Well, from October onwards, we are very proud to announce that we are an official Community Friend of the McGrath Foundation.
“When Ben and I started the business, we decided that it was important that as our business developed, we were able to put something back into the community. Whilst researching just how we wanted to do this, my wife Kari, who is an Occupational Therapist in Cancer Care, suggested we support the McGrath Foundation. By supporting the McGrath Foundation, we would be supporting the tremendous role and practical help the McGrath Breast Care Nurses provide to individuals and their families affected by breast cancer throughout Australia.” – Nic McKenzie, co-founder and co-owner of OST
After signing an agreement with the McGrath Foundation, we designed a limited-edition Hot Pink Expedition134 storage box for our last production run. We literally sold out of them within a week!
With every sale of a Hot Pink Expedition134, we donated $10 to the McGrath Foundation. We are absolutely stoked with the result. Of course, there’s so much more that needs to be done to support these guys, but it’s a start that we’re going to build upon.
News from the OST team
The above is probably our biggest news for the month; however, we’re still plugging away with some new developments, more R&D and testing, and working with key designers and industry leaders.
The Expedition134 boxes are also starting to make inroads into the furthest back blocks of the United States, with Jon from Mule Expedition Outfitters in Seattle using them on the back of his customised V8 Tundra (with Norweld tray!) for thousands of punishing miles through forests and deserts and back again.
There’s also lots of other stuff going on in the background for us, but we just aren’t quite ready to put it out there yet.
Shout out to those living the dream
For the last few months, we have been watching the adventures from @Back2BasicsAdventures and also @wildreaches. If you’re into wild adventure trips, these two crews really get out there and into some of the most remote and wicked spots in Australia – exactly what our gear was made for! New YouTube episodes should be dropping from both in the near future. Keep an eye out.
Weight savings
Living in Cairns, we get to watch the yearly procession of fully loaded 4WDs heading up the Cape in tourist season, some of which are ridiculously overloaded with gear. For experienced travellers, reducing weight to a minimum is a priority. It was one of the main reasons we decided to use injection moulding over rotomoulding when constructing our Expedition134 storage boxes.
Injection moulding ensured maximum strength with minimum weight, which was so important to our design. Keeping gear safe in tough weather-sealed storage gives adventurers the confidence to explore further. It has been super exciting for us to see outback adventurers utilising the Expedition134 boxes to remove unwanted weight from their vehicles and make life on the road easier.
The first to send in a story about it was Mark Batty from rural Victoria, who ripped out his steel drawers and built himself a ply frame. He used the Expedition134 boxes as robust weather-sealed storage that can be moved in and out of the vehicle as needed. This saved him about 50 kilograms in useless weight and helped make his adventure into Tasmania a lot easier.
Next up, we are closely following Tim Bates 4WD Adventures, an experienced 4WDing enthusiast and prominent YouTuber specialising in solo adventures in the Victorian High Country. Tim needs his gear to be durable, practical and remain within strict weight limits.
He’s just started a complete redesign of the setup in his Nissan Patrol, removing 300 kilograms of steel drawers, back seats and other items to make sure he stays under GVM but can still carry everything he needs. Tim is recording the whole process, including the legal aspects, and will feature it on his YouTube channel soon. We’ll share a link as soon as the video is released.
New blogs for October
Where to Find the Best Fishing Campsites in Australia
Need a little inspiration for your next trip? We’ve just published a blog on the best fishing campsites in Australia. Some of these are great spots for families without much experience or gear, while others are truly isolated destinations that reward you with incredible fishing and camping.
Read More
19 Four-Wheel Driving Tips: Advice for Beginners from Experienced 4WDing Enthusiasts
Are you new to 4WDing? In this blog we break down the most important lessons any 4WDing enthusiast can learn. We’ve made our fair share of mistakes over the years and hopefully we can stop you having to learn the hard way too
Read MoreTill next time
The Open Sky Touring Team
OPEN SKY TOURING REVIEWS
from 72 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