Building a Community in the Desert

Desert Rendezvous began as a modest effort to build a community by creating opportunities around our shared interests and values. Building a community was a conscious choice back then, and today it requires continued dedication, vision, and consistency in order to remain successful and relevant. Most don’t realize it, but there’s a lot more to organizing these large-scale Rendezvous events than meets the eye. It takes many months of hard work behind the scenes with countless hours coordinating all the different moving parts that make the long weekend what it is. Thanks to our hard-working Crew, and our many good friends within the industry, our Community continues to exceed all expectations. Today, it has grown beyond anything we could have imagined at the campfire a dozen years ago when this was all a dream, a simple conspiracy to just get out and do more.

Initially, our stated goals were quite simple. We all suffer from wanderlust and a desire to Travel, Explore and Live, so enabling more of all three was the only goal initially. Today that focus has evolved and re-aligned with a desire not only to help others get out more, but to help them do it safer through curating knowledge, helping others make informed decisions on outfitting, and sharing destinations.

Our renewed focus as a Community now follows these three simple lines of effort:

Educate. Equip. Explore.

This Desert Rendezvous afforded us the opportunity to fully address these stated goals, with our signature Camp Cooking Competition and Potluck, outstanding educational opportunities provided by true experts, tons of exciting new gear and insane builds on display, trail runs and shenanigans, and a massive raffle supported by our amazing industry partners.

Our Rendezvous events are also unique in the 4WD and overland industry due to the fact that many big names and brands get to attend as regular people. No booths, no work, no pressure, and no exorbitant fees for companies. Just camping. Our events give these good people a much-needed vacation from the exhausting trade show and “fieldlanding” circuit, providing a rare chance to truly relax while re-connecting with why they got into the overland scene in the first place.

Pictures tell the story best, so let’s see what our 11th Annual Desert Rendezvous looked like on the ground this year in Arizona.

Big thanks to Justin Pitcairn, Greg Reynolds, Brian Ismay, Mike Block, Chad De Alva, and Greg Henle for the extra lenses out there capturing this event in photos for you!

The Friday Night BBQ sponsored by American Adventurist featured beef from a local butcher, and fresh baked buns from a nearby bakery. We also had a cord of good quality firewood brought in so folks could enjoy some big campfires. These efforts are part of our long-standing tradition of supporting the local community and we encourage travelers to always buy local when you can because it’s always better!

Our famous Camp Cooking Competition and Potluck on Saturday was a huge success.

People plan for months in advance with special recipes and presentation ideas to try to set themselves apart from the competition. Rules here are simple, cook it out here and try to feed as many people as you can in hopes of winning more votes for best dish. The competitive spirit and fun increases every event, and this was the best year to date for culinary creativity in the Desert!

BIG thanks to everyone who came out and cooked all this great food and shared it with us!

This year’s Camp Cooking Competition winners are:

1st Place: Korean Tacos – Mark aka exploroverland

2nd Place: Pickled Onions – Layne aka TACMEDIC

3rd Place: Discado Norteña – Tim aka Topcat9

Big thanks to Tembo Tusk for sponsoring the prizes for the Camp Cooking Competition!

The Korean Tacos were a big hit, and the presentation was on point. The more people you feed the more votes you’ll get!

The Pickled Onions were as pleasing to the eye as they were to the palate. And let there be no doubt, major style points were scored with attendees for the excellent portability and attention to detail!

Tim killed it with his Discado Norteña game, and the strategic positioning of his serving station in the chow line ensured that everybody could easily stop by on their way through and try his Camp Cooking Competition entry.

Doug and Inger’s Swedish Sushi could have been a contender, check out this immaculate presentation!

NOM NOM NOM

Offroad recovery education was provided by Chris Cole, I4WDTA President and the founder of SafeXtract along with I4WDTA Certified Trainer Mike Block of Backroad 4WD Training. These guys are the real deal and having them on deck to share their vast knowledge was a real blessing. We’re grateful that they were able to make the long journey out to join us in Arizona!

