Articles by Marcus Craft

The new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon is arguably one of the best factory-prepped off-roaders on the market. It's a real 4WD with a proud hard-core heritage, and the assumption is that the new version, the JL, is a very capable terrain tourer, straight out of the showroom.

All-Terrain tyres have it tough – they’re expected to be everything to everyone.

Whether you have a Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux or Mitsubishi Triton – or any ute really – your trusty workhorse will benefit from a high-quality set of ute drawers.

Due to the fact many utes spend the lion's share of their time being used as workhorses, there are a lot of them kicking around with a toolbox or two (or more) in the tray.

The VW Amarok, especially the V6, has an ever-growing group of fans but it still holds a peculiar spot in the Aussie market – it doesn't sell in massive numbers, as something like the Hilux does (then again what does?), but you see plenty of Amaroks around, being used as tool-hauling trucks or as recreational tourers, being driven and being enjoyed.The Amarok is a rather quiet success story – a real dark horse workhorse, if you will.But, as with any ute, it can benefit from having a canopy installed, thus turning its tray into a more versatile, lockable and secure, protected load space that can be accessorised to your heart’s content.There are myriad VW Amarok canopy styles and there’s a choice of materials used, including canvas, UV-stable ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a thermoplastic polymer), fibreglass, steel or aluminium, and there’s also a wide array of add-ons from which to choose. For our tips on how to track down the best Amarok canopy for you, read on. Different types of Amarok canopiesSo, what’s the best Amarok canopy? The one that suits what you do with your Amarok, of course. Your lifestyle – and budget – will dictate the body style and configuration of, as well as the materials used in, your canopy. If your focus is work then a tool-lugging steel, ABS, or Amarok aluminium canopy will suit you; if you’re a keen outdoor sports fan then a canopy that can be fitted and accessorised to fit your chosen leisure activity is right for you; and if off-roading is your passion you’ll want to gear up your canopy with drawers, a fridge slide and more.Designs will vary but the focus on primary function will remain.Genuine canopies from vehicle manufacturers, such as the Volkswagen Amarok canopy, are fine but ute owners are increasingly chasing even more versatility in their canopies.Main materials used in an Amarok dual cab canopy include canvas, ABS plastic, fibreglass, aluminium or steel.Budget-friendly examples are available but, while designs may vary, a top-quality canopy – such as one available from Ironman 4x4, ARB, Norweld, Carryboy, Flexiglass, Opposite Lock, TJM etc – will benefit from features such as lockable side windows and rear-access window, canopy vent (to reduce dust ingress by positively pressurising the canopy’s interior), tinted safety glass (5mm tinted and tempered), central locking, push-button side opening windows, and more.Other features – such as keyless entry, high-spec adhesive, LED interior lights, stylish interior and an anti-entrapment dial (so people can get out of the canopy if inadvertently closed inside) – are all great additions.An easy-access ladder should also be part of a canopy set-up if you want to get to your rooftop tent or grab gear from your roof rack.If your dogs are an important part of your family, congratulations I now like you even more and you should think about getting a dog pod added to your Amarok’s canopy.Some want functionality in their canopy, such as an aforementioned drawer system, a fridge slide and more, while others are keen to fit out their canopy with an accomodation option, such as a rooftop tent*. (*Note: a rooftop tent will soak up at least 50kg of your ute’s payload, so that will affect how much other stuff you can legally carry in your Amarok.) Some people make full use of their canopy by installing their Redarc pure sine wave inverter or in-vehicle battery charger, onboard air compressors and more in it. What are your Amarok canopy options?Take your pick from used canopies, DIY jobs, ready-made off-the-shelf examples, through to a highly-personalised custom canopy. Beware: if a canopy is so cheap it seems too good to be true, chances are numerous corners have been cut in terms of workmanship and materials used. Apply brutal logic here: how good do you think a canopy is if short-cuts were taken during its design and manufacturing?Thankfully, Australian companies make some of the world’s best ute canopies because we Aussie off-roaders demand a lot from our canopies.In today’s aftermarket there’s a canopy for an Amarok double cab to suit every lifestyle and budget. As mentioned earlier, some ute canopies have interior lay-outs designed to incorporate tool boxes, or are purpose-built for camping, with roll-out drawers and more.The basic structure of ute canopies may not change a lot between models – each one has a roof, walls, and likely a flip/lift door at the rear, a fixed-shut window at the front, and sliding or flip/lift windows on the sides – but each canopy’s capacity to be flexible, in terms of accessibility and storage, may vary widely.Options for features include extra tie-down points, central locking, climate control, in-built lighting, soft-close windows, built-in storage systems (such as slide-out drawer systems) and even a slide-out kitchen.Some canopies are bolted onto a ute's tray and can be removed without too much fuss.How much does a Amarok canopy cost?An Amarok canopy price can range from a couple of hundred dollars for a DIY canvas-and-steel-frame job (I’ve seen them), to more than $3000 (fitted).Prices of fibreglass or ABS plastic ute canopies start from around the mid-$2000s mark (including fitment). Prices range anywhere from $1500 for an aluminium ute half canopy you will have to fit yourself, to more than $2000 (fitted) for off-the-shelf canopies or even custom, build-your-own versions.The Flexiglass Sport canopy pictured at the top of this page cost around $3000 and that included installation. An ARB Amarok Canopy, the Classic (also pictured in this feature), costs from $2080 and from $300 extra for fitment.A Carryboy canopy for an Amarok will likely cost from $2500 (not including fitment), but that’s a guesstimate so contact Carryboy for a quote.Warranties for a ute canopy can range from one year, three years or a lifetime, depending on the materials used and the brand/manufacturer involved. Who are the leading brands & manufacturers? Best places to buy?Focus your shopping research on local well-respected aftermarket brands and manufacturers, including Ironman 4x4, ARB, Flexiglass, NorWeld, Carryboy Australia, Opposite Lock, and TJM.Contact any of these mobs for a canopy:Find your nearest ARB store here. Find your nearest Ironman 4x4 store here.Visit the Norweld website for your nearest stockist.Visit CarryBoy to find your nearest stockist.Visit Flexiglass (and go to 'Locate a Distributor') for your nearest stockist.Find your nearest Wolf 4x4 store here.Visti OppositeLock to find your nearest store.Find the nearest TJM store here. 

