Must-Have Truck Gear for 2017

by
posted on May 20, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
must_have_truck_gear_2017_f.jpg

Viking Solutions Stack Rack
The Stack Rack expands storage space by utilizing your vehicle’s hitch receiver. It weighs 34 pounds but carries nearly 10 times that in gear. Its 17x32-inch basket is perfect for a cooler or storage tote; its two raised arms are ideal for strapping on treestands, tools or camp chairs. It also folds down and away to provide room for your tailgate to drop, allowing access to the truck bed while the Rack is still mounted to your hitch. A second basket also is available as a replacement for the arms. MSRP: $139.99.

Gerber 23.5-inch Axe
Gerber made some small improvements to this timeless tool. The hardened, forged stainless steel axe head wears a low-friction coating to reduce sticking and is designed to cut deep. The glass-filled nylon handle is super strong and is soft-touch over molded for solid purchase. Its nearly 2-foot length is perfect for smaller jobs—like cutting camp wood—and can even handle the big ones—like clearing a blowdown. This axe could be a lifesaver in your truck bed when you need it most. MSRP: $71.

CRKT Trencher Shovel
CRKT has taken functional design to the next level with the Trencher. Made of 1050 carbon steel, the Trencher’s head swivels to three digging angles and locks via a collar. The serrated edge is shark-tooth sharp to cut small branches easily. It also has an “axe” edge honed enough to chop down trees up to a few inches in diameter. All this sits in a package that weighs just more than 3.5 pounds. MSRP: $99.99.

Mechanix Wear Tactical Gloves
Protect and conceal: that’s the idea behind Mechanix Wear Tactical Gloves; it’s what makes them ideal for truck maintenance, outdoor work, hunting and shooting, too. A double-stitched index finger solves a common weak point and still provides dexterity. Durable synthetic leather palms and breathable TeckDry fabric combine to provide a great grip, a wide range of movement and a barrier from things that stick you. Now available in woodland camo. MSRP: $24.99.

Sportsman Grizzly Med Kit
The Sportsman Grizzly medical kit provides first-aid supplies for a group of 1-14 hunters for up to two weeks. The kit includes necessary items to treat the most common outdoor medical emergencies, like sprained ankles and bee stings, but also contains a trauma kit with QuikClot and a SWAT-T tourniquet for more serious injuries like deep punctures or knife wounds. Perhaps most important is the included booklet, “Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness & Travel Medicine.” MSRP: $125.

Lightforce Enforcer
The 140mm LED Enforcer Handheld Light from Lightforce shoots an incredibly tight beam of either white/red or red/infrared light to 400 yards—perfect for spotting obstacles and danger, alerting help or simply lighting up your workplace. Weighing less than a pound, the Enforcer houses an internal lithium-ion battery for more than four hours of run time. Includes 12-volt DC wall/car charger. External battery (sold separately) more than quadruples the standard run time. MSRP: $270-$319.

Latest

W H2026 03 Elkdraw RE345 Elk Copyright Mark Kayser
W H2026 03 Elkdraw RE345 Elk Copyright Mark Kayser

5 Steps to Win Your Next Elk Draw

Want to find success in your next elk lottery? Get some tips from Mark Kayser on how to beat the point creep, find less-applied for honey holes, and more.

Savage Arms Expands Model 110 Line

Savage Arms has added three new rifles to its Model 110 lineup: the 110 Core Predator, 110 Core Tactical and 110 Ultralite Predator. In addition to the all-new AccuFit V2, these rifles feature a beavertail fore-end that incorporates an ARCA rail with M-Lok slots. The Predator and Tactical rifles also have higher capacity magazines, holding up to ten rounds.

Zander's Exclusive TriStar Setter LT

Zanders, a national distributor based in Sparta, Illinois, has announced the release of an exclusive new shotgun offering in partnership with TriStar Arms: the TriStar Setter LT, featuring a custom black engraved receiver designed specifically for Zanders dealers and customers.

Behind the Bullet: .450/400 3” Nitro Express

Among the lot of Nitro Express cartridges—a term coined by James Purdey to compare the power of these cartridges to a locomotive and newly loaded with smokeless powder—the .450/400 3” N.E. represents one the best blends of hunting power and ease of shooting. Curious? Read on, as Phil Massaro goes in-depth on this classic, though esoteric, favorite.

TriStar Arms to Exhibit at 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

TriStar Arms will exhibit at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, taking place April 17–19, 2026, in Houston, TX. Attendees are invited to visit TriStar Arms at Booth #3103 to explore the newest firearm offerings and learn more about the brand's continued commitment to the shooting sports community.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.