A Solar 101 course was provided by Tony Ellis of Adventure Power Solutions with a goal to educate everyone on the finer points of today’s solar power technology options. This was an excellent primer which answered many common misconceptions surrounding use and employment of 12V solar panel setups and mobile energy storage options during long range trips.

Education on Desert Medical Emergencies was provided by emergency medicine expert Tim Reynolds. He covered a wide range of useful first-aid topics for us in laymans terms. Everyone walked away smarter on heat stroke, dehydration, cactus, bites and stings, first aid kits, and how to stop bleeding.

Dogs are guaranteed to enjoy any Rendezvous, and we believe that the number of families with dogs (and kiddos) in attendance is directly related to a successful weekend. Dogs and kids love nothing more than to be outside in the sunshine!

Big thanks to our Crew who really stepped up at check in to make things smooth for those arriving from afar. OG conspiracy member Stuart McWilliams has been holding this down for us for many years, but he was detained elsewhere. We were in the hurt locker without him on duty at check in this year, but the ladies stepped up and made it happen. We could not have been successful at Desert Rendezvous without the administration and hospitality provided at check in by Erika, Paige and Inger.

A huge round of applause for these amazing lady Adventurists!

Every Rendezvous is a showcase of decked out campsites. You’ll also see virtually every type of overland rig and many different ways of modifying them. You can easily spend the whole weekend wandering from camp to camp just talking to people and looking at all the great builds and various gear that people choose to equip themselves and their vehicles with.

This is how you slam dunk the Best Campsite Competition!

The Raffle this year was incredible! Even with all the supply chain pain and other challenges of the past couple years, the industry support for our Rendezvous events never faltered. These companies understand who we are and what we do, and the importance of their support year after year cannot be overstated. Remember them the next time you’re in the market for something because they are Adventurists just like you!

BIG thanks to Badass Tents in San Diego! Not only did they come out with family and join us for the long weekend, but they also stepped up in a major way by providing the Grand Prize for the event – a new roof top tent! TOTALLY BADASS!

Every event we try to recognize one of our guys. John Rhoades is our MVP for Desert Rendezvous 2022 because this little guy outworked all of us. If you enjoyed the big campfires and fresh burgers we provided, John was the driving force behind all of those efforts. THANKS JOHN!

We also want to recognize Cris Mateski, we buried his garage in raffle prizes for several months and he made sure they got out to the desert for the event. Here’s a photo of Cris working, which is only possible because he didn’t see the camera coming around. THANKS CRIS!

This Community attracts the very best people. At the end of the day, it really is the people and the relationships here that make our group what it is. With so many great people bringing their passion and talents to the table, I’m always blown away by the creative content I see after our events. Check out 395jnky and Adrian Overlands on YouTube for their recap of this event and other great content! Maybe I’ll get our American Adenturist YouTube channel moving once I’m fully “retired”…

The gifted artists behind our beautifully painted rocks – thank you!

Many roads led to this spot in the desert, and people drive from all over America to attend our events each year. In 2022, we had attendees on the ground in Arizona from as far away as Maryland, Texas, the Midwest, and Washington. That in and of itself is pretty humbling.

This year I was moved by how many grateful people stopped by on Sunday to say thank you and shake my hand on the way out of our camp, applauding the professionalism and integrity of our organization. Their character was evident after everyone had left as we stayed behind to inspect the area before turning it back over to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Not a single piece of trash was found, and every campfire had been completely erased. It was as if they were never there.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the California Offroad Vehicle Association as American Adventurist becomes a Platinum Level Sponsor to help them fight the good fight to protect and preserve off-road recreation and access on public lands throughout California. Why? Because Closure isn’t the Answer, and they need our help. Because if California falls, there will be more Locked Gates Ahead nationwide. We’ll talk more about land use issues that affect all of us in a future article.

For now, the immediate task is to keep enriching lives through fellowship, education, Tread Lightly! ethics, and the resilience that comes with increased knowledge and confidence. We’re continuing to raise the bar to make this community of Adventurists stronger so thanks for joining us here and we hope to see you at Mountain Rendezvous in California!

Big thanks to all our partners!

October 2nd, 2021January 12th, 2022

Overland Expo West 2021

For what feels like forever, Overland Expo West has been part of the calendar, like a holiday or some event that is just always in May. It’s just always assumed that it’s going to be there, it’s just a question of which weekend in May.

