Pro's Tips: Outfitting Your Side By Side

By Dan Kidder
Managing Editor

Last September, I took a 500-mile, 5-day trail ride at the Rocky Mountain ATC/UTV Jamboree in Richfield, Utah in a Yamaha Wolverine. It was a blast, and I am anticipating doing it again.

During this outing, decked out in a state-of-the-art side by side, I discovered a few things that would have made my ride a bit easier and enjoyable. Here are a few accessories at Sportsman’s Warehouse that will make your side by side a real off-road warrior.

Classic Accessories UTV Roll Cage Organizer Black
One shortcoming of many of the side-by side UTVs is adequate storage for all of the items you may wish to carry with you. Classic accessories provides a roll cage organizer to stow away all of that essential gear. Made of heavy-duty UV-resistant ProtekX Extreme fabric shell with PVC backing, this organizer features scratch proof pockets for optics, and a ton of easy access pouches for everything from tool kits, first aid, tire repair products, and much more. It easily attaches to the roll cage of your UTV and can also be easily removed to safely lock up your gear in the truck when not in use on your side by side. It is water resistant and will stand up to serious abuse.

Classic Accessories UTV Storage Cover Olive
For those times when you aren’t driving your side by side, this cover from Classic Accessories keeps out the elements and protects your seats and console from inclement weather. Featuring an elastic draw cord in the base, it easily slips over your vehicle and locks in place. Two air vents prevent ballooning of the cover. It is made of the same UV resistant ProtekX fabric, so it will withstand even the fiercest of dust storms.

Kolpin Boottector Bracket and Gun Boot 6.0 Transport
If you plan to use your side by side for hunting, having the means to carry your favorite long gun is a must. The Boottector mounting bracket from Kolpin gives you the ability to place your favorite rifle case, mounted to the frame of your vehicle, snugly inside and secure it with either the included pins or a padlock. This frees up valuable cabin space for passengers. It comes with a versatile mounting plate, allowing it to be screwed to a wide range of UTV models and the angle adjustment means that it can be adapted to ride the way you want it for easy access.

To carry that long gun in the Boottector, you need an appropriate gun case. I went with the 6.0 Gun Boot because it is very roomy, allowing a wider selection of rifles and shotguns, up to 51-inches in length, and even accommodates those rifles with scopes. It has a hinged and lockable back cap, as well as a soft internal pouch to protect your gun from bouncing around inside. It is airline and TSA approved for transporting a gun.

Slime Power Sport Tire Inflator and Slime 24oz Tire Sealant
If you ride the trails long enough, you will eventually come across a nail left behind by an inconsiderate burner of pallets, or even puncture a tire on a sharp rock. Having the means to repair a flat can help avoid a long hike back to the truck. Slime makes a Power Sport Tire Inflator with a variety of power management options. It can be pre-wired directly to the UTV battery and stowed away until needed by plugging into the cable adaptor. Other options let you power it via 12-volt auxiliary power plug or alligator clamps. If the tire only has a small puncture, you can fill it with Slime Tire Sealant, re-inflate, and get back on the trail. The 24-ounce Slime sealant is plenty to repair your ATV tire to make it back to the trailer.

ATV TEK Clearview UTV Center Mirror and UTV Mirrors
One feature I was missing on my stock side by side was mirrors. When riding alone, being able to see behind you isn’t that big of a deal, but on a long ride with dozens of other ATVs and UTVs behind and in front of you, knowing where the other riders are located can be a big help and save your neck a lot of craning and aching. The Clearview UTV Center Mirror easily camps onto the roll cage providing you with a standard rearview mirror in the cab. The side mirrors clamp to the horizontal supports providing standard side mirror features. The mirror is equipped with breakaway technology that allows the mirror to fold in on tight trails and tight trailers. The spring tensioning ball joint allows 360 degrees of rotation and 15 degrees of tilt. It can be mounted to both the left and right side of the UTV and adjust four different ways for perfect mirror orientation. The rubberized seal, ball mount and in-line vibration isolator substantially reduces vibration.

Rotopax Fuel Pack and Water Pack
Being able to carry some spare fuel in your side by side gives you the ability to extend your trip a bit further than you would normally be able to go, and still have plenty to make it back to your trailer. Even though the fuel tank on your UTV should be ample for more than 100 miles of off-roading, it is always nice to have the assurance of a reserve. The same goes for water if you are heading out into the desert. Trying to strap down a standard fuel tank is a nightmare on bumpy terrain. They bounce around, come undone, and leak like crazy. Rotopax uses a center mounting hole and a heavy-duty rotating bracket to secure your tanks. The tanks are fairly flat and made of a heavy rotomolded three layer plastic and feature a gasket seal to prevent leakage. They are EPA and CARB compliant for use in the US and Canada. The tanks can be stacked on top of each other or slide together to create a double tank.