The Mitsubishi Triton is one of Australia's quiet achievers in terms of sales and popularity, and it remains one of the best value-for-money utes on offer.It's a highly functional ute but it can be improved with the installation of a lockable canopy. You could opt for a genuine Mitsubishi Triton canopy or a feature-packed canopy designed to suit your lifestyle.There are canopy styles to suit every kind of Triton and the canopies are made from a wide variety of materials, including canvas, UV-stable ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a thermoplastic polymer), fibreglass, steel or aluminium. For our tips on how to track down the best canopy for your Triton, read on. Different types of Triton canopiesThe right canopy for your Triton depends largely on what you want to do with it – if work is your ute's focus, then a tradie set-up suited to storing and carrying tools is your best bet (i.e. tool boxes, deep drawers etc); for outdoor activities, such as mountain-biking or kayaking, the canopy will need to fit in with your chosen sport (i.e. bike carriers, drawers for bike spares, a kayak rack etc); and for keen 4WDers a canopy, purpose built to meet camping needs, will be required (i.e. fridge slide, cooker space, drawers for kitchen gear etc). Designs will vary but function-focus, specific to your Triton's main activity, will remain.(Note: Before you get stuck into your search for a Triton canopy there are a few other mods you might want to sort out, such as tyres, for instance, but don't worry, hit the 'Read More' link below and check out that yarn – that'll put you on the right track.)A genuine Mitsubishi Triton canopy is an adequate unit, but ute owners want their canopies to have even more versatility.Main materials used include canvas, ABS plastic, fibreglass, aluminium and steel and there are model-specific canopies: a single cab canopy, extra cab canopy, and a dual cab canopy. Budget-friendly examples are available but, while designs may vary, a top-quality canopy – such as one available from Ironman 4x4, ARB, Norweld, Carryboy, Flexiglass, Opposite Lock, TJM etc – will benefit from features such as lockable side windows and rear-access window, canopy vent (to reduce dust ingress by positively pressurising the canopy’s interior), tinted safety glass (5mm tinted and tempered), central locking, push-button side opening windows, and more.Other features – such as keyless entry, high-spec adhesive, LED interior lights, stylish interior and an anti-entrapment dial (so people can get out of the canopy if inadvertently closed inside) – are all great additions.A sturdy easy-access ladder should also be part of a canopy set-up if you want to access your rooftop tent or grab some gear from your roof rack.If your dogs are an important part of the family like mine are, then a canopy with a dog pod might be the right thing for your ute.Some want functionality, such as a drawer system, a fridge slide and more, while others are keen to fit out their canopy with an accomodation option, such as a rooftop tent*. (*Note: a rooftop tent will soak up at least 50kg of your ute’s legal payload, so that will affect how much other stuff you can legally carry in your Triton.) Some people make full use of their canopy by installing their Redarc pure sine wave inverter or in-vehicle battery charger, onboard air compressors and more in it.A Triton ute canopy can also function as a great platform for a roof-top tent. What are your Mitsubishi Triton canopy options?If you're keen to put a canopy on your Triton then you're in luck because there are myriad options: second hand canopies, DIY jobs, ready-made off-the-shelf examples, through to a highly-personalised custom canopy. Remember though that the same rule applies here as should to any purchase: if a canopy is so cheap it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.Luckily for