Then things changed, and May came and went twice without Overland Expo West. Meanwhile, the folks at Lodestone Events persevered, and thankfully they were able to lock in dates for September 2021 to get the original and longest running Overland Expo back on the calendar. Coming in hot on the heels of the new Overland Expo Mountain West in Colorado, things were looking good. Mountain West was a great event, and you can check out our coverage of that event HERE. Yet Mountain West was the first of it’s kind, and West was coming off of a long pause, so the question remained: How would the OG Expo in Arizona return to form after this long hiatus?

The answer is: Almost like it never left. Folks are clearly ready to get outside, and back into outdoor activities and big events like this. Overland Expo West is this awesome mixture of so many things that make it enjoyable for so many reasons. There are the exhibitors, both new and old who bring all kinds of new gear and ideas from all over the world to share with attendees. There are classes on just about everything from knot tying, to how to get published in this industry. The camping areas are filled with the vehicles of folks who are actually doing the thing and using their vehicles for travel – and a trip through the campground at any Overland Expo is a great use of your time. And of course there are the people – which has honestly become my favorite part, because you never know who you’re talking to, and there are some truly awesome folks that come to these events. It’s good to have Overland Expo West back.

We spent the weekend walking all over the show to find cool new gear and rigs to share with you – here are some of our favorites, in no particular order.

Antigravity Batteries: I have been using Antigravity Batteries for years in motorcycle applications and they’ve proven to be great batteries, so it was exciting to see their product offerings expand into new categories at Overland Expo. Keep an eye out for new power stations, new jump start batteries, and new automotive applications in the coming months.

Deadman Off-Road: The Deadman Earth Anchor has been updated for better functionality and ease of use. These things are incredibly versatile pieces of kit – they can be used as tree savers, buried everything from sand or snow to create a recovery point, and as a work surface if you need to crawl under your truck in the mud.

Antishanty: I originally saw these trailers at SEMA 2019, and I have to say that I was impressed. These are well made all aluminum box trailers that can haul all of the toys and serve as a fully-featured camp trailer.

Garmin: Garmin is continuing to expand their offering of cool gadgets with a wireless switch controller that can be controlled with a Garmin Overlander Device. No running cabling through your firewall? Yes please!

ICON Vehicle Dynamics: This one is big – IVD launched their new IIC and CDEV system at Overland Expo. This is essentially a smart suspension system, that uses a brain called the IIC to measure data from sensors 1000 times a second to determine what the vehicle is doing. It can then send signals to CDEV shocks that can adjust damping in as little as 40 milliseconds. Not only will this system turn your truck into a magic carpet off-road, but if you need to do something like make an evasive move on the highway, this system can spike the damping on each side of the vehicle as needed to help keep the vehicle in control. Fitment currently exists for 2.5 shocks for Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, and Jeep JL/JT.

OVRLND Campers: Built in Flagstaff, AZ, OVRLND Campers are awesome campers that come with even better stickers. A few of the guys at OVRLND live out of their campers, and with years of experience on the clock supporting their design, these are well thought out units that don’t cost a second mortgage.

ALP Generators: These propane powered generators were a big hit at the show. No gasoline fumes or fuss, and everyone has propane for camping, so why not have a generator that runs off it as well? Solar only works when the sun is out afterall.

Dometic: This is a company that is continuing to make waves, and their new Dometic GO line of camp kit looks great. Standout products include their new HYD-J11 water jug, matching HYD-WF water faucet, and their super packable electric blankets – the CMP-H1 and CMP-B2. They also had a center console cooler installed on a truck parked in their booth.

iKamper: Bringing some innovation to the skottle / discada game is iKamper’s Disco. You can hang the disco, use the disco in skottle mode, or pull the burner out and have a propane / isobutane burner to work with.

On X Off-Road: This navigation app is continually getting updated with new features. Two of the latest updates include active wildfires and the much requested addition of folders so you can stay organized and quickly access specific info on the fly.

