Last year, I published this story shortly after completing the initial build on my 2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road. In case you missed it, the goal was to transform my vehicle into the ultimate hunting and fishing truck. This ongoing process has been three years in the making, and the idea sparked after I moved from New York to Colorado to have more opportunities to chase elk, mule deer, trout, ducks, and upland birds. Shortly after I got the keys, I started making additions to my Taco.
There were things I wanted to get done right away, like doubling my bed space with a cap and adding a storage system to organize my gear. But once I started exploring the Rocky Mountains, more ideas came to mind. Through it all, one thing remained constant: Every addition I made to the truck served a specific purpose to improve my hunting and fishing adventures. Today, over three years later, my Tacoma looks very different from when I drove it off the lot.
I should make one thing clear before we dive into the nuts and bolts of this truck build: You don’t need a fancy truck and expensive accessories to have incredible hunting and fishing adventures. I just happen to be a gear junkie, and I love the process of tailoring/accessorizing my truck to help get me further into the backcountry. If you're building out a hunting and fishing truck, or maybe just want to add an accessory or two to your vehicle, this breakdown can help point you in the right direction. Here's a look at my 2022 Toyota Tacoma and every accessory, addition, and part that helps me on my hunting and fishing trips.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Off-Road Base Specs
Year: 2022
Make & Model: Toyota Tacoma
Trim: Off-Road
Cab: Double Cab
Bed: 5-foot
Engine: V6
Tires: Goodyear 265s
The Purpose of My Truck Build
The short answer is hunting and fishing. As I mentioned above, every aftermarket accessory and part on my truck serves a purpose to improve my adventures. So, how did I decide what to add? Some additions were just practical, like a cap and running boards. But most of the big additions—like installing a lift kit and roof rack—came from being limited in the backcountry.
I had light bulb moments where I thought, “If I were to add this part or that accessory, then I’d be able to do a bit more.” That “more” often resulted in reaching places I couldn’t previously access and, in turn, led to more success in the field.
The workshop and testing grounds for my Tacoma range from the East Coast to the Rocky Mountains. I’ve taken my Taco on backcountry elk hunts, late-season mule deer hunts, washed-out roads, rocky trails, and endless waterfowl expeditions. I’ve driven it thousands of miles exploring western trout rivers, as well as across most of the country. It’s trailered duck boats, carried canoes, and taken me up roads I didn’t think I could get through. This truck is a workhorse.
I’ve also added accessories that didn’t hold up to the task and then replaced them with better options. Getting my Taco to where it is today took a lot of trial and error, research, and tweaking. Below is a look at the most up-to-date version of my Tacoma—built specifically with the Total Outdoorsman in mind.
Lift Kit and Suspension
For the first year and a half of owning my truck, I didn’t have any added suspension. My clearance was the same as any TRD off-road that comes from the factory. This was fine for most of my adventures until I started exploring high-country alpine lakes and rocky trails in the backcountry. I knew a lift kit would increase my range, access, and confidence on backcountry hunts. So, last winter, I got in touch with Runnin4Tacos in Denver, Colorado, to talk suspension systems.
Runnin4Tacos is a Toyota off-road specialty shop. They focus on upgrades, like suspension, wiring, and racks, as well as general maintenance, like wheel and tire replacement, alignment, oil changes, and more. Being 20 minutes from my home, it was a no-brainer to use Runnin4Tacos. I worked closely with Andrew at the shop, and he walked me through all the parts needed to get what I wanted out of a lift—utility and practicality. Once I got the list of parts, I reached out to the manufacturers, who were all excited to contribute to the build.
Below are all the parts that went into my suspension build:
SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms
Bilstein 6112 Front Suspension Kit
The foundation of my 2.5-inch lift is the Bilstein 6112 front suspension kit. The design and purpose of this leveling kit is simple—to increase ground clearance and allow for larger tires. This kit also comes with an adjustable spring seat, allowing for a front lift of anywhere from 0 to 2.75 inches. The kit offers the off-road suspension I want without sacrificing on-road performance. This is mostly due to the 60mm digressive piston that optimizes the driving experience. I haven’t noticed any on-road driving difference, and now I can take my truck places I couldn’t last year. It’s perfect for the truck owner who wants the performance of a lifted vehicle without looking like a monster truck.
Bilstein 5160 Rear Shock Absorber
Bilstein’s 5160s are the perfect match for the 6112 suspension kit. If you read Bilstein’s website and other dealers’ descriptions, you’ll see these labeled as remote reservoir shock absorbers with excellent cooling capacity. What that really means is that these shocks are going to offer great control and stability in the toughest off-road conditions, with the ability to last a very long time.
The 5160s come with a monotube design that ensures consistent, fade-free performance. They also have a 360-degree swivel banjo hose fitting, providing a clean, low-profile installation. That fancy terminology is nice, but how do they perform off-road? Excellent. Last summer, I took my newly lifted truck two miles down a nasty, jagged off-road trail to reach a trailhead for an alpine lake that holds big cutthroat trout. At points, I'd drive over a huge boulder or drop into a big pothole totally expecting to smash down or bottom out. These shocks handled the rugged terrain with ease, and I felt stable and in control on the nastiest off-road trails I could find. These shocks are also a huge reason I was able to access a good mule deer unit last fall, where I killed a nice three by three. Without the suspension kit, there's no way I would have made it to where I pitched camp.