us, Australian companies make some of the world’s best ute canopies because we Aussie off-roaders demand a lot from our gear.In today’s aftermarket there’s a ute canopy to suit every lifestyle, vehicle and budget. There are variations to suit every kind of ute and tub or a tray canopy, and some ute canopies have interior lay-outs designed to incorporate tool boxes, or are purpose-built for camping, with roll-out drawers and more.The basic structure of ute canopies may not change a lot between models – each one has a roof, walls, and likely a flip/lift door at the rear, a fixed-shut window at the front, and sliding or flip/lift windows on the sides – but each canopy’s capacity to be flexible, in terms of accessibility and storage, may vary widely.Options for features include extra tie-down points, central locking, climate control, in-built lighting, soft-close windows, built-in storage systems (such as slide-out drawer systems) and even a slide-out kitchen.Some canopies are bolted onto a ute's tray and can be removed without too much fuss. How much does a Triton canopy cost?Canopy prices range from a couple of hundred dollars for a DIY canvas-and-steel-frame job, to more than $5000 (fitted) for an off-the-shelf canopy or even custom, build-your-own versions.A genuine Mitsubishi Triton canopy – made of ABS plastic, body coloured to match your Triton's paint and with a lockable, gas-lift rear window, sliding side windows and a front window – costs from about $3700 each.Prices of fibreglass or ABS plastic ute canopies start from around the mid-$2000s mark (including fitment).  Prices range anywhere from $1500 for an aluminium ute half canopy you will have to fit yourself, to more than $5000 (fitted) for off-the-shelf canopies or even custom, build-your-own versions.A Flexiglass FlexiSport canopy for your Triton MN dual cab – prices available from your preferred manufacturer or stockist on request, but expect to pay more than $3000.A Flexiglass FlexiEdge canopy for your Triton MQ and MR dual cab – prices available from your preferred manufacturer or stockist on request, but expect to pay more than $3000.Warranties for a ute canopy can range from one year, three years or a lifetime, depending on the materials used and the brand/manufacturer involved. Who are the leading brands & manufacturers? Best places to buy?Australia's well-respected aftermarket brands and manufacturers include Ironman 4x4, ARB, NorWeld, Carryboy Australia, Flexiglass, Opposite Lock, and TJM.Contact any of these mobs for a purpose-built canopy:Find your nearest ARB store here. Find your nearest Ironman 4x4 store here.Visit the Norweld website for your nearest stockist.Visit CarryBoy to find your nearest stockist.Visit Flexiglass (and go to 'Locate a Distributor') for your nearest stockist.Find your nearest Wolf 4x4 store here.Visti OppositeLock to find your nearest store.Find the nearest TJM store here. 

Utes dominate the sales charts and top-spec premium dual-cabs rank among the most popular with ute buyers.The Mazda BT-50 Boss is one of the more recent in a long line of accessorised dual-cab utes. The problem is: these utes are often a triumph of style over substance, more flash than functionality.Is that the case with the Boss? Read on.

Toyota's HiLux is one of Australia's top-selling vehicles so it only follows that there is a massive variety of ute canopies available for it. The legendary workhorse's tray space, if covered with a lockable canopy, becomes secure, more versatile and a camping-friendly cargo area.

Change is good but there will always be some who become enraged at the mere hint of it. Case in point: those who strongly dislike 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engines.

A ute is a supremely useful and versatile vehicle but, if its tray space is not covered and lockable, it could benefit greatly from the installation of a canopy.