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By: George Reiswig - 10/2002

The following are businesses and their products that helped make the North by Northwest Expedition a success. Since we listed them alphabetically before, how about reversing it this time around? Thanks again, y'all!

Zodi Propane Showers and Heaters

Someone finally had the presence of mind to try to make some portable sources for hot air and water. The hot air comes in the form of Zodi's Hot Vent, where a propane burner heads a chamber that a fan pumps fresh air through to heat it, then sends it out to your tent or camper or vehicle. The advantage of this is that there is no danger of CO or CO2 poisoning -- the air that comes into the enclosed space is heated indirectly, and is kept separate from flame. Hot water comes through their Hot Tap, a shower that uses a pair of burners to heat a copper coil, and a small pump pushes water through the coil and out the showerhead.
GRIPES: The Hot Tap can heat water, but the design is such that how hot the water gets is pretty dependent on the flow rate. In other words, the heat is not transferred to the coils efficiently, so boosting the pump output to a usable flow rate means that the water coming out is tepid, not hot. The housings for both the Hot Tap and Hot Vent are metal, and have no insulation except for space between the sheet metal and the flame and they get really hot really fast, and it's too easy to burn your hands on them, and I wouldn't be surprised if they end up with plastic melted to them from careless placement of rain flies or shampoo bottles.

Yamaha Generator

We've heard quite a few "silent" generators in RVs, and they weren't exactly silent. Yamaha has managed to do as good a job as I can imagine anyone doing, in combining portability, long service between fuel fills, and quietness into one package. Part of the secret is that the engine speed varies with the electrical load that the generator is being asked for. In other words, for low loads, the engine isn't working as hard -- hence, it's quieter. We used the generator to power tools like our disk grinder and half-inch power drill, as well as once using the 12VDC output to recharge the vehicle battery so we could start it. We even used it at home to power a computer, after putting an oscilloscope on it to see a nice, clean sine wave on the generator's output. No problems whatsoever with anything we ran, and the disk grinder seemed to run more smoothly than it did from an outlet. The generator has a large fuel tank, capable of running the quiet little 2800-watt wonder for 10-12 hours, and even has a fuel gauge on the tank. We had initially thought about getting a smaller, 1000-watt enclosed unit, but we're happy that we made this decision. Much more power, not a lot more noise.
GRIPES: None.

When traveling with a family, the First Aid Kit has to be easy to grab, even with this much gear.

Wilderness Medical Systems, LLC Expedition First Aid

I was a trip leader for whitewater river trips for a long time, and one of my duties was to assemble the First Aid kits for the trip. There was a small one for each boat, and then the large one that was for the expedition as a whole. My job was to make sure that we had the diversity of stuff we needed, in the right quantities, and that it was easily accessible in an emergency. I was going to do the same thing for the North by Northwest Expedition, until I started looking into kits that are available retail. When I came across Wilderness Medical's stuff, I knew we had a winner. These kits have pretty much everything you could ask for, and in a canvas foldout that is much easier to get into than the ammo boxes I used on the river. Everything is indexed, and the company even can provide telephone medical consultation with a M.D. before a trip … even medivac and medical repatriation services if required. If you want a well-thought-out First Aid kit, you owe it to yourself to look at what they have to offer.
GRIPES: None.

Webb, Inc. Fuel Pre-heater/Filter/Water Separator

Our Unimog came with a tiny screen filter that could sift the water out (although there was no easy way to drain it once trapped), but the Webb units we got, one per tank, are really the hot ticket. First the filter part of it: this is an inverted cone of fine mesh, one that traps a lot more of the gunk before it gets to the filters than you might think possible. Once trapped against the screen, you can flip a little draincock and the flotsam trickles out of the trap along with any water that was on its way to the filters. Ingenious, simple design. Now the fuel heating: there are two ways of heating the fuel with these gems, electrically and with engine coolant. Use electricity to pre-heat the fuel before starting the engine on a really cold day, and it will keep fuel flowing through the filters and injectors. Once the engine warms up, a thermostatically controlled valve maintains the fuel at 80 degrees F, perfect for keeping everything happy. Very nicely designed, easy to install, and above all RUGGED. No plastic here -- it's a steel case that will take abuse.
GRIPES: None.

