Gear Patrol

We’re all familiar with the iconic design of Airstream trailers. But what about the name Hawley Bowlus? He was the designer and builder of the Spirit of St. Louis — the record-breaking plane used by Lindberg to fly non-stop across Atlantic Ocean. But a few years later in 1934, he also created the forebear of the AirStream trailer, a stunning piece of technically advanced machinery dubbed the Hawley Bowlus Road Chief. Today, the classic Road Chief is reborn as a stunner with all the modern trappings.

You don’t have to believe that the end of the Mayan calendar signifies the beginning of the end, you just have to go to your local theater and see how many apocalyptic movies are out. It’s like we want it to happen. Whatever the case, make sure your bug out bag is ready, have ample…

Warfare is often a battle against change, and the U.S. military is always attempting to stay ahead of, or at least on top of, the curve. A fairly new yet significant player in this struggle is the MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. From seemingly nowhere, the ubiquitous “Humvee” (High-Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, or…

If you’re into thimble collecting or love to break a sweat zipping through the woods on your adult tricycle, then the Otokar Cobra is undeniably the wrong kind of vehicle for you. Built for equal parts protection and destruction, the Cobra will assuredly get you to the front of the line in any zombie-fueled traffic…

If you hanker for an impressive triumvirate of modern technology, off-road chops and vintage style, look no further than the utterly desirable Legacy Power Wagon ($114,950+). Need to pull out King Kong’s molars? This would be your truck of choice. In two or four-door format, the Legacy Power Wagon (by Legacy Classic Trucks) is based…

The Harley Sportster is a relatively inexpensive yet powerful bike, making it popular for modifications. Japanese builder Hidemo used a 1200cc 2011 model to make his version of the Custom Sportster that stands out from other customs. Hidemo abbreviated the front fender, added dropped mirrors a la cafe racer and gave the bike a subtle…

After the worldwide, ignominious ridicule of the Reliant Robin three-wheeled car on an episode of Top Gear, one man in the UK simply had enough. The Reliant Robin has quite a cult following in the Queen’s country, largely due to its quirkiness and probably extreme economy. A threatening demon of speed it is not. Well,…

Grabbing ahold of the back of a moving car may seem like a good way to pick up some serious speed on your skateboard, but it is an even better way to end up in traction (and we don’t mean the grippy kind). If you want to move like you have a motor on your…

We think the term “all terrain vehicle” is used a bit casually these days. Sure that 4×4 or side-by-side can go off-road, but anything too steep or deep and it quickly becomes dangerous or useless. That’s why we’re stoked about the Argo 8×8 750 HDi ($19,500) – an eight-wheel amphibious mutant that will dominate snow,…

At first glance, the Doubleback looks like your average VW Transporter van. Pushing a single button, however, completely transforms the popular European passenger carrier into a home away from home in just under a minute. Thanks to the extra room provided by the extendable pod, the central cabin serves as a fully functioning kitchen, complete…

Who doesn’t love car camping? All the benefits of the outdoors without having to forego some vital creature comforts. But it can still be a royal pain setting up and breaking down camp. Plus, moving from tent to eating/sitting/chillin’ areas can be not so seamless. The Holtkamper Kyte tent trailer can change all that and…

When’s the last time you checked your land-to-water based escape route? You can cut the number of needed vehicles in half with the new Gibbs Technologies Phibian that enables you to go from trucker to aquanaut in a matter of seconds. Gibbs has been in the amphibious vehicle world for some time now and is…

Cold harsh winters will kidney punch many of us soon, but it doesn’t have to be all pain and no snowy terrain. That is, as long as you have transportation like the Arctic Cat ProCross F 1100 Turbo Sno Pro Limited ($13,800). Sporting a fancy pearl white, orange and black paint scheme, it surely stands…

You’ll have to go across the Atlantic to find this jewel of Americana, but for a meticulously restored, original specification 1963 Airstream Bambi ($58,000) it might just be worth the hassle. Originally registered in New Brighton, Minnesota on May 9, 1963 the 16×7 Bambi is clad in its factory aircraft-grade lightweight metal skin (newly polished…

Looking like the illegitimate child of a flattened Humvee and an angry warthog, the Shadow Hawk Steel Hawk might also fit in nicely as the Tumbler’s stand-in during Gotham chase scenes. The Steel Hawk is powered by a 6.6 liter V8 engine with turbocharging that provides a healthy 360 horsepower and a meaty 650 pound…

