Not many of us have the cash to buy an off-road monster like the EarthCruiser, but there are some simple ways to trick out your current car. Here are five add-ons we found at the recent 聽that will help you build your own adventure rig.
GoTreads ($50)
If you鈥檙e exploring remote areas,聽you will get stuck at some point. When you do, you鈥檒l be thankful to have a set of 聽on hand. These flexible, high-strength polypropylene copolymer traction devices are simple to use: Just place them in front of the聽tires聽that have lost traction and drive forward. They provide the grip you need to free yourself from deep mud or snow, and then fold up for easy storage in the聽trunk.聽
Thrive Freeze-Dried Food ($3.50)
聽makes freeze-dried ingredients instead of full meals. With a shelf life of up to聽25 years, you don鈥檛 have to worry about this stuff going bad鈥攁nd you should聽have a couple packages in your truck at all times. We sampled several offerings, including the , , and , all of which tasted聽delicious.
K-Pak Folding Boat ($900)
The 聽is a folding canoe-kayak hybrid that weighs a mere 21 pounds,聽stores in its own backpack, and sets up in four minutes. Basically,聽there鈥檚 no reason to leave it at home. Stuff this thing in the back of your Tacoma or Element (leaving room for bigger toys on top of your car), and break it out to explore that high-mountain lake. Bonus: Apartment dwellers can keep the boat in a closet if you don鈥檛 have a garage.聽
WaterBrick Storage Containers ($15)
makes storage containers for water, food,聽and ammo, among other things. The best part: The units聽stack together nicely聽and are designed to be tied聽down, which means they鈥檒l help you optimize space and won鈥檛 go flying off the roof when the road gets rough. Pet lovers can also use them for dog food.
LuminAID Solar Lights ($23)
Architecture graduate students Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork originally designed 聽to help with post-earthquake relief in Haiti. But the tiny,聽inflatable solar lights have loads of other practical applications. Keep a couple in the glove box聽and use them to help you change a flat or break them out in your camper to play cards at night.