The Rubicon Trail is arguably one of the most iconic off-road trails in the United States. In fact, the Jeep "Rubicon" was famously named after this trail, which holds great historical significance.
Dating back to the 1800s, the Rubicon Trail was the original route from Sacramento to Tahoe. With breathtaking views of the Sierra mountain range combined with challenging, technical terrain, it's a rare and exhilarating experience that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Testing Gluetread on the Rubicon Trail
In 2022, Tyler from MORRFlate started searching for equipment that could replace his need to carry a massive 40" spare tire for his Jeep Rubicon. As you can imagine, 40" tires are heavy and take up a lot of space. Eliminating the need to carry them would make trips far more manageable.
When Tyler discovered GlueTread and posted about it on MORRFlate's social media, the response was mixed. Some of the comments included:
"What?! On the outside??"
"No way I would trust it."
"Wrong! You just need to replace the tire."
Tyler reached out to GlueTread’s founder, Andy, and together they decided that the best way to prove GlueTread's durability as a sidewall repair solution was to put it to the ultimate test—on the Rubicon Trail.
So, Tyler and Andy kicked off their Rubicon adventure by intentionally slashing their tires.
To watch the full video of their trip, click here.
4 Slashed Tires on the Rubicon Trail
At the beginning of the trip, Andy and Tyler slashed two tires of Tyler's 40' tires, repaired them with GlueTread and started the trail.
As they tackled the initial obstacles—Gatekeeper, Granite Bowl, Whale Bones, and Walker Hill—the tires held up impressively. They didn’t lose any air, and the sidewall patches remained secure.
The ultimate test came at Soup Bowl, where one of the tires rotated into a crack and the patch endured over 50 revolutions of grinding against the rock. Even after this abuse, the GlueTread patches held strong.
On day two, they resumed from Buck Island Lake, slashing two more of Tyler's tires, meaning all four tires now had GlueTread patches.
Near Big Sluice, one patch took a significant hit and developed a small leak. Andy quickly applied some adhesive to the leak, sealing it up, and they were back on the trail!
By day three, they were ready for the final leg, taking on Cadillac Hill, Observation Point, and the 10 miles back to the trailhead. With no further issues, it was clear: GlueTread patches were tough enough to survive the Rubicon Trail.
Most importantly, GlueTread passed a real-world test. For us, it's crucial that when you need GlueTread, it gets you off the trail and back to safety. Tests like these prove the reliability and durability of our product.
Sidewall Repair on the Rubicon Today
Since the 2022 trip, we’ve heard countless stories of people successfully repairing sidewall damage on the Rubicon Trail using GlueTread's Sidewall Repair Kit.
Recently, the Rubicon Trail Adventures group sent us a review that said, "We never leave the trail without this product."
We even returned to the Rubicon this summer (without slashing any tires this time!) and still had a great adventure.
Tire Repair Anywhere
Of course GlueTread is used in many different places. On our dealer map, you can see it's sold in Australia, Peru Iceland, South Africa, Kuwait, New Zealand and many places in South America.
Most recently, we've launched the Expedition Kit which contains everything you need for sidewalls, punctures and valve stem replacements so you can be prepared for anything.
Wherever you're riding, make sure you have the tools necessaery to get home safely.
Share Your GlueTread + Rubicon Stories!
If you or someone you know has a story about using GlueTread on the Rubcion, send an email to info@gluetread.com or comment below. We'd love to hear it!
Comments