What Makes A Gladiator Rubicon The Best Hunting And Off Road Truck?

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

Love your honesty you own a Toyota most Toyota guys hate on everything else. Excellent review 👊🏻

[@SamkoTradBow]

No brand loyalty from me. Love them all! I don't believe there is a difference in reliability either. Know way too many people with good and bad on each

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

@@SamkoTradBow 100%correct and also how well they did maintenance

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@sheerwillsurvival2064 great point. In my opinion and experience I've owned Ford, chevy, chrysler, ram, jeep and now toyota. I have the same reliability faith in all of them. Neverbhad a vehicle leave me stranded or hanging and have put over 100k miles on most of them

[@johnossendorf9979]

It's a Chrysler product built after 1970, so NO !

[@tracereed7457]

Jeeps can go anywhere but the Toyota will bring you back home

[@SamkoTradBow]

Jeep reliability has improved greatly over the years. Toyota has been going in the opposite direction. Bit both are Atilla amazing vehicles. I have owned many jeeps and now 3 toyotas. Would not hesitate to buy any of them again

[@gregandbethpawluk2316]

I’m asking as a hunter, not as a snobby jeep owner. what’s the thoughts on Gladiator coming out with 4xe in 2024ish time frame ? would you consider it ?

[@SamkoTradBow]

Personally I would rather not go 4xe if given the choice. Reason is I've watched so videos and off road the 4x3 battery only makes it like 5 miles and 30 mins or something like that before it dies. And I belive it adds 500 pounds or so to the vehicle. I would verify I'm correct before taking my info as fact. But if I'm correct you can see how there is no real advantage for an off roader or hunter to pay for the 4xe.

[@gregandbethpawluk2316]

@@SamkoTradBow Yeah i knew it was low, not that low. I was thinking hybrid with fuel economy and still plenty of torque, but that makes sense. Love your stuff.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@gregandbethpawluk2316 to verify my numbers (again I can't remember off the top of my head exactly) search wrangler 4xe on tlftruck youtube channel. Or on truck king yourube channel. They both reviewed it off road and talked about how fast it lost charge and switched to gas only. It was crazy low numbers off road.

[@rustyshackleford928]

I got dibs on that Tacoma when you upgrade! Sorry, suckas I called it.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Hahaha 😆 😂. Couple years and it might be available

[@jameshurd4815]

I have had 3 jeeps in my life and all 3 I had electrical problems I think I'll stick with my 4 runner with the v8 thank you

[@SamkoTradBow]

4 runners are excellent. Jeeps are excellent, fords are excellent, ram is excellent, checy is excellent, Nissan is excellent. They are all amazing these days. Can't get a bad one

[@jameshurd4815]

@@SamkoTradBow toyotas are excellent. Jeeps...not so much.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@jameshurd4815 to each thier own. I love both owned both and would not hesitate to by either

[@boomerrangerron]

Great job with this video review Jason! I'm still a diehard Toyota fan, and would still opt for either a Tacoma or a 4 RNR, TRD Pro. They're so reliable and have the BEST resale value in the industry! Have you moved to Georgia permanently? I have a friend named Anthony, and I've given him your name. He's selling his 21 acre farm in Avoca MI Saint Clair County, if you know someone who might be interested. He's moving to North Carolina!

[@SamkoTradBow]

Yep love my tacoma! But no denying that this gladiator Rubicon is the most capable off road rig in the mid size class and possibly of all truck sizes. This thing is an off-road beast. I dont know anyone looking for a place in that area but if I hear of anyone will say something.

[@michaelgraves5320]

It's so ugly it hurts, I'd rather have an older rig or stick with a tacoma

[@SamkoTradBow]

It takes a little getting used to the look. It's different. But ooh so functional

[@GladiusArmis]

What do you think of the diesel model?

[@SamkoTradBow]

Heard great things and I love our ram 2500 diesel. Bit never drove a gladiator diesel.