Webasto North America Auxiliary Heater

It's hard to heat a Unimog. The Dynamat foam insulation helped keep the heat in, but the stock heater is a tiny cube down next to the driver's feet, and doesn't exactly keep the rear passengers warm. We use a Webasto Air Top 3500 diesel fired heater to make up the difference, and we are happy we made that choice! We have a remote thermostat that is also programmable (i.e. you can make the heater come on at 6:00 AM, so it's toasty inside before you ever get out of bed), and the heater itself is a little marvel. It uses very little electricity to coax a lot of heat out of not much diesel, then efficiently distributes it out into the cab.
GRIPES: It's hard to figure out how to program the thermostat/timer, but it's still pretty neat to be able to heat the cab before you ever get inside.

Spectrum Digital Imaging Computer-ready Topographic Maps

We were going to be out in the middle of nowhere, and we knew it. There are plenty of software products that let you plug in a GPS and show you where you are on a map, but which software to use? Where would we get the maps? Enter Spectrum Digital. They have CD's with 1:50k and 1:250k topographic maps of much of Canada, expertly rendered into a format that is easily read by the OziExplorer software they recommend. Furthermore, they've done the map calibration for you, so that it really is plug and play. We knew where we were at all times, and without an enormous quantity of paper maps.
GRIPES: OziExplorer has a complicated user interface that isn't really intuitive, but it also boasts a lot of features. The maps themselves are first-rate.

SPA Technique Gauges and Senders

We don't have a lot of space, but we like a lot of information. SPA Technique has a series of dual gauges that allows you to maximize the information within a minimal space. These gauges are accurate when coupled with SPA senders, have programmable alarms (very handy, and the alarms can be a flashing light OR trigger an external audio alarm), and are easy to read.
GRIPES: None.

Recaro Seats

Recaro's Style seats quite possibly saved our butts on this trip. We were blessed with adjustable lumbar supports and backrest bolsters, seat heaters for cold days and a fan that ventilated the seats from the underside for hot days. There are lots of seats that feel comfortable when you first sit in them, but for lengthy trips like the North by Northwest Expedition, you have to have something that has been designed with ergonomics in mind. Recaro did their homework, and you really feel it after a few hundred miles.
GRIPES: None.

Prothane Urethane Suspension Components

We chose Prothane's bump stops to replace the stock rubber ones when we started into the air bag suspension modifications. Urethane provides more definite stopping of motion, and is more durable. Well, when the air bags were drained of all air for long periods of time (lowering the vehicle to make cab access easier for soundproofing, etc.), there was 3000 pounds of pressure being applied to each of the bump stops, squishing them nicely against the axle tubes. These things bounced right back, with no apparent ill effect or permanent set.
GRIPES: None.

These well-sealed storage boxes gobbled up a months worth of supplies.

Pro-Tech Inc. Truck Boxes

All of our equipment and gear that needed to be kept dry and secure went into one of three truck boxes from Pro-Tech. These are made from heavy aluminum, but aren't very heavy themselves. The seals worked beautifully, the boxes hold a lot, and there is no indication that even a grizzly would be able to open one without the key. They make boxes and accessories to fit just about any vehicle, from pickups to semis. And their prices are better than anyone comparable that we found.
GRIPES: The lip around the opening, which admittedly serves also as a support for the box, takes up a lot of the opening. As a result, a box that has 24" of internal height has an opening only 19 inches tall. That can make loading large things inside difficult. It may be necessary to have a lip this tall just to support the frame, though.

Premier Power Welder Underhood Welder and Pull-Pal

I've not yet had to use the welder on a Unimog trip, but I've had one in my Isuzu for a long time, and I've been grateful that I had it. Moab, Rubicon… need a repair? Out it comes. It's the reassurance that you might be able to actually do a good field fix that drew me to it, and it's proven true. The fact that I now do ALL my heavy welding, even at home, with the Premier is due to the quality and ease of welding that it provides. The customer service is first-rate, and the product is fantastic. What more could you ask for? Then there's the Pull-Pal. This is a "land anchor" that you can use as a winch point when there's nothing else to grab, and I m told it works. Since I haven't yet had to use the winch on the Unimog, I don't know -- but I trust the company whence it came!
GRIPES: None.

Pioneer Electronics Sound System

I was pretty skeptical about their TSX-200 surface mount speakers, but there's no good way in a Unimog to mount normal car speakers. So… even without a lot of equalization, they sounded surprisingly good. Coupled with a TS-WX121 subwoofer, GM-X364 and GM-X362 amplifiers, and a DEQ-P800 parametric equalizer, and a KEH-6010 cassette deck that allows us to use an external MP3 player -- this is a nice sound system. It has proven more than capable of making itself pleasant to listen to over the din of the diesel engine, and even books on tape (not known for their high quality or output level) were great to listen to.
GRIPES: How about incorporating a noise cancellation system into one of these, to overcome engine noise? Okay, okay -- not really a gripe, is it?

