Rocky Boots were the official boots of this year's Ultimate Adventure, and it's hard to give you the lowdown on boots since we aren't Petersen's 2-Feet & Off-Road Walker magazine. Though we do spend a good amount of time humping through dirt, rocks, and mud to get all the pictures you see in this book, we rarely take time to evaluate what's on our feet. We all have different types of boots we like (high top, low cut), and though some of us are new to the Rocky line (Pw rarely ever takes off his sandals), UA attendee and all-around good chap Chris Durham has been wearing Rockys for 11 or 12 years and not only have they helped his throttle-down driving style, but they also aid in his world class spotting and trail repair skills.
A handy tool for keeping track of the UA flock is a citizen band radio. This year we contacted the folks at Karl's C-B shop in Las Vegas via CBradioUSA.com to see what they recommend. We agreed on a Cobra C75WXST 40-channel handheld remote unit and a Wilson 1000 Antenna. This piece is great for a rig with little spare room in the cab, and we found the range almost perfect for when our group got spread out on the long highway days. The 10 weather bands also came in handy when storm clouds threatened.
There are few things more important on an off-road trip than the cooler. Of course you want the truck to work and the tires to have great traction, and lockers help, but when all else fails, you need to have a cold beverage to relax with and figure out how to get home. Coolers of different sorts are available, but if you want the best for your ultimate rig, then you want an ARB freezer fridge. We chose the 33-quart variant, and stuffed it right behind the driver seat. This gave the passenger room to recline, and also let him get a cold one for the driver. The fridge is great because it can keep beverages cold, or can be cranked up to even store things like ice cream or Pw's freezee pops, all the while using a low amperage draw. Our only regret is not ordering the optional transit bag to protect the finish from bouncing luggage and reclining seats.