Manley: Passion of overlanders great for tire business

Driving in a long line of well-equipped off-road vehicles along a rugged path carved up the mountain near Big Bear, Calif., we came across a dusty BMW SUV with a "flat tire" sign posted.

The off-road guide for the Toyo R/T Trail-sponsored event was a pleasant Big Bear resident named Bill, who has driven just about everything across every terrain, including horses. As we pulled up to the vehicle, Bill told me to stop. He said he spoke to the vehicle's owner a few days prior, and the man said help was on its way.

While that help never came, there's sort of a code in off-roading where you do onto others and that sort of thing. The man walked up to our dark green Jeep, explained his situation — that he got a flat, didn't want to walk out because of his elderly dog, and he couldn't get cell reception.

People in our group started referring to him as "Pre-Malone," because he looked like musician Post Malone but before the face tattoos.

Bill gave him his cellphone to use. The man lit up a joint, dialed the number and thanked Bill profusely. He told his friend on the other side of the line that he got a flat and had spent the last two days camping and panning for gold. Then he confirmed to his friend that he had plenty of water. He hung up, told us his friend was a few hours out — which on the mountain trail is not that long of a wait — but on his way, and we ventured forward.

It was a small gesture, but one Bill hoped would be extended to him if he were in the same situation.

The overlanding community — a broad description to include rock crawlers, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts — is tight. Not only because most of these off-road drivers have had breakdowns on the trail, but because it's also dangerous.

I've noticed most people working in the tire industry share the same mentality to help others. It's what makes the overlanders and the tire makers such a natural fit.

Last year, on the trail in Arizona with Kenda, a part broke on the driveshaft of one vehicle. The savvy off-roader had brought a spare just in case. How many minutes did it take a group of about 20 tire dealers to fix it on the side of the road? About 30 minutes and a pack of cigarettes. And even with all of those hands available to help, two groups still stopped to see if everything was OK.

Overlanders are an interesting bunch that know a lot about tires. It comes along with enjoying the wild and traveling out into it in a capable vehicle. They know a lot about their vehicles, each new modification is a thought process, and the tires are no different. Just like other segments, consumers vary on what is most important, though I feel like price is lower on the list.

Some people like to go camping and need a tire that can handle the extra load for supplies, a generator, a truck-top tent and, maybe, the wife and kids.

Some drivers care about "driving fatigue." If you've ever been off-roading in a place where a mistake could send you down a mountainside, and you white-knuckle it the whole way, well you know about driver fatigue. This also goes along the same line as the "confidence" that comes when driving on a tire that is well engineered for the environment it is being used.

Other drivers are looking to climb, and they care most about how the footprint is going to impact their experience.

Some users want it look right for their vehicle that fits with the modifications they've made.

Honestly, a lot of consumers probably want all of the above, and they want larger sizes, too.

The excitement of off-roading happens at a crawl, and as a result, you can really feel the response from the tire and community knows its stuff.

Tire makers and dealers really couldn't ask for a better bunch.