PIAA Professional Halogen Lamp Systems

This company lets you put lots of light where you want it. The wiring systems are well designed, and take advantage of switches that control relays, keeping the voltage high at the bulbs where it needs to be.
GRIPES: On some of the lights, the housings and mounts could be made of metal, not plastic, and would be better able to withstand the tree branches that they inevitably seem to attract.

Painless Performance Products Wiring Systems

This company specializes in making superior wiring looms for your Jeep or other vehicle, but they have a lot of other stuff to offer. We used their wire, fuse blocks, and connectors, as well as their battery spike protectors. The wire is the best I've ever seen, as are the connectors. The insulation on both doesn't seem to mind oil, diesel fuel, or any other solvents that I've thrown at it, and it's very abrasion-resistant.
GRIPES: I don't know what I would have expected the spike protectors to do when my regulator started charging batteries at 18 volts, but it would have been nice to have it give out an audible scream or something. Seriously, I don't have any reasonable gripes.

Optima Batteries

I've used Optima batteries for a long time, and I really like them. They don't leak, you can mount them in any position, and they seem impervious to vibration seen on hard trails. This set of batteries also seems to have survived a bad overcharge situation (they were venting gas audibly when the regulator failed, and smelled like the seventh circle of hell) without apparent impact to their performance. Pretty impressive, if you ask me.
GRIPES: None.

Northwest Metal Products Custom Fuel Tanks

This is a company that builds replacement fuel tanks for RV s, Broncos, and other trucks, but they also do custom work such as what they did for our Unimog. They use steel that has been galvanized in a way that differs from what I've seen elsewhere: in regular galvanization, it's pretty easy to scratch the zinc and quickly develop rust where the scratch has revealed bare steel underneath. Not so with the steel they use -- the top of our tanks ended up getting the paint scraped off of it from too many muddy feet using it as a step, but it still looks pretty and silver even after exposure to sea spray. The welds are beautiful (interestingly, they don't seem to affect the galvanization much, either!), and these tanks have withstood some serious hits from logs and rocks without flinching. These folks really know what they're doing.
GRIPES: Only that I designed it with the inlet/outlet tubes in slightly the wrong place. These guys are craftsmen, and gave me exactly what I asked for and then some.

Nordskog Performance Gauges and Senders

The Nordskog speedometer provides both digital and analog feedback as to your speed, and it is fully programmable. It was easy to read even in full sunlight.
GRIPES: The menu system for setting up the initial calibration, as well as for accessing/changing the odometer settings, is not as intuitive as it might be.

Motorola FMR Radios

We used a pair of Talkabout Talk about feature-packed! This tiny (and good!) radio isn't just a radio -- it's fully rechargeable (NiMH batteries), it has a digital compass, barometer, altimeter, stopwatch, alarms, receives NOAA weather updates -- like I said, packed. It also proved to be quite useful in places that you wouldn't expect, like between cabins on opposite sides of a metal ship! Despite all the steel around them, they were still quite usable and kept Fitzgearlds and Reiswigs in touch with one another. Motorola has also done a pretty good job of making these features easy to access with only a few buttons -- they must have a Human Factors Engineer working on it! ;-)
GRIPES: The compass, even when calibrated, seems to be finicky -- south is not always 180 degrees away from north, and so forth. I think this is largely a function of whether the unit is near a large metal object like a Unimog or an Alaska Ferry, though -- and this is a pretty minor gripe.

Michelin Agricultural Tires

It's hard for me to say how impressed I am with these tires. You look at them and assume that they'll be loud on pavement, will make your truck handle badly, won't wear well, and won't go fast. But you're sure that they'll be good offroad. Well, you'd be right on that last point, but not on the others. They handled pavement better than the military tires we've used previously, were less noisy, and are wearing very well. We haven't had a puncture or lost a bead, and we've put them through some rather rigorous testing on the trail! We have yet to even slice a sidewall. They always seem to perform, and perform really well, on all surfaces.
GRIPES: Well, they do require a 20-inch rim -- maybe they should consider marketing them for people with light trucks!

