Gear

MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) has been around a long time. The U.S. military has used MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) since its introduction in 1997, replacing the older ALICE system, but it became widely adopted and seen in combat operations (like Afghanistan/Iraq) after the 2001 9/11 attacks, evolving into MOLLE II with enhanced features for better comfort and load distribution.  To use MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) panels effecti

The Baofeng DR-1801 (also called the DR-1801UV) is the newer version of the venerable DM-1801. The old DM-1801 was one of the most popular entry level DMR radios around. It was an excellent balance of capabilities at an inexpensive price for those just getting started in digital radio who still wanted dual-band analog capabilities. View the full article

The Baofeng UV-32 is one of several radios recently released that are just plain big. The Hamgeek APX-8000, Baofeng  UV-25, and the Baofeng AR-152 are all close to the same size. These are definitely not meant to be pocketable radios. The AR -152 was basically an oversized UV-5R, with a really big battery on the bottom. The question is, is this more of the same? View the full article

The Baofeng UV-17R, UV-17 Plus, and UV-17 Pro are essentially the same radio, except the Plus adds a USB-C battery and the Pro adds GPS and a UCB-C battery, and they both jack up the price. They are reasonably new Baofeng radios that have the new 1.77" color screen and in most advertising claim to be upgraded versions of the UV-5R (no doubt to get hits from using the most popular model number on the planet). View the full article

The Radtel RT-470x is the first Radtel radio I have reviewed. While it does have some similarities to some of the newer Baofeng radios, I found the Radtel lineup different enough to be intrigued, so I picked up a few of them. When most of the radios that are popular these days are either Baofeng radios, or very close copies, I find it refreshing when I see something different, especially from a brand I have heard virtually nothing about before. View the full article

The Baofeng DM-1701 is one of the most popular DMR radios today. It is even more popular than its little brother, the dm-801. Oddly enough, the 1701 is an older model, and also a higher-end model, than the 1801. In my experience, substantially more newcomers to DMR choose the 1701 over the 1801, and in fact, more than most other DMR radios. View the full article

The Anytone AT-D878UVII Plus is one of the very few high-end DMR radios available. There are a lot of DMR radios, and some pretty good ones, but precious few that I would really call "high end". I have always been reluctant to review Anytone radios because they seemed like expensive versions of radios I already owned. View the full article

It Starts Last December (nearly two years ago, now) we started bringing up the JT Gladiator into our weekly meetings.  We started each session with a simple question, “How do we see our brand on this?” The engineers and I would draw and draw and draw… Aesthetics, functionality, utility… All of these things we looked at.  We all had opinions, but there was one thing we all approved on: “The utility was up to the driver, but the look was up to us.” So let’s start from the top, or rather the rear

The Baofeng UV-82HP is one of the classic Baofeng radios, not as massively popular as the UV-5R, but close. It is also basically an upgraded version of the UV-82 radio. In fact, without removing the battery and looking at the sticker on the back of the radio, you can't tell the difference between the 82, and the 82HP. View the full article

I’ve tested hundreds of radio transceivers across every price range. While MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service) radios aren’t as popular as FRS or GMRS, they offer unique advantages that make them worth considering for specific applications. MURS operates on five VHF channels between 151-154 MHz, with a maximum power output of 2 watts. Unlike FRS, MURS ... Read more View the full article

Without getting into the serious commercial grade radios like the Icom V10mr, the Btech MURS V2 is considered one of the better consumer MURS radios. It is not only built on the back of the iconic Baofeng UV-82HP, which means it has over a decade of use, refinement, and manufacture of accessories before becoming a MURS radio, but it is released by Btech who has a reputation for providing nice radio kits. View the full article

The Radioddity MU-5 is a budget MURS radio with a few additional features that make it interesting. MURS radios are few and far between, making any one of them worth reviewing. This one happens to be made by Radioddity, which is a well-known brand in ham radio circles. In fact, it appears that they took one of their existing ham radios and modified it for this frequency band and re-released it as a MURS radio. That is not necessarily a bad thing. View the full article

