Happy New Year to all of you in our little Expedition134 community! We sure hope that things pick up from last year and we all have a bit of a turn-around for the better.
Have you ever been a business owner, manager, coach or planner of some sort and done a half-year review and wondered just what the hell happened to the plan? Well, that’s us right now, no doubt about it. But with adversity comes opportunity, and part of our ethos here is to try and turn adversity or criticism into an opportunity for learning and improvement. This is not an easy thing to do, but we strongly feel that it defines us as a company over others.
Adversity
In November last year I returned from a lengthy period stuck overseas to find that we had some quality issues with our Expedition134 boxes caused by poor manufacturing practices. These issues had not cropped up through customer complaints, but they were simply unacceptable to us and we withdrew our product from sale and contacted our reseller family and those who may have bought a box that was not up to our standards. We started the process of rectifying things as quickly as possible.
Needless to say, this has cost us personally and as a company. It’s cost us a lot of money, time, effort, sleepless nights and stress, and it’s still ongoing. We do, however, stick by our warranty and will deal with this issue to ensure we’re delivering the best product possible. A product we’re proud to call our own.
Opportunity
Through this bit of adversity we learned a few lessons and won’t make the same mistakes again. We changed manufacturers (and wasn’t that a learning experience in itself) and are now fast-tracking a plan to test out 100-percent recycled plastics with a new manufacturer. This is super exciting if it pans out as we are passionate about our environment and in particular our backyard in Cape York and the Great Barrier Reef. To think that we could have some wonderful opportunities to do our bit to make things a bit better for our environment while still having a great product. That’s what it’s all about!
New Product Alert!
Have you ever noticed how most fridge straps seem to gradually vibrate loose and get sloppy? And once that happens there’s no stopping your fridge moving around on the fridge slide. We’ve certainly experienced this, and with some big brand-name straps as well. That’s why we decided to do something about it and have come up with something better! The new Expedition134 Fridge Tie-Down straps are 100 percent Australian made using Australian and New Zealand-made products. When you pull them up tight, they stay tight!
We are gearing up to have these fridge straps available really soon. The first set has been well tested and works a treat. So no more useless cam-locks on our gear!
Weight Loss
No, we’re not talking about post-Christmas or New Year goals, but rather the weight of your vehicle. Who else has noticed the weight creep up on their 4WD? We blame clever marketing making us believe we need to spend more on unnecessary gear.
Now’s the time to put your 4WD on a diet and start enjoying better handling, fuel efficiency and durability. This month we’ve written about how 4WDers can reduce the amount of gear their 4WD is carrying, getting some inspiration from the professionals. Click the link below to read the blog.
How to Reduce 4WD Weight: Tips & Techniques from the Pros
Box Feature Highlight of the Month
Did you know that the lids of the Expedition134 storage boxes are designed to hold up to 50-millimetre webbing straps securely in place whether you place them lengthwise or crosswise? Combine this with the ability to ‘brick-wall’ stack them and one strap can hold down several boxes!
Here’s to a better 2021 and some more adventures ahead.
The Expedition134 Team
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.