Lucas Oil Performance Lubrication

Lucas has a lot of different products, but as with all such chemicals it is not easy to gauge the effectiveness of it without experimenting, with and without the chemicals. We've been using their diesel additive, which purports to replace a lot of the lost lubricity in low-sulfur diesel fuels. We've used their oil additive, and we did notice an increase in oil pressure as a result, which is one firm data point. Another area where there was a clear benefit was with their power steering stop-leak -- it did the job in less than 200 miles of driving! And it was putting a stop a substantial leak in our power steering system.
GRIPES: None -- .they seem to have done their research, and from our perspective the chemicals work well.

George and Krista survey the scene from their Lofty Shelter.

Lofty Shelters Roof Tents

This is where the Fitzgearlds and I really differed in our buildup philosophy. Where they occupied their whole truck bed area with a pop-up camper, we chose to use Pro-Tech truck boxes for cargo, and put a folding tent on top of everything. Enter Lofty Shelters. These tents have been proven in the Swiss and Italian Alps, but are just starting to be seen here in the U.S. They have several different models to choose from, to fit your needs. Light, strong, and surprisingly comfortable -- it also helps to be 8 feet off the ground in country known to have grizzlies! We even set up a hanging bed for Krista, so that Angela and I would have more sleeping room.
GRIPES: There is only one latch for the whole tent, which would be fine if there were more room inside the folded tent. We, on the other hand, chose to leave our down comforter inside the tent and then close it, and the one latch sort of strained to close the tent that last inch or so, and the sides bulged. Plus, if that one breaks…

K & N Air Filters

I used one of these to replace the oil bath filter that came with the Unimog. I've used one for years on my Isuzu Amigo, in very dusty environments, and when I opened up the engine it was clear that the filter was doing the job well. The filter that we're using with the Unimog is remarkably small, so it fits on top of the snorkel without completely blocking the view, but it is still rated to flow more than this engine will ever need. Pretty neat! We also chose to use K&N filters to filter the air that both onboard air compressors are breathing.
GRIPES: None.

ICOM 2M/70cm Radio

We used the IC-2800H dual-band mobile, and we don't think we could have made a better choice. The unit combines high available power, lots of features, and a remote head unit that can even take video input and put it out on a 3-inch color LCD monitor. It proved to be a reliable source of communication. It has ample power to hook up with repeaters from a good distance away, and pulls in signals from afar.
GRIPES: Something this feature-laden is understandably difficult to operate at times, but even the most basic functions are sometimes difficult to access. Icom could benefit from Human Factors input. (There's my bias again!)

Hellroaring Technologies Battery Isolator/Combiners

These are neat. This is not your average isolator. These are designed by an Electrical Engineer who recognized that there was a need for a low-resistance, solid state solution for vehicles with multiple batteries. A relay seems like an obvious choice, but they have a surprising amount of resistance. This isn't a problem until you start trying to conduct high current through it, such as when starting the vehicle. The Hellroaring BIC-75300A isolates batteries, even three of em, automatically (no relay does that), draws less than a tenth of an amp when on, and can allow up to 300 amps to pass through it to help start the vehicle or run a winch. Most isolators and relays will pass only a fraction of that, and they'll overheat doing it. Hellroaring has also provided a number of configuration options, letting YOU decide how to use it.
GRIPES: The main gripe I have is that the unit is so small (much smaller than you d expect) that the terminals were placed close together. When trying to hook up big cables to it from the batteries to the starter, we had to modify the cable terminals to fit into the tight space without touching one another.

Grote LED Lights

There are some distinct advantages to LED lights. They light up faster than incandescent bulbs, which is particularly useful in the case of brake lights. Giving the person behind you an extra half-second of reaction time might mean the difference between no impact and deep impact. LEDs also draw a lot less current, so sitting by the side of the road with the emergency flashers on won't drain your battery for days.
GRIPES: None.

Gibson Performance Exhaust

The muffler they provided replaced an ancient, rusted design, and some of the rest of the exhaust was replaced at the same time, but… the exhaust note is more pleasant by a fair shake than it used to be. No noticeable improvement in power, but the workmanship on this stainless steel muffler is very good. It's also very stout, and I would guess that it will take a lot of abuse from rocks. Get one of these and you won't have to replace the muffler again.
GRIPES: None.

Clean, safe water was never far away with the General Ecology system onboard.

General Ecology Water Filtration System

I admit it, I was skeptical. Potable, good tasting water no matter WHAT the source looks like? But it's true. Some of the best-tasting water I've had came through this system. When you're out in the middle of nowhere and cannot count on getting potable water from known sources, having a good filtration system is terribly important. General Ecology seems to really know their stuff.
GRIPES: It may well be that more instructions are sent out with other kits, but we didn't really get any. It didn't really matter at first, until questions come up like "do you need to remove the filter cartridges between uses to let them dry, or are they mildew-protected?"

