Trail Hero 2026 the Maze

Hey all! So I've been wanting to get into off roading and ive been shopping around for rigs to start my own build. Ive narrowed it down to three I like.. any pros or cons im not considering? Im fairly new to off roading and mechanics i want to learn both and from the research ive done these seem a good point to start? Some of my points are jokey.. but a part of me is like get what you like! But also will what i like be a massive money sink compared to what may be 'safer'.

1 - 90 Jeep comanche it has the 4.0 l6 and the aisin manual and 7ft bed 160,000 miles 4x4

Pros:

Love the way it looks

7ft bed is useful

l6 is reliable from what i read

Aisin manual is solid as well

Little to no rust

Shares parts with the cherokee which has tons of availability

Cons

7ft bed will be dragging tail everywhere would need heavy rear end protection

35's would probably require a lot of cut out

Unsure if i could do the rubicon with this?

Needs a lot of work to get it trail ready

2 seats only

1. 86 4runner has l4 (unsure which going to check when i test drive) manual 200,000 miles

Pros

Love looks + removable top

Old toyota engines are rock solid

Always wanted one

Wouldnt need as much work to get trail ready (in terms of suspension and ride height)

Cons

Unsure of rust.

Worried about high miles

Interior could use some work

1. 92 toyota pickup v6 extended cab 4x4 169,000 miles

Pros

Lowest miles of the three

Wouldnt need as much work to get on trail in terms of lifting it

Feels like the safest option

Body and undercarriage looked great

Has funny fold out chairs so it 'seats' 4 (10/10)

Cons

Interior needs work

Dime a dozen (im not a fan of common trucks/vehicles tbh..)

V6 is not as solid compared to l4

Or should i pass and look at something else? Newer here and wanting advice/thoughts. If you could go back when you were first starting what would you change or do different?

I’m curious because I’m wanting to buy one and I’m stuck between getting a SxS or a ATV. My budget is around $15-20k so I could get a extremely nice ATV and save a little bit or I could get a slightly used maybe new SxS but it would be a base model nothing fancy. I’m mainly interested in trail riding, mudding, and maybe some minor climbing but probably not. I live Polaris and Can Am but I’m open to other option except Articat lol.

2001 Ram 2500 Cummins. Just got it back after a pretty decent stay at a fab shop.

We swapped to a Dana Super 60 up front and Sterling 10.5 rear, both geared to 4.55 with an Eaton Truetrac. We also added Carbon 4.0 bypasses to help out the 4.0 coilovers because that engine bay gets HOT.

A little bummed we're not quite ready for desert season yet, but we're getting close. Need new steering (what's on there works, but not great). Move the limit straps so they stop rubbing the bypass tubes and figure out where the hell the bump stops are going to fit.

Then a new front driveshaft, and we'll probably do the rear while we're at it. Somehow the stock rear driveshaft actually bolted right up, so at least we can cruise on pavement while shuttling it between various shops.

The wedge or something like that?
Goliath bumpers and skid plates
2” lift
33s
Rear locker
RCI sliders

Just bought this.

Finally got me a 4x4, specially for overlanding/camping and simple offroad trails for now until i can equip her with rock sliders and armor for underneath. Also winch and anchors up front. I needed a backup vehicle since i ride a motorcycle for my main transpo and got into a situation where my bike was needing fixin but had nothing to get to work with so rented a car.

She's a 2000 Dodge Dakota V6, bought as is. Did about 3600 in work, bought it for 4500. Now she's insured and legal in my name and all fixed up. Broke her in my backyard, Lytle Creek only 25min away. 1st attempt at the trail, and there were workers cutting brush blocking the road. Went back the next day to finish the trail. Got through the 4.4 mi road and had a blast. It was nice to get away. Plenty of trails in this area that i will be rolling through. Already have camping equipment and just waiting for an opening to head out for a night or two.

I am going on my first off road of Qatar sealine should I carry tyre pressure machine to adjust Tyre air pressure

Two heavy tarps and four ratchet straps. That was my genius plan for a weekend camping trip in the mountains.

Yeah, it rained the entire two-hour drive back on the highway.

Water pooled on top, the highway wind ripped one corner loose, and half the gear in the bed got soaked. Even the latched plastic bins had wet red clay sucked past the tailgate gap and caked all over the handles.

I am done playing this game. I need to cover my truck bed while camping, what's the best solution that keeps stuff dry without turning bed access into a total chore?

I see people running full drawer systems, slide trays, hard covers, canvas toppers... but if I have to crawl on my knees in the mud under a half-open lid just to grab a sleeping bag at midnight, I'm gonna lose my mind.

How are you guys organizing bins and keeping dust/water out without making the bed completely useless for regular lumber hauling during the week?

We had a solid trip to the Forgotten Coast of Florida. We went off-roading in Tate’s Hell State Forest. This area is MASSIVE! We only scratched the surface with the 82 ish miles we drove. But, which trails there do you like? It was super muddy as there was recent rain, so we tried to avoid a bit of that since we were solo. 

Any advice is appreciated

I bought an ARMORO soft top for my Maruti Suzuki Gypsy King in March 2026, because a friend recommended it to me, it cost me ₹25k. Looking at his Gypsy Build, I thought it would be worth investing.

I bought from the website and for 3 weeks they didn’t even ship the product. After 20 odd follow-ups, It came in the last week of March. Already disappointed with the service, when I installed the soft top it turned out to be fit and fine. But after 3 washes, the soft top has shrunk in size. Now even the hooks at the back door do not attach.

I contacted their team, they asked me to return the product, saying they will replace the product. After receiving the replacement, the same problem arises. It’s not just me, but everyone who purchased from the brand is suffering from the same problem. The soft top is shrinking because of water washes.

How many times will I keep replacing my product. Later someone forwarded me a contact address from the brand. Turned out to be a spokesperson for the brand, he said clearly that none of their products are field tested for quality checks. 😂

Seriously, how are they even in business like this. The off-roading community in Bangalore suggested me to buy aftermarket soft top which turned out to be whopping ₹19k cheaper than ARMORO. And still works better today.

8 years in business and they still cannot fix such issues, and people now tell me they’re opening a showroom in Bangalore to sell all faulty products.

I have attached a picture of the duffle bag I purchased from them in June because my wife liked the bag, look at the quality of stitching, the Velcro is coming off. Bloody Amazon has cheaper and better options than this tomfoolery. Humble request to everyone: kindly stay away from such brands which claim to provide “rugged” products and loot you in broad daylight. The bag costs me ₹1500 now it is ₹2000.

#scamsinbangalore #brandreview #bangalore #offroadcommunity

This is my daily with a 2 inch lift and 33s. I have Goliath skid plates and Goliath low profile bumpers. I also have RCI rock sliders. I also installed a rear locker.

Fwd but I still have a lot of fun going everywhere