[@jonathanwren6409]

Get a real pickup

[@SamkoTradBow]

thanks for commenting. glad to hear from ya!

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

That my next vehicle. And I’ve had Jeep’s from the 70s Cj 5 and cj7 . Jk on and on. You actually got the color I wanted too 😕

[@SamkoTradBow]

I didn't buy this one as I have a 2022 tacoma trd. But this gladiator was my second choice. Love the gladiator was just a little out of the budget I wanted to spend. But such an amazing vehicle

[@matthewmcnulty698]

What. Did. You think about. The. Gladiator. Do. You. Think you would buy 1 I know. The it's more expensive. Than the Tacoma

[@SamkoTradBow]

Loved it. Almost bought one instead of my tacoma. Was a close call. If the gladiator wasn't so expensive I would of bought it instead

[@danielsmith2274]

Mojave comes with 4.10 gears also

[@SamkoTradBow]

Correct but no front locker

[@ChiefRickyRC]

The older jeep suvs and small trucks are so much better in the woods. Even on car tires

[@SamkoTradBow]

They sure do fit into some tight places, get less pin stripping, and can straddle ruts big trucks can not, and can pick lines others can't. Love small trucks in the woods

[@brandondferrier]

Where is the Tacoma?

[@SamkoTradBow]

I still have tacoma. Was just reviewing the gladiator as I know so much about it. Did not get rid of my tacoma. Love my taco!

[@lordrichard8184]

I like the ranger over the rubicon. But if it was my money I would go with the Tacoma. They have a great relatability track record and a solid off road reputation. Recently the ranger knocked it off from the top of the mountain. The other thing you’ll like about the Tacoma vs the gladiator is the windshield defrosters. The Tacoma has a full set across the windshield. The gladiator has a center one. And everyone that has a gladiator and lives in a cold climate really hates it the winter

[@SamkoTradBow]

I habe the tacoma. Had my 22 trd off road for 5 months now. Love it. And it does everything great, just like a ranger does. But the rubicon gladiator is definitely king in the woods. If it wasn't so expensive I'd buy it in a heart beat. And I think reliably is now equal amount all manufures. Toyota is dropping and jeep is rising and Ford is dropping and gm is rising. I'd call it a wash in reliability. Again thays all personal speculation from my circle of people that own all of these.

[@JeepLifeChris]

If dealerships in your area see this video I think you’ll get flooded with sales job offers. This is a great walk around. 👍

[@SamkoTradBow]

hahaha, Id rock a sales job! but no time to do it! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@graphguy]

as long as you are 400 miles round trip, the RIVIAN is hands down...has no competition - price aside.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Hear good things about the rivian. Bit definitely not for us as hunters and adventures. That truck needs to be near electricity all the time

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

Lol rich man electric

[@graphguy]

@@SamkoTradBow not really, you have 325 miles before charges

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@graphguy not in the dirt or off road

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@graphguy I'd be shocked if I can get 60 miles off road on trails in 4 wheel drive

[@danielsmith2274]

Mojave actually outranks the rubicon model. The frame is reinforced and it has better built steering knuckles.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Rubicon has front lockers the Mojave doesnt

[@danielsmith2274]

True but I can add one if I need to

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

@@danielsmith2274 also no swaybar disconnect you have to do by hand

[@bc4evernow]

You must have the fever. Sounds like my neighborhood car salesman. Wow

[@raymondjones1866]

Gas mileage around town in my Rubicon Recon edition JKU is around 13.9 mpg with a 6speed manual and i installed Fox 2 0 performance shocks in early fall that greatly improved the ride and the aftermarket upgrades are endless when i order from Extreme Terrain and nothing comes close when it comes to a hunting vehicle.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Yep I honestly don't believe there is a better hunting rig out there for eastern hunters. In the open west my opion might change. But anything east of the Mississippi this rig wins in my opinion

[@raymondjones1866]

@@SamkoTradBow yup Northeast NJ Pinebarrens and nasty dirt roads with the 50,000 acres areas I bowhunt and Jeep clubs use.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@raymondjones1866 perfect vehicle for it!

