Jeep Drivers' Top 5 Must-Have Gifts For 2023
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Owning a Jeep isn't the same as owning a typical car or SUV. Aside from the opportunities to use it in extreme off-road settings like rock crawling, beach cruising, and desert or mountain exploration, there are countless opportunities to accessorize and personalize your Jeep, especially for owners of Wrangler and CJ models. As the former owner of four YJ model Wranglers, two CJ7s, one Wagoneer, and one XJ model Cherokee, I am intimately familiar with the many add-ons that can make Jeep ownership even more fun. With the holiday gifting season approaching as quickly as a 2024 Wrangler Rubicon 392, it's time to start shopping for the Jeep enthusiast in your life.
Starting from my experience as a Jeep owner over the past three decades, I scoured the web for currently available accessories for Jeepers. Plus, using existing professional reviews from Slashgear and other sources to identify the best of the currently available supply from merchants you can trust for their high-quality products and customer service. Here are five suggested gifts that are sure to bring a smile to the Jeep owner in your life this holiday season.
Hi-lift XT 485 Farm Jack
While Jeeps are famous for their all-terrain performance, every Jeeper (even yours truly) has gotten stuck in the mud or sand at some point, and these situations require a bit of specialty gear to get out of quickly and safely. For decades, off-road enthusiasts have relied on the Hi-Lift brand of farm jacks to help extract their vehicles, and it's common to see Jeeps with the recognizable red and black Hi-Lift jacks mounted to their hoods or rear bumpers, ready to be unclipped and put to use in the blink of an eye.
Hi-Lift makes eight different models of jack from 36 to 60 inches tall, all of which have a rated capacity of 4,660 pounds and a tested load capacity of 7,000 pounds. Hi-Lift jacks can be purchased at Amazon, Walmart, and Quadratec, along with accessories like Jeep mounting kits, base plates for safety, and an off-road kit that includes a tensioner, a nose attachment, a tree saver strap, gloves, and a bag for all of the above. Prices start at just over $100, and the most expensive model, the First Responder, costs nearly $300.
The 48-inch Hi-Lift XT485 Xtreme was the Off-road.com 2021 Editor's Pick for the best high lift jack. Off-Road's Justin Prichard called it "Primitive and proven" and added, "This highly useful jack might be the number-one item to bring on any off-road adventure. Here's a great example of the original being the best." Phil Howell of Motor Trend also touted the Hi-Lift X-Treme's versatility and durability, concluding his review by stating, "We won't go into the dirt without it. You shouldn't either."
The XT485 retails for $126.99 at Walmart and Summit Racing.
WeatherTech Floor Mats
A Jeep used properly will be taken to dirty places. That means lots of mud, sand, and debris will find its way to the interior of most Jeeps. While some Jeepers choose to remove the carpeting and install a protective coating like Rhino Liner, there is a simpler way to a Jeep's interior from mud, rocks, and snow that gets tracked in from outside.
WeatherTech makes laser-fit floor mats for Jeeps dating as far back as 1955 and sells mats for the 2023 Wrangler 4xe and 14 other 2023 model-year Jeeps. For most Jeeps, you can choose front, rear, or both sections and have your choice of black, tan, or grey. Weather-Tech mats are easily installed and removed and will trap mud, slush, and other debris and channel it away from the feet of drivers and passengers. Prices vary by year and model, and mats can be purchased directly from WeatherTech or from Amazon or Cabela's.
WeatherTech mats are one of the first accessories I add to a new Jeep purchase, and I have yet to be disappointed by the fit or quality from any of the half-dozen or so sets I have bought.
Carl Anthony of Automoblog gave the WeatherTech mats an 85% rating and a hearty endorsement, writing, "During the summer, we spend a good deal of time camping on the shore of Lake Michigan. We always inherit plenty of sand and food crumbs on the way to and from Detroit. The channels inside the WeatherTech mats catch everything, making them easy to dump out or vacuum."
I usually clean my mats with the high-pressure hose at a self-service car wash, and this has proven to be quick and effective.
Viair 400P Air Compressor
If the Jeeper on your gift list does a lot of off-roading, chances are very good they prefer to air down their tires to as low as 12-15 PSI when on sand, mud, or loose dirt. Under those circumstances, it's very important to get their tires back up to the recommended highway specification (usually in the mid to high 30s, depending on tire size) before getting back on the road. To do so, it's important to have a compressor on board, as many desirable off-roading spots are far from service stations. A powerful option is the Viair 400P, which has a 25-foot hose and integrated gauge and can inflate tires up to 35 inches to 30 PSI in less than five minutes. Morton's on the Move named the 400P their top portable compressor for 2023, calling it "a beast" and noting, "It will effortlessly handle topping off your tires before hitting the paved roads after your off-roading adventures."
The 400P has a maximum pressure of 150 PSI and sells for $246.35 at Walmart and $215.95 at Amazon. In their YouTube channel review, the RV Geeks praised the 400P's quiet and powerful operation and said, "This thing is beautifully crafted, built like a tank, and worth the investment for us."
Jeep Edition Grizzly 20 Quart Cooler
Chances are fairly good that the Jeeper on your gift list enjoys taking their Jeep on outdoor excursions like camping and fishing trips that require a cooler for storing food and drinks. For these occasions, Grizzly makes a special Jeep edition of its 20-quart cooler with the Jeep logo embossed in the lid. The Jeep edition Grizzly 20 cooler is currently available from the United States of Made and The Best Cooler for $199.99, which equals the retail price of the non-branded version of the Grizzly 20.
Shedheads wrote that they "love the build quality of the Grizzly 20, which is apparent in the stainless steel handle and burly rubber latches" and added that "the rubber gasket keeps the cooler airtight and leakproof, so you don't have to worry about anything getting out (or in)."
The Grizzly 20 weighs 16 pounds empty and can hold up to 24 cans along with up to 5 pounds of ice. It has a 17-inch ruler on the lid to measure fish quickly and comes with a lifetime warranty. In a real-world test, The Cooler Zone found the Grizzly 20 to be effective at storing ice for between 55 and 70 hours, long enough to get through a weekend fishing trip with time to spare.