Brown paper packages . . .

 . . . tied up with string. This is how your purchase from the Adventure Tool Company arrives. Stylish—and more importantly, it speaks of pride in the contents.

It's no secret I'm a fan of tool rolls for traveling tool kits. They're easy to organize, they don't rattle—a side benefit is that tools stay in better shape if they're not banging around in a box—and they can be stuffed next to other gear without damaging it. Whether you use them on their own, or as sub-organizers inside a larger case, as I often do, they contribute to a smooth work flow when maintenance or repairs are needed in the field.

Happily, high-quality tool rolls seem to be experiencing something of a renaissance. Off Road Trail Tools, after a short hiatus, is back making (in the U.S.) excellent heavy-duty nylon tool rolls in a couple of configurations (here). Bucket Boss makes a couple of decent models, and you can occasionally find others on the web from various companies.

But my favorite tool roll remains the Land Cruiser factory kit I profiled here, made from a stout oiled canvas that fills the air with a heady scent whenever it's opened, reminding me of the surplus military rucksack I first backpacked with, my Barbour jackets, the Australian duster Roseann wears horseback riding. All, you'll note, products of legendary reputation for durability and legendary style.

So when the package from the Adventure Tool Company wafted the same aroma past my nose, I expected good things. And I was not disappointed.

Paul and Amy Carrill started the Adventure Tool Company just two years ago, in Nederland, Colorado, where all their as-yet nascent range of products is produced. They sent me a sample of their ShopRoll tool roll, which is the standard-bearer of a line that so far also includes pouches, a tow-strap throw bag, an intriguing wool camp blanket, and a nifty oiled canvas tarp perfect for protecting the fender of a car you're working on or placing underneath it to lie on. 

The ShopRoll is superbly well-made of 12-ounce oiled canvas, with straight stiching and bound edges. Opened up, it's generously sized, as you can see here with a 24mm wrench for scale:

The top flap functions as a place to lay out tools out of the dirt. It's also zippered and forms a huge flattish compartment—into which, I'm told, that canvas tarp folds perfectly. Brilliant. A larger zippered pocket is on the left, and three small flapped pockets on the right. Thirteen variously sized slots take up the center section. Last cunning (and thoughtful) touch - look inside the top flap and you find this:

 . . . a tiny pocket with a "busted knuckle" band-aid kit.

So, what does it hold? I got out my Pelican 1550 cased tool kit, which if you've been following along on past posts you'll know is . . . comprehensively . . . equipped. With little trouble, I transferred the following to the ATC roll:

• Wrenches from 8 to 24mm
• 3/8ths ratchet, two extensions
• Shallow sockets from 10 to 24mm, deep sockets from 10 to 15mm
• Three screwdrivers plus an interchangeable bit driver
• A steel and a brass drift and a cold chisel
• Channel-lock pliers
• Vise-grip pliers
• Needle-nose pliers
• Side cutters
• Wire stripper/cutter
• Box knife
• Tin snips
• Hemostat
• Flashlight
• Two hammers
• Hacksaw

I could have stuffed in a bit more, but the ShopRoll took all this easily and rolled tidily. If I were attempting to construct a full kit with the ATC rolls I'd add at least one more, but with the selection I fit in this one I'd feel confident tackling many repairs and maintenance items.

This is a fine piece of gear, and well worth its premium $90 price. I'd like to see ATC add other configurations, especially a dedicated wrench roll with enough slots to actually take a full set of wrenches, unlike virtually every other wrench roll on the market. (That's at least 17 slots, Paul and Amy! Call me and we'll talk . . .) In the meantime, I'd like to add one of those nifty tarps to this kit, then give it some work in the field.

Paul and Amy will be at the 2014 Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona, May 16-18. And I am delighted to announce that they will be producing our custom flapped musette shoulder bags, which everyone who signs up for an Overland Experience package will receive. They'll be our best bags yet.

If you can't wait, the Adventure Tool Company website is here.

