Well, January and February have been flat out for both Nic and I and the support team here at Open Sky Touring. Not only were both of us travelling overseas at various times for work, but we also had to move all our gear down to Brisbane in early preparation for the upcoming National 4×4 Outdoors Show, Fishing and Boating Expo.
The bonus there though was that Ben got to take off in the 79 for some dad and daughter time and drive the long way to Brisbane from Cairns, managing to get caught in the beginning of the Outback’s wet season in the process.
“We were just south of Hughenden on our way to Muttaburra in the Black Soil country when the heavens opened up. What was a relaxing drive, stopping for the occasional echidna crossing (yes, more than once!), quickly turned into a four-hour slog in 4WD, struggling just to stay on the road in extremely slippery conditions. With the windows down and the thunder almost deafening at times, it was quite exhilarating to feel the waves of cold air and smell those earthy smells of the bush. I think the 79 gained about 200 kilograms from the mud though.
“Despite the rain and the fun in the mud, as we moved further south, it was apparent that the Outback was still in desperate need of a good drenching. In several places, stockmen were minding cattle as they grazed along the roads looking for feed, as there was literally none in the paddocks. By now though, many of these areas of Western Queensland and NSW have had some excellent rain that will hopefully see them able to make some sort of steps on the way to recovery.”
But back to reality and the upcoming 4WD and camping shows. We won’t be able to attend the upcoming Moreton Bay Show, but we will have our friends at Ezy Anchor demonstrating and showing the boxes at their stand this year. We’ll then return the favour and take their stuff to the Brisbane show at the end of March, which they are unable to make. Sometimes it’s just all about helping each other out when you are in a small Aussie business.
We are also now collaborating with Jamie Hazelden on a new portable power solution, in the form of the Enerdrive equipped Power Easy Expedition. Jamie says, “The Power Easy Expedition is a complete power solution that can be transferred from the back of the ute to the trailer, from the trailer to the boat, and from the boat to the campsite.” These can be fitted with either AGM or Lithium options in various sizes.
For those looking at going to either show, there should be a discount code floating around shortly that you can use to save 10 bucks on the entrance fee. Sing out if you are trying to get your hands on it.
Now, here are a couple of novel uses for our Expedition134 boxes.
When you forget the washing up dish…
And who doesn’t need a step of some sort to get to those hard-to-reach places in the engine bay or to just check the oil even? Here is another use for the box.
If anyone has any other novel uses for the box, we’d love to see them and share them with the Open Sky Touring community to inspire some ideas. You can reach us on Facebook, Instagram or even plain old email.
Recently, one of our Victorian customers sent in a heap of photos of a DIY project on the storage in his GU Patrol. He swapped out a heavy set of steel drawers for a homemade plywood frame and our Expedition134 boxes. The end result was a saving of 40 to 50 kilograms and a much more suitable setup for his touring family of four. Read the full story here.
Question of the Day
How do I lock my Expedition134 box?
The Expedition134 boxes are lockable using a padlock on either or all of the three latches. On each latch there is a curved tab that holds the lid down to the tub and there is also a vertical rectangular tab with a rectangular hole in it. This hole lines up on the side with another similar hole in the tub of the box. Simply close the latch and insert a padlock so it goes through the tub and the latch. All done!
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OPEN SKY TOURING REVIEWS
from 75 reviewsIt fits... Stanley socket set and screwdriver set, spanner roll (large), hammer (med) , 2x vice grips, Allen keys set, 2x bum wipe, a restraint bag (6x 500kg ratchets&straps), kings recovery kit, kingcrome 80amp jumper leads, a 200mm x 250mm x 150mm box with wheel nuts/studs, cable ties ect, a roll of paper towel, a large total tool breaker bar (diagonal) and wheel sockets. Plus little wires and stuff i find. Can recommend.
Three fit perfectly along the width of my ute tray. Kept out red dust and rain with no issues, and are a great size to prevent you overfilling them and being unable to lift easily! No metal components on the hinges, so don’t have to worry about rust with all the salty gear that got thrown in the boxes.
The quality of the products are great and to be a Australian product worth it. The first aid kits are well stocked.
Very happy awesome box
Another great Aussie product, simple and easy to fit.
Impressed with the quality, not much use yet but if it performs as good as it looks I be even more impressed.
Great storage box and tie downs. Secure with locking points. Easy to open to access without removing straps. Straps have a clip to easily disengage when taking off. Dust proof. No problems in/out of byfield national park.
Excellent product, absolutely fit for purpose.
Awesome aussie made product, top notch service!!!
Quad Expedition134 Pack
Awesome !!!!
Great quality, love the tie downs and their anchor points, box fits on my spare fridge slide perfectly and I can use as a pantry box
Recently tried out these Expedition134 storage boxes. They are rippers! Aussie Made and Owned! They are great for boat, the 4wd, or around camp.
So easy to clean. You can lock them. You can open them without having to undo tie downs. And seal up great to protect you gear! Can’t say enough about them. Thanks Open Sky Touring for designing these great Aussie boxes!
Once again my delivery from Open Sky Touring arrived without a problem and I knocked the boxes together easily. I love these boxes and when finances allow will purchase another three. These are simply the best boxes on the market.
Strong, versatile and easy to store in camper trailer