Fred Loso had spent most of his life on the road. Still does in fact.
Long before LBO Armor ever became a brand, Fred was just another truck driver logging endless miles across America — learning firsthand what long hours behind the wheel could do to a person's body. Aching elbows. Tight shoulders. Sore backs. Sleepless nights in truck stops and rest areas. He knew the lifestyle because he lived it every day.
Tom Whitaker knew something about long roads too.
For decades, Tom had traveled the country meeting customers, visiting factories, and talking with hardworking Americans who depended on tools they could trust. Somewhere in IOWA on a cold gray afternoon outside a busy filling station near I-80, their paths crossed for the first time.
Fred had backed his rig into the diesel lane while Tom was inside grabbing coffee and jerky for the road. What started as a quick conversation about weather and highway construction turned into two men standing beside a truck for nearly an hour — swapping stories about work, family, manufacturing, and the realities of life on the road.
Tom noticed Fred rubbing his elbow while leaning against the cab.
"Long haul catching up with you?" Tom joked.
Fred laughed and reached into his truck.
"Not anymore."
Out came the very first prototype of what would later become the LBO Armor Elbow Relief sleeve. Fred explained how he designed it himself after years of pain from resting his arm against hard truck doors and center consoles.
Then he showed Tom something else.
A travel table meal designed for real drivers — something sturdy enough to store and eat meal on, inside a truck cab dash without sliding around or falling apart after a few months.
Tom immediately understood it.
Not because it was flashy.
Because it solved real problems.
That mattered to Tom Whitaker.
The two men sat inside the truck cab while rain tapped against the windshield, talking about product design, durability, and why practical innovation still mattered. By the time Fred pulled back onto the interstate, Tom had taken both prototypes with him — "just to try them out."
A few weeks later, Fred got a phone call.
"Fred," Tom said, "I've put thousands of miles on these things already… and I'm telling you right now — I'm not traveling without this gear anymore."
That conversation became the beginning of a friendship built on mutual respect: two hardworking men, two builders, two believers in practical American innovation.
Over time, Tom introduced Fred to others who shared the same mindset — people who valued products that weren't built for trends, but for real life.
What Fred Built — And Why It Lasts
Today, the LBO Armor line still reflects the exact principles that started at that Pennsylvania filling station.
LBO Armor™ — Driver Elbow & Joint Support
Designed by a truck driver who lived the problem. LBO Armor™ provides targeted elbow and joint support for long-haul drivers, commuters, and anyone whose daily routine puts sustained stress on their elbows and joints. Not a medical device. Not a trend product. A practical solution built by someone who needed it and couldn't find it anywhere else.
Fred designed it for himself first. Then for every driver who'd ever rubbed their elbow at a diesel pump and kept moving without saying a word about it.
Travel Trable™ — The Truck Meal Tray Built for Real Drivers
The same philosophy. A real problem — no stable surface in the cab for meals to-go, — solved by someone who understood the problem from the inside. Travel Trable™ is compact, stable, and built for the way drivers actually live: long hours, tight spaces, and no time for products that don't work.
Tom still keeps one in his vehicle. Every trip.
Why Tom Carries Both — Every Trip
"Once you've used it on the road… you don't travel without it."
— Tom Whitaker
Tom Whitaker has tested a lot of products over the years. Most of them are fine. A few of them are genuinely good. LBO Armor and Travel Trable are in a different category — the category of products that change a daily habit permanently. The kind of thing where you use it once and immediately wonder what you were doing before.
That's the standard Tom holds everything to. And it's the standard Fred Loso built his products to meet.
The Father's Day Connection
If your dad drives for a living — or drives long distances for work, family, or the love of the open road — LBO Armor and Travel Trable are the Father's Day gifts that tell him you understand what his days actually look like. Not a novelty. Not a gift card. Something he'll reach for every single morning when he gets behind the wheel.
Order by June 10 for Father's Day delivery by June 15.
Shop LBO Armor → Shop Travel Trable →
FAQs
Who invented LBO Armor?
LBO Armor was designed by Fred Loso, a long-haul truck driver who developed the elbow relief sleeve after years of joint pain from resting his arm against hard truck doors and center consoles during long hauls. He designed it for himself first — then for every driver who'd experienced the same problem without a real solution.
What is LBO Armor used for?
LBO Armor™ provides targeted elbow and joint support for long-haul drivers, commuters, and anyone whose daily routine puts sustained stress on their elbows and joints. It's designed for real-world use during driving, desk work, and any activity that puts repetitive stress on the elbow joint.
What is Travel Trable?
Travel Trable™ is a portable truck meal tray and stable surface designed for use in truck cabs, and on RV trips. It provides a stable, flat surface for meals on the go — built for the way drivers actually live.
Does Tom Whitaker actually use LBO Armor and Travel Trable?
Yes. Tom has used both products since meeting Fred Loso at a filling station near I-80 in IOWA. He keeps Travel Trable in his vehicle on every trip and considers LBO Armor one of the few products that permanently changed a daily habit. "Once you've used it on the road," Tom says, "you don't travel without it."
Are LBO Armor and Travel Trable good Father's Day gifts for truck drivers?
Yes — both were designed by and for people who spend serious time behind the wheel. LBO Armor addresses the elbow and joint pain that long-haul drivers experience daily. Travel Trable gives drivers a proper surface for meals in the cab. Order by June 10 for Father's Day delivery by June 15.
More Father's Day Ideas: Tom's Complete Father's Day Gift Guide | Shop LBO Armor | Shop Travel Trable | Learn From Tom
