Don't Sleep On The Crosstrek

 

Overlanding is modifying, but mainly for adults per say. A decade ago, many of you might have been sporting that flat-bill Monster Energy hat, DC shoes, vape, with a clapped out WRX that had the trendiest shift knob at the time. And as time went on. Maybe you finished school, found yourself into that dream career, and you may have fallen in love and started the family. Now you might have a couple of kids, a home, and life is in overdrive mode, dropping said kids off at school, soccer practice, trips to Coscto, and weekend stops to Home Depot is completely on the opposite side of the spectrum from slammed life. Before you can even realize it, you’re in full adult mode. It’s a transition that we can’t really see because life gets so busy. One minute you’re enjoying your screamo music, and the next you have to settle for more lyrically appropriate radio-friendly hits so that your kids aren’t singing eff the police while in kindergarten.

For many of us letting go of our youth is life’s natural transition. But sometimes, some things never change. You still love your Subarus, and that’s completely okay. But that doesn’t mean you should have a caged STI with a giant wing in the back slammed on coilovers while you have child safety seats strapped in the back. Practicality is where you need to be right now. And many of you had to for now at least, say goodbye to blow-off valve noises and that loud Subie rumble because of fear of your local HOA. For many of you who couldn’t accept a minivan or a Honda Pilot, you met your spouse in the middle and got something reasonable such as a Subaru Crosstrek.   

Since the line in the sand had been drawn, the Crosstrek is actually not a bad choice. The aftermarket is pretty solid for the Crosstrek and for one main reason. You may have heard the term, Overlander. Overlander is essentially a term used to show others that you can do truck stuff in your Subaru as well. Not exactly rallying, but you can drive through the deep woods, above the hills, and in the dirt to get to your next destination.

Because the Crosstrek is a wagon/SUV hybrid in some ways, more importantly it’s got Subaru’s AWD system. Why not take it through the unknown? The Crosstrek is a highly versatile for all intents and purposes. As many of us grow older, we enjoy getting outside. Going on hikes, going on trips, going to the local lake. During the wintertime, we need something that can get us through the snow, while safely dropping the kids off at school. Yet the itch that never leaves us that is the everlasting car enthusiast always wants to modify something. And with the Crosstrek, you will not lack any options. So, let’s look at some of our favorite mods for the Crosstrek that can provide you with some ideas.

 

 

 

ReadyLIFT 2.0 SST Lift Kit w/End Links 2018-2024 Crosstrek

 

First thing is first. Executing that Overlander look. But it’s not only just for the looks there is actually quite a purpose behind this suspension mod. If you spend the weekends camping or adventuring out in the mountains, you will want to have enough ground clearance so that you can drive over rocks or shallow tree stumps. You don’t want to high-center yourself and you don’t want to pierce your oil pan. More importantly a lift kit provides the clearance needed to clear larger off-road tires. Additionally, if you live in an area that experiences heavy amounts of snow during the winter, sometimes we like to run over snowbanks as a guilty pleasure. You just want to make sure that you have the clearance not to get stuck.

 

 

 

Method Matte Black MR502 VT-Spec 15x7+15 5x100

 

Now a 15” wheel allows for a meatier 215/75/15-inch tire without any modifications needed to the fenders. Now you can run up to a 235/75/15=inch but some trimming may be needed to your inner fender trim or your fenders themselves but do this at your own risk. The smaller wheels allow you to execute that off-road look with a thicker tire, but you get the traction benefits as well if you are driving on desolate dirt roads or trails. It would otherwise be more challenging on your factory wheels and all-season tires. An off-road tire made for dirt and mud provides you with extra assurance, traction, and driving confidence in dirt, mud, and snow.

 

Crawford Performance Front Bumper w/KC Lights Pro6 Gravity Light Kit 2018-2021 Crosstrek

 

This bumper bar features super strong construction and will be powder-coated to blend well with the exterior, without any risk of winter corrosion. Now the reason why you see Land Cruisers, Jeeps, 4-Runners, and other popular off-road vehicles with these types of bumpers/bars, is that they protect the front-end of your vehicle while on narrow trails where there are tree branches, snowbanks, and if the unfortunate event of a deer running across your path you’re going to send it into orbit. More importantly, this particular bumper includes lights because when you’re in the woods, you need all the lighting surface coverage as possible because of the unknows, because you can’t see any dangers on the trail such as nig rocks and stumps as it gets darker, and lighting overall from being away from streetlights and civilization makes your surroundings super dark.

 

Rhino Rack Xtray Pro Roof Rack – Universal

Roof racks are the number one essential item when adventuring with more than 2 occupants in your Crosstrek. This is a universal unit so you may need other accessories to secure it to your roof, but strap your car onto this roof rack, so that you have more interior cabin space for more comfort.

 

Rally Armor UR Mudflaps 2013-2017 XV Crosstrek

These should be at the top of the list honestly. Especially if you do upgrade to a 15” wheel setup with meaty off-road tires, and you’re slinging mud and rocks everywhere when transferring from the trail to asphalt. If this is the case, you should not be slinging debris to other drivers near you and damaging their windshields, while adding more protection to your paint in the process. Whether you lift your Crosstrek or not, mud flaps are an excellent investment for your Subaru.

 

Warn Industries AXON 55 Wire Rope Winch – Universal

 

 

As Rick mentions, this is on the extreme side of things, and for those of you who really take your Crosstrek off road. Winch’s are designed to pull yourself out of a rut, or it can pull a trail friend or someone else who may have got stuck in the mud, or a ditch. Again, on the extreme side, but if there was a Subaru that should have a winch, it would be the Crostrek.

 

So that’s pretty much what can turn your Crosstrek into an ‘Overlander’ and allows you to adventure more safely while being able to travel deeper into the woods. One of the items we left out of the suggestions which you can add for mainly off-road use is a light bar. But you don’t want to be that kid in high school with his high beams on blinding everyone else on the road. But there are ways to do it responsibly, such as this example:

 

Rally Innovations Ultimate Light Bar 2018-2020 Crosstrek

 

Remember, being a Subaru enthusiast doesn’t mean that you have to be into rally racing or having a slammed chassis on tiled wheels ruining the suspension geometry. Being an enthusiast means sharing ideas on what mods you’d like to perform on your Subaru. As mentioned in the title, if you enjoy the outdoors, don’t sleep on the Crosstrek.