SPC Adjustable Upper Control Arms
The team at Runnin4Tacos recommended two different control arms for me to choose from. I opted for the SPC upper control arms mainly because they’re less noisy on the road. That alone was enough to make my decision, as I wanted to get as close to factory ride performance as possible—and after weeks with the new rig, I can say these arms make for a pretty quiet ride.
Besides minimal noise, the control arms are adjustable and designed to correct alignment angles and get vehicles with oversized tires to perform closer to factory ride quality. They improve suspension travel, handling, and tire wear while maximizing clearance. These arms are designed, engineered, and tested at the SPC headquarters in Colorado and are made from the company’s forged steel design that increases strength and durability for off-roading.
Deaver Expedition Series Leaf Springs
Excellent leaf springs offer support to the vehicle while also absorbing bumps and making for an overall smoother ride. That’s exactly what Deaver’s Expedition Series Leaf Springs does for my Tacoma. Deaver manufactures these leaf units from high-grade American-made steel. This helps make a higher leaf count (9-leaf or 10-leaf units), translating into a more flexible leaf stack that produces a smoother spring rate curve. In English, that means the truck is going to handle tough roads better and result in a much smoother overall ride. There is more fancy terminology that I could list here, but it all boils down to this: the Deaver Expedition Series Leaf Springs are made from high-grade materials that help improve the overall ride, suspension, and durability of my Tacoma—which is really the only thing that matters.
DuroBumps Rear and Front Bump Stops
When it comes to off-road suspension, bump stops are critical to reduce damage from bottoming out. Runnin4Tacos suggested I use DuroBumps for both my rear and front bump stops. These can be mounted on virtually any leaf pack and offer smooth initial contact before becoming progressively firmer as compression continues. These bump stops are also application-specific, meaning they are fit for particular vehicles and suspensions. Like many of the other parts in my build, the bump stops play an important role in overall control, ride performance, and off-road comfort.
Right out of the gate, I felt more confident in handling many of the off-road trails that I previously turned around on before the build. Now, even if I do bottom out, I know that these bump stops are going to protect my truck. I like to think of the DuroBumps as the last line of defense in protecting my truck’s shocks and other important suspension components. And it’s a bonus that the last line of defense is made right here in the USA.
Wheels and Tires
The idea of adding a lift kit came after my factory tires started to wear out earlier than expected. I was slipping on snowy trails during hunting season, and I couldn't access spots I wanted to scout. The result was moving from Goodyear 265s to Toyo 285s. I also opted to upgrade my wheels. That’s when Nomad came into the picture.
Of course, an upgrade to bigger tires meant I needed to add suspension to get the proper clearance, which is what you read about above. After the lift, I had enough clearance for the final two foundational pieces of my Tacoma off-road build—tires and wheels.
Nomad 503 Sahara Wheels
To be honest, I landed on the Nomad 503 Sahara wheels just as much for the slick looks as for the performance. After all, off-road wheels should look as good as the truck performs—and these do. As far as the wheel’s construction is concerned, they are made from A356-T6 aluminum, which is extremely durable and lightweight. I got the 17-inch 503 Sahara’s in satin black, but the wheels are available in 16- to 18-inch diameters and come in copperhead and dusk finish.
Toyo Open Country A/T III Tires
After my factory tires started to lose traction at 30,000 miles, I began looking for tires that could perform better off-road without sacrificing on-road performance. After talking with folks in the industry, I was put in touch with Toyo, and the team there recommended using their Open Country All-Terrain III tires. I opted for 285s and they have handled everything I’ve thrown at them.
What I like most about these tires is that they perform just as well on-road as they do off-road. I was worried about increased noise, but it hasn’t been a problem. Toyo focused its attention on wet performance, durability, and treadwear life. These tires have performed exceptionally well in rain, snow, and especially mud.
Last November, a quick increase in temperature after a snowstorm made for washed-out, muddy roads in the backcountry. I found myself on a 12-mile off-road trail to reach a mule deer spot. About 6 miles in, the trail became sketchy very quickly. The worst part was on a bend that wasn't more than a car and a half in width, with a cliff on the driver's side. The mud was like a slip and slide, but somehow my tires kept me in control of the vehicle, and the Taco tore through the muck. Without the Toyos, I'm not sure my truck would have made it around that bend. These tires are absolute beasts in the mud.
Roof Rack
A couple of months after I got my truck, I installed two crossbars on the cap. At the time, I only needed the crossbars to carry my rod vaults, and it did the job just fine. Then, during hunting season, I discovered a honey hole filled with ducks. The only issue was that the best way to access it was by canoe—and I had no easy way of transporting my 15-foot Old Town to the river. Then, the Rhino-Rack team reached out.
