Stage 3's Complete Build Wrap-Up for the Hunting and Overland Rigs!

As promised, we really put both our Hunting and Overland builds through the works, overhauling everything from the wheels and tires to the suspension and exterior. While you might have seen the builds in action via our YouTube channel, this is just an overall wrap-up of the first two builds of 2018. Read on to get our overall impressions of the finished products, including testimonials from the Hunting and Overland trucks' owners!

The Hunting and Overland builds' time in the garage has come to an end, mainly because we just couldn't find anything else to do with them. Now it's time to welcome another build into the Stage 3 arsenal and send off the first two builds with a complete wrap-up.

The Hunting Rig was one of our most requested builds ever, and 2018 saw the idea brought to life in full detail. We went for a strictly utilitarian approach with this one, favoring performance and capability over all else. Hands down, the DECKED storage system is our favorite upgrade on this truck. It's ridiculously versatile, tough, and came in handy more than a few times during our trip to Flagstaff earlier this year.

We were also extremely impressed with the Fox 2.5 Front Coilovers we installed on the hunting rig. The performance benefits were absolutely game-changing, allowing us to tackle terrain we would've had no chance with on stock suspension.

Westin's HDX Winch Mount Grille Guard took our build to the next level in form and function. The massive front-end guard adds an undeniably aggressive look while providing ample protection for when we take the truck off-road. Even better, the HDX Grille Guard by Westin let us mount up a powerful winch just in case we get stuck (thankfully we haven't, so far).

With the Overland Build, we started with a rather unconventional foundation: a 2014 F150 "Tremor." Although the the F150 Tremor was originally designed as a street truck, our regular cab Tremor came with 4WD, a factory e-locker, and 4.10 gears perfect for crawling around off the pavement. Our favorite part on this truck is the Freespirit Recreation M60 Adventure Series Rooftop Tent. Big enough to sleep 3-5 full-size adults, the tent is sturdy and capable of supporting up to 750 lbs. of load. Plus, the base features a built-in mattress.

An overland build wouldn't be complete without a serious suspension upgrade. We turned to ICON and their 2.5 VS Remote Reservoir Front Coilovers, which got our Overland Rig in and out of some seriously rugged terrain during our off-road trip to Flagstaff this year.

The RCI Bed Rack was just what we needed to mount up the Freespirit Recreation M60 Adventure Series Rooftop Tent. This high-strength steel bed rack sits around a foot lower than the truck's roof to maximize aerodynamics. The rack comes drilled and slotted along the side rails allowing for extra tools and recovery gear to be mounted.

We had way too much fun with our Hunting Rig, and it'll be hard to see it go. The 5.0L V8, Fox suspension, and beefy WildPeak M/Ts handled everything we threw at the truck without a problem, which included snow and ice. The setup also performed smoothly and quietly on the pavement.

Bill, the owner of the truck (fun fact: he also owns Stage 3), had this to say about the Hunting Rig in the build's overview video:

"I'm really happy with it. Came out really nice. It looks aggressive, it went out and did everything we needed it do. Like I said, I took it on a fishing trip and it pulls the boat nice, it's got plenty of power. The suspension is wonderful. I really like this build. This is something that you can drive everyday and have no problem going very deep into the woods off-road, along with high speeds."

We may have faced some doubts going into an overland build using an F150 Tremor, but now that the build's finished we're confident that we've put those concerns to rest. The Overland Build was an absolute monster off-road - nimble, yet planted. The 3.5l EcoBoost provided plenty of power, while the shorter wheelbase made our Overland Build incredibly agile.

The owner of the truck, Noah, shares his overall thoughts on the Overland Build in the overview video:

"I don't think a lot of people would've thought that a single cab Tremor would be an ideal platform for an overland build, but I like the short wheelbase and the six-and-a-half foot bed is still plenty of room to store gear and put a tent onto it. And I like that it has the EcoBoost engine so I get really good power and decent fuel economy out of it, and it wouldn't struggle with having larger tires or extra weight in the back."

While we're wrapping up these two excellent builds to make way for new projects in 2018, this is by no means the last you'll see of the Hunting and Overland rigs, as we'll still be driving them around and sharing pictures and videos throughout the year. Stay tuned for the reveal of our next build, coming soon.