News from Barlow Adventures
Gladiator Comparison
After months of waiting for my ordered Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition, I was dying to throw on a few "Barlow" modifications and hit the trail, and I needed to answer one question: How does the Gladiator measure up...
The Secret to Good Trail Teamwork
When Ken Brubaker of Four Wheeler magazine asked me to guide the first Overland Adventure, one of my concerns was how to bring together a group that was going to be far more diverse...
How to Be a Good Trail Leader
When people think about what is required to be a good trail leader, they often think of spotting skills; however, it's much more than that...
Take Your Dog on the Trail!
Thinking of taking Fido with you on the Jeep run or backcountry vacation? Many of us consider our dogs as our children and travel everywhere with them...
Winch Fairlead Myths Debunked
When you purchase a new winch, it usually comes packaged with a fairlead. A winch with wire rope comes with a roller fairlead, and a winch with synthetic rope will have a hawse fairlead...
Why Do We Train?
Who among us hasn’t broken or stuck something on the trail, which, in retrospect, became a very clear lesson about what not to do? Many of us learned our 4WD skills the hard way, by trial and error, or by learning from watching others make costly mistakes.
What the Heck Is eTorque?
When I first heard there would be a mild-hybrid motor option in the JL Wrangler, I was curious, but not convinced that anything but a diesel would tempt me away from the tried-and-true 3.6L V-6.
Take Your Time
As a kid traveling in the backseat of our family 4x4s, what I looked forward to most was the stopping and getting out. Once I was old enough to drive, a whole new world of traveling enjoyment opened up, just for the sheer joy of driving. But, now that I’m getting older and have my own kids riding in the backseat, I find that there is so much more to enjoy when you aren’t trying to set a record pace for every mile of terrain.
Preparing a Jeep for 1,000 Miles of Desert
The first year of the Rebelle Rally was 2016, and Emily Miller of Rod Hall Racing had put together an all-women’s off-road rally lasting seven days and covering more than 1,000 miles of desert roads...
Hi-Lift Jack Do’s and Don’ts
There are two common Hi-Lift jack misconceptions circulated among new Jeepers. The first one is that if they have 35- inch-or-taller tires, they have to carry a Hi-Lift jack with them. The second one is that they shouldn’t use a Hi-Lift jack because they are not safe. The truth is that a Hi-Lift is a very useful and versatile tool to have, no matter what size tires you own, and they can be unsafe if not used or maintained properly.
The Value of Old Jeeps
Ask any Jeep owner what the best Jeep ever made is, and the usual answer is the model they own. Some of us are lucky enough to own more than one...
Rollovers: What To Do Before, During, and After
Roll, flop, dirt nap—whatever your favorite term for a Jeep ending up not on its wheels, rolling over is one of the biggest fears people have about four-wheeling.
Overlanding 101: Eating, Sleeping, Pooping
The term “overlanding” is quite the buzzword these days. I would say the difference between “overlanding” and “camping” is determined by your primary intention for setting up camp...
Four-Wheeling Lessons From a Hellcat
I could say that the day spent at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was strictly for work, but, seriously, it’s just something I have always wanted to do...
When Do You Lock Your Jeep’s Axles?
Ever since the introduction of the Rubicon model in 2003, the axle lock feature or “locker” has been a mainstream feature for anyone who walked onto a Jeep dealer lot...
How to Prep a JL for Rental Duty
I won’t say I’m old, but I will say that I have been in the Jeep guide and rental business long enough to ride out the transitions between CJ, YJ, TJ, JK, and now JL..
Is the New Jeep Wrangler JL Better Than the JK?
With the introduction of the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL, one can’t help but wonder how it compares to the previous generation Wrangler, the bestselling JK...
Cooperation for the Common Good
It’s a human tendency to lump ourselves into groups. We are naturally attracted to groups of people who have similar interests and values. Jeep enthusiasts are no different...
Off-Road (4WD) Basics
With all of the time we spend studying advanced winch rigging techniques, comparing tire composition, and ogling the latest navigation applications, it is easy to forget the fundamentals...
Heads-Up: Tips For Better Trips
When venturing out on the trail, most of us take at least basic precautions to deal with some common trail mishaps...