Gear Essentials: Storage, Racks, and Trailers

Photo By: Pelican

Whether you’re jostling your rig down a rough trail, parked in a sketchy area of town, or just looking to stay loaded and ready for the next trip, hauling, organizing, and securing your gear is a priority. With this range of trailers, security fasteners, cases, and other accessories, you can be sure that your rig stays secure and ready for adventure. 

Hiker Trailer

Hiker Trailers are constructed to help keep you comfortable and dry no matter where the trail may take you. So regardless if you choose the Highway Deluxe that weighs less than 1,000 pounds, the Mid-Range series that’s built for moderate off-roading, or the Extreme Off-Road model that can go anywhere your vehicle can, you’ll have a secure shelter for the night and storage for all of your gear.

Each Hiker Trailer includes insulation to keep you comfortable in temperatures at both ends of the weather spectrum. They also offer just about every imaginable accessory. Hiker Trailers can be customized with toolboxes, fans, climate control upgrades, propane options, awnings, and a range of battery packages to meet the customer’s needs. 

We love that you can keep the Hiker Trailer loaded and ready to go. The galley kitchen design can stay packed and ready for the next adventure. Instead of digging around your kitchen and hoping you have what you need to cook your camp meals, you can grab your food and drinks and hit the trail. 

MSRP: $5,595.00 to $17,500.00

Loss Prevention Fasteners – T-Groove Security Nuts

Unfortunately, it’s become all too frequent to see a post on social media asking local overlanders to keep an eye out for a recently stolen rooftop tent or other accessories. With some common tools, a thief can strip expensive equipment off of your rig in a matter of minutes while it’s unattended. 

Loss Prevention Fasteners T-Groove® security nuts offer overland enthusiasts superb, top-notch security and peace of mind. Prevent theft, interference, and unauthorized removal of valuable automotive accessories. The T-Groove® nuts are made of weatherproof 316 grade stainless steel and are easy to install with the multi-use install socket. This specialty socket fits a standard ratchet and you can use an open-ended wrench so you can still install the hardware in hard-to-reach areas such as a roof rack. 

The Loss Prevention Fasteners T-Groove security nuts are available in a variety of standard and metric sizes. In addition, you can purchase the T-Groove® nuts in pre-packaged kits or bulk quantities. Loss Prevention Fasteners also offers their hardware with custom branding for companies that are looking to add that extra bit of security to their products.

We love that such a simple and easy addition to our rigs can secure our rooftop tents, awnings, and other valuable accessories. The T-Groove® are available in 10-24” to ¾-10” diameter and M6 to M20 diameter. This variety of sizes available means that there’s no reason to leave gear unprotected. By taking just a few minutes to install the T-Groove® security nuts, you can have peace of mind when your rig is unattended. 

MSRP: Please call for pricing. 

READ MORE: Gear Essentials: Van Accessories — Presented By Storyteller Overland


Pelican – BX140R Cargo Case

Keeping your smaller pieces of gear protected and organized is paramount when venturing into the backcountry. For years cargo boxes have been the go-to for overlanders, dating back to the wooden crates that explorers used to keep their vital gear organized and protected. The BX140R Cargo Cases from Pelican are the next step in that evolution. The Cargo Boxes are feature-packed with heavy-duty lay-flat handles, tie-down plates, E-coated steel latches, and roto-molded construction. With a host of mounting options, you can secure the Cargo Cases to your roof rack, truck bed, or inside of your rig. They even offer direct mounting options for specific roof rack brands. When the adventure is over, just release the case to store until your next time out. 

We love that the Pelican BX140R Cargo Cases, at 24 x 36 inches, are a great size for keeping bulky items that eat up interior space outside of the vehicle but are still protected on the trail. The direct mounting options eliminate the hassle of securing the cases to a roof rack, and better yet, the worry that they’ll stay secure while covering rough terrain. You can easily keep recovery gear, kitchen equipment, bulky sleeping gear, and other items out of the way but ready to go at a moment’s notice.

MSRP: $449.95

Rhino-Rack – Pioneer Platform

Crafted for the adventurer—Rhino-Rack’s ALL-NEW  Pioneer™ Platform offers the most modular & versatile rooftop solution on the market. 

Made from high-strength aluminum & fiberglass reinforced nylon corners, the Pioneer features channels both above & below for added accessory mount options as well as wiring channels to ensure a clean & safe setup. A significant design achievement for the Pioneer™ is its ability to be infinitely adjusted to fit a multitude of vehicles. Without compromising appeal or requiring modifications, the universal clamping system & integrated measuring strip allows for seamless installation with supplied torque-limiting tools to ensure properly fastened bolts and easy regular maintenance.

We appreciate the size adjustments and modularity of the Pioneer™ Platform. It’s an overall great design that keeps your gear organized and secure while also offering great features. For example, if you plan to add lights or solar panels, the internal wiring inside of the extrusion is convenient. Channels on the underside of the front and rear extrusions provide more options for mounting accessories to the rack. Also, Rhino-Rack provides a five-year warranty on the Pioneer™ Platform.

MSRP: Ranges from $699.00 – $1,247.00

RIGd Supply – UltraSwing

The RIGd UltraSwing™ is a rock-solid, lightweight solution for carrying a full-size spare tire, bikes, and other essentials like a camp table, extra fuel, and recovery gear on the receiver hitch of your vehicle. The UltraSwing was built with the philosophy that just because something is hitch-mounted doesn’t mean it can’t fit on your rig as properly as a bumper/swing-out. It’s is available in three sizes: 5th Generation 4Runner Specific, Multi-Fit (for most mid-size trucks and SUVs), and Mega-Fit (for full-size trucks, SUVs, and vans).

The UltraSwing is available with numerous accessories, including mounts for Hi-Lift, RotopaX, the UltraTable, the UltraPlate molle panel to mount just about anything you can think of.

We love that you can keep a full-size spare, offroad accessories, or even your bike elevated and accessible with the UltraSwing. At the same time, you can easily remove these when you’re home to keep your vehicle streamlined and discreet. Then, when you’re ready to head back out for adventure, it only takes a few minutes to have fuel, recovery gear, and additional storage options back on your rig. Additionally, this is a great way to add functionality to an overland vehicle without the hassle and cost of a swing-out rear bumper.

MSRP: $1,399.00

RIGd Supply – UltraTable

The UltraSwing is available with several accessories, but we’re particularly fond of the UltraTable™. This drop-down camp table offers a great space for cooking and other tasks that benefit from a solid flat surface.

The aluminum backplate construction reduces weight, while the steel base plate gives a slim profile with plenty of strength to support your camp kitchen gear. The UltraTable has a max static load rating of 125 lbs. In addition, the FDA-approved food-grade, BPA-free sliding cutting board can be configured for use on either side of the table by removing a single screw.

If you’re concerned about rattles on the trail RIGd Supply has you covered with their custom-molded compression bumpers When it’s not in use, it folds up and practically disappears on the backside of the UltraSwing.

MSRP: $399.00

Photo by Brett Willhelm

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