PROJECT TWOBARU

At their core the team over at Shock Surplus are enthusiasts first and a company passionate about shocks and service second. It shows in every interaction across team members that there is a true love for all things suspension. Added with their unbiased stance across brands, as they carry most, it made sense to partner up with one of the fastest growing shock resellers in California.

Discussing the projects and the ultimate goals for each vehicle, founder Sean Reyes landed on 2 kits which met the needs for each vehicle.

Eric's rally inspired Crosstrek build got a lot more technical during the installation of Rallitek's system. This system utilizes Rallitek springs on Bilstein B6 struts, so for those familiar with Bilstein - this is an immediate improvement in handling and road-feel. Rallitek's system also comes with new control arms that are beefier than the stock configuration, as well as a host of hardware to get the sway bars and other components sitting where they need to be.

Starting with the Ironman ATS system, this kit is the most straight forward, serving as direct replacements for the factory shock towers. The Ironman ATS coilovers come pre-assembled out of the box, and loaded with the new performance springs that give about +2in of lift. Ali chose the heavy load rear springs to accommodate the extra weight he'll be hauling around for his overland inspired Crosstrek build.

On the ground the vehicle makes contact thanks to the brand new AT Pros from Patagonia. Eric, being the more technically savvy, quickly identified an opportunity in dropping down from the factory 17" to a 235 75R 15 which would allow the benefit of airing down and having more sidewall to protect the rims on rocky trails. Relatively new to the industry, Milestar Tires have quickly established themselves as the official wheel of adventure.

To mount the tires, the duo enlisted the help of TITO'S TIRE, a mobile service servicing the Inland Empire area. Reika wheels came into the project with 2 different models to showcase options. Eric opted for the Seeker R15 and Ali went with the Detour R25. One of the key elements that sold the project on REIKA was their flow-form process of making wheels, offering greater weight to strength ratio over other processes.

When you're dealing with a print as technical as Multicam® you only enlist the best in the industry to reproduce the art perfectly. ImageCraft uses state-of-the-art digital printing processes and superior color matching standards to meet the combat-proven color performance required for MultiCam pattern reproduction.

While overkill on our vehicles, the Multicam® pattern was developed for high-level law enforcement units to blend in with the natural textures and tones of the urban landscape. A longtime partner and supporter of the offroad industry, Multicam® Black was a no-brainer when it came to darkening our theme.

A long-time supporter of the offroad/overland industry, Eddie Blanco was one of the first vinyl wrappers specializing in Overland Jeeps and trucks. With decades of professional experience in wrapping vehicles and even more within the commercial space, Eddie brings a level of commitment and quality to his craft that lasts the test of time.

While function was always at the forefront of the plan for the Subarus, style was also something both Eric and Ali have always been keen on. Enter GrimmSpeed's TRAILS collection of focused Overland and Offroad products. With sPOD mounts, Fender Flares, and Aluminum Engine components to replace factory plastic, GrimmSpeed allows the vehicles to stand out.

When they first launched a video hanging a full-sized 4-door Jeep Wrangler from nothing but their mounted rack, the choice was made — Front Runner Outfitters had earned their street cred. Enter Front Runner's SlimSport II rack. Utilizing all the standard mounting points of their basic rail system, the kit involves no cutting and a fairly easy install.

When deciding on a swing-out without replacing the entire bumper there was really only 1 name that fit the bill. RiG'd Supply was the choice for peace of mind running a quality product that could keep up with the aggressive driving. Added with their love of all things outdoors and mountain biking, RiG'd is a major part of the community. Ali's car got the Ultra Swing with Multi-fit wheel adapter, Ultra Table, and their Ramble Rack bike rack.

Stoked to have had Torklift, makers of the EcoHitch stealth mount, throw their product our way. An easy-to-install sectional hitch system with a disconnecting receiver hitch. Unfortunately with the amount of weight we added via the RiGd UltraSwing and Ramble Rack (plus 5 gallons of water) it started to give a little. We've since switched to a fixed mount. For the everyday mountain biker with a standalone hitch rack or trailer, it's an awesome versatile hitch system for the Crosstrek.

You just have to talk to them once to understand the level of engineering and attention to detail it takes to build these amazing systems. From the famous Camp Kitchen to the all-new Park Series system for the compact SUV market, Goose Gear has the best ready-to-go solution for your vehicle.

What an amazing operation. Located in both San Diego and beyond, Rhino Adventure Gear has established itself as truly a one-stop-shop for everything offroad and overland. Not only are they one of the biggest Goose Gear dealers in So-Cal, they're also one of the most experienced install shops when it comes to all things Goose Gear and more.

For everything powered by 12V we went to Greg over at Wired By Greg in Orange County, CA. One of the best installers in the off-road game, Greg has built over a decade of experience outfitting full Overland builds with redundant systems, trophy trucks, and our cute little Subarus.

While both vehicles have at least 2 handhelds (Ali's got maybe 6 at a given time), each vehicle also got equipped with the latest and greatest in GMRS tech by way of Rugged Radios' G1 in-cab GMRS system. Boasting a powerful 40W transmitter, distance is no issue when out on the trail.

With a relationship that started well over 7 years ago in the Jeep world, it was a no-brainer to bring KC on for these projects. With a range spanning their Gravity PRO6 Light bar, Chase Light, Cyclone Rock Lights, Flex ERA 1, 3 & 4 as well as their SlimLites, both vehicles showcase a wide range of their product offering.

sPOD — a system that works for whatever you need to switch on. That simple. Super easy to install, one of the best in the industry and ready to help you manage those extra powered accessories in your vehicle.

The biggest player in off-road recovery and parts, WARN Industries has grown beyond just a winch company — supplying bumpers and through their acquisition of FACTOR55, a variety of closed winching system components. WARN also makes recovery easier with their Bluetooth apps allowing precise control from a smartphone screen.

From day one FACTOR55 has evangelized the benefits of a closed winch system — no part of the system from the rope to its anchor has any open ends, greatly reducing the chance of a bad day gone worse. Added to their methodical system of stress testing all products above and beyond industry standards, a catastrophic failure on a recovery is the least of your worries.

Not able to leave well enough alone, Eric took his project to the next level with a full steel rear bumper to complement his front end. F44 Off-Road built a gorgeous rear bumper with an anti-wobble swing-out tire carrier to handle his spare. Eric now has 2 heavy-duty anchors in the rear as well as the added benefit of a much stronger rear end.

When all you do is 1 thing you tend to do it really well. Asfir makes aluminum skid plates for a wide variety of specific makes and models. Fitment has always been excellent and installation easy. This will give you the added benefit and security of taking it a little harder on those upcoming trail runs.

When it comes to any of our vehicles there is only one shop in Southern California we'd trust our gearing jobs to — Premiere West Gears in Riverside, CA. Carlos and the team have decades of experience not only working out of their shop but being the service provider of other shops that need a professional gear install performed.

There's really not a lot you want to do to your Subie's drivetrain, at least not if you enjoy the factory warranty. One upgrade we recommend however is the TORQ-MASTERS TORQLOCKER — a mechanical locker with no electrical lines or air actuation needed. It's proven to give you that little extra push compared to stock, and installation was easy done by our friends at Premiere West Gears.

Overlanding and gear are basically the same word. And we went to Rhino Adventure Gear. From Waterdrop filtered water Jerry Cans, Dometic Fridges, ARB compressor kits, Dometic batteries, and even our Goose Gear Park Series system — they've got it all!

From trail projects, trail repairs, and trailside campsites, Makita has a variety of high-quality tools perfect for your next adventure.