MAXTRAX: Spotted at the show was MAXTRAX’s new line of recovery kit which features shackles, and kinetic ropes of varying lengths. Of note here is their new fuse shackle, which is a way to plan a known point of failure into a recovery rigging system. You can get all their latest gear through Adventure Imports here in the US

NISMO: Nissan is getting into the performance parts game through NISMO with a line of off-road accessory parts for their XTerra and Frontier platforms. OEM engineering, fit, finish, and compatibility (so things like airbags and crush zones still work.) is always a win in our book.

ARB: Bronco parts are incoming! Expect to see the full ARB treatment including armor, Old Man Emu suspension and a number of other Bronco-specific goodies in the coming months. ARB is also getting into the rack game with more base racks being produced for other applications beyond their current lineup.

Step 22: If you ever have a need for a bag or for some help organizing your gear, Step 22 needs to be on your radar. From their new kitchen kit to organizing toiletries, tools, personal items, recovery gear, clothes, and tech/camera equipment, Step 22 makes bags that are over-built and exceedingly well thought out. And they’re easily the BEST LOOKING storage ecosystem on the market, bar none.

Force Protector Gear: FPG makes some really nice shade systems and other quality gear. Check out our review of their company’s outstanding Shade System HERE. Their booth was popular under the blazing sun, as their shade systems make things considerably cooler than other offerings by actually blocking the radiant heat that most tarps and awnings fail to mitigate.

Pelican: More boxes, in more shapes, and Overland specific styles are the latest from Pelican Cases. New boxes are designed to be left up on a vehicles’ roof or out in the elements, and I really like the custom laser topo work done on a few of these cases for the show.

QuietKat: There were a number of e-bike vendors at Overland Expo this year. Quietkat is the company that partnered with Jeep to create the Jeep e-bike. Their line of bikes runs from hardtails to full suspension setups with trailers for hauling even more kit afield.

Gear Repair: I was stoked to see a booth for gear repair at the show. So often the things that take a piece of outerwear or a favorite bag out of commission are things that can be fixed, and this crew out of Utah was working for tips, which is an awesome price to pay for getting a second lease on life for a loved piece of gear. I hope this continues to be a thing at Overland Expos in the future.

Highroad Adventure Gear: These guys partnered up with the Last US Bag Company to bring some innovative new gear to the show. Their Woodgaiter is a great way to pack and transport firewood, and their Treadpack bag is great for gotreads or recovery gear, and it can be used as a line damper when using a winch.

HD Pan America: I’ll just say that this bike has proven a lot of people wrong with how good it is. This engine cut away was pretty well done too, and eagle-eyed readers will notice some really impressive tech in this mill. We love seeing American companies like Harley-Davidson evolve!

Mosko Moto: Many moons ago, Mosko Moto was just a couple of guys with one product and a few hay bales to make a booth at a long past Overland Expo. Today, they’ve grown into a powerhouse in the motorcycle industry. They make killer luggage and bags, and their foray into riding apparel is looking like a great success. All of their gear is well thought out, and I love their open design process that incorporates rider feedback at every step of the way.

Forest Tool Company: This thing was pretty cool – a true multi tool with a Pulaski, shovel, pick, axe, Mc Cloud and more. The best part about their design is that the harder you swing the more secure the joint gets, which is more than I can say for other attempts at forest multi tools I’ve seen in the past.

Wagan Tech: Is a family owned company that has been selling jump starters, inverters, solar power kit, and other safety products for the last 35 years. They just launched a line of solar generators / power stations called lithium cubes, and we’ve got one on the way to do a full review on, so stay tuned for that. Wagan supports the Rebelle Rally, and they happen to be really nice folks too.

Rigd Supply: If you’re in the market for a hitch mounted swing out, check out Rigd Supply. These things are well made, rock solid and silent. They also come packed with useful features and options.

Leitner Designs: Leitner continues to expand their offerings for their Active Cargo Systems with their new 4.8 gallon Shower Pod, and their new medical kits designed to work within the Leitner Gear Pod ecosystem. The new first aid kits are ready to go and come pre-stocked with brightly labeled, top shelf medical supplies from MyMedic. We’ll talk more about this Leitner Designs/MyMedic collab in a future article.