There’s off-road, and then there’s OFF-ROAD. The Russian built Trecol 39295 takes it to an altogether different level. The insane six-wheeler enables you to drive over logs, insanely rocky terrain, deep water (with optional outboard motor) and even people. Okay, back up now. Yes, you can do that, too. The Trecol just happens to have…

One look at the Ketterer Motorhome Custom and you’ll view RV’s in a whole new light. This, gents, is the luxury coach that dreams are made of. Built from the ground up using a Mercedes-Benz truck chassis, the Ketterer Custom can be built to spec with such creature comforts as a master bedroom with requisite…

Essentially a plug-in steroidal, man-sized Tonka truck, the Bremach T-Rex takes green power beyond mere passenger cars and into the realm of ruggedly capable vehicles. Bremach has been making industrial grade trucks since the 1950s and is now breaking new ground with this monster that houses a 100kW electric motor providing a 150 mile range,…

Someday in the not-too-distant future, you may have to rely on your wits and your skills rather than rest on the creature comforts in your life to survive. Then again, maybe not. All you may need to do is get your grubby mitts on a custom hunting variant of the Mercedes-Benz Zetros 6×6. This vehicular…

In purely concept form right now, the Amatova ATV, from designer Liam Ferguson, gives us a vision into what first-line fire-fighting could look like in the near future. More like something out of the ‘Terminator’ series than out of your local firehouse, the Amatova houses 2 passengers in a high-visibility cockpit and can liquid Howitzer…

If Apple built a UAV what would it look like? Well, it might look something like the Swiss UAV KOAX X-240. Winner of a 2010 Red Dot Design Award, Swiss UAV has been focused on developing smaller sized vertical take-off (think: helicopter) unmanned aerial vehicles for use by civilians and militaries. Partnered with Saab Aerospace,…

Feel like the Porsche Tobogan is too expensive? Or maybe the Mountain Boy Sledworks Boggan is to traditional for your tastes. Then consider this as a third option: the Stiga Snow Racer ($125+). The Snow Racer breeds traditional toboggan design with race-like components including a shock absorber, polyethylene seat and skis, steering wheel, high-tensile steel…

Your motorcycle is in winter storage. Your ATV is fun with tire chains but fails to provide anything resembling blistering speed in the snow. The luge is clearly not an option. Say hello to your maniacal turbo sled, the new 2011 Yamaha Apex SE ($14,949) With increased torque and top speed from its more refined…

Cectek, known for their badass Quadrift four-wheel motorcycle also has a lesser known, but equally indomitable brother, the KingCobra ATV ($11,000). The four-wheeler features a trail bombing liquid cooled 500 cc engine desiged for optimum performance throughout its powerband and over-enginnered features like extra large disc brakes, locking rear differential, fully-adjustable independent suspension and continuously…

Eddie Bauer has teamed up with our favorite RV maker to create a special edition of the iconic silver bullet. The 25-foot luxury collaboration features a customized Eddie Bauer interior detailed with maple and soapstone laminates, quilted bedding and Sunbrella upholstery. A unique rear sport hatch also makes loading and unloading outdoor gear like bikes…

The 2011 MXB Shocker Motocross Board ($2,999) is designed to be a different kind of fun on wheels from the usual small-motored toys guys often buy. Weighing 74lbs and featuring a 48-volt brush-less motor capable of producing nearly 5 lb/ft of torque and reaching a top speed of 35 mph (with tweaking), think of it…

Like the Mattracks Powerboard Snow Scooter we shared a while back, the BPG-WERKS DTV Shredder is a scooter even Dolph Lundgren would love. Designed by MIT graduate Ben Gulag, this motorized vehicle sports a pair of tank treads instead of wheels, giving it ludicriously good off-road performance for both military and extreme sports uses. Riders…

Why should all the yacht owners get to be the only ones having all of the fun? At least that seems to be the question Futuria seems to be asking. So for the super wealthy who happen to be water averse, they’ve created the Futuria Sports Caravan. Touted as a yacht on wheels, this 36-foot…

Sure, you may want to ascend a 45° rock-grade in your Jeep, but that doesn’t mean you want to sleep on crag. For the bed-spoiled off-roader, Jeep is introducing a new lineup of off-road utility and camping trailers to pair up with their ruggedly handsome lineup of Rubicon Wranglers (not that you have to). The…

Few things stoke our vehicular lusts like unabashed utility, and the John Deere Gator XUV 620i Special Edition ($11,999) brute delivers it in spades. In addition to the standard features of Deere’s full line of Gator utility vehicles, this 620i offers a laundry list of finishes that will make your imported, garage-dwelling whip John Deere…