2024 BIG Show: New Products in Truck, Off-Road, Overlanding, and Towing

When it comes to showcasing the latest in automotive innovation, the Keystone BIG Show never disappoints…

It’s been almost two weeks since the 2024 Keystone BIG Show wrapped up in Kissimmee, Florida, and The Engine Block team has spent most of that time excitedly gushing over our favorite products from the event. As you likely guessed from the title of this post, we couldn’t fit them all in one place.

Drawing industry professionals from across the U.S. and Canada, the BIG Show lives up to its name.

The event showcases the latest and greatest that the automotive aftermarket has to offer – including brand spankin’ new parts and accessories designed to make your ride go faster, further, and look cooler than ever before.

And while, yes, it’s a trade show built around B2B networking and buying, the BIG Show really illustrates the value of enthusiast-jobber relationships. Don’t forget, the people you buy product from need to be exposed to the right suppliers, trends, and products – up close and personal – so they can understand exactly what it is they’ll be stocking for customers like you.

We’ll be deep-diving different categories over the next few weeks, and rounding up some of the most important new products representing today’s market trends, so be sure to check back for those lists.

For now, though, here are some of the most impressive products we saw roll out of the Truck Accessories, Off-Road & Overlanding, and Towing arenas.

Truck Accessories

Americans love their pickups almost as much as they love accessorizing them. In fact, SEMA says pickup truck parts are the biggest sellers in the aftermarket industry – topping $15 billion in 2022 alone.

Judging by the massive array of truck enhancements on display at the 2024 BIG Show, we can see why consumers are so eager to click “Buy.”

Side Steps

Westin showed off its new Pro-e Power Running Board, an automatic side-step that smoothly deploys and retracts for easier vehicle access. Available for Ford, GM, Dodge/RAM, Toyota, and Jeep trucks and SUVs, they provide an impressively sleek step up that doesn’t interfere with OEM styling.

Integrated LED lights illuminate the 6-inch wide, durable aluminum step surface, and each side can hold up to 300 lbs.

The Pro-e has been available since late 2023, if you’re interested in pricing out a set for your ride. If, however, you’re the type who likes to be first in line for everything, then keep an eye out for Westin’s new HDX Running Boards.

The patent-pending design features two levels of wide stepping surface, which makes for an interesting look – something halfway between a running board and a drop-step. Whatever it is, we dig it. We also like the ruggedly-textured step area pattern for more grip and stability.

Apparently, TrailFX got the same memo regarding the people’s need for good side step coverage – and they took the assignment seriously.

The brand served up a wealth of attractive options, including the excellently-designed new running boards pictured below. Made of steel, they mount to the vehicle’s body and help with rocker panel coverage.

We love the asymmetrical tread pattern and thick, textured grip on these. In addition to adding a really sharp look, the stamped pattern will help channel away moisture and debris on off-road adventures.

Tonneau Covers

Moving onto another must-have truck accessory, tonneau covers were in full force at the 2024 BIG Show. Two suppliers really stood out, however, for their truly innovative and unique designs.

First up was the Guardian Tonneau Cover from Dee Zee.

With a whopping 800 lb. weight rating, this aluminum-top tonneau cover offers more than just protection for your truck bed. It also functions as a versatile cargo solution, allowing you to transport tents and other gear on top of the cover as well as easily access the truck bed via the liftable and lockable rear panel – which opens effortlessly thanks to dampened gas shocks.

The extrusion channels also offer customized placement of tie-downs, cross bars, or platform racks so you can really elevate your truck game.

The other tonneau cover which really captured our attention, initially had us scratching our heads. Is it actually a tonneau cover? A bed cap? A truck bed soft top? We never did actually come to a consensus, but we all agree the CoveRex “Inflatable Truck Bed Topper” from Armordillo gets major points for ingenuity.

Compact, flexible, and easy to set up, it’s your perfect travel companion on camping excursions. The mesh screen and vinyl window ensure fresh air and natural light, as well as reliable rear-view visibility, while the sturdy construction keeps your truck bed protected.

Better yet, Armordillo says the topper only weighs about 40 pounds. It inflates via electric pump and stores in a convenient carrying bag when not in use.

