The largest car show on the planet, and one of the largest trade shows, is the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Our Motors Editor Bryon Dorr traversed the entire massive show to find the best new products at SEMA 2021.
SEMA 2021 is a wrap. And this year’s automotive aftermarket extravaganza looked a bit different than in previous years. For one, it was about 30% larger in square footage this year (due to the massive convention center expansion). But it had about 30% fewer booths and 30% fewer attendees. This made it feel quite different for seasoned attendees but allowed for more in-depth discussions by those who trod the aisles.
New products were on offer, but due to record high demand over the past 2 years for most automotive products and the massive global supply chain issues, there were much fewer than normal. We searched high and low through the booths at the show to find the top 10 new automotive products that you’re going to want to know about.
Here are our best-of-show picks for the SEMA Show 2021.
The SEMA Show 2021: GearJunkie Best of Show
SeaSucker Kush-N-Karry
If you don’t already have a roof rack on your vehicle and you need more storage space, the SeaSucker Kush-N-Karry is for you. This roof-mounted cargo system attaches to your roof via the tried-and-true heavy-duty SeaSucker suction cups — four in front and two in back.
It sits flush with the roof, so it actually has better aerodynamics than a roof-mounted cargo bag mounted to traditional crossbars. The waterproof soft bag has a wedge shape. It has drainage in the rear corners in case water does get in the bag, like from melting snow off boots and/or snowshoes.
The genius of this new roof cargo system is the inflatable drop stitch floor. The floor of the bag is built like an inflatable standup paddleboard. This provides a rigid structure and a cushion between the bag’s contents and your roof.
The Kush-N-Karry packs into an included 60L carry bag. It will hit the market in the spring of 2022 for around $500.
iKamper RTT Sleeper Double
As iKamper is launching a ton of new products for the overland adventurer and weekend car camper, one new product that caught our eye is its new rooftop-tent (RTT) sleep system. The iKamper RTT Sleeper Double is a PrimaLoft Bio two-person sleeping bag that perfectly fits the size and shape of the Skytent Mini, and works in any RTT.
The bottom is thinner than the top for ultimate warmth with reduced bulk. And a new PrimaLoft Bio blanket system can be snapped in for even more insulation.
The iKamper Sleeper Double as well as a number of other RTT sleep products will hit the market in early 2022. No word on pricing just yet.
OmniWall Cabinets
OmniWall is an awesome, easy-to-use wall storage system. We’ve installed it in our Ultimate Garage Program (more on that very soon) and can’t be happier with the results. Extreme organization and configuration versatility for all your tools and gear makes it easy to access and keeps your garage tidy.
The latest product from OmniWall, coming in early 2022, is this cabinet system. The system can be added to OmniWall panels, or purchased as a new standalone wall cabinet system. It is super lightweight, has soft-touch hinges, and has optional rechargeable cabinet lights.
The double cabinet will set you back $149 and the single $99, including the OmniWall mounting panels.
Giant Loop Armadillo Bags
Giant Loop has been a leader in the soft bag game for adventure motorcycling for a long time and has offered fuel bladders for a number of years now. I have and use one of its older fuel bladders and have loved it for motorcycle and vehicle travel. Recently, Giant Loop completely revamped its fuel bag lineup and gave it a new name, Armadillo Bag.
These collapsible, lightweight, durable fuel transport bags are available in 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-gallon sizes. The Giant Loop Armadillo Bag has a protective CORDURA outer sleeve with an inner TPU bladder. It features a ton of strong tiedown spots and now includes a pour spout that stores in an on-bag pocket.
Armadillo Bags are available now and range from $99 to $299.
Bad Ass Mounts
While not light or inexpensive, Bad Ass Mounts are the most versatile and adjustable quality light mounts I’ve ever seen. They are made of machined aluminum and swivel with a small pin that locks them in place. They just hit the market, and a pair will set you back $129.
Bad Ass Mounts also offers a huge range of brackets to mount this swivel mount to just about any adventure vehicle.
American Adventure Lab Table Drawer
American Adventure Lab continues to create innovative quality products to upgrade the overland lifestyle of your 4WD vehicle. The latest product that caught my eye at SEMA this year is a rear drawer module for the new Ford Bronco.
The drawer is 6 inches deep, but the really cool part is the pull-out Plyboo table that stows cleanly under the drawer. This is a super space-efficient and convenient table/food prep surface solution for your adventure rig.
The American Adventure Lab Table Drawer will set you back $750-ish for the Bronco, while the same setup (a bit smaller drawer module) for the Jeep Wrangler JL will be about $700. It will hit the market right around the end of the year.
Dometic CMP-C2 Compact Camp Bench
Camp benches aren’t new, but the new Dometic CMP-C2 Compact Camp Bench is a well-designed quality seating solution for your next adventure. It folds up into its included carry sac to be about the size of a single camp chair but seats two (300-pound weight capacity). It is super lightweight and made of durable 600D fabric and aluminum.
The Dometic CMP-C2 Compact Camp Bench comes out this spring and will cost $99.
Factor55 Ultimate Recovery Bags
There are lots of bags out there to carry your off-road recovery gear, but very few are made in the USA and designed to truly handle the abuse that a good recovery bag is bound to go through. Factor55 is known for its super high-quality American-made products. The brand turned to the Adventure Tool Company (ATC), another super-respected USA manufacturer, to build its latest recovery gear bags.
The Factor55 Ultimate Recovery Bags are made of 12-ounce waxed canvas with a 1500D ballistic CORDURA bottom and 1000D CORDURA orange interior, for durability and ease of quickly finding the gear you need. They are available now in two sizes: medium for $152 and large for $252.
Cooper Rugged Trek Tires
Cooper’s latest adventure tire is the Rugged Trek. It has the looks of mud-terrain (M/T) but the road manners of an all-terrain (A/T). You get super-raised letters on the sidewalls as well as two different sidewall patterns. Because it’s a bidirectional tire, you can choose which style sidewall you want to show on the outside of the tire to best suit your taste.
The Cooper Rugged Trek Tire is offered in a wide range of sizes for just about any adventure vehicle. Eight of the most common sizes have a snowflake rating.
ARB Jack Bronco Rear Door Mount
While a very specific product, the ARB Jack mount for the rear door in the new Ford Bronco is super cool. I carry an ARB Jack in my adventure rig and love how easy and safe it is to use, but hate how bulky and hard it is to store in the vehicle. This new rear door mount for the Bronco is going to make a lot of customers happy.
No word on pricing yet, but it will hit the market in early 2022.