That’s it...it’s time to play G.O.T.O.S.

[climberevan]

They are always so clean.

Also, what’s up with winches on the big ass gotos vans? Are people really using them or putting their vans in a situation where they would need them?

Haha. Have you not been following along? GOTOS points are only awarded for the presence of the equipment. Whether it's ever been used or even whether it's possible for it to be does not factor.

[bodywhomper]

Yeah. I’m aware. It still amazes me. On a southwest road trip right now. Walking by van after van in parking lots with winches always blows my mind. Maybe it’s just another option and drop in there bucket when buying their kit/trim line?

Had some friends teach me a variant recently: “hoedading.” Where you put a bunch of unrelated outdoor shit on your car, like like your SUP and bikes, when all you’re doing is going up to the ski hill for the day. Has this already been discussed here?

[mcphee]

They are always so clean.
Attachment 454454

Ride the tiger
You can see his stripes but you know he’s clean

[Cruiser]

If you get an aftermarket steel bumper with a winch cradle built in but you elect not to put a winch in there then literally everyone will immediately know you're posing

[Name Redacted]

I saw a Sprinter using their winch to lower a raft down a river bank. Pretty hardcore… until you saw the local cub scouts carrying their raft down the same hill.

[tellybele]

Hodad sounds right for that application. Nice to see a good word "used" again and in today's climate of persona should probably be used more than once on a daily basis.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Mt Bachelor parking lot today
Attachment 452134
Attachment 452135
Attachment 452136

I get about 16 points, not counting the huge number of pelican cases in the truck bed
How many points for a kayak paddle but no boat?

I guess there could be an inflatable kayak somewhere in the mix, maybe? Dropping into the Deschutes for a float after a day of skiing?

[muted reborn]

Yeah. I’m aware. It still amazes me. On a southwest road trip right now. Walking by van after van in parking lots with winches always blows my mind. Maybe it’s just another option and drop in there bucket when buying their kit/trim line?

I call them Off The Shelf Adventure Bros which you can find overlanding, skiing, biking, etc.

To be fair to many of the winch owners - it's for peace of mind. They haven't ventured far off the paved roads but now with this new Sprinter they are gonna explore the unknown and they think they need to buy a winch and recovery in case they fuck up as they don't have a ton of off-road experience. Because everyone else has winches so they must need them, right? They must be helpful! I think after a few months they realize it's overkill because with they avoid muddy roads at any cost (don't blame them) and can't go that far off road with shit departure angles of these extended vans. But you don't know what you don't know until you get out there.

[bodywhomper]

If they’re hodadding, that’s some strong effort

[Ørion]

I call them Off The Shelf Adventure Bros which you can find overlanding, skiing, biking, etc.

To be fair to many of the winch owners - it's for peace of mind. They haven't ventured far off the paved roads but now with this new Sprinter they are gonna explore the unknown and they think they need to buy a winch and recovery in case they fuck up as they don't have a ton of off-road experience. Because everyone else has winches so they must need them, right? They must be helpful! I think after a few months they realize it's overkill because with they avoid muddy roads at any cost (don't blame them) and can't go that far off road with shit departure angles of these extended vans. But you don't know what you don't know until you get out there.

"Better have it and not need it then need it and not have it" paired with a lot of disposable income.

[Name Redacted]

Rotopax needs to make a toilet that connects to the back bumper with their system. It would surely prevent tailgating. Missed April fools joke?

[Jax]

I call them Off The Shelf Adventure Bros which you can find overlanding, skiing, biking, etc.

To be fair to many of the winch owners - it's for peace of mind. They haven't ventured far off the paved roads but now with this new Sprinter they are gonna explore the unknown and they think they need to buy a winch and recovery in case they fuck up as they don't have a ton of off-road experience. Because everyone else has winches so they must need them, right? They must be helpful! I think after a few months they realize it's overkill because with they avoid muddy roads at any cost (don't blame them) and can't go that far off road with shit departure angles of these extended vans. But you don't know what you don't know until you get out there.

Not knowing how to use a winch, and how to work your way around one, is a good way to cut your arm off. Or worse. Way worse.. Same goes for HiLifts. Most of these folks don't even know how to spot a tire correctly.

[Jax]

Saw this in Steamboat last week.

He's in this thread a few times. He also drives and parks around town like a class A douche. Texas plates, Austin millenial-tech type. Not that I'm stereotyping or anything...

[chicken feathers]

...But you don't know what you don't know until you get out there.

Yep. They don't know what they don't know.



Saw this dude again. Parked at the Sheraton at the Steamboat base this time, which is also a GOTOS hot spot.

They were there for a few days. Poaching the lot I hope.

[anotherVTskibum]

Not knowing how to use a winch, and how to work your way around one, is a good way to cut your arm off. Or worse. Way worse.. Same goes for HiLifts. Most of these folks don't even know how to spot a tire correctly.

Well, hopefully they at least sprung for synthetic line rather than steel. There's still plenty of room for stuff to go seriously wrong, but it mitigates some of the risk.

