Behind the Ride:
Build for Off Road Adventure Ride Updates
Winch Worthy Adventure Ride Moments with Carbon Offroad
When you’re running trails as brutal as Sledgehammer and Backdoor, your recovery gear doesn’t just need to work; it has to be bulletproof.
For Australian-born winch company Carbon Offroad, the Build for Off Road Adventure Ride wasn’t just a sponsorship; it was a commitment to prove its mettle.
Carbon Offroad Owner Dan Kozaris and Product Development Manager Darren Barnard seized the opportunity to show the US market exactly who they are by tackling some of America’s toughest terrain firsthand.
A Worldwide Journey Starting at SEMA
Carbon Offroad’s decision to be an Adventure Ride sponsor can be traced back to just over a year ago. In its first year exhibiting at the SEMA Show, the company met Arthur, a member of the Brenton Productions team, who immediately saw the potential for collaboration and mentioned three crucial names that piqued their interest: MotorTrend, Discovery+, and Ian Johnson.
“We’ve known of Ian for years. He’s a global personality,” says Dan, adding that Ian’s ability to educate fellow enthusiasts makes him a highly desirable collaborator for Carbon Offroad as a new brand trying to gain awareness and credibility in the marketplace.
The initial meeting at SEMA led not just to a sponsorship, but a plan to fly back to the United States and participate in the Adventure Ride with Ian.
“Hanging out with that spiky-haired dude? We were like, ‘Yeah, let’s go do that!’” laughs Dan. By joining the ride, the Carbon Offroad team also got to directly interact with Brad Lovell, Nate Pickel, and other influential personalities in the offroad space – an experience they felt was important for building relationships as they continue to establish their brand.
With the Adventure Ride wrapping up at the 2025 SEMA Show last week, it was a full-circle moment for Dan and Darren, further solidifying their commitment to the US market.
Committed to the Culture
For Dan and Darren, who are lifelong off-road enthusiasts themselves, being personally present on the Adventure Ride was non-negotiable. Darren, a passionate Ultra4 racer and builder, emphasized how strongly he felt about throwing himself completely into the experience…from attempting full-commit obstacles like Backdoor in Johnson Valley to suffering in 100-degree heat on the drive to Kingman, Arizona.
Along with valuable opportunities to network with other movers and shakers in the industry, Dan and Darren wanted to take advantage of the chance to get immersed in the American off-roading scene.
“You get so much inspiration and motivation for building off-road rigs,” says Dan, remarking how much the offroad lifestyle is woven into American culture. “There is a significant portion of people over there who just live and breathe off-road, to a depth that we don’t have here in Australia.”
The locations and trails that Ian chose for the Adventure Ride also provided a valuable testing environment for Carbon Offroad.
“The great thing about this trip was, we actually got to do some really technical, hard off-roading that requires winching at times,” says Dan. “So as a winch company, this was a perfect match, because it was an opportunity to get solid proof that our product actually does what we say it does.”
Winch Worthy Moments
The number one requirement for a winch, especially in remote locations like Johnson Valley, is dependability.
“It’s just got to work,” says Darren, pointing out that winches are some of the most understated pieces of off-roading equipment. “They’re not flashy. They’re not exciting. But they either work, or they don’t. And if they don’t work, you look like an idiot.”
The Adventure Ride provided multiple moments for Carbon Offroad’s 12K winch to prove its reliability:
Sledgehammer Standout
In a massive V-notch on Sledgehammer in Johnson Valley, Dan and Darren had to combine winching with technical driving to maintain proper vehicle positioning and avoid a rollover.
“At first, we tried to drive it,” says Dan. “We tried a few different lines, and it wasn’t right. So we pulled out the winch at that point. It wasn’t a straightforward recovery, because if we just tried to pull straight up, we would have ended up on our roof.”
Field Repair Support
The winch wasn’t just for getting unstuck. On the first day of the Adventure Ride in Big Bear, Willie B spun his axle housing. The winch came to the rescue, allowing the team to reposition Willie’s Jeep so that they could rotate and re-weld the axle housing.
Dan and Darren noted with some chuckles that this wasn’t the only time Willie’s classic Jeep, which has already earned a reputation as an underdog, needed some repairs during the course of the Adventure Ride. Luckily, since the Carbon Offroad rig was equipped with an air compressor and plenty of tools, they were happy to help Willie whenever he needed it. They say the Two Guys Garage host handled it all with a good-natured attitude.
“He’s such a cool guy,” says Darren.
The Moss Wash Masterclass
The toughest recovery came when Ian got his rig wedged tight in Moss Wash on the way to the Gold King Mansion.
“He was literally stuck between a rock wall and a massive boulder,” says Darren.
The complex extraction technique required multiple anchor points. Ian put Darren in charge of the recovery, relying on his knowledge and expertise.
“That was actually a really cool moment for me,” says Darren. Dan adds that it was gratifying to see the winch work the way it was designed to, pulling Ian’s heavy rig smoothly and quietly, and demonstrating the incredible reliability and power of their 600-amp solenoid system—even in the high heat of the Arizona desert.
The View Ahead
For both Dan and Darren, the Sledgehammer trail itself provided a moment of clarity. While taking in the view from the top of the trail and watching the rigs progress through the valley as the sun began to set, they were each struck by the surreal, “bucket list” experience of finding themselves in an iconic location they’d previously only seen on TV and social media.
In that peaceful moment, Dan reflected on how the experience would impact their business, as well as their understanding of the US off-road market. For Darren, it was an opportunity to realize how far the company had come to make that moment a reality.
It’s clear that Carbon Offroad is a company built by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, and is more than ready to make an indelible mark on the US off-road scene. The upcoming premieres of the Build for Off Road Adventure Ride episodes on MotorTrendTV will allow millions of automotive enthusiasts to see the Carbon Offroad winches – and the passionate Aussies behind the brand – in action taking on some of the most iconic off-road trails in the United States.
Dan hopes viewers will be inspired to get out and explore these epic trails, but also understand that proper preparation – including food, water, and recovery gear – is the key to having an awesome time.
Darren hopes the beautiful scenery showcased in the episodes will encourage viewers to venture into the great outdoors and explore it first-hand.
What’s the most challenging recovery your winch has ever handled?
Share your toughest trail story in the comments below!
What’s the most challenging recovery your winch has ever handled?
Share your toughest trail story in the comments below!
Ready to Join the Adventure?
We’ve got exciting plans for more Adventure Rides throughout the year in 2026, which means more opportunities for overlanding and off-road brands to come along for the ride.
Watch the video below to learn more about putting your brand in the middle of the action!
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