Inside Front Runner Outfitters
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This past weekend we had the pleasure of visiting Front Runner Outfitters. One of the Overland Bound Members in the area had arranged for Front Runner to host a meet-up. This was a great opportunity to see the US HQ of one of the brands I had quickly become a fan of. So we piled in the Trail Turtle and hit the road. Without traffic, Front Runner’s home in Agoura Hills is still a good two hours from us. Luckily the meet-up was a 9:30 am so we didn’t have to leave too early from our home in Orange County.
HOLD ON TO YOUR WALLET
We made short work of the drive, luckily that early in the morning on a Saturday it’s pretty easy to get through LA county. Once at the promised land we were greeted by some awesome rigs lining the street in front of this overland gear mecca.
It probably goes without saying but this place is a CANDY STORE! They have an amazing old Land Rover front and center fully outfitted and ready to rock and roll! Makes me wonder if this thing has or will see dirt ever again. The showroom is loaded with gear and mounting options. Everything from hauling water and fuel to kayaks and bicycles and everything in between. I’ll write up a full review on my Front Runner rack in the near future and will dive into the details of their products and why they have earned my trust and confidence.
Travel. Dream. Design. Build.
Test. Evolve. Repeat.
Front Runner is a South African company born “in Botswana, around a campfire, near a majestic Baobab, amongst elephant tracks, by a handful of friends from South Africa with backgrounds in engineering, design, manufacturing and off-road racing.”
Rumor has it they were tired of equipment failures and decided they could do better, build gear tougher, and in their words “stronger than the elephants at the watering hole 1 klick over.”
The store is full of gear. I spent some time looking at the drawer systems for the FJ Cruiser and other rigs. The slides are buttery smooth, strong and lockable. The larger ones made for trucks and Land Cruisers will fit the Front Runner storage boxes. Another favorite was the spare tire step. It was an awesomely clever step system that was impressively sturdy. The step is held on by a ratchet strap and makes for quick access to the roof of your rig. My only concern is getting up to the tire! But that’s my challenge, maybe my step stool can get me there. The item I ended up walking out with was a small camp table that slides under the rack. This I love because it makes use of wasted space that would really never be used for anything else. It’s rattle free in true Front Runner form, and it’s simple and clever. You can lock the table for security and it’s lightweight. Really looking forward to installing this on the FJ Cruiser.
It was awesome of Front Runner Outfitters to open their HQ to us and let us walk around, chat and really get to meet the team. I think that’s the part that really stood out. Meeting the team at Front Runner you really saw the passion and joy they have in bringing these products to us. Had some great conversations and I can’t wait to hit the trails with some of these folks in the future! Also, added bonus, they do install as well! I will say the system is pretty easy to install but if you want the professional touch, they can do it!
I am off to install that table slide now. If you get a chance to head up there, do it! It was a great time and really good to get some 1 on1 consultation and enjoy coffee and donuts with other adventurists.
Tip: If you do head out there, DO head on over to the coast. There’s a small highway right near the HQ that drops you into north Malibu. From there it’s a short 10 minutes or so north to Neptune’s Net, a great place to have lunch and people watch on PCH. From there if you can enjoy a nice drive down PCH before making your way home. A perfect way to cap off the day!