Update on 2014-03-21 18:26 by Jonathan Hanson

Update: ATC has released a very nice motorcycle tool roll:

 . . . which would also be useful as a specialty-tool roll to augment the larger one.

Shipping a motorcycle to South America

Reader Matt Caggiano posted this question:

I'm trying to find a reasonable price to air freight my KLR650 from Phoenix AZ to Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was hoping you may have some contacts that can help. I have a Sabbatical from work that starts at the end of February. My plan is to ship my motorcycle to Buenos Aires and then ride home. If I do it right, I'll end the trip at the expo :-) 

Thanks so much for any info you can provide!

We surveyed several of our most well-traveled motorcycle correspondents and came up with some possibilities for Matt.

From Alison DeLapp, who's ridden from the U.S. to Ushuaia (alisonswanderland.com):

Javier with Dakar Motos in Buenos Aires is the best, when arranging shipping from BA.  Maybe he can help arrange things in reverse for Matt. Dakar Motos

From Ken and Carol Duval (twice around the world on their R80 G/S and still going!):

Greetings from Valle de Bravo, Mexico. We have not used this route but can recommend the shipping section of the Horizons Unlimited site for help: Shipping.

To find a shipping agent we usually just use Yellow Pages or the Internet. Another more direct approach is to ask the airline you intend to fly on if they take cargo like a crated motorcycle. A Dangerous Goods Declaration is required, and the smaller the crate the less you pay, since they charge by volumetric weight. It's always nice to arrive with your bike on the same plane. We have enjoyed this experience a couple of times and it sure takes the stress out of running around a new city trying to get things done.

Ben Slavin, of Motorcycle Mexico, seconded Alison's suggestion about Dakar Motos, and added:

The other option is to buy a bike in Argentina. There are tons of people finishing their trip in Argentina, lots looking to sell their bikes. This thread on ADVrider has bikes for sale in Latin America. 

 And finally, from Carla King (carlaking.com): 

UShip, a crowdsourcing site that reaches professional transport companies and people with pickups, suggests prices and lists your offer in an auction. I was looking to transport a bike I kinda wanted in Texas, but I didn't end up buying it. Still, I had a few good responses, including one individual who regularly traveled between Texas and California in his pickup. He had a great reputation according to reviews on the UShip site. He'd transported motorcycles and boats and boxes of stuff for people, the price was right, and our communication was professional and straightforward. The site had been recommended to me by a friend who has used it, and I liked the experience and would use it again.

23,000-mile review: Klim Latitude jacket and pants

by Alison DeLapp, www.AlisonsWanderland.com

  Pockets galore! (on the Altiplano in Peru)

As a female motorcyclist, choosing a viable suit for long-term riding is met with limited options. Despite the growing industry for women’s gear, what was available in October of 2012 did not equate to the durability and versatility of men’s gear. I looked at comparable manufacturers such as Rev-it and Alpinestars (I rode a KLR, so the BMW brand was not even considered), but neither of those held up to what I wanted out of a suit I was going to live in for six months. So, while preparing for a motorcycle journey from Los Angeles, California to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, I decided on Klim’s Men’s Latitude jacket and pants.

In my initial review after six days of test riding around California before I left, my response was, “Yay! Klim is so great!” But just like any new relationship, I was excited at the potential of what could be, not scrutinizing what I had in front of me. So now, 15-months and more than 23,000 miles later, it’s time to break down the long-term, grime-covered, down and dirty results...

Latitude 0 (at the Equator in Ecuador)

 Continue reading full article here.

Installing an ARB diff lock, part 2

We're back from Silver City, New Mexico, where Bill Lee of Bill's Toy Shop installed an ARB locking differential in the rear of the JATAC (see below for part 1). We've created a 13-minute video detailing the installation and a bit of trail testing afterwards. Watch an ASE Master Technician at work, then see how the increased traction works in the real world - from underneath the truck. Watch it here, or click on the video title for the full HD version on Vimeo.