Onboard air is a must-have for serious Jeepers—whether you’re airing up tires, running lockers, or inflating gear at basecamp. But a quality compressor is only half the equation. You need a secure, smart mount that holds steady through trail abuse, installs cleanly, and works with your setup. That’s where Fishbone Offroad comes in. With purpose-built mounts for ARB and VIAIR compressors, designed to fit your Jeep like a glove, Fishbone has the solution for every rig—from JL Wranglers to JT Gl

For off-roaders and overlanders, maintaining an organized and efficient vehicle is crucial. Fishbone Offroad's Interior MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) Panels offer a perfect solution for keeping your gear secure and accessible. Built for Durability These MOLLE panels are constructed from high-quality 10-gauge steel, providing strength and long-lasting performance. The black textured powder-coated finish not only adds a rugged look, but also provides resistance against corr

American Modified Rocks the 2024 SEMA Show with Bold New Offerings! The 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas was nothing short of a showstopper! From November 5th to November 8th, off-road enthusiasts, industry pros, and auto fanatics gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the most anticipated event in the aftermarket automotive world. And guess who was there to showcase their latest and greatest? American Modified! As proud members of SEMA, we proudly showcased two of the most thrilling off-

Ah, the pickup truck. Is there anything more American? It is the most versatile of vehicles - ready for work or play at a moment’s notice. Jeep’s current pickup offering - the Gladiator - is one of the most popular trucks on the market (they can barely make enough of them), and for good reason. With powerful V6 and diesel engine options, excellent off-road chops, and all the utility that comes with having a pickup bed, the Gladiator ticks a lot of the right boxes. It’s also a great platform for

After recently attending a local off-road park, I concluded that not one vehicle I saw was void of some type of modification. Modifying Jeeps and Trucks is almost a necessity for outdoor adventure seekers, but not all mods are the same. I saw everything from massive builds, rendering the vehicle unrecognizable to its original design, to simple modifications that were designed to represent the owner’s personality and style. I also saw the impact of modifying with inferior parts. In my opinion

Tailgaters just got hotter! Introducing our Tailgate Table for your JK Wrangler! Bust out the patties, buns, and drinks with this must-have adventure companion.  This 1/8in steel plate unfolds into a sturdy kitchen and storage table.   Covered in a durable black powder coat, the table features a set of cup holders, partnered with a much need bottle opener to keep the party rollin’.   Show off your rugged lifestyle and show everybody your tailgating parties are the best, or that fishing wi

“What we do in life…echoes in eternity.” ​ – Maximus Decimus Meridius (Gladiator) I couldn’t agree more with the General. Isn’t that why we choose to drive a Jeep? And when it comes to wanting the very best for (and out of) your Jeep, many owners ​love​ to add accessories. Some to make them withstand the elements, some to simply make them more user-friendly for their specific needs, and many…just to armour them up to last. This is when ​Fishbone Offroad​ can serve as an excellent resource to

In the off-road community in recent years there has been a - pardon the pun - big shift toward full size trucks. Why is this? And how can a robust and well-designed off-road bumper turn your full size pickup into a tougher and more capable trail monster? The Full Size Revolution While there are some limitations to making your off-highway adventure vehicle a one-ton or ¾-ton pickup, such as difficulty navigating narrower trails, large turning circles, and challenging break-over angles, the adva

If you’re an avid night rider or just like lighting up your competition, then keep reading to hear about our latest lighting solution for your JL and Gladiator! We here at Fishbone HQ believe a light bar is an essential piece to any rig.  But mounting it to the top leaves your hood empty and barren and also makes it harder to see during rain storms at night. Introducing our Cowl Light Bar brackets.  These steel and foam padded mounts are perfect points for your favorite cube lights, or a 40

