Well, Coronavirus seems to be the word of the month! Newsfeeds are flooded with bad news stories and an air of panic amongst the masses is starting to set in. Determining the truth beneath all the news and social media stories seems to be the real challenge,but one thing now does seem certain: Australians buy toilet paper in a health crisis!I mean, really!!?? How did that start? Who was it who first thought that products associated with the cleanliness of their dot was the most important item on the supermarket shelves when the sky was falling? Humanity is strange sometimes, no doubt about it.
So, back to the real world. A few updates to our website this month have seen things start to come together for a much quicker and more pleasant user experience and we’ve been working hard to make sure we have updated and relevant content for all your camping and 4WDing inspiration.
We have also reviewed and revamped some of ourcontent relating to the builds and improvements we’ve done on both the Landy and the 79 Dual Cab, as well as an update on how the 79 has performed over the last four years. These reads are a no-hype, no-BS look at the good, the bad and the unexpected experiences we’ve had with the customised builds. There’s also no reference to lithium powered coffee machines or 6-inch lift kits, as much as we would have liked to.
Read more about the Landy here.
Read more about the 79 Dual Cab here.
Brisbane 4X4 Show
The National 4×4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo was to be our next focus, however concerns for public health have seen it cancelled. Like for many others, this was a fairly major financial investment for us that will likely now go down the toilet. Hopefully, things will pick up soon and Australia gets a good grip on things.
The Norweld 79 dual cab and its owner Isaac Edmiston
The name Norweld is synonymous with quality 4WD aluminium canopies, but they are also a local Far North Queensland business located right here in Cairns. When Isaac recently bought four of our boxes to finish off the fit-out of his 79 Dual Cab, before travelling from one side of the country to the other, we were intrigued to find out how they went and how they all fitted in his mega build.
We caught up for a coldie one afternoon in Cairns for a chat and a look at his new facilities, and the 79 of course! To see the boom taking place on the Norweld premises was an exciting experience. This sort of thing is not meant to happen in a small regional town like Cairns. What Isaac and the team are doing is exceptional for the region and should be commended.
When your customers are the likes of the All 4 Adventure TV show, Trip in a Van YouTubers, mainstream Aussie four-wheel drivers and campers and many overseas customers, you must be doing something right. Hopefully, we will see more of these awesome canopies sporting Expedition134 boxes very soon.
The NissanPatrol.com.au Forum
A huge shout out to the guys on the NP forum for all the support over the last few years. These guys were our first supporters and many people signed up for our pre-production run, showing they had faith in what we were trying to do. The Western Patrol Club based in Perth also ordered a whole pallet of boxes for the club members, something that we truly appreciate, as it helped get us off the ground and running.
If you have a Nissan Patrol, then you will find not only a great selection of information, manuals and technical guff, but a whole community of like-minded people who are welcoming and happy to help you out.
Expedition134 Quick Release straps
These are now back in stock after selling out inside of a few weeks. The straps are made in North Queensland using Aussie-made seatbelt-grade webbing and a New Zealand-made Fastex QR buckle.
The straps connect to the dedicated tie-down points on the boxes and allow you to secure the Expedition134 boxes to a roof rack quickly and easily. They still allow you to open the box and access the contents without having to undo everything. We will have some at the show to demonstrate as well.We also package these in an environmentally friendly calico bag for convenient re-use!
A Minute with Scott Mason
Born photographer, four-wheel driver and adventurer, Scott Mason from Southern Sky Images has been one of those characters in the outdoors industry for many years now. During this time, Scott has managed to travel to just about every corner of our great country, capturing some fantastic images along the way.
Scott recently decided to jump out of a job as the editor of a 4WDing magazine and go it alone so he could spend more time doing what he loved. Having Scott on board for our trip was like having an industry mentor and mate along for the ride. Scott not only provided us with a showcase of fantastic images, but he shared his knowledge and advice on everything from business in the outdoors industry, to conservation and sustainability, and of course, photography and lighting.
We couldn’t recommend Scott highly enough after this trip and are already looking ahead to the next one. Check out www.southernskyimages.com.au if you want to browse his incredible photos.
And as always, if you’re interested in checking out our range of 4WDing and camping supplies, like the Expedition134 heavy-duty plastic storage box, feel free to browse the OST online store.
OPEN SKY TOURING REVIEWS
from 96 reviewsOrdered this box after seeing so many positive reviews of the Expedition 134 box. And it doesn't disappoint! What an outstanding, Australian made product. Not only is it tough and durable it looks the bomb as well. Will be getting another one for sure! Can't recommend enough.
Recently bought a pink storage box after buying 3 last year. It’s just as tough and perfect as my previous ones. I’ll continue buying these awesome boxes to go into my new trailer project.
Great product! Love using them and would highly recommend to anyone
Easy to use, and great value
Great product and well made
Does just what it says on the box! (bad dad joke there...) Great to now have 3 of these in my collection.
Survival Snake Bite Kit™
Purchased the Expedition 134 to use for the wife's scent hound business. The dogs are used to find truffles, so not only does the box store all the harnesses and other dog gear, any booty located also goes into the box, safe and secure. Great product indeed..
Great kit. Saw on Pat Calligan’s show and immediately bought. This will definitely save a life from snake bite. The pressure bandage has markers to show how tight to wrap. So clever.
One of the best products I have used in my forty plus years of camping very well made and waterproof. It’s a pleasure to do business with a great Aussie company.
Survival Snake Bite Kit™
Very happy with the boxes. Def can hold adult standing on lid and solid latches. Easy to hose out and dust and water proof for 4WD trips!
I am impressed with the rigidity and quality of the box. it's worth every cent!
These boxes are exactly what I wanted! Delivered on time, great quality and great price! Thanks Open Sky team!
This is my 5th box and they’re fantastic. Will be the replacement for my drawer system in my Landcruiser to keep weight down. They are the ideal combination of size and manageable to handle when full.