Hi, I’m Jeff. I Have a Problem.

That problem is Jeeps. And side-by-sides. And the general inability to leave a stock vehicle alone.

Welcome to Trail Tested TX — a site built by someone who genuinely cannot stop modifying vehicles, born out of a need to document it all somewhere other than my wife’s increasingly tired sighs every time a package shows up on the porch.

The Current Lineup

Right now there are three off-road vehicles living in my garage, which is either impressive or concerning depending on who you ask (my wife says concerning):

🔶 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon — Xtreme Recon Package

The newest addition and current weekend play toy, RV toad, and trail rig all in one. Bought it used in March of 2025 specifically because of the 4.56 gears and beadlock capable wheels — I had a plan for 37s before I even owned the Jeep. That’s the kind of person you’re dealing with here.

🟡 2022 Polaris RZR Pro XP4 Ultimate

The “fun” machine. Four seats, six inches of portal lift, and an unreasonable amount of dust that ends up in places dust should never be. If the Rubicon is for getting somewhere capably, the Pro XP4 is for getting there fast and slightly out of control.

⚙️ 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited — Heavily Modified, Permanently Unfinished

The OG. This one’s been through more builds, teardowns, and “I’ll finish it next weekend” promises than I care to admit. It’s been heavily modified for years and it is, and likely always will be, a work in progress. Full build details and the complete saga are coming to the blog eventually — there’s a lot to unpack here and frankly some of it is still being figured out in real time.

Why Trail Tested TX Exists

Here’s the thing about the off-road content space — a lot of it is written by people reviewing gear they’ve never actually bolted onto a vehicle. I’m not going to pretend that doesn’t bother me a little, because it does.

Every review on this site comes from something I’ve actually installed, actually used, and actually beaten up on real Texas trails. If a product is great, I’ll tell you it’s great. If something required me to fabricate a custom mount because the manufacturer clearly never tested it on a four-seat machine — I’m going to tell you that too, in detail, so you don’t have to find out the hard way like I did.

No sponsored fluff. No “this is the best product ever” reviews on stuff that showed up free in the mail last week. Just an honest accounting of what works, what doesn’t, and what I’d do differently if I built it again — which, given my track record, is apparently always.

What You’ll Find Here

  • Build lists and mod reviews — every upgrade on the Rubicon, the Pro XP4, and eventually the 2006 Wrangler, reviewed honestly
  • Texas trail reports — from Hill Country rock crawls to East Texas mud, with an actual opinion on whether it was worth the drive
  • Buying decisions explained — like why I chose the Xtreme Recon Package, why 4.56 gears matter, and other things I researched way too much before spending money
  • The occasional admission of a mistake — like the portal gear lift reduction I’d choose differently next time, or the cab fans that needed surgery to fit

The Houston Connection

I’m based in Houston, Texas, which means I’m close enough to the Hill Country for weekend rock crawls and close enough to East Texas to come home with mud in places I didn’t know existed. Texas doesn’t get enough credit as an off-road state, and part of why this site exists is to change that — one trail report at a time.

A Quick Word on Trust

This site runs on affiliate links, which means if you buy something through a link here I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. I want to be upfront about that because trust is the entire point of this site existing. I’m not going to recommend something just because it pays — I’m going to recommend it because I’d actually buy it myself. In most cases, I already have.

Let’s Talk

Got a question about a build, a product, or a trail? Want to suggest something I should review? Or just want to commiserate about how expensive this hobby has become?

📧 Reach me at jeff@trailtestedtx.com

Follow along on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook for the stuff that doesn’t make it into a full blog post — which, given how much stuff breaks on a regular basis, is a lot.

Mud, Rocks & Dust. Honest Opinions.

— Jeff