Yeah no doubt a Mits Canopy are a heaps better, but for 20K + just not an option for most people. I would love to be sponsored and have one installed but most people have to work with what they have and a tub and canopy is achievable and affordable.
Awesome vid mate 👍 ive found the tub and canopy very appealing especially for anyone new to the scene. but when you actually think about it and camp out a few times the flaws start coming to light
Aluminium tray and canopy with lift-off jacks are the ultimate versatile setup. Leave canopy off for weekly travel or carrying dirt or whatever. Put the canopy on in 5 minutes, then you're ready for the weekend camping. 😎
I originally set up a Hilux with an ARB canopy for $4000. It was shite. Every thing you said in this clip is exactly my experience. Now I have a Toyota alloy tray and a lift off canopy which I bought second hand for $4000. It’s unreal- I wish I did it right the first time. You CAN spend 20k on a flash one. But it’s not necessary.
ARB are way to expensive, wanted $750 for clearview towing mirrors and $120 to fit, I bought a set from Ocam Industries for $499 delivered and took 10 mins to fit in a Triton
Thanks so much for posting this. I'm going through this dilemma right now... I think I'll be sticking with a cheap tonneau and my tub until I can afford to go the tray and aluminium canopy option, rather than waste a ton of money and time on a tub/canopy setup. Subbed!
I have a Ford Ranger 2019 bottom of the range, bought brand new with Tub and Canopy, I put a Tray and three door canopy on 3 Years ago, best move I ever did, Cost me for removal of tub and fit new tray /canopy AUD$8000.00
I do believe if you set a tub& drawers setup "better" than yours, than it can work quite well.. im running an ARB Canopy which is far better quality, bigger windows and more volume inside, plus im running custom madelawson 350mm deep twin drawers with an inbuilt tilt fridge slide... this give enormous amounts of storage and easy access to my 60l engel... all up cost me $5,500 which is very reasonable... tray and canopy will be three to four times that if done correctly and really cant see that extra value. Just my opinion, cheers for the video mate! Subscribed.
yep I 100% agree with you mate I could set it up way better than it is now, I have a few mates with insane tub setups but in the big scheme of things their setups would still be the same amount of money to do a custom canopy with a fitout... but like you said too the ARB ascent canopy is a much larger canopy and better window sizes which makes a huge difference. But at the end I still see an issue with being able to access the whole canopy 100% which is the thing I keep coming back to... what 12v system do you have in the tub mate? have you got any extras in there too eg: water, compressor, cage?
@@AzventuresAustralia I hear what you are saying mate, for pure access you will really struggle to beat a metal tray / canopy setup... i just believe don't under estimate how good a simple, clean, ARB canopy on the standard tub can work with the correct drawers etc.. My vehicle is the new MR Triton GLS Premium which does not have a smart alternator (thank god) so 12v wise i am running an under bonnet tray with a 85amp hr fullriver battery paired to a Redarc SBI12, powering a rear 'power panel' in the tray for my fridge and accessories (when this battery dies im going the 105amp hr).. Water im running an under tub 30L poly tank which sits above the spare tyre (gravity feed), compressor is an ARB twin compressor under bonnet, and not running a fridge cage as the inbuilt tilt slide seems really good so far. Either way, great topic to discuss as there is both pro's and con's with each set up and specific use. Cheers.
@@AlsAllAussieAdventures having an arb canopy doesnt make one iotta of difference to the dust levels that still get in the tub area. You can have the sickest drawer system on the market, you still need to access stuff at the back of it, and the wheel arches on a tub render that space between the drawers and tub sidewalls useless. For a legit tourer setup tray and canopy is the only way to go. For a poser or mall crawler who goes on a dirt track but once a year a tub is fine lol
@@krump7429Poser or Mall crawler?? Please mate, i can almost guarantee you i do more off road trip than your self.. you dont even know what i do for a living.
@@AlsAllAussieAdventures if you do so much "4wding" then you know first hand a tub and canopy is useless no matter how "better its set up".... and cause you do so much "4wding" you know how much dust your arb wiz fangle dandy canopy lets in.... all good bruh just a bit of back and forth different points of view i couldnt care less what you do for a living...
Reminds me of a tool commercial. Tool one used poorly followed by new gadget used in optimal manner. Is a tray canopy better, yes for access and storage. Impacts budget, gvm, gcm, requires suspension mods, reduces off-road performance and increases metacentric height of vehicles.
