Gearing up for the Road Dog Tour: A 3-month, 9,500 mile waterfowl hunting road trip throughout the US.
In November of 2024 Zach Rutledge of Split Reed set out on a 9,500 mile road trip throughout the US called the Road Dog Tour. The loose plan was to chase birds, sleep at boat ramps and KOAs, meet up with cool people, and tell cool stories along the way.
Split Reed is a digital media company that serves waterfowl hunters worldwide with hundreds of thousands of followers across their social media channels. As a hunter and outdoor media professional, Zach had a ton of gear to organize and protect on his trip, along with his most precious cargo: his dog, Quinn. Guns, decoys, cameras, clothing, food, and other electronics all had to fit in his Ford F150, while still leaving room to work and sleep. Creating the ultimate waterfowl hunting rig for a trip like this was a tall order, but his Super Pacific camper was more than ready for the challenge.
Below is a recap of a conversation with Zach at our Portland HQ as we were installing his X1, and all images are from his adventures on the Road Dog Tour.
SP: How did you land on an X1 for your waterfowl hunting rig?
Zach: "Something I've always wanted to do is just travel and hunt every single day that I possibly can. And so thanks to you guys I can head to a bunch of different locations, and I can be as mobile as I need to be… and mobility is a huge advantage when you're hunting a migratory bird. They could be in one area one day, and gone on another. So when you can go wherever the birds are, you'll obviously be more successful."
"Another thing that was important was ease of setup. I didn't need anything especially fancy, I mainly just wanted to be able to comfortably camp at boat ramps, KOAs, and public land. Being able to just pull up to an easy spot, pop my top, and then bed down for the night with my gear and boat was all I wanted."
SP: What did you consider when setting up your waterfowl hunting rig?
Zach: "Weather resistance was one of the biggest things. My dog and I just need to be warm and dry before and after a hunt, so how the camper handled the elements was a huge consideration for a waterfowl hunting rig. Rain, snow, winter temps, and how I could best manage those things were at the front of my mind. A portion of the tour will bring me to Montana where it could potentially be ten degrees outside, so warming up with the Truma Heater after a hunt was hugely attractive. The insulation package for your tent, and being able to run a heater made you guys an obvious choice."
"The other thing that I really thought about was weight and payload on my truck. Although I liked the idea of a standard slide-in camper, I knew that the weight of all my gear, plus the weight of the boat I was towing would be significant. Staying as light as possible on a simple wedge camper seemed like a fair trade-off while not over-taxing my truck on a 9,500 mile trip."
SP: Why is organization so important to you?
Zach: "I'm going to be living out of my truck for three months straight, so having a setup that's streamlined and dialed-in is just necessary. At any given moment, I'll need the right gun, the right camera lens, or Quinn's favorite toy, so I have to know where everything is. I knew that I didn't want to be living out of bins for a few months and that I needed to be very organized with all of my gear and efficient with the small amount of space that I have in my truck. Between my DECKED system, your MOLLE panels and Cargo packs, I'll be able to have everything where I need it."
SP: As the owner of a sporting dog, what special considerations did you make when choosing your camper?
Zach: "There are a number of companies that make a wedge camper but Super Pacific has a reputation for making the most durable option out there, and among sporting dog owners, it's known as the most dog friendly."
Zach: "We are covering a lot of ground, and driving over 9,500 miles, so from a safety standpoint, my dog rides in a Gunner Kennel in the bed of my truck. I needed to make sure a that she has proper air ventilation while we're driving and the sliding rear window, along with the side door half-shut options provide just enough air flow when we're on the move so she's not breathing the same air constantly."
The takeaway
If you're a sportsman that wants to head out onto public lands to hunt or fish, these are the main things that Zach considered when building his waterfowl hunting rig:
Durability and weather resistance
- Zach needed a camper that was durable and well-made, and that could handle the abuse that would come from such a long road trip. On top of build quality, he needed a camper that could manage the elements during the winter.
Organization
- Staying organized was essential and his DECKED system combined with MOLLE panels and Cargo Packs helped keep all of his gear organized and off the floor of his truck.
Dog Friendly
- Keeping his dog Quinn safe and comfortable was at the top of his list. If you're an upland hunter or waterfowler that regularly travels with a dog take a close look at his setup.