Rotopax Single or Double Mounting Plates
To securely mount your Rotopax, you will need to install either the single or double mounting plate. These plates come with a variety of pre-drilled attachment holes and various bolts and fasteners to fit a wide variety of UTVs and give you several placement options. The single mounting plate can hold a single tank or, by using the extender, can hold two 2-gallon tanks stacked on top of each other. The double mounting bracket will hold a double wide 4-gallon tank or by snapping together two 2-gallon tanks, you can attach them side by side.

ShockStrap Ratcheting Tie Downs
If you are hauling expensive equipment or gear, protecting your investment with a cheap strap can cost you thousands of dollars if they fail. ShockStrap are made of polyester, which is mold, mildew, and rot resistant; has a higher working load; and stretches and frays less than nylon. ShockStrap features shock absorbing technology to keep the strap under constant tension. The ShockStraps are resistant to UV rays, oils, salt, and corrosion. They stretch to absorb bumps that can work regular straps loose under normal use. The super ratchet has an oversized external ratcheting handle for use with gloves. Double steel hooks on the ends and soft loops to allow the strap to be wrapped and hooked on itself, providing versatility in attachment. Both the hooks and ratchet are coated in yellow zinc, which lasts longer than chrome and protects against rust and corrosion. The straps have a working load of 1,553 pounds and a breaking strength of 4,600 pounds. They are available in lengths of 9 feet, 18 feet, and 32 feet.

Liberty Mountain Topographic Map Bandanas
Eating dust on the trail, especially if you have several vehicles in front of you, is inevitable. Most of the masks made especially for ATV/UTV riding that I tested, don’t fit properly and you are constantly fussing with them. A good old fashioned bandana seemed to work best at cutting the amount of dust I was eating. One bandana that is great for those riding in National Parks, is the collection of topographic maps from Liberty mountain. Not only will the 100 percent natural cotton help keep out the dust, but they are printed with detailed topographic maps of various national parks, so in a pinch, they could help keep you from getting lost. Besides, bandanas have a multitude of uses from bandaging an injury to pre-filtering water, to starting fires, as well as keeping the grit out of your mouth.

Raider MX Premium Goggles Kit - Black
To help keep the dust of your eyes, I suggest a full pair of wrap-around style goggles with a decent seal. The MX goggles from Raider provide a high-density foam seal with vented frames and anti-fog lenses to help prevent fogging. The wider anti-slip strap helps prevent them from slipping off your head or helmet. The double loop strap adjustment insures they will have enough adjustment to fit most heads, with or without a helmet.

Raider Wildfire MX Helmet
Speaking of helmets, it is not required for many of the jamborees that you wear a helmet, but it is still a great idea. The Raider Wildfire helmet features removable and washable cheek inserts and comfort liner. Adjustable airflow scoops let you control the amount of air that enters the helmet to help cool it in warmer weather. Goggle strap channels help align your goggles and prevent them from slipping. It is DOT approved and made of a rugged yet lightweight thermoplastic shell. It comes with a removable sun visor and a roomy full-face mouth protector.

Garmin VIRB Action Camera
To capture your adventure, consider a quality action camera with HD recording capability and a long battery life. The Garmin VIRB offers a 16-megapixel CMOS image processor, true 1080p HD video recording and a just over an inch and a half of Chroma display. This technology offers the user quick feed back and the highest quality video to capture every moment of a great adventure. VIRB offers a long life battery allowing up to 3 hours of recording at 1080p which will give you enough time to record any great outdoor adventure you have planned. The VIRB is easy to use with its large instant record slider switch so you can use your camera with gloves for year round use. VIRB has a built in digital stabilization technology called Lens Distortion Correction (LDC) so that your videos will play back smoother. VIRB Elite has a built in WiFi for wireless communication to your computer and smartphone. WiFi gives you control of the camera by giving you the ability to preview images, control playback, adjust the settings and take still photos from your phone and is compatible with both Android and iPhone mobile applications. VIRB is rugged, durable and waterproof (IPX7) making it the only option for any outdoor enthusiast. Additionally, the VIRB will pair with a wide variety of Garmin GPS devices to allow you to control the camera remotely with your GPS.