Good video mate. You are spot on about dust being a problem with a tub and canopy. To all but eliminate it maybe look at fitting a roof vent to funnel air into the canopy and create some positive pressure inside it. Dust can't get sucked in from the back that way. The vent must face forward though like an intercooler bonnet scoop because if it faces backwards it will make the problem twice as worse. ARB sell a low profile closeable/lockable one and I think it is cheaper than the tailgate seals which aren't effective anyway as you already know.
Great video. I currently have a tub and canopy, its not perfect but it works. Made my own cage that fits around my fridge to stop shit falling in behind it. Have an alloy tilt slide so easier to access my fridge. Made my own battery box for my slimline and a little shelf that holds my travel buddy, mounted compressor, inverter and 12v. Still plenty of room for water, and all the other gear i need. In saying that, if i was cashed up id get a 1500mm tray and a 1200mm canopy, love the look and like the fact of having a shorter tray for offloading , plus cutting down the weight i can have behind my rear axle
Let's be straight up. The only reason you wouldn't go for a tray option over the tub is cost. That's it. Tray/canopy shits all over a tub/canopy . Sadly for me, I still have a tub while waiting for a Lottery win.
best reply yet !!!! 100% agree I was also in that boat with the cost but now after nearly 5 years of constantly changing and upgrading things I feel the initial outlay on a custom setup wouldn't have broken the bank account, but everyones circumstances are different and can see all sides of this debate
@@AzventuresAustraliaWith ya there. I shoulda spent the bills straight away and be done with it. With all the chopping and changing I've done, I'd probably be in front money wise anyway!
Built a canopy for about 3k with a second hand tray. Next time I'll buy one for about 6 k with a trundle drawer and tool boxes. No need to spend 12k plus!
I weighed my Dmax with full fuel and driver at 2.24t. Then I installed a Norweld tray and canopy with 40L full water tank, 130L bushman upright fridge, ARB twin compressor, 200ah lithium, 2000w inverter, DCDC and ACDC chargers. The weight increased to 2.7t. It leaves me with 700kg capacity for gear within my Pedders GVM upgrade. Thats plenty for an additional person, food and tools to go touring or working as a tradie around town. Canopy also has a roof rack that can hold much more weight than the car roof. Tray n Canopy is much easier to use than a tub with canopy!
I've had a station wagon (GQ Patrol), tub (Hilux), and now have a tray (Dmax). Love the look of the tubs, but trays are all business. Mits alloy is nice, but probably out of reach of most folk. I currently have a canvas canopy on my tray but just about to swap to a $2800 alloy canopy (so not mega expensive). No fancy drawers inside, but easy access, dry and secure. I wont go back to a tub.
Good video mate....me personally, I’d prefer a tray and old school canvas canopy over a security mesh style inner frame. Looks great, keeps the weights down and keeps fuel consumption down. Not bagging the Mitsalloy guys because they do sensational work and are lovely fellas however I’m just not a huge fan of those big blingy glitzy looking canopies. Reason being I think you lose a lot of your utes ‘normal’ day to day carrying capabilities like picking up a tonne of mulch or a pallet of besser blocks ( unless you go to the trouble of jacking the canopy off ). I think the constant weight throws out some of the driving comfort too, bit like driving a small tinny with a couple of all black front rowers on the back seat 😆. The other thing is yes you do have a lot of ‘useable’ space but unless you’re packing well and double stacking everything, you have a lot of wasted space up high. Our camper trailer is a Colorado tub with a carryboy canopy on top and it works well. It has both its pros and cons. PROS - looks good, tows well, easy to maintain, does the job, it’s quite customisable, quick to pack, easy to wash out if it gets too dusty inside CONS - weighs 407 kgs plus the canopy plus whatever we load in it for camping, canopy’s not 100% sealed - so have to hose it out occasionally, somewhat limited space but you learn to pack well and efficiently 👍 This debate will go on forever - Holden v Ford / Toyota v Nissan 😆😆 Keep up the good videos champ, see you on the tracks hopefully soon 👍👍
Cheers for doing this video mate; it was bloody helpful. You've answered a few questions I have had in the back of my mind about a tub & canopy setup for a while now. I do like the look and have been keen on going that setup for a while but just can't quite bring myself to do it. And yeah; a schmick looking tray & canopy doesn't come too cheap either. . . 🤔
too easy mate!!! its something I've been asking myself for a long time now too and thought it was time to make this vid to help legends like you out!!! yep a custom setup does cost the extra cash but I 100% reckon you would forget how much it cost you once its setup next to a crystals clear creek with the fire cranking and beer in hand and all your mates admiring your setup !!!
