New 4x4 Gear: Bracketron mount, TJM Pro compressor, Shimano spinning reel, and many more

Storage solutions, tenting equipment, and canopies highlight January's selection of 4x4 gear, just in time to complement your summer weekend plans.

MSA 4X4 HALF PACK ROOFTOP BAG

The gurus at MSA 4X4 have been busy, designing more new gear for off-road tourers such as this awesome rooftop bag. Aimed at all off-road tourers, the Half Pack rooftop bag is another brilliant idea; measuring 500mm wide x 1400mm long x 300mm high the bag is designed – as it is named – to take up half the space on the average roof-rack. This is super convenient as it allows you to fit your tent, shovel, gas bottle and/or any other camping gear up top as well. MSA 4X4 has used tough 15oz canvas, YKK chunky zips (with double metal sliders on three sides) so it will provide years of gear protection – and it is easily attached to your rack, via its attached seat-belt harness system. It comes with a lifetime warranty, too.

RRP: $378
Website: www.msa4x4.com.au

ARB SKYDOME SERIES II

The second incarnation of ARB’s SkyDome swag now offers even more ventilation than before, with extra canvas flaps and insect mesh over the legs and over the ‘top’ (head-to-waist) area. The freestanding swag includes a tough 970gsm PVC tub base (tub height is 70mm) with welded and sealed corners, while PVC anchor tabs ensure no water can enter through the seams. A rain-gutter channels water away from windows, the main entry door and all zippers (YKK zips feature throughout). The heavy-duty canvas (500gsm) is rot- and waterproof, while the 11mm aluminium bows are tough and make the swag easy to set up. The 75mm corrugated mattress includes an anti-microbial treatment and a washable cover, and the sleeping area is spacious; the single swag measures 900mm wide x 2150mm long (the double is 1400mm wide x 2150mm).

RRP: $437 (single)
Website: www.arb.com.au

BLACK WOLF RIDGERUNNER

Combining the best of both worlds – a backpack and roller bag – the Ridgerunner (available in black or blue) offers excellent bang for your luggage bucks. Black Wolf has been building tough travel gear for years and the design of the Ridgerunner reflects that: the two-stage handle is easily deployed when used as a transit bag and the wheels roll smoothly across surfaces. The backpack harness is accessed via the back panel’s zip pocket and is designed to offer plenty of support and comfort when lugging heavy loads. The interior section is huge, allowing storage for bulky gear and clothing, all of which can be kept contained via the load control straps. There are also plenty of external pockets for gear storage.

RRP: $200 (60L); $220 (80L)
Website: www.blackwolf.com.au

ROH BEADLOCK

A new addition to ROH’s Dakar Proven wheel’s range, the Beadlock is a deep-dish, eight-spoke design, with bright CNC-milled key lines on the beefy matte-black spokes. Other design highlights include the 20 black anodised aluminium bolts that run along the matte-graphite outer beadlock rim. Add in the stainless-steel centre cap screws and you’ve got a visually appealing wheelset. The Beadlock is available in two wheel sizes – 16x8 and 17x9 – and is available for a number of popular 4x4s such as the Hilux, Ranger, Colorado, Navara, BT-50 and Triton. The Beadlock is, as you’d expect from ROH, built tough, too; the wheel’s ROH Easyclean’s matte-black baked enamel finish offers excellent durability and resistance to weathering and salt-spray. The wheelset’s high load rating means it is also a great choice for those looking at a GVM upgrade.

Website: www.roh.com.au

ALLAN MOFFAT

One of Australian motor racing’s true legends, Canadian-born Moffat’s career went from the mid-1960s until the late 1980s and encompassed the true heyday of Aussie touring car racing, with ‘The Great Race’ at Bathurst its centrepiece. Moffat (with John Smailes) writes about his career in an honest style, detailing the successes he had, ranging from driving his all-conquering Trans Am Mustang to more than 100 victories, through to the brutal Ford versus Holden wars waged during the 1970s and 1980s at Bathurst. It’s not all about the good and bad times of Aussie motorsport, however; Moffat also recounts moving to this faraway land from Canada as a boy, weaving his own story in with the greater one that his career became.

RRP: $40
Website: www.allenandunwin.com

OZTENT CAMPER CUPBOARD

For those who like to set up a ‘base camp’ for a few days, OzTent’s new camper cupboard is the perfect addition to your camp-kitchen set-up. The cupboard’s frame is 28mm powdercoated box aluminium (read: strong), while the three shelves are aluminium-edged MDF and the exterior 600D polyester PVC. It’s designed to offer a secure, robust storage structure for camp. The cupboard’s No-See-Um mesh flyscreens keep insects away, the laminated resin bench top provides food prep space, and it all packs down fast thanks to the easy lock/release mechanisms. Packed size is 600mm long x 510mm wide x 90mm tall (set-up size is 600mm x 510mm x 800mm) and it weighs a paltry 8kg. A carry bag is also supplied.