Shiftpod: Spotted here in the wild at the event… the new Shiftpod III features improved ventilation and an integrated carbon fiber frame & hub system making it significantly lighter than the previous iteration. It still has that signature “Burning Man” look with a true 4-season fabric system that is both heat reflective and insulated with mildew protection and hydrophobic coatings to protect against the elements.

Loki Basecamp Falcon 8: For roughly $135,000 you can have this crazy camper to drop in your full size truck with an 8 foot bed. It’s VERY nice, and it’s also estimated to weigh in around 3,000 pounds, so I’ll let the comment section expand on that.

Equipt Expedition Outfitters: If you know, then you know. If you don’t know, then know that these guys import top shelf stuff from all over the world, and they happen to be outstanding humans too. One of the treats to Overland Expo is always the Equipt party on Saturday night, and this year was awesome as always. On the new gear front, Eezi-Awn now has a 2nd and 3rd gen taco cab rack, and National Luna has some great DC to DC chargers that you can install as a standalone kit, or in one of their awesome battery boxes.

Kokopelli Packraft: I am continually impressed by the way folks use these things to link adventures together. From stringing together obscure routes in the Grand Canyon to big safaris through some of the best canyon country has to offer, these little boats are tough as nails and a real force multiplier on any trip. This new 2 person version is awesome, and can be seen here in “packed up” form leaning against the bow of the fully inflated boat.

Canyon Coolers: Their coolers are killer, and their new drinkware designs are a refreshing serving of something new in a world of powerdercoated clones. Canyon’s new ice sacks are also a great way to keep melted ice out of your food.

Truckhouse: Where do I begin with this one… The truckhouse is a single piece composite camper that’s inspired by the TRD Pro Tacoma, which also happens to be platform it’s riding on. There’s apparently an extensive list of modifications that are done to a TRD Pro Tacoma prior to installing this camper, like stretching the frame and completely replacing the rear axle. I’m willing to bet that this thing is more than 3,000 pounds over the GVWR of a stock 2022 TRD Pro Tacoma, which is 5,600 pounds for reference. The guys that build this thing said they enjoy flipping the bird to the auto industry so it will be interesting to see how this goes to say the least. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Super Pacific: The growing wedge camper game gets yet another new entry, this time from the Pacific Northwest. Competition is good for the consumer, and Super Pacific is bringing some cool functionality to the game with unique features and design choices. Sleeping platforms are cut for Molle, and they can be hung vertically when not in use. The Super Pacific Campers are made in what they call “aircraft style” using a fully riveted design which is incredibly strong. This allows for plenty of internal space to route wiring too.

Ford Bronco: This thing is the business, and I’m going to enjoy watching a few Jeep owners I know over the next few years to see if they get on the blue oval train. Hey Toyota, if you’re reading this, where are you?!

Classes: Overland Expo is so much more than a place to just come oogle the latest shiny widgets, and kick the tires on the latest and greatest vehicles. It’s a great place to learn, and there is an extensive schedule of classes on all kinds of topics from knot tying to MAXTRAX usage, and a million other things. Even when it’s pouring rain there are classes.

Random Overland Expo Stuff: Overland Expo is so many things, and it’s attended by so many different folks from just as many different walks of life. So sometimes you just see stuff that’s photo worthy:

Check out this head-mounted privacy device.

In closing, it’s good to have Overland Expo West back. Whether you are an accomplished around the world traveler, or someone who is just testing the waters with this whole Overland thing, Overland Expo West is always a great time. There’s just a lot of awesome that gathers together for this show, and while there’s always a few things that make you scratch your head at any large show like this, on the whole it’s an awesome event attended by great people. As best as I can tell, the outdoor industry shows no signs of slowing down, so it will be exciting to see what the coming years bring for the Overland Expo event series and the Overland industry as a whole.