Garmin GPS System, Maps and Software

Knowing exactly where you are has been getting easier and cheaper every year, and Garmin has led the pack. Their GPS V kept us consistently informed as to our whereabouts, even when we were in the remote wilderness of Canada. It is astonishing how much geographic data Garmin has stuffed into the stock database on this unit, and the fact that you can load their MapSource US Topo maps into it really increases your portable digital mapping. You can also run the software on your PC, and interface it to the GPS unit, giving a full-color, large display. The Garmin external antenna is about the size of a domino, and mounted magnetically to our roof. It pulled in satellites even in the densest woods. Navigation has never been so easy.
GRIPES: The software could benefit from some Human Factors Engineering, but I commend Garmin on constantly improving their systems overall.

Firestone Air Ride Division

As mentioned elsewhere, we were not able to make the air springs work for this trip, since we couldn't get a stiff enough rate to make the vehicle stable on the road. However, we used them on the trail before we left for Alaska, and WOW! Air bags offer some real benefits, including adjustable ride, ride height, and an incredible amount of travel in a small package. My concerns about their durability were alleviated by two things: one, I saw branches poking mine when I was on the trail, and they might as well have been trying to poke their way through a tire. Two, I saw logging trucks come in to Prince George Truck & Equipment that used Firestone air bags, many of which had obviously seen a lot of abuse under the worst of circumstances. They take a licking and keep on… springing. We'll be working with Firestone to get the right springs, and we're confident that they'll be durable and work great.
GRIPES: Other than not currently having the right spring rate for my application, I can't think of any gripes. And that's my fault, not Firestone s.

Eurotruck Importers

If you are interested in getting one of the best stock four-wheel-drive vehicles ever (a Unimog), I'd recommend getting in touch with these folks. Eurotruck really knows their stuff, and can get you parts, too.
GRIPES: None -- honest folks who really know Unimogs and use them… hard!

Dynamat Acoustic Treatments

Unimogs are loud. How loud? You are SITTING ON A DIESEL ENGINE! They are even louder when they're timed wrong, as we found out. In fact, one of the reasons we didn't know the injection was timed wrong was Dynamat's fault. We hadn't really driven the Unimog with the repaired fuel pump until after we had installed Dynamat's recommended acoustic treatments in the truck. What should have been an increase in engine noise due to too-advanced timing ended up being a much quieter ride, thanks to Dynamat Extreme, Dynaliner, and Hoodliner products. With the engine timed normally, you hardly remember that you're still SITTING ON A DIESEL ENGINE! All our ears are in your debt, Dynamat.
GRIPES: Geez, if I hadn't installed Dynamat soundproofing at the same time my pump was worked on, I might have heard that my engine wasn't running right. ;-)

DeLorme Maps and Software

So the ferry had just pulled out of Wrangell, and I m telling my wife "Boy, I'd sure like to see the Devil's Thumb. In fact, it should be right about there…" and there it was! A big fang of rock miraculously appeared between a mountain on the mainland and an island near the boat. When I mentioned my sighting to the purser on the ferry, I was told that I couldn't have seen the Devil's Thumb, that it was too far inland and there wasn't a line of sight. Enter DeLorme's 3-D Topo Quad maps. Using their 3-D view, I was able to prove to people that there indeed COULD be a line of sight view from where we had been up to the Devil's Thumb. This isn't the only use for the software, of course. They also helped us find our way to trailheads, figure out what stream we were close to, and so forth. Well-designed software with a lot of features.
GRIPES: DeLorme would benefit from some Human Factors Engineering on their user interface, but them I m biased. (being a Human Factors Engineer)

Datcom Gauges and Senders

Even on their small gauges like the ones we used for our brake air system, these analog gauges are bright and easy to read.
GRIPES: None.

Coleman Kitchen and Camping Equipment

Okay, Coleman makes neat stuff, right? You knew that. We didn't know HOW neat. Their Outfitter(tm) Camp Kitchen served as our sink, table, even a gameboard! It's hard to describe, but basically they managed to get a dishwasher/cutting board/cook area all into one package that folds up into a thin, easy-to-store package. The Outfitter Cook Kit is made of tough stainless steel, and provides ample utensils, plates, pots and pans for a family of four. And, again, it folds down into a tiny package. We used a Coleman propane stove with two burners, and it ignited without argument every time we flipped the switch to start it, even in the dampest weather. Again, they designed it to be easy to store. We also tried Coleman's Mosquito Deleto(tm) System Plus, but not (alas) in Blue River, British Columbia. It does seem to work, but seems to have the best benefits when it's used in one place, for example getting rid of the mosquitoes in your backyard that are out there waiting for you day-to-day.
GRIPES: Coleman uses something along the lines of a stuff sack to hold the Outfitter Cook Kit -- a nylon bag with a cinch cord at the top. The stitching around the cinch cord gave way rather quickly, making the bag useless. But that's a pretty minor gripe.

