Expedition 134 cargo box

Most of us take too many things bush that we never use, but they’re taken ‘just in case’. Don’t worry, you are not alone, including trying to remember where you put stuff. Over the years I have used leather and steel boxes, and more recently plastic models, that never last when exposed to corrugations and rough bush tracks.

Plastic cargo boxes are a dime a dozen, but few last through rough bush use. Most break down, have dust or rain intrusions, the fittings rust, hinges and locks fail, and worst of all the cheap plastics perish. And of course, none are cheap either.

But I have found the solution since using a couple of Expedition 134 boxes for a while now, one for general goods and the other as a kitchen/tucker box. They are the first – as far as I know – 100 per cent Australian designed cargo boxes specifically aimed at 4WD adventurers, tourers, campers, hunters, fishers and for on quads and side-by-sides.

The Expedition 134 boxes, manufactured in Brisbane, stem from an idea by Ben Kincade and a mate, both keen hunters and fishers, while doing a trip across the Simpson Desert. They discovered that their store-bought cargo boxes were falling to bits under the duress of the track and weather conditions.

Sometime later, an idea bore into realisation with the introduction of their cargo box that gets everything right. First off, it must be lightweight, but tough enough to withstand the rigours of the bush. The men overcame this by using an injection moulding process that allows various engineering principles and designs to be used.

The results are impressive, with the Expedition 134 box measuring 57.8 x 44 x 34.5cm and weighing only 3.95kg. The water capacity is 55L. The wall and lid thickness are 3.5mm. The box varies over others by featuring external tie-down points on all corners that allow the lid to be opened without having to undo ropes or straps.

It allows the box to be used on a quad bike rack or a vehicle roof rack. The lids interlock on the base so that two or more boxes can be surely stacked together. The lids are also removable to allow the boxes to be stacked into each other when not in use. Handy when space is at a premium at home.

The box is fitted with three UV-stabilised polypropylene latches that can be padlocked to keep gear safe. The box can also be secured by screwing it to a fixed base. Marked out sections where to drill are on the floor of the box. The interior is smooth, making it easy to clean and hose out.

The top edges of the box are enforced with ribs that act as handles. The boys also market a special rack that can be installed inside on a vehicle tray to stack and secure boxes.

The outside of the box also has a dust/weather seal and is easy to clean, having no porous surface for dust to penetrate. There are no metal parts to rust or rattle, and with the lid being removable there is no annoying inside lip for crud to collect. The lid is rated at 120kg, so the box can be used as a seat or to stack heavy gear on. At $198 the Expedition 134 box presents good value and is available in an array of colours.

Visit expedition134.com for more details.