March 1st, 2021December 30th, 2021

TESTED: Lightforce Lights HTX2 Twin Pack

For the last ten years, I’ve had a pair of Lightforce Blitz lights on the front of my Tacoma – and they’ve been awesome lights. Ten years is a long time to have any product, and it’s even more impressive when you consider that these lights have been outside for that entire time. These lights have baked in the Arizona sun, and frozen in the Colorado winter. They’ve held up to more than 150,000 miles of driving, and have continued to light my way every time I’ve hit the switch. So it’s safe to say that Lightforce knows how to make a solid light. Now however, I’ve got a pair of Lightforce’s new HTX2 lights to play with, and based on my old Lightforce lights, these HTX2s have a lot to live up to.

The HTX2 is Lightforce’s latest and greatest driving light, and it packs a very unique feature set into a very well-made bombproof housing. By combining HID and LED technology, Lightforce has essentially created one light that can do it all. A single HID bulb can throw a Lux of light well over a mile, and 20 LEDs cast a wide arc of light that gives you flood coverage to compliment the distance of the HID. Both the HID and LEDs are tied to their own circuits, so you can run the HID and LEDs together, or each circuit individually to match your needs. All of this light is packed into an aluminum housing that’s a work of manufacturing art, and sealed to exceed IP68 and IP69K levels. Just picking a single HTX 2 up lets you know that these lights are the real deal. They’re heavy, and they feel so well made that you could use one as a wheel chock – but I’ll leave that sort of test to the YouTubers who are known for such torture testing. The point is, your vehicle will break before these lights do.

Included with a pair of HTX2 lights is a wiring harness that is well made to the point that it’s actually something you’re going to want to use. All of the conductors are high quality, and little details like adhesive heat shrink, braided PET sheathing and split loom all add up to make a harness that will last for years in any operating environment. The included harness is designed to work with a switch controller like an sPOD, which makes the wiring process incredibly simple. All you have to do is plug the harness into each light, and then terminate the two hots for the two lighting circuits and a ground to the sPOD.

If your vehicle doesn’t have a switch controller, Lightforce also makes a wiring harness that comes complete with relays and switches. This harness can also be integrated into the vehicle’s factory high beam wiring if desired. Like the included harness, this optional harness is very well made, and takes all the work out of pinning out relays and fuses and the other elements needed to properly wire in a set of lights, so know that it’s an option if you need it.

Once everything is wired up, take a couple of minutes to look at the other useful stuff that comes in the box while you’re waiting for it to get dark out. The pair of HTX2s comes with black out filters which are great if you live where such things are required when you’re driving on road. There’s also a set of clear filters included with the kit and I have to say that I really like having filters on these lights as they’re a perfect for protecting your expensive lights from flying rocks and other road debris. Lightforce has been doing cool things with filters for years, and I have to point out that I’ve really enjoyed their combo filters on my old Blitz lights. The combo filter gives you a flood and spot pattern out of each light, which really gives you the best of both worlds. You get some spot coverage for distance lighting, and you get some flood coverage for seeing what’s hiding in the trees just off the road, or what’s coming around the bend. Combo filters do exist for the HTX2, but I haven’t played with them.

Factory Low Beams. HTX2 LEDs. HTX2 HIDs.

Thankfully, the two circuits on the HTX2 mean that you can cover spot (distance) and flood (fog) lighting just by turning on both circuits. The LED circuit comes to life instantly and bathes the area in front of your vehicle in a wide swath of light that’s great for cornering or seeing what’s in the woodwork lining the road at night. Whether you’re trying to avoid hitting those deer you keep seeing in the trees, or pick your way thought a bit of technical trail, the LEDs to a great job of keeping things bathed in light close to your vehicle. The output of modern LEDs is quite impressive, and Lightforce as you would expect, has sourced quality diodes. At a 5000K color temperature, they’re close enough to sunlight that color reproduction isn’t an issue – In other words, things look very close to how they would during the daytime.

HIDs casting light from one cinder cone to another.

