Real stories from the riders who refused to quit, from sea to shining sea.

When your adventure takes you off the beaten path, a flat tire can stop everything. That is, unless you’re carrying a GlueTread kit. These real stories from across the country prove that even when the odds (and the terrain) are stacked against you, the right off road tire repair can turn a disaster into a story worth telling. 

Starting in the Appalachian hills and ending in the Alaskan backcountry, here are five off road tire repair miracles from riders who turned setbacks into success stories.

1. West Virginia — 54 Miles from Camp on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails
   
   “This kit saved me 54 miles from camp on the Hatfield-McCoy trails. I got a sidewall hole you could stick your finger in along with a 2-inch tear right at my beadlock. Patched, glued, aired up in 3 minutes and rode 160 more miles on it that weekend.”
   
   
   
   Deep in the mountains of West Virginia, a torn sidewall threatened to cut the day short. A quick trail repair kept the tire sealed and rolling. It wasn’t perfect, but it got the job done for another 160 miles.
   
   

2. Arkansas — Mulberry Mountain Group Save

   “We were riding at Mulberry Mountain when someone in our group got a sidewall cut and didn’t have a spare. Another rider had this GlueTread kit, and we used it. It worked great. We made it four hours back to camp, and rode on it the next two days just to see how it would hold up—and it did.”
   

   

   
   At Mulberry Mountain in Arkansas, a blown sidewall could’ve ended the day. A quick trail repair kept the group moving, making it four hours back to camp and two more days on the same tire. A simple fix that held when it counted.
   

3. Missouri — Thumb-Sized Tear at St. Joe State Park
   
   “A rock tore through the sidewall on my 30-inch Maxxis Carnivore UTV tire. I could put my thumb right through the sidewall. I used the whole 4-inch patch on the damage and rode five (maybe six) hours at St. Joe State Park without failing.”
   
   
   
   At St. Joe State Park in Missouri, one sharp rock put a rider’s sidewall and patience to the test. He patched the thumb-sized tear and kept riding for nearly six more hours. By the end of the ride, the repair was still holding strong. 
   
   

4. Idaho — When a Tire Kit Saved a Turbo Hose

   “We were camped in central Idaho when my son’s upper turbo hose blew out on a steep grade and curve. My daughter-in-law remembered the GlueTread kit I’d given them. They sanded the 2-inch split, applied the patch with glue, zip-tied it for support, and made it the next sixty miles of steep, winding road to camp. Thanks to your kit, our family made it safely, and we’ll be carrying one in every vehicle from here on out.”
   

   

   
   In the mountains of central Idaho, one family discovered that an off road tire repair kit can be used on more than tires. When a turbo hose split on a steep mountain climb, a quick-thinking crew patched it with GlueTread, zip-tied it tight, and miraculously made it sixty miles back to camp. It might not have been the fix they expected, but it’s one they won’t soon forget.
   

5. Alaska — Moose Hunt Ready

   “I’m prepping for a moose hunt here in Alaska. [Applies patch.] We’re gonna let this sit here for a couple more minutes, then take it out in the Alaskan backcountry and really see if it holds.”
   

   

   
   This quote came from a video a customer submitted through our Free Kit Program. Out in the Alaskan backcountry, he trusted GlueTread to hold up through a moose hunt, miles from the nearest road or service station. The patch held strong, and so did he. Through our Free Kit Program, any customer who records their repair and sends us the video receives a replacement kit for free. We sent him one for sharing his story, but we think the real reward was knowing he could count on the one he already had.
   

From the hills of West Virginia to the backcountry of Alaska, these stories remind us why GlueTread exists. We’re proud to join the off-road community in this way, playing a part in helping people stay on the trail, get back to camp, or make it home safely. Repairs don’t always happen in ideal conditions, but we know that’s when reliable gear matters most.

Written by Caroline Crow