It’s been said that a truck should come only in one of two forms: filthy and covered in mud, or totally spotless. Mud is a reminder of all the fun you had the other day, but holy crap it is hard to clean off the mud from your undercarriage (especially clay). And don’t get me started about your camping gear in the bed of your truck. It’s downright maddening trying to clean some of your gear when it gets covered in dirt and grime.

Inevitably someone comes up with the idea of wrapping their gear in black garbage bags, or to cover it in tarps with an inordinate amount of tie-downs to keep gear clean and dry. At best in that moment you look like a hillbilly headed to the county landfill. After a few miles the wind begins beating against your precious protective layer of garbage bag and tarp, suddenly a tie-down slips and your tarp begins flapping in the wind like an oversized super hero cape and starts fraying and falling apart. I know we all enjoy the idea of having a Superman cape that allows us to fly off to rescue Lois from the maniacal Lex Luthor, but your truck doesn’t need to look like a poor man’s homage to the Man of Steel with a tarp flapping in the wind.

No, I am not suggesting that you sacrifice valuable truck bed real estate by putting on a gaudy shell that makes you look like you wish you bought an SUV or (gasp) a family van instead of a manly man’s vehicle. No self-respecting man wants to look like that. He wants to throw his gear and motorcycle in back and ride in triumph down the street in glory with ladies turning their heads to behold his magnificence.

Enter the Tuff Truck Bag and ride with confidence knowing that your gear will stay dry and secure. The Tuff Truck Bag has solved all of those little annoying nuances associated with transporting your gear around while keeping it clean, dry, and out of view from prying eyes (for that day that you are hauling around a mountain of cash and don’t want anyone to know that you just robbed a bank).

I have been testing this bag all season to make sure I can weigh in properly and give an unbiased opinion on whether or not you should spend your hard earned cash on an enormous bag. And here are the highlights:

Hits
• All my gear stayed clean and dry.
• The bag has enough space to hold a large tent, a few sleeping bags, a stove, air mattress, lantern, and a couple small duffle bags.
• The zippers are sturdy and don’t feel like they will slip.
• PVC material is strong and didn’t rip when I threw a log on top.
• Strong corner D-rings allow for secure rigging.

Misses
• The opening is a little small and awkward to get my gear into. This was a bit frustrating when trying to push my gear to the back of the bag.
• The beige bag looks pretty dirty after a couple uses. More color options would be nice (real men want camo!).
• Rolling the bag up to store is frustrating as the included storage bag is small and flimsy.

Opportunities
• Create an additional opening on the opposite end for easier access.
• Provide a better storage bag that will stand up to abuse.
• Add a little more length to the bag to allow for more capacity.

Overall, I think this is a great idea that will keep my gear in great shape for years to come. The Tuff Truck Bag really stands up to its name and has withstood several beatings that my canvas truck bag would have failed on immediately. There are some opportunities for improvement on design, but the product is rock-solid and will serve you well for many seasons to come. Farewell Superman truck! Check them out for more information, or at least to watch what happens when a person climbs inside and goes through a car wash!

The post Dirt Don’t Hurt… But it is Nice to Keep it Off of Your Gear appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Similarly to Utah weather, the Monty Hi is incredibly variable, and can be enjoyed in many different situations. My Grey/Teal Hi’s got inquisitive questions from a sneaker-connoisseur as I was strutting through the library in the morning, although he too wasn’t convinced they would hold up well in the snow when I told him they’re marketed as something of a sneaker-boot combo. We were both able to agree, however, that the shoe looked unique and would fit right in on his shelf next to his  newest Jordan’s. Later on, unbeknownst to me, it had begun to snow. Hard. When I finally got out of my evening Architectural Theory class, which ironically is held in a class with no windows, I was confronted with making my way to the other side of campus to catch the bus with nothing but snow in sight. To my surprise, I arrived home an hour later with my toes completely dry, thanks to the oiled suede and high grade nylon typically found only on seriously expensive hiking boots. Although I didn’t encounter too many slick surfaces, on the snow, I never slipped. This is thanks to the exposed EVA mid-sole with a heel stabilizer and the bespoke Ridgemont half cup outsole, making for sure footing regardless of if you’re boogyin’ at a club during Sundance, or trudging back to your ski cabin thereafter.

The structure of the shoe is quite rigid and feels like a boot, but definitely manages to pull off a modern, athletic silhouette successfully. The only criticisms I can offer are the limited color-way options, and the comment that the athletic silhouette does come with a tradeoff –  by no means is the boot exceptionally warm, so make sure to pair them with some thicker wool or thermal socks. All in all, if you’re looking a good-allrounder I can attest that the Monty Hi can get you from snow bank to date spot with no hesitation.

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Tires help you stop when they can actually grip the road – so for the love of all that is holy get proper snow ones. Brakes make your tires actually stop, so you’ll need those first. Fresh wipers assist you in seeing what it is you’re braking in front of. And a solid battery makes sure you’re not stuck in the cold trying to start your car to no avail. These all seem like good things to us.

Many of these items are easy to replace on your own, or any shop such as an ACDelco professional service center can help. ACDelco comes as original equipment for all GM cars, and they can get you winter prepped and on the salty roads in the time it takes you to set up your dating profile on that hot new site you heard about during your office holiday party…

And once it is set up, your new date will be impressed that you are capable of piloting your sweet ride through the winter hellscape while all the other jabronies on the road are sliding around like 2-ton figure skaters. Now THAT is a good first impression…

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ACDelco. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Isn’t it about time you prep your car for winterpocolypse? appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The Bean Boot saw its first incarnation when Mr. L.L. Bean, feet wet and cold from a hunting trip, commissioned a local cobbler to sew leather uppers to a regular rubber workmen’s boots. No doubt impressed by his answer to the Maine wilderness, L.L.’s brother allowed our favorite shoe pioneer to set up shop in the basement of his apparel shop. One year of artful propaganda passes and every outdoorsman with a modicum of self respect is wearing the “Maine Hunting Shoe.” This is the original Bean Boot, and is still available for sale today. Cue the inevitable, and after explosive sales, L.L.Bean opens its doors officially.

The Bean Boot, in whatever model you were to choose, is made from only the highest quality materials, and is still made exclusively in the U.S. of A. by employees of L.L.Bean. The construction of these boots have never been outsourced or otherwise cheapened. And if that weren’t enough for you, they have just about the best warrantee that you can expect on anything, ever. If your boots ever wear out, break down, tear, or otherwise fail, they are replaced at no cost to yourself.

If you find functionality to be beautiful, then there should already be no doubt in your mind that these are a necessity for your high latitude adventuring, but if you see appearances as more important in a boot, then you should heed my disclaimer. These are not in any way, shape, or form, fashion oriented. That however, is not to say that they are unwearable in social situations. Bean Boots are unique enough to only work with a specific set of clothing, but when worn correctly can tie together an outdoorsy outfit.

Bean Boots are a black and white concept. Either you love them, or you hate them. Even though statistically half of you will think I’m insane for singing such high praises of them, they are perfect for what they are meant to be, that meaning a functional outdoor boot that has eaked out a niche in the world of fashion. Love or hate, this boot deserves the respect that comes with a century of designation and distinction. I know that I’ll be wearing these to survive the frigid tundra that is Upstate New York in winter, and for between one and two hundred dollars, why wouldn’t you want boots to last literally the rest of your life? It L.L. Beats me!

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