Many vehicles on the market today are geared more to mall crawling than to traveling to backcountry fishing and hunting spots. Thanks to a huge selection of after-market parts, however, you can easily convert your pavement princess SUV into a true trail trooper. Here's how I did it.


Tires
Today's standard all-season radials are okay on dry roads, but hardly anywhere else. I opted for the new Wrangler Duratrack radials from Goodyear (www.goodyear.ca); they're aggressive enough for the trail but still maintain a civilized ride on the pavement. They're also rated for severe snow conditions-a big advantage over stock radials.

Lights
Auxiliary lighting makes a huge difference when you're off the beaten path, revealing hazards much sooner than regular headlights. For example, I added two driving lights and two reverse lights from PIAA (www.piaa.com). Now I can see farther and better, no matter which direction I'm driving in.

Roof racks
For carrying gear that's impractical or impossible to fit inside your vehicle, such as extra fuel or oversized items, a roof rack is indispensable. If a factory rack isn't available for your vehicle, there are a variety of aftermarket choices, such as those from Thule (www.thule.com).

Side steps
Having the roof rack is only half the equation-the other half is being able to get to it, which means a good set of step bars. I chose Rock Sliders by Trail Gear Canada (www.trailgear.ca), which are tougher than standard tube steps. Constructed of thick-walled tubing, they're designed to protect your vehicle's body from the likes of rocks and stumps. Plus, the gusted mounting plates are bolted directly to the frame, not hung off the body. They're so strong, in fact, you can place a jack under them to lift the vehicle.

Skid plates
Several years ago, my trick hit a large rock on a logging road, tearing off my oil pan and damaging my transmission housing-an expensive lesson for sure. That's why the underbody of my current vehicle sports a 1/4 inch aluminum skid plate from Ricochet Offroad Armor (www.ricochetoffroad.com). While not as tough as steel on its own, it uses the vehicle's factory plates for reinforcement. The plate's light weight and corrosion resistance make it an ideal choice for trucks and SUVs that see the trail only occasionally.

Seat covers
A good set of waterproof covers ensures your seats look as good when you return from the field as they did before you left. Make sure they're custom-made to fit your particular vehicle, since universal-fit covers can interfere with seat-mounted airbags. I went with covers by Wet Okole (www.wetokole.com), which makes custom-fit covers for just about every type of vehicle in North America.

GPS
Not only can an on-board GPS unit tell you how to get to your hunting and fishing spots, it can also point to the closest gas stations, restaurants and all-important coffee shops along the way. There are plenty of manufacturers to choose from, but I like the affordable, easy-to-use Garmin nuvi (www.garmin.com). Hmm. Off-road trip, anyone?