Cobra CB Radios and Inverter

Okay, admit it: it's cool to be able to pop microwave popcorn in your truck. It's also cool to be able to keep in touch with your buddies. Cobra made the inverter we used, turning our battery voltage into smooth, 120VAC power that can run appliances up to 1000 watts. It was easy to install, and you don't need to turn it off or on -- just leave it on, because it draws so little current when it's not powering an appliance. The CB radios (one in the vehicle, two portable units for scouting, spotting on the trails, etc.) really kept us in touch, and their antennae proved to be a champ for long-distance communication without requiring the full length of a quarter-wave whip. Cobra is known for their quality, and they exhibit it in every component that we have used.
GRIPES: I'd like to have a bit more volume available from the dash-mount CB. Even with the forward-facing speaker, it is often hard to hear what's being said over the Unimog's clatter. Course, that may be the Unimog's fault!

Bullydog Propane Injection

Put simply, propane injected into the cylinder helps diesel burn better. It also burns itself, and very cleanly, so the net result is a synergy that really benefits the engine. Some applications can apparently experience as much as a 60% increase in available horsepower, but it will vary according to your engine. Bullydog has designed a simple system that has failsafe mechanisms built in to keep the engine from running on propane alone when you've turned the key off, and injects propane according to demand. Very cool!
GRIPES: None.

Bilstein Suspension Shock Absorbers

Hard to say enough about these shock absorbers. They look bulletproof, and may well be. I was a little concerned about putting these on a vehicle that weighs in over 12,000 pounds, but Shane at Bilstein assured me that they'd be okay. Was he ever right. The do exactly what you want a shock to do, and no more: the vehicle stops rocking after one oscillation, and that's that. They're not stiff, they're not soft -- Bilstein knew how to dial in the valving for our application. They're also loooooooong, which is great for the extended travel we have. They even kept up with the really TREMENDOUS travel that we had when the air springs were still on the suspension. Bilstein is also making a series of shocks called the 5100 series that boasts identical internal components, without the remote reservoir. If I owned a Jeep or one of the other vehicles with a lift, for which Bilstein has carefully researched valving and fit, I would definitely get a set of these. For the Unimog, I can't imagine a better set of shocks.
GRIPES: None!

ARB Refrigerator

This is the genuine article: it will quickly cool a lot of groceries to however cool or cold you want it, right down to freezing it. It is sturdily-built, doesn't draw as much current as you might think, and holds a lot of stuff! We weren't able to test it for bear-resistance (thank God!), but we're sure that it would put up a good fight, at least.
GRIPES: Well, it might be nice if they included a battery monitor option that turned off the refrigerator if input voltage dropped below 10.5 volts or something. We did lose the ability to start Fred's vehicle once when the refrigerator was left on all night. But given the low cost already…

Air Ride Technologies

Okay, okay, so we didn't end up using the system for this trip. We are going to keep trying to make air springs work, because of the benefits they offer. Despite not using them on the trip, the Air Ride Tech components saw enough usage that we can comment honestly about them here: these folks know what they're doing. The solenoids they use are large and sturdy, and fit into carefully machined and anodized aluminum blocks. Couple these with their digital pressure gauge and switch controls, and you've got real control over what's happening in your suspension, and real adjustability for loads or differing road conditions. When we first took Grog over the Little Rubicon rockpile in the Tillamook State Forest, Charlie and Angela were particularly impressed that I was able to get the vehicle vertical again in an off-camber situation that might have been more tippy with regular springs. If we can make an air suspension work on a Unimog 416, it will be with Air Ride Technologies equipment. If we can't make it work, it's just because we can't fit a spring under there with the right spring rate.
GRIPES: none

American Technologies Network Corp. Night Vision Equipment

Most wildlife is only really active at night, even in the short nights of the northern summer. Flashlights just scare them away. Being able to see at night really opened up a world to us that we wouldn't have known existed otherwise.
GRIPES: Spend the extra money on one of their higher-end units. We got a low-cost unit, and the focus is inconsistent across the field.