Trail Rash and Tinted Lenses: A Weekend at VIOR 2026

Quick summary: Wild Wrap, maker of precut DIY paint protection film (PPF) kits for off-road and overland vehicles, was a vendor at the 2026 Vancouver Island Overland Rally (VIOR) alongside Xlandr, an off-road eyewear brand from Walter Hill. A Land Cruiser 250 wrapped in a Wild Wrap PPF kit served as a real-world example of how the film holds up against trail rash and pinstripe scratches after a season of use.

We spent this past weekend at VIOR, set up at Coombs Rodeo Grounds in Qualicum Beach alongside a lineup of rigs, campers, and gear brands that actually use the stuff they sell. That last part matters more than people think.

Sharing a Booth Row With a Land Cruiser That's Seen Some Trails

A couple booths down from us was our buddy running Xlandr, the off-road eyewear line out of Walter Hill. His Land Cruiser 250 is wrapped in a Wild Wrap precut paint protection film kit, and after a season of dust, gravel, and whatever else Vancouver Island throws at it, it's exactly the kind of proof we can't fake in studio photos. PPF's job isn't to make the paint look better than new, it's to stop trail rash, pinstripe scratches, and brush scratches from reaching the clear coat in the first place, and after this many trail miles, Wild Wrap's kit was still holding that line.

Why We Keep Ending Up at the Same Events

We're not the same product. He's protecting your eyes from glare and dust, we're protecting your paint from rocks and branches. But the overlap makes sense: same trails, same "gear you can actually trust" mindset, same people who'd rather spend the weekend testing equipment than talking about it in theory.

I picked up a pair of Xlandr sunglasses off him at the rally, something I'd been meaning to do for a while. If you're spending long days behind the wheel on bright gravel roads, the difference a proper lens makes for glare and eye strain is noticeable fast. You can check out the lineup here.

The Actual Takeaway

Events like VIOR are less about the booth and more about who's parked next to you. Good gear tends to cluster around other good gear, and this weekend was a solid reminder of that. If you're building out your rig, Wild Wrap's precut PPF kits are built to stop trail rash and scratches before they start, and if you need something for your eyes while you're out there, our friends at Xlandr have you covered.

See you at the next one.