
Adventurist
Plus now you'll be able to pull the BD lights out of those adapter plates and mount them in the aftermarket winch compatible bumper you're going to add. 
Plus now you'll be able to pull the BD lights out of those adapter plates and mount them in the aftermarket winch compatible bumper you're going to add.
I should look in the Australian market for a winch mount / roo guard. Why stop at 6000 pounds?
java230
Adventurist
Please realize those are not road legal lights....
Yeah. SAE does not mean DOT. The Rigid Industries 4" 360 fog lights however are both DOT and SAE rated.
The Diode Dynamics SS3 white fog light kit is also SAE/DOT compliant however I had an issue with installing them on the 2023 Crosstrek and they graciously accepted a return after things went FUBAR.
The Rigid Industries 4" 360 fog light kits only fits the 2012-2016 BRZ, and 2015-2018 WRX/STI.
java230
Adventurist
And BD removed the SAE label after much backlash. They did not even closely meet specs. Take a look at the Squadron page on the BD website, no mention of SAE.
DOT does not certify any lights, its all SAE compliance, but its all self verified is the real issue.
If you want to get really nerdy see the Tacomaworld SAE fog thread.... There is 300 pages of really good info.
Nice.
Both the "The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread" & "The LED SAE J583 Fog Pod & Fog Light Review" threads
My 8020 Rhinsu Rack.
I repurposed a lot of my motorcycle camp gear for the Crosstrek. The dry bags would work great with Prinsu panels. I just wasn't in the mood to drop the headliner needed to install a Prinsu rack.
Going to work on a better attachment method so I can swap out to kayak cradles. Right now they use t-slot nuts which I have to fish out of the cross rail when I remove them.
Got some wind noise but not too bad.
I repurposed a lot of my motorcycle camp gear for the Crosstrek. The dry bags would work great with Prinsu panels. I just wasn't in the mood to drop the headliner needed to install a Prinsu rack.
Going to work on a better attachment method so I can swap out to kayak cradles. Right now they use t-slot nuts which I have to fish out of the cross rail when I remove them.
Got some wind noise but not too bad.
Added a turkey slayer with a big helping of OCD.
Replaced the hardware with stainless using black oxide stainless where visible on the front bumper.
Replaced the hardware with stainless using black oxide stainless where visible on the front bumper.
So now you can start adding kill marks on the side of your Suby.
with flying tiger teeth on the nose.
Set out this morning to get the Turkey Slayer dirty. Did a little exploring today. Some old places. Some new.
The Remains of The Village of Green Ridge and Stickpile Tunnel
39°35'36.9"N 78°25'46.0"W
The abandoned village of Green Ridge was once the headquarters for the Mertens’ Green Ridge Valley Orchard venture in the early 1900’s which went bankrupt very quickly. The area is located in a rain shadow. It also served as a stop for the Western Maryland Railroad. Stickpile Tunnel is supposedly named after a dead hobo who was buried in the area by being covered over with sticks.
At one time you could hike through the tunnel on the rail bed but it has since been gated for two reasons. It's a bat roost. The tunnel and the remains of the town and trestle bridges are located on a peninsula surrounded by the Potomac River and the remains of the C&O cannel. This creates plenty of stagnate water pools and the bat population helps control the insect population. The other reason was that idiots were cutting out the 100 year old support timbers to sell.
Casselman River Bridge State Park
39°41'48.2"N 79°08'37.9"W
I was on US40 westbound. Saw this and had to stop.
The Remains of The Village of Green Ridge and Stickpile Tunnel
39°35'36.9"N 78°25'46.0"W
The abandoned village of Green Ridge was once the headquarters for the Mertens’ Green Ridge Valley Orchard venture in the early 1900’s which went bankrupt very quickly. The area is located in a rain shadow. It also served as a stop for the Western Maryland Railroad. Stickpile Tunnel is supposedly named after a dead hobo who was buried in the area by being covered over with sticks.
At one time you could hike through the tunnel on the rail bed but it has since been gated for two reasons. It's a bat roost. The tunnel and the remains of the town and trestle bridges are located on a peninsula surrounded by the Potomac River and the remains of the C&O cannel. This creates plenty of stagnate water pools and the bat population helps control the insect population. The other reason was that idiots were cutting out the 100 year old support timbers to sell.
Casselman River Bridge State Park
39°41'48.2"N 79°08'37.9"W
I was on US40 westbound. Saw this and had to stop.
Decided to go with a Trigger Controller rather than the sPOD Source. Main reason is that 6 circuits is overkill. I doubt I'll use more than 2. Maybe a sPOD Source Mini?
Not having to run a cable through the firewall is also appealing. As backup, if wireless doesn't work, then there is a physical connection available through a DIN connector harness. Since it's easily replaceable the wireless switch unit mount is attached to the fuse cover. If I have to resort to a direct connection then the switch panel above it will work with some repurposed OEM switches.
V2 of the switch mount (below) is getting printed to fix a number of shortcomings of V1.
Not having to run a cable through the firewall is also appealing. As backup, if wireless doesn't work, then there is a physical connection available through a DIN connector harness. Since it's easily replaceable the wireless switch unit mount is attached to the fuse cover. If I have to resort to a direct connection then the switch panel above it will work with some repurposed OEM switches.
V2 of the switch mount (below) is getting printed to fix a number of shortcomings of V1.
In progress. Engine bay mount for the Trigger Controller.
The only available space available in the engine bay is over the struts and fuse box. Over or on the fuse box is the go-to but it's such a PITA if you have to change a fuse. This takes advantage of the additional thread needed to accommodate the optional OEM strut tower brace. It slides over the strut's flanged M10 nut and uses a low profile nut and washer to hold it in place.
The only available space available in the engine bay is over the struts and fuse box. Over or on the fuse box is the go-to but it's such a PITA if you have to change a fuse. This takes advantage of the additional thread needed to accommodate the optional OEM strut tower brace. It slides over the strut's flanged M10 nut and uses a low profile nut and washer to hold it in place.