Likewise, the HID circuit also puts out light at 5000k, and boy can these HID bulbs cover some distance. It wasn’t long ago that HID lights were are cool as it got for off-road lighting, so it’s been a fun rediscovery getting to use HID off-road lights again. Know that even in 2020, HIDs are still a very relevant lighting technology. The HIDs on the HTX2s will take a couple of seconds to come up to full power, but once they’re on you know it. Lightforce claims a lux of light at 1811 yards, which is over a mile, and the DOT C2 reflective tape agrees with the advertised spec in my testing. If you’re wondering what a lux is, it’s the unit of measure for how much light is actually making onto a given surface. Many light manufactures rate their lights in lumens, which is a measurement of light output at the light, and it’s important to remember that said output could be going anywhere – up into space or other places where it’s not providing any value included. Lux lets us know how much light is actually making to the surface we want to shed light on, and it’s a measurement I wish more manufactures would spec. And it is here where I need to point out something with the HID’s on the HTX2.

The HID X Pattern. Full Disclosure: Lights were aimed down and a few degrees away from one another to show what the X pattern looks like up close. When aimed for driving this effect is reduced.

I intentionally didn’t convert my 240s to HID because I didn’t want to give up my nice even halogen light output for the X pattern that Lightforce HIDs made, so I’m bummed to see that the X pattern is still a thing on the HIDs in the HTX2. In a world where most folks are going to be familiar with carefully shaped beams of light from their factory lights or from LEDs which produce even output, the HID X pattern just falls short. Now make no mistake, the HIDs can send light a long way into the night, and I’ll take a X pattern on a deer way down the road, over no light on the deer any day of the week – its just surprising to see that this hasn’t changed. However, I would have to expect that using the combo filters on the HTX2 would solve this problem quite nicely, and render that X pattern into a much more uniform beam pattern. Lightforce claims a Lux at 1205 yards on the HTX2 when using a combo filter, and more than half a mile of range is still quite awesome.

Getting light where you need it hundreds of yards down the road is something that takes time spent carefully aiming your lights to fully benefit, so be prepared to spend time aiming these lights. Changes to how much weight your vehicle is carrying will also change where your HIDs are shining their lights, so be prepared to nudge your HTX2s, just as you would have to adjust any other long range light for best results. Lightforce specs a pair of super beefy 10mm hex cap screws to secure the tilt or pitch axis of the lights and with a carefully set torque, you can adjust the lights by hand and not have them move around on you while driving at night – no matter how bad the washboards get.

In use – the HTX2s are an outstanding option for a quiver of one light. Other lights on the market only allow you to run the flood circuit or the spot – not both. Yet with the HTX2s, you can have all your light any time you need it, and that is exactly what makes it such a great option for vehicles that will only get a couple additional lights. When you need flood coverage – you have it with the HTX2. When you want to see what is way out there in front of you – you can with the HTX2. All of this functionality is packed into a light housing that I would fully expect to last longer than the vehicle these lights are installed on. Lighting is absolutely a product where you get what you pay for, so do it right the first time and buy something quality that will last, and most importantly that will light your way every time you hit the switch.

Look closely and you can see the HIDs illuminating hills way down the road!

Lightforce’s HTX2s have proven to be worthy successors to the Blitz lights that I’ve run for years. The HTX2s bring additional light output and control (thanks to their two circuits) to the front of my vehicle to make a more than worth it lighting upgrade. With just two lights, I have all the confidence in the world to drive as fast as I want at night without worry of outrunning my light, or having wildlife sneak up on me – and that confidence can’t be overstated. Lightforce has only improved on the formula of quality and performance that made the Blitz such awesome lights and carried that forward into the HTX2. If you’re looking for a one light solution that will make a night and day difference in your lighting system, the HTX2s are going to be hard to beat. One light can do a really good job of doing it all – and I have no reason to doubt that the Lightforce HTX2 lights will work flawlessly for years and years to come.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Lightforce Lights provided a set of HTX2 Lights to the author free of charge for the purposes of this review.

March 9th, 2020March 26th, 2020

A Better Way to Leave No Trace

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve tried them all. From the venerable “wheelie bin” offerings from South Africa and Australia to the old Trasharoo, we’ve seen and tested them all. Truth is, they all work. Many people just use them for trash and other light duty items, but we wanted a bag that could carry more and do more. We needed one to last longer outdoors while also giving us options for mounting beyond just the spare tire.