[@TheHYENA87]

I cant keep up with your trucks my friend 🤣

[@SamkoTradBow]

I didn't buy this. Just reviewing it as I know so much about it

[@dancobin1985]

No front locker is a worthy trade for the plethora of upgrades I got in my Mojave. The Mojave is unbelievable from pot holes to huge ruts. All Gladiator's have Dana 44s as well.

[@SamkoTradBow]

It may be worth it to you. To me and many of us the front locker is the most important factor. Nobody is knocking your Mojave. But if you did what we do and what my followers do with thier rigs you would rather have the rubicon. After all there is a reason jeep makes both. Obviously your want lean more towards the Mojave. But make no mistake, for what we do a rubicon is thw smart choice.

[@danielsmith2274]

@@SamkoTradBow I live in South Carolina and I put my Mojave in same places you do in Georgia. I have also taken mine to Arizona and climbed rocks with it. Only reason I said anything is because you said you were an expert on these vehicles when you clearly not. You have given out false information. I would be glad to meet you and go over these with you.

[@saintsasso]

Not all gladiators have the Dana 44s. Only the Rubicon, Mojave and max tow package come with them. I would prefer the high speed locker in the rear of the Mojave over both lockers on the Rubicon because you can always add a front locker and sway bar disconnect and do just about anything a Rubicon can do, while the Rubicon can't do half of what a Mojave can do.

[@chewynoodles409]

Why do you favor this over the Chevy Colorado Zr2 bison trucks?

[@SamkoTradBow]

Nothing wrong with chevy Colorado. I personally don't like the look and shape of them. Just personal preference. But the zr2 is one very capable machine and likely more capable than my tacoma. But the looks are not up my alley and that just personal preference. But comparing the zr2 to a gladiator rubicon is 2 completely different worlds. The zr2 may have the front locker but it doesn't have the articulation, detachable sway bar, ground clearance, approach angle, etc that the gladiator does. The gladiator is in a league of its own.

[@chewynoodles409]

@@SamkoTradBow awesome thanks for your honest opinion!

[@TheWVgoodguy22]

Very nice overview of the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon and your reasoning behind why you believe that it is the best all around truck 🛻. I do appreciate the versatility and storage options plus the capability of the truck in many situations. I have been in multiple Gladiators and Wranglers in my previous job, but outside of moving them around on lots to take pictures I don’t have any experience driving them. At 6’1” 255 lbs I don’t fit in them or the Tacoma as well as I do the other trucks in the segment. Not as much seat adjustability as some others and the seating position is definitely different. I have wanted a Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 since they came out in 16 as a 17. I would put on some shock cover plates and maybe put on a cap or tonneau cover. Perhaps a Deckd system too, not sure 🤔. I like the ZR2 AEV Bison 🦬 package for extra protection. I hope to get a truck 🛻 in the next year if magically the used vehicle market goes back to normal and one isn’t paying practically new truck prices for one that’s a couple years old with over 20k miles.

[@SamkoTradBow]

That zr2 is a great truck and I too hope price start to normalize soon. It's been an ugly market last 2 years! I hope you find the truck you are looking for when the market does open up!

[@TheWVgoodguy22]

@@SamkoTradBow Yes it most certainly has. I wish that I was in a position to buy two years ago at the beginning of covid. My brother and I found some good deals on some lower trim trucks 🛻 like the RAM 🐏 1500 Express 4x4 with low miles for between 19k-25k, Nissan Frontier the same thing. Heck I found a 19 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk in olive green with 25k miles for $24,000. I know that you raved about that 4x4 crossover. Now those vehicles are 32k+ 😩 Thanks 🙏 I hope so I need something to replace my 13 Chevrolet Cruze with 155k miles that I recently put 3k into over the last 6 months. I have a wife and a stepson and we are hopeful for another someday sooner than later so a truck 🛻 would help tremendously with my lifestyle and the family.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@TheWVgoodguy22 yep very tough times ro buy right now. But I'm hoping innthe next 6.months those used car prices will drop. And you will be happy you didn't buy during the high times and end up upside down in a vehicle. You were smart to wait it out! Especially when looking at used.