Good vid mate. Depends on canopy style and vehicle. My MR Triton running a Mean Mother canopy has excellent access - the side windows are huge. I have not used a slide for the fridge (easy to pull out and push back in and have it strapped down). No draws also keeps weight down. It's all about weight. 100kg canopy is a very light way to go touring. Also IFS utes don't gain much from a lift but you lose access into the rear. If you don't need a lift, don't lift. The fibreglass canopies run from 80kg roof limit to 100kg. That's enough. I wouldn't normally go over 50kg on the roof to keep the handling. Cheers
Land Rover I agree. I was running a canopy on the tub of the Triton and the access through the side was pretty decent. Rangers tend to be much taller, especially once you lift them and slam on some big muddies. The canopy old mate has looks the goods but the windows are tiny.
Your right mate the I've got a fibreglass canopy as well they leak like crazy I also think security is a massive issue yer u can black out the windows but they're Easier to get into than the alloy canopy. I've added a fridge slide to mine and the weight is way to heavy for the draws A well setup tray and canopy makes things so much easier so much more useable and functional space makes packing bulky items easier I Spose it comes down to is dollars and what u wanna spend
No one mentions how these tray and canopy setups affect the fuel consumption. It’s quite a big box hanging out the sides. Also how much gear is needed to Jack and store the canopy? Is it an option when buying the canopy? That’s where I’m at between the two. I can jack and store one or spend a little more time unpacking and have less space.
How about a tub and canopy with a floor that devides the 2 so u have the tub area as storage and the canopy for everything else like u would on a tray and canopy? Like wat 24/7 did to the white pony hilux
Good comparison i run tray canopy all day long with stuff falling behide your fridge i build a cage around mine to stop stuff falling didn't liok pretty but worked great and dropped the stress levels when packing ute to go camping
i cant justify the price, speaking for myself. i just bought a 4x4 and i only plan to do camping/off-roading like once every 2 months, these setups are for people that live and breath the outdoors.
Tub+Canopy is a good "all rounder" option I feel, you still have the space if you want to chuck the kids bike in the back or have a few mates chuck some swags and a fridge in there, also with a few crates you can still do the shopping. The Tray+Canopy while nice (and 4x as expensive) is more suited for the outdoor enthusiast, probably not a big family type owner as most of the space is dedicated for specific use and not able to be used for all storage. Pros/cons to each setup and as nice and easy the tray/canopy option is for my case with family and a hilux with a tub already, canopy makes far better sense and the tub isn't as high as this one pictured, also an ARB canopy on a Hilux has much bigger side windows so it is just as important to choose the correct vehicle for the job and yes, if you then go and add lift kit and bigger wheels the height of your access to fridge etc will increase too. Get a small foldable step stool
Access to my tub and canopy is dead easy. My side hopper windows on my Flexiglass tub canopy (Hilux) are way bigger than yours. I can get large objects through them. Also my arms reach to the centre of the tub from the side windows so I can reach everything easily. Also my fridge is on the floor of the tray so no problem seeing into or reaching into the fridge. Also I can easily see and reach into my fridge from side window as well. Also I don't have or need a fridge slide to easily access the fridge.
I don't own a Ute. But if I had to choose a Canopy i'll have to go with an alloy canopy that goes on a tub as they are stronger then a fiberglass one. Yes they will cost more but i'll have to go with a tub as i won't be able to put my kayak on top of one with a tray. owning a Grand Vitara its easy for me to reach the roof. My parents own a Disco 4 with the drop down door to make it easy to put heavy things on the roof. Patrols great vehicle but the rear doors open sideways which makes it harder to get on the roof. yes you can buy a ladder but putting things on makes it harder in that sense.
I had an all black raptor with canopy and the slide out fridge and every time anything fell behind and I couldn’t slide the fridge back in I would curse the dam thing! For that reason alone I’m gunna put a tray and canopy set up on my hilux.
I think what would really be better with this video is do the comparison with the cost of both options because this isn't even close I priced both and it's not even close your talking a 25k difference
Love the idea of this comparison, but it is not a great execution due to the disparity between the quality of the two. That is, you compare the "ducks nuts" tray and canopy with a less than ideal tub and canopy.
