January 2025 - Leo // Wilder_Feelz
Hello! My name is Leo. I am from Orange County, California & this is the origin story of my 2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness. As a child, one of my fondest memories was going on cross-country road trips with my family in a Ford Taurus Station Wagon. Now that I’m married & have 2 kiddos of my own, I’ve been wanting to recreate some of those core memories. With that said, I was ready to trade-in my BMW M3 for something more adventurous. Knowing that I have a sweet spot for wagons, my wife suggested the Subaru Outback. When I found out they offered a Wilderness Edition, I knew I just had to have it.
In the beginning, I had no intention in turning my OBW into what it has become today. At the time, all I wanted was beefy tires & a roof box to hold my gear. Later I realized that my new wheel setup would not fit into my spare tire well. As a result, I sought out for a spare tire carrier from Dirtcom. Little did I know this would be the beginning of what was about to unfold. When I picked up my Trail Swing, Dirtcom invited me to Subie Fest & offered me a spot at their booth to show off my new Trail Swing. Several people asked for my IG handle so I could be tagged on some pics; and since I didn’t have one, @Wilder_Feelz was born.
While at the event, I was introduced to the Subaru community & after market industry that I had no idea existed. I got the chance to meet Rally Innovations who I later partnered with to do R&D for the 2024 Outback Wilderness Rally Light Bar & Fog Light Conversion Kit. Through Rally Innovations I was introduced to Primitive Racing & Baja Designs where I stocked up on skid plates & LED lights. Then I had the opportunity to work with Goose Gear & tried out their award winning Park Series storage modules. I recently teamed up with CAtuned Off-Road for the release of their new Rock Sliders. I’m now in the talks with RaceWorks Coilovers to be the 1st to rock their next-gen long travel suspension coming to market. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I would be working with some of the top companies in the industry to build my ultimate adventure wagon.
The Outback has definitely been a nice addition to my life & I’m looking forward to taking it on more adventures. In 2024, I plan to visit new National Parks & spend more time in the great outdoors with my family. I hope to attend more events, car shows, expos & maybe event land a spot at SEMA. Who knows, I may even become a Subaru ambassador. I have no idea what the future will hold, but I’m just taking it one step at a time & seeing where my Subie journey takes me.