About Roadandridge

The Moment I Stopped Trusting Marketing

I was 40 miles outside Moab on a solo run when a $400 "heavy-duty" roof rack sheared clean off my 4Runner. The bolts didn't strip—the aluminum bracket snapped like cheap plastic. That rack had a 4.8-star rating on Amazon and a slick marketing video with a guy standing on it in a studio. It lasted three days on actual washboard roads.

That was the moment Roadandridge started. Not as a business plan, but as a promise: I'd only recommend gear that survives real miles on real dirt. Too many overland review sites recycle manufacturer specs or unbox products in parking lots. I'm interested in what holds up when you're 100 miles from cell service, it's dropping below freezing, and your only way out depends on whether that winch actually works or that tent fabric actually sheds water. This site exists because broken gear isn't just expensive—it's dangerous when you're remote.

About Hank Dillard

I'm Hank Dillard, and I spent 12 years as an Army Ranger before retiring into full-time overlanding. That background matters here. In the Regiment, you learn quickly that equipment either works or it gets you killed—there's no room for marketing fluff when you're packing 80 pounds through the Hindu Kush or conducting vehicle ops in the desert. That same mission-critical standard applies to how I evaluate every roof rack, recovery board, and camp stove that comes through my shop.

Since hanging up the uniform, I've driven across 38 U.S. states and four countries in my built-out 4Runner—an '18 TRD Off-Road that's seen everything from the Rubicon Trail to the Darien Gap. I've broken axles in Colorado, gotten stuck in Alabama clay that required a 12-hour winch session, and cooked dinner in -20° weather in Montana. I've tested skid plates by actually dragging them over rocks, not by reading spec sheets. When I tell you a product is worth your money, it's because I've used it when failure wasn't an option.

I don't care about brand names or how many Instagram followers a company has. I've had $2,000 roof top tents leak during thunderstorms and $50 camp stoves outperform boutique options. My judgment comes from hard miles and harder lessons. If I recommend it, you can bet your safety on it.

What We Cover

Roadandridge is built for people who actually use their vehicles. Not mall crawlers. Not pavement princesses. Real overlanders, off-roaders, and expedition travelers who need gear that performs.

Here's what you'll find here:

Whether you're building a weekend warrior Tacoma or planning a Pan-American Highway run, this site is for anyone who's tired of gear that breaks when the pavement ends.

How We Test & Review

I don't do unboxings. Every product here gets a minimum of 500 miles or 30 days of real use before I write a word. If it's a roof rack, it carries weight on washboard roads. If it's a winch, it actually pulls a stuck vehicle. If it's cooking gear, I make meals with it in wind and rain.

My review criteria are simple: Durability, ease of use in the field, value for the money, and whether it solves a real problem. I look at things like how easily you can operate zippers with gloves on, whether mounting hardware rusts after one winter, and if a company honors its warranty when something actually breaks.

Yes, Roadandridge uses affiliate links. Some products are sent by manufacturers for review; others I buy with my own cash. Here's my promise: those relationships never influence my scores. If a $1,000 winch fails on the trail, I'll tell you exactly how it failed. If a budget knock-off outperforms a premium brand, I'll say so. I don't publish "sponsored reviews" disguised as honest assessments. When something breaks—and plenty do—you'll hear about it.

Get In Touch

Questions about a specific piece of gear? Spotted an error in one of my reviews? Want to send something for testing? I'm reachable at info@roadandridge.com. I read every email, though it might take me a few days if I'm out on the trail—which, frankly, is where I'd rather be.

Questions? Reach us at info@roadandridge.com