Diode Dynamics exhibited at the recent Northwest Overland Rally 2023 in the picturesque Plain, Washington. The event, which occurred on June 15-18th, had a relaxed atmosphere as it drew in Overlanders to partake in a variety of instructional programming and activities. There was also plenty of time for networking among the Overlanding adventurers who camped out during the rally. This was a perfect environment for attendees to show off their builds while appreciating the Overlanding rigs of others. For many, the experience led to the inspiration of upgrading their builds.
"It was really cool to be able to talk with Overlanders who were interested to see how we could help upgrade their rigs," said Jace Garcia, Diode Dynamics Photographer/Videographer and Overlanding enthusiast. "They would talk with other attendees while checking out their builds, see how they utilized our lights and then came to our mobile showroom to see how we could help them do something similar. It was great to be a part of the laid-back environment, in the beautiful scenery, and really enhance the experience of those who came to see us."
Throughout Northwest Overland Rally 2023, there were lots of opportunities for attendees to not only get inspired and learn, but also put their driving skills to use! One of the most popular spots of the rally was the tech course. There, many Overlanders got to demonstrate the versatility of their unique builds. All of them were noteworthy, but a few stood out to us in particular with the way they utilized our Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights. Here are just a few of our favorite rigs, listed by make and model, that lit up the trails and campsites.
Table of Contents
Toyota 4Runner
4Runners have a long history of being a favorite of Overlanders. It was no surprise to see several at Northwest Overland Rally 2023. Knowing how popular they are, Diode Dynamics has developed several functional applications to outfit them with durable, performance-focused LED off-road lights.
This 2016 Toyota 4Runner by @Evergreen_RNR is incredibly well-outfitted with several of our Stage Series LED Off-Road Light Kits. First among them is the 7-Pod Stage Series CrossLink LED Light Bar attached to the roof rack. This setup showed off the CrossLink LED light bar and how it allows for maximum lighting performance without interfering with the roof rack-mounted tent. The Stage Series Backlit LED Ditch Light Kit was also noticeable, as it added a great way to light up the sides of the trails.
Our SS3 LED Fog Light Kit made an appearance as well. It allows for a huge upgrade in output thanks to the SS3 LED Pods, while maintaining a clean factory-style appearance.
Toyota Tacoma
Not every Overlander is as keen to maintain a factory-style appearance with their LED lighting upgrades. In fact, some prefer the more rugged off-road look of the universal Stage Series LED Pods. This 3rd generation Toyota Tacoma build utilized the bolt-on fitment of the universal SS3 and SSC2 LED Pods for a rugged fog pocket kit look on its aftermarket Overlanding bumper.
This second-generation Toyota Tacoma blended the best of both worlds by mounting SS3 and SS5 LED Pod lights on top of the bumper and then installing the SS3 LED Pods into the fog light areas of the aftermarket bumper. Finally, they completed their LED off-road lighting upgrade with an SSC2 LED Ditch Light Kit. Both of these Tacomas keep a rugged and ready off-road look with useful additional lighting functionality.
Subaru Crosstrek
This 2016 Subaru Crosstrek by @silverbulletxv was impossible to miss on the tech course! This impressively outfitted Overlanding rig stands ready to test the limits of Crosstrek capabilities everywhere. The 7-Pod Stage Series CrossLink LED Light Bar lights the way for the rig and keeps it eye-catching on the course by showing off the backlight functionality of the Stage Series LED Pod Lights. The amber and purple light color combination on the roof rack and bumper makes sure that all eyes are on the Crosstrek as it crushed the terrain.
The build also utilized SS3 LED Pods with the flush-mounted bezel in the rear bumper. This added the benefits of the additional rear-mounted Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights without affecting the departure angle of the Crosstrek.
Subaru Outback
Crosstreks certainly were not the only Subarus present at Northwest Overland Rally 2023. Several Outbacks were comfortable taking the roads less traveled.
This wilderness edition Subaru Outback mounted two SS5 LED Off-Road Light Pods in the front lower bumper. This stealth light pod approach delivers the off-road lighting capabilities of the Stage Series LED Pods, while maintaining the aesthetically pleasing factory appearance of the new Outback.
Another Outback that we saw on the tech course leaned in completely to the off-road Overlanding look and mounted SS5 and SS3 LED Off-Road Lights right onto the off-road bumper.
To complete the lighting upgrade, they also outfitted the build with a powerful, yet low-profile Stage Series 42" LED Off-Road Light Bar on the roof rack. All of the Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights on this Outback are yellow or amber-colored, which really adds contrast to those dark trails and that distinctive yellow color that is popular on Subaru Overlanding rigs.
Subaru Legacy Wagon
Smaller Stage Series LED Light Bars are also popular to install in Subarus. This remarkable 2005 JDM Subaru Legacy Wagon by @out2roam implemented a pair of Stage Series 6" SAE/DOT White Light Bars mounted to the top of the bull bar for a punch of down-range driving light.
They also mounted a pair of Stage Series 6" SAE Amber Light Bars a little more discreetly into the lower bumper opening to provide the deep amber color that's perfect for spotting hazards and high contrast in poor weather. To complete the trifecta of forward-facing LED Off-Road Light upgrades, this rig also mounted an Amber Stage Series 30" LED Off-Road Light Bar on the roof rack.
The SSC2 LED Off-Road lights are also included on the Legacy Wagon build. By utilizing the universal mounting function of the SSC2s, six of them were added to the sides of the roof rack to provide substantial cargo lighting that doubles as ambient camp lighting for this Overlander build.
This Legacy Wagon also utilized the SSC2 LED Off-Road lights in an innovative camp lighting application that impressed us. The adventurer used four SSC2 LED Pods with our interchangeable flush mount bezel and recessed the LED pods into the back of their Subaru Legacy hatch.
This provides them with the option for high-power white and yellow lights to really light up the rear of the rig, or to utilize the backlight function of the SSC2 lights which are lower-powered red and yellow lights and helps to avoid bugs at night while camping.
Conclusion
Northwest Overland Rally 2023 was a fantastic opportunity to see how Overlanding enthusiasts adapt our Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights to meet their unique and specific needs. Whether builds are traversing challenging off-road trails, or providing the functional lighting to illuminate the campsite we're proud to continue supporting the growing Overlanding community by providing useful, durable LED off-road lights.
Want to see where Diode Dynamics will be next? Check out our Events page and see if we'll be at an event near you.
Ready to Buy Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights?
If you’re ready to add Stage Series LED Off-Road Lights to your Overlanding vehicle, you can upgrade by clicking here or using our dealer locator to find a dealer near you.
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