FWIW, I've got an off-road bumper and winch on my truck that I've used on about four occasions in six years. The first one was worth the cost of admission at the time, because it meant a dumb driving mistake (misjudging the ditch edge and sliding in while attempting to turn around) didn't turn into a many-hour wait for a tow truck on Christmas Day in the middle of rural Idaho. So I can appreciate the idea that the winch being there is for peace of mind even if you're not doing serious off-road stuff.

The question about how many of those folks actually know how to use the winch, let alone have additional recovery gear like snatch blocks and tree savers, is probably quite valid.

[fastfred]

Lucky for me my gotos game is strong And I had a winch to get me through this

[muted reborn]

Well, hopefully they at least sprung for synthetic line rather than steel. There's still plenty of room for stuff to go seriously wrong, but it mitigates some of the risk.

FWIW, I've got an off-road bumper and winch on my truck that I've used on about four occasions in six years. The first one was worth the cost of admission at the time, because it meant a dumb driving mistake (misjudging the ditch edge and sliding in while attempting to turn around) didn't turn into a many-hour wait for a tow truck on Christmas Day in the middle of rural Idaho. So I can appreciate the idea that the winch being there is for peace of mind even if you're not doing serious off-road stuff.

The question about how many of those folks actually know how to use the winch, let alone have additional recovery gear like snatch blocks and tree savers, is probably quite valid.

It is a good question I haven't thought of and makes you wonder about the selfish greed of Sprinter convertors who sell these things to the fastfreds of the world. But i know nothing about winches either. I've thought about getting one because i often go to places where towing starts at $1000 to $2500 and goes up from there. But then I look around the desert roads I'm on and think, wtf am I going to strap a winch to?? Just a bunch of Junipers nearby that would snap and a few big boulders that are usually way off the road.

[BCMtnHound]

I’ve never had a winch on any of my own rigs. Several work trucks had them, especially in the clay flats of the central and NE interior of BC. Usually used as a last resort, or trying to pull another truck out. Way dangerous tool for the amateur overlander. And yes, anchors can be a problem - always carry a snatch block (for both a change of direction or rigging a 2-1 system), and always carry the tools to rig a deadman if a suitable anchor doesn’t exist. But mostly, if you are travelling where you need this shit, travel in packs.

[Jax]

I'm actually surprised how many non-synthetic winch lines I still see on the $200K+ rigs.

Spend an afternoon observing the winch line parties in Pritchett Canyon or the likes during Easter safari or any busy weekend. It's eye opening and you can quickly tell who knows their shit vs GOTOS jerrys real quick.

A winch once saved my ass from being stranded in Beef Basin for a few extra days after torrential rains made for impassable, incredibly muddy roads. That was the slowest 1/2 mile of my life, pretty sure.

[muted reborn]

I'm actually surprised how many non-synthetic winch lines I still see on the $200K+ rigs.

Spend an afternoon observing the winch line parties in Pritchard Canyon or the likes during Easter safari or any busy weekend. It's eye opening and you can quickly tell who knows their shit vs GOTOS jerrys real quick.

A winch once saved my ass from being stranded in Beef Basin for a few extra days after torrential rains made for impassable, incredibly muddy roads. That was the slowest 1/2 mile of my life, pretty sure.

Pritchett? No thank you.

Beef Basin is on my list, I've read a lot about the mud there, ha. I was going to go last June but got COVID 3 days into a 10 day trip around there and Bears Ears. You go up/down Bobbys Hole when you were back there to Needles?

[Jax]

Pritchett? No thank you.

Beef Basin is on my list, I've read a lot about the mud there, ha. I was going to go last June but got COVID 3 days into a 10 day trip around there and Bears Ears. You go up/down Bobbys Hole when you were back there to Needles?

Pritchett, yes, my brain is mush.

Elephant hill addition to entire Beef Basin loop, Bridger Jack Mesa & Elk Ridge. That terrain makes one feel really, really small!

[muted reborn]

Pritchett, yes, my brain is mush.

Elephant hill addition to entire Beef Basin loop, Bridger Jack Mesa & Elk Ridge. That terrain makes one feel really, really small!

So cool! I've looked at doing all those roads and hope to do Beef Basin to Elk Ridge this year. It's impossible to make solid plans this spring/early summer with all this snow though. I've spent some time on Elk Ridge, my favorite ruin off of that ridge is this one (from almost exactly a year ago). So much to see and go out to feel real small over there. if you zoom in you can see ruins all along the cliff edge. Maybe you've been there and know all this, I dunno.

[fastfred]

Chumps

I'll teach riggin classes for tgr posters

Fiber is for pussies

Go with steel it's real when it snaps and blows past your head at a 1000 mph you know your alive wakes you up

When I was a kid gett equipment sideways was always fun getting a log truck or a crane w one side three feet up in the air will get your panties brown

The worst was taking a log to the chest that got kinda loose from some shitty rigs knocked me on my ass and took the wind out of me couldn't walk for two days

If your lucky I'll show you my snatch blocks dozens of straps and your moms dildo collection

[MakersTeleMark]

Freedom winch lines and the like, along with soft shackles, have probably saved more lives than therapy.

https://bleepinjeep.com/product/freedomline/

[chaka]

Ride the tiger
You can see his stripes but you know he’s clean

thank you