Originally, Rhino Rack got in touch with me about recovery tracks (read more on those below), but our conversation quickly shifted to discussing a full roof rack to transport my canoe. They recommended the Pioneer Platform for the roof of my cab and cap. The end result was amazing, and the very next day, I strapped on my canoe and shot a limit of ducks. Here's a closer look at the Pioneer rack and some other Rhino-Rack accessories I added to my Taco.
What's on the Roof of My Truck?
Pioneer Platform with Rhino-Rack Backbone (on cab and cap)
Pioneer Platform with Rhino-Rack Backbone
The foundation of my roof rack is two Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platforms—one for the cab and one for the cap. These two durable platforms combine to make one long rooftop rack that runs across the top of my truck. They are made from strong, lightweight aluminum with fiberglass-reinforced nylon corners. Rhino-Rack designed this platform with multiple accessory channels, including in the front and rear crossbars. These accessory channels pair nicely with almost all Rhino-Rack accessories, and the platform layout makes it easy to strap anything down to the roof.
Now that we’ve got the nuts and bolts out of the way, let me tell you how I use the Pioneer Platforms. Like I mentioned earlier, I wanted the platforms to carry my 15-foot canoe so I could access the best duck hunting spots and kill more ducks. And that’s exactly what I did. I’m able to slide my boat right on top of the platforms and securely strap them down with two hold-down straps. The canoe never moved an inch, even in blistering cold, ice, and snow. My Pioneer Rack costs around $1,355 and comes with a 5-year warranty.
Sunseeker Awning
The Sunseeker Awning was the accessory I didn't know I needed until I had it. The awning mounts to my Pioneer Rack and hangs off the passenger side. When in use, it rolls out an 8.2-foot awning that provides 55.38 square feet of shaded cover. I can't tell you how many times this has come in handy over the past two summers while fishing. I usually break it out to cook lunch after a morning on the river. I set up my folding table with all my cooking equipment and a few chairs under the awning. The shade makes for a nice break from the sun. I also used it during deer camp to keep snow off of us while cooking dinner.
It's worth noting that the rack and awning together increase noise on the road, but it isn’t too bad. This awning is perfect for beach days, sports games, and camping trips, but if you’re like me, you’ll use it to celebrate and relax after a good day of catching fish.
MaxTrax Recovery Boards
It is better to be safe than sorry. That’s why I added two MaxTrax recovery boards to my rig. I haven’t had to use them yet, but given the areas I hunt and fish in, there’s a good chance I will need them at some point. I’ve had some close calls in deep snow and mud, but now I feel confident that if I ever get stuck, I can get my truck out. I recommend buying at least two if you find yourself off-roading on washed-out and muddy roads.
Large STOWiT
I wasn’t sure about the StowiT until I installed it on my roof rack after hunting season. This simple accessory is perfect for securing small pieces of gear like a shovel, axe, or fishing rod. Plus, it is super easy to take on and off. I’ve got a shovel inside mine right now, but will most likely switch it out for an axe this summer. The large Stow It can be had for $305.
Leer 100XR Truck Cap
Adding a cap to the bed of my truck was the first addition I made when I bought my Tacoma over two years ago. I wanted to double the space in my bed, so I installed the Leer 100XR cap. It hasn’t given me any problems so far, and I would highly recommend this model. If you have a mid-sized truck like me and transport a lot of gear, you should consider adding a cap. It has a glass rear door, an interior 12V LED light, tinted glass, an insulated roof, glass door props, and more. Contact a local dealer about installation.
What's Inside My Truck?
The bed of my Tacoma centers around my Decked drawer system. I have the original, smaller model with two drawers—one thin and one wide. Decked has since released a newer version for Tacomas that features one large drawer that offers 30 percent more storage space. I hope to upgrade to the newer version later this year. But my current drawer system is great for organizing smaller pieces of gear and safety equipment. Here are some of the accessories I keep inside.
Strauto Emergency Jump Starter
The last place you want your car battery to go dead is in the backcountry. But if it does, you want something that can jump it without the help of another vehicle. I carry the new Strauto emergency jump starter in my truck at all times. This 12-volt battery pack comes with jumper cables and a USB-C charging cable for other electronics. It can even double as a flashlight. This is one of the most important accessories I carry in my truck, and it could be why I don't end up stranded in the woods. Plus, having an extra battery pack for phones, lights, and GPS devices is never a bad idea. You can pick up this jump starter for $60.
Strauto Universal Inflator
On a mule deer hunt last year, after driving 8 miles on a sketchy, washed-out trail, I stepped out of my truck to hear one of my rear tires leaking air. Luckily, I was able to get back to town and get it patched. But I was stressed the whole way out of the backcountry. Now I carry the Strauto inflator.
This rechargeable inflator comes with two hoses and 10 adapters for whatever you might need to put air into. It has adjustable presets of up to 120 PSI that will stop inflating when a specific pressure is reached. It even displays the PSI level right on the screen. No need for a pressure gauge. The system also has deflate mode for any situation where you may need to take air out, a nice setting for those who off-road on beaches. This system also comes in handy for blowing up sleeping bags, paddle boards, and anything else in camp that requires inflating.