The search for something better started with a discussion over on our forum. What did our members want? What features are they interested in? We reached out to several companies in the US as well as Australia and South Africa with our crowd sourced inputs. After months of emails and lip service, one company actually listened. And they didn’t just listen or talk, they actually went to work.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10454″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Enter the Last US Made Bag Company:

“The Last US Bag Company was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2001 as an OEM soft goods manufacturer for military and commercial purposes. Over the years, LUSB has developed a proprietary brand of products that spans the retail and industrial markets, including renewable energy, aerospace, tactical, and commercial markets. LUSB’s products can be found globally and have even orbited the Earth. Our commitment is to building quality manufactured products in the USA, employing as many as we can at living wages, and reducing consumption of textiles through responsible design engineering.

Today, LUSB resides in a 30k square foot manufacturing facility in Vancouver, WA and employs roughly 30 people, give or take. We like to work hard and encourage each other to grow both personally and professionally, and we love the Northwest corner of the US and enjoy the many outdoor activities this area affords. If you are ever in town, come by and see us! We love to have visitors!”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10442″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]What Last US Bag came up with is something they’re calling “Oscar’s Mobile Hideout”. The concept is straightforward, yet complex in execution – provide a solution to the demand signal for an all-purpose spare tire/ladder/rack attached utility bag for anything you might need on the trail. Firewood hauler, recovery gear, tools, nerf guns, slain deer, camp chairs, chain saw, kitchen sink, wag bags, extra children. Whatever.

It needed to be made out of something strong in case you decide to throw a 5 gallon fuel or water can in there. And it had to be able to be left out in the sun, able to get dirty, and ready to hose out and go again. So they listened to all those crazy ideas and made it happen. And they made it out of a heavy duty 18 oz poly reinforced vinyl that is highly durable, won’t absorb odors, resists fading, and is resistant to chemicals.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10440″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]They sent us a test mule for this review and we drug it from Florida to Arizona and back again over a nine day trip. We used it on Padre Island and Big Bend National Park in Texas, and it made a public debut at the 2020 Desert Rendezvous in the Arizona desert. Features on this current iteration include:

22w x 24h x 8d
Poly-no-stretch webbing attachment with ITW buckles
Poly vinyl mesh outer pockets
Poly vinyl mesh interior lid pocket
BIG dual vertical front locking zippers for easy access to inside of bag
Top cinch retention gasket
Interior loops for securing a trash bag with carabiners
Center strap closure
Bow saw sized slip pocket with cutting board/frame sheet
Side compression straps
Reflective trim
D-Rings for exterior lashing
Grab handle on top for carrying, or hanging from a tree in bear country
Bottle opener. Yes, you read that right!

[/vc_column_text][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1585249871671-78419230-fa84-7″ include=”10453,10452″][vc_masonry_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1585249871673-1fa9b04a-4cc6-8″ include=”10443,10451,10450″][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1585249871675-d5055f14-9b42-9″ include=”10444,10441″][vc_masonry_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1585249871676-df97d21a-d776-8″ include=”10442,10448,10447″][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1585249871678-34e55bbc-41bb-2″ include=”10446,10445″][vc_column_text]What would we change?

#1 is bomb proof metal buckles and strap mounts. Most of us would appreciate the option to upgrade those at checkout. More diversity in colorway options like black, gray and desert tan would be appreciated as well. The evolution of the mounting system to include a way to mount to tailgates like the Jeep Gladiator etc. Maybe a quick detach system across all mounting types. Being able to clip it on or off rather than wrangle straps when it’s go time would be a major edge over other offerings.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The bottom line:

For an “early iteration”, they came close to hitting every check box. This bodes well for the future of this bag, and for the Last US Bag Company. Their goal is clear here: A bag that provides utility across the spectrum from SUV to pickup to vans, or even traditional campers.

Everybody needs a bag like this on trips to pack out more than you packed in!

Please Tread Lightly because if we don’t there will be locked gates ahead for all of us and Closure is not the Answer!

[/vc_column_text][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1585249871680-515fae7f-0973-4″ include=”10438,10437″][vc_column_text]Full disclosure: This bag was provided at no cost to the author or American Adventurist for the purposes of an independent review, and to provide feedback for inclusion in the development of future versions.

Photos by Richard Soohoo[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”10436″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row]