Other Accessories

Another cool exterior truck product that stood out to us – and nabbed a Most Innovative New Product Award – was Ecoological’s BumperShellz.

These chrome-delete overlay kits install directly over the OEM bumper and/or grille to cover up rust, scratches, and other existing damage. Available in a variety of colors and finishes, they’re also just a quick and easy way to restyle your truck bumper and trim.

Off-Road & Overlanding

If anyone loves finding room in the budget for parts and accessories, it’s off-road and overlanding enthusiasts. And while, normally, we would separate these two groups in a list like this, the crossover potential between them was just too loud to ignore – as showcased by the diverse array of products on display at the 2024 BIG Show.

Again, TrailFX really understood the assignment this year.

The brand showed off a custom Bronco dripping in exciting new product, including a front bumper with optional bull bar, cargo basket roof rack with useful ladder feature, NO-drill steel fender flares, sharp-looking spare tire carrier, Terravore side awning, and the aforementioned steel running boards.

Some items are already available on the company’s website while others will be released throughout 2024.

Westin took a holistic view where off-road and overlanding are concerned as well, engineering an entire catalog’s worth of heavy-duty products for the Mercedez-Benz Sprinter Van. From roof racks to running boards, they’ve got this #vanlife favorite covered. Download a flyer for yourself at the brand’s website.

Recovery

In the recovery department, we were very impressed with Go Rhino’s El Gato Hydraulic Jack.

Using maintenance-free hydraulic technology and an incredibly strong-but-lightweight aluminum construction, the El Gato EG-1 provides off-roaders an effortless, safe, and reliable way to raise and lower their rig on the trail. The quick-release double shear locking bars allow for a quick and easy set-up, while the single-action relief lever offers a slow and buttery smooth descent every time.

Campsite

Of course, we can’t forget about the campsite. Dometic and ARB had your cooling needs covered with powerful and incredibly stylish fridge/freezer combos.

Dometic also brought a neat 11L GO Hydration Water Jug, which offers convenient store-and-pour functionality in the kind of pleasingly minimalist Swedish designs the company has really perfected.

On the comfort side, Pittman Outdoors showed off its clever One Click EZ-UP Truck Bed Tents. Soon available for full-size trucks with 8ft beds, these innovative tents turn your truck bed into a comfy campsite in minutes. They’re waterproof, wind-resistant, and UV-protected; offer over 70 inches of head room; and comfortably sleep 2 people.

Towing

Remember earlier when we mentioned how important this show is for the customer-retailer relationship because it helps jobbers find better products for you? Well, Husky Towing’s new 5th Wheel Pallet Kits neatly illustrate our point.

Designed to be an easy-to-order option, these kits offer a complete 5th Wheel hitch in one box. It includes a preassembled set of standard 5th Wheel legs that are ready to mount using a set of Industry Standard (ISR) 5th Wheel base rails, which reduces installation time by about 15 minutes.

Weight Distribution

Husky also brought its Center Line Friction Sway Two Point Weight Distribution System to the show. Also serving up a quick and painless installation, the Center Line combines WD and sway control in one unit, using fewer components and removing the need for additional hardware.

Weight distribution is a big deal in towing safety, and “The First Name In Towing Products,” CURT brought its own safety-minded setup to the 2024 BIG Show as well.

The TruTrack Trailer-Mounted Weight Distribution System takes an innovative approach to combining weight distribution with sway control. It uses powerful spring bars to level the tow vehicle and trailer, while integrating two-position or four-position sway control to ensure a smooth ride.

Like Husky’s product, setup is fast and easy and eliminates the need for you to purchase and install a separate sway control unit.

Easy Hitching

While more fleet-oriented, the SnapLatch Coupler from Gen-Y Hitch also caught our attention.

The SnapLatch Coupler features an automatic latching mechanism, ensuring a secure connection without manual intervention and reducing the risk of human error during coupling. It automatically resets once the trailer is disconnected, simplifying the connection process for effortless use next time.

Remember, stay tuned for more new product coverage and brand features! We’ll have an entire piece coming up dedicated to speed and performance, and another just on wheels and tires.