Website: www.oztent.com.au

IRONMAN 4X4 PINNACLE CANOPY

This new canopy from Ironman 4x4 is constructed using vinyl-ester fibreglass for excellent durability and strength and, with its model-specific moulding, ensures the canopy matches the design of the vehicle it is fitted to perfectly. The Pinnacle includes large lift-up tinted windows on each side (with dual locks) for easy access, and a rear window that includes a central locking system. Other features include roof rails (the Pinnacle has a roof load rating of 80kg), over-lip mounting for enhanced water and dust protection, and an LED internal light. The exterior is smooth-finish and there is the option to colour-code the canopy. The Pinnacle is currently available for the Navara NP300 (2015-onwards), Toyota Hilux (2015-onwards) and Mitsubishi Triton.

RRP: $2640
Website: www.ironman4x4.com

BRACKETRON TEKGRIP VENT MOUNT

One of the best places to mount your smartphone or GPS to ensure easy viewing without affecting driver vision is on the air-con vents. Bracketron’s new TekGrip Vent Mount is compact and versatile, with one-click arm expansion and the ability to rotate your unit 360 degrees for either a horizontal or vertical viewpoint. It can also be tilted to the desired angle for optimum vision. The mount will fit to most vehicles’ horizontal and vertical vent set-ups, and it also includes folding support legs for additional stability. The TekGrip Vent Mount is also super-easy to move between vehicles and is built tough.

RRP: $49.95
Website: www.bracketron.com.au

SEA TO SUMMIT COMFORT DELUXE SI MAT

This self-inflating mat is ideal for vehicle-based campers keen to maximise cargo space. The Comfort Deluxe SI (Self Inflating) offers an awesome 10cm of air-sprung mat, while the mat’s vertical sidewalls maximise the sleeping area. The 30-denier (D) stretch knit fabric is comfortable without an over-sheet. The mat is made using tough 75D polyester and a laminated TPU on the base, so it will last many years of camping. The mat’s internal fill material also means it is warm, making it ideal for all-season camping (even those winters in the High Country). The Comfort Deluxe SI is available in three sizes: Regular-Wide (1830mm long x 640mm wide and 1.84kg); Large-Wide (2010mm x 760mm and 2.41kg); and Double (2010mm x 1320mm and 4.2kg).

RRP: $299.95 (Regular-Wide)
Website: www.seatosummitdistribution.com.au

TJM PRO LOCKER COMPRESSOR

This all-new, compact compressor from TJM is designed to fit under-bonnet or in small spaces in your vehicle, thanks to its multiple-angle mount bracket. It’s designed for use with TJM’s Pro Locker diff locks. Features include an oil-less, non-lube piston and cylinder, an inbuilt check valve, and a two-stage air filter (moisture and dust resistant) to ensure fine particles cannot enter the internals during operation. The compressor has an anodised aluminium air tank, an 11amp max current draw and a 26LPM (litre per minute) flow rate, as well as a permanently lubricated motor shaft and connecting rod bearings. A simplified wiring loom is included and the compressor is balanced for low-vibration operation.

Website: www.tjm.com.au

EFS FORD RANGER LIFT KIT

EFS has released an awesome suspension kit for Ford’s ever-popular Ranger. The kit includes EFS Elite 35mm big-bore front struts and rear EFS Elite shocks, combined with raised heavy-duty coil springs (front) and raised heavy-duty complete rear leaf spring packs. Also included in this kit are the EFS poly bush kit, greasable pins and shackles, as well as U-bolts. EFS offers a wide range of different load-rated front coils and rear leaf springs for applications ranging from general touring through to towing and can customise the vehicle’s suspension to suit your exact requirements. This kit – like all EFS kits – benefits from lengthy development undertaken by the company here in Australia to ensure the suspension set-up is matched to our demanding conditions.

RRP: From $1745 (excluding fitting)
Website: www.efs4wd.com.au

SHIMANO SUSTAIN F1 SPINNING REEL

Shimano’s new F1 is a reel that combines excellent rigidity with sensitivity, as well as shielded A-RB bearings and a drag output of 9 to 11kg, for optimum performance. The reel’s aluminium Hagane Body provides the stiffness of steel with impact resistance, while the Magnumlite Rotor ensures plenty of sensitivity to alert anglers to that ‘first nibble’, while also offering a fast response rate courtesy of the low-inertia rotation. Shimano’s X Protect tech combines a water-repellent treatment with a convoluted structure to block water ingress. Add in the cold-forged Hagane Gear and X-Ship for smooth gearing that brings effortless casting and you can see why this reel is rated ‘highly desirable’ by anglers.

RRP: $449.95
Website: www.shimanofish.com.au