If your Jeep Wrangler JL is a trail blazer or your rig is lifted with new tires, then keep reading to hear about our latest JL upgrade to keep your Jeep Wrangler JL looking like new. Introducing the Fishbone Offroad Rocker Guards and Step Sliders for 2 Door and 4 Door Jeep Wrangler JL's. Hardcore trail riders understand that tall rocks are your body’s worst enemy. One wrong turn could send dents and scratches up your rocker panels and doors.  These 2in steel tube guards mount easily to factor

Why do we buy trucks? There are many reasons, but the most common one is the need to haul things. From work to leisure, the more we can bring with us, the better. For midsize trucks such as Toyota Tacomas, the need to maximize the payload capacity is paramount. Fortunately, Fishbone Offroad has the solution with their Fishbone Tackle Rack for Tacoma long and short beds. Made from 1/8” Black Powder Coated Steel and Stainless Steel Hardware, this rack can hold up to an additional 500 pounds of

While installing my front bumper I started to wonder where to put the license plate. I have a synthetic rope winch, so it uses the Hawse-style fairlead. I did a quick Google search for a bracket and low and behold Fishbone Offroad has the fix. Fishbone’s Hawse Fairlead License Plate Mount stows away the fairlead while giving you a safe place for your license plate. It bolts directly to your fairlead, and flips up with its integrated hinge to access your winch line. This is a black powder coat

Have you scuffed the entry jam on your Jeep? Sick of seeing the paint slowly leave with every entrance? Fishbone Offroad has the dix for your paint loss with their JL/JT Entry Guards. Fishbone made their entry guards out of flexible TPU plastic. This plastic is design to resist oil, grime, debris, and added traction. These are a no drill design held on by a sticky 3M adhesive tape. Fishbone’s quality and unique tread grip design shows through on these beautiful Entry Guards. With all that s

Can’t decide if you like the JT Gladiator?  Keep reading for our Pros and Cons review. Thanks for joining us here at Fishbone Offroad.  We’ve had our JT since May 2019 and there are definitely some things that we are just crazy for, and others that really make us cringe.  Hopefully we can help you figure out if this is the right Jeep for you, as we walk through and talk about what we love, is sort of so-so, and what was a total miss. A lot of us here talked a bit about this review and one thi

Inspect the wire rope before and after each winching operation. If the wire rope has become kinked or frayed, the wire rope needs to be replaced. Be sure to also inspect the winch hook and hook pin for signs of wear or damage. Replace if necessary. Keep winch, wire rope, and switch control free from contaminants. Use a clean rag or towel to remove any dirt and debris. If necessary, unwind winch completely (leaving a minimum of 5 wraps on spooling drum), wipe clean, and rewind properly befor

You can test a winch solenoid by doing bypass test to determine if the problem lies in the switch or solenoid. Use a lead of 12 gauge wire and jump from the battery +12V and contact the green wire on the solenoid. The winch should operate in one direction. Then apply the +12V wire to the black wire on the solenoid. If the winch does not work in the other direction then the solenoid has a problem. The direction of the winch movement, whether in or out, depends on which of the two two solenoi

Thousands of passionate off-road enthusiasts attended the 2023 SEMA SHOW in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 31 to November 3. As a SEMA member, AMOFFROAD also participated as an exhibitor this time!The SEMA Show is a highly anticipated industry event that takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Every year, thousands of passionate auto enthusiasts and professionals gather together to see the latest in aftermarket vehicle innovations during a trade show like no other!At SEMA 2023, the best

Our Top 5 Favorite Places to Offroad in Oklahoma Once you’ve got your truck together, and the trails start calling your name, where do you want to go?  In this series, we’ve done the research for you. Today, we’re looking at the state of Oklahoma. Disney Island About an hour northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma offroaders will find the town of Disney.  Despite what you might think, the town has no relation to any cartoon mice. Instead, it was a small boom town, built up on an island in the 1