[@TheWVgoodguy22]

@@SamkoTradBow Thanks 🙏 I am glad to have my wife to discuss this with so I don’t make a move out of frustration. I hope that the chip shortage lessens, more new vehicles are built on time and used vehicle prices go back down to normal. My wife and I decided to wait at least 6 months to a year to let the market settle, work on our credit score and have more down payment saved up in hopes of lessening my payment ($525 or less). Plus I want to see what the New Chevy Colorados, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma are like when they are hopeful revealed this year.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@TheWVgoodguy22 great plan!

[@johnmcneil9518]

I just bought a 2021 same color two weeks ago. It has a few extra bells and whistles and this is my first actual off road hunting vehicle. Can't wait to take it to the woods😊. Gotta say I am blown away with it so far. Great video!

[@SamkoTradBow]

You are gonna love it! So capable and well built. Perfect for what we do and the added confidence of getting out of just about anything you can get stuck in. Love this rig!

[@youtoober87]

It is nice but it is too expensive

[@SamkoTradBow]

Agree its alot of money. But you do get alot for that money.

[@leondrolet8695]

Mojave also comes standard with 4:10 gears.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Yep but no front lockers. Lockers are very important to many of us.

[@leondrolet8695]

@@SamkoTradBow Yes. The Rubicon has some special features. But I thought you might want to correct the statement in the vid that the Rubicon is "...the only model that comes standard with 4:10 gears...".

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@leondrolet8695 I would if I could. No way to correct it on youtube. Sometimes my mouth works faster than my brain. But no way to change it now.

[@sha6mm]

No all hunting vehicles are a comprise. Now load that up with 4 people and gear and drive to Colorado on a DIY Elk hunt and you will be rethinking your choice.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Any vehicle you are referring to would be a major compromise in the places many of us hunt. Also I would never take 4 guys on an elk hunt in one vehicle without a trailer. Actually I would never hunt with 4 guys period.

[@billmoran935]

Price?

[@SamkoTradBow]

50k ish

[@skoolynugenator1802]

It’s a great option if you’re a mechanic.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Owned many jeeps and put well over 100k miles on many of them. Every single one has been flawless.

[@skoolynugenator1802]

@@SamkoTradBow I had a friend that had three wrangler engines blow up on her before she was granted the lemon law in court. I have a co-worker that has had nothing but electrical issues with his Grand Cherokee. Not saying there aren’t good Jeeps out there. I’m sure there are. I just personally trust Toyota way more.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@skoolynugenator1802 yep we always go with what we trust. For me I've never had a vehicle give me and problems I didn't create. So I trust them all equally. And crazy part is I drive 40k miles a year so I rack up a ton of miles on many new vehicles.

[@skoolynugenator1802]

@@SamkoTradBow oh absolutely. I will say one thing about Jeep, they can go where other vehicles can’t. Their off-road capability is unmatched.

[@danielsmith2274]

Rubicon has 32” tires. My Mojave has 33” tires. I also have a Tacoma trd. Both excellent models. Mojave also comes with Dana 44 front axle.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Rubicon has 33s

[@danielsmith2274]

There 32 inch tires. Mojave has 1” lift to allow 33” tires

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@danielsmith2274 the rubicon has a 1 inch lift and 33 inch tires too

[@danielsmith2274]

No it does not. Look it up. They have a comparison between the two on here. I also had a guy pull up next to me his had 32” tires and it was lower in the front. I’m sorry but your wrong

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

My only complaint of Mojave is no swaybar disconnect on a rock crawler I don’t get that