I don't think alloy is that much bigger if at all because it looks like the floor is higher up where on a tub and canopy the floor starts below the wheel arch
than Jase!!! mate you have one of the best tub and canopy setups I've had the pleasure of camping next to and for you to say you'd love a custom tray and canopy is huge!!!
That Mits Alloy canopy is mint but way out of my budget. I had a flexiglass sport canopy and tub on my last Ute and I’ve got a tray now with some boxes either side. I prefer the tray way easier to fit lights and bolt stuff to it without making it look out of place.
something to work towards on the next build mate!!! I agree you can get a standard alloy tray and back a couple trade boxes on the back and set them up just as good as any custom box
Pros,yes they have much more room and are about the same weight as a style side,maybe a little bit more. Cons more wind drag when you go 1900 x 1800 on a ford ranger , more fuel consumption,and the other is to forget to put down the left hand door and drive up the the drive way and write the door and canopy off. I’ve done this twice now ,last timeI bent the tray as well. Had MRT supply the last 2 Canopys,maybe a little bit cheaply made,they look ok ?? Now listen everyone, get a door alarm installed in your Ute for when you forget to put the doors down 😂😂😂😂 Barry MARSON
A good quality tray and canopy set up is north of 350kgs. A factory tub is around the 150-200kgs and an ABS canopy is around 85kgs. A tray and canopy combo may have more room, but when you are putting 1800mm trays on any dual cab, you are pushing the limit of rear overhang. Also going a tray/canopy is an invitation to go over your GVM because you have so much room, so you can fit everything including the kitchen sink. A lot of tray/canopy combos require you have wider mirrors due to their width being greater than the cab. The points you listed are all valid. Not good about the wiping out of the doors, they would be hard to see when up as it is out of the viewing range of your mirrors.
is there any way to sleep inside the canopy? i slept inside the SUV during my ski trips. it would be nice if the utes have the internal space to accommodate
I've got my new canopy coming: 17k. It wasn't easy to justify that cost, but there's no place to put a wet dog in my car if I use a tub set up. Plus my tub leaks like a siv
I have a px3 ranger which on fords website weighs approximately 2,200kg. I have alloy tray and canopy with drifta drawers and 40l drawer fridge and it got weighed 2560kg. Much better in my opinion and not really gaining that much more weight..
i hate my tailgate. always in the bloody way. when i go west so much dust gets in a tub/canopy and through everything. If you can afford it. go aluminum tray/ canopy
more economical in what sense? monetary value? yes I agree the money can be far less, but I reckon if you spent that extra money on a custom tray and canopy setup that first time you go camping with it the money side of things wouldn't matter and you would forget how much it cost
Yeah hands down a canopy is the best setup. However I think a direct chassis mount canopy is best as it brings everything lower and allows for more storage. On a tray things are just that little higher and there's more wind drag. Do you know if mits do a chassis mount canopy? Thanks for the vid Mick
How often do you use your tools? Why not put them, in-front of the fridge together with your spare parts. Then you will have the second draw for something that you will use more often.
unfortunately I use them too much hahaha I've chosen to use one drawer dedicated to toys and parts to keep it more organised and packed away securely, currently there isn't as much gear in there as usual with everything that happening so I have nt had the need for alot of stuff, when I go away and take my camp oven it usually sits in that space onto of my recovery gear
Ive had a wagon which was good. Ive now got a dual cab ute with a tub. Cant wait to fk the tub off i absolutley hate it. Its booked in next week for a tray then im getting a canopy. The tubs suck for me as i cant organise it well enough in comparison to what can be done with an alloy canopy. Also the dust gets absolutley everywhere on a tub and when you have a whiney woman in the pasenger side who gets sookie about dusty equipment 😂 Dont @me
Good stuff Azza! Id love a tray and canopy on my Ranger but maybe one day i'll afford one. Side question (sorry) when you took out your back seat was there any trick for turning the seatbelt light off? Or was there no problem straight away. Love your work. Cheers Steve
thanks Steve!!! gotta have a dream and a goal hey!!! as for the back seats yep it comes up on the dash every time I start my car telling me there's a back seat issue... I've talked to ford to get them to turn it off but its one thing that isn't possible, the only way to fix it is by buying more of the wiring connections for the seatbelt and looping it back into itself to trick the seatbelt sensor into thinking the seats and setblets are in there
Azventures Australia thanks mate wanna tip mine out too. Saw you a couple of weeks ago in Merewether but didn’t put 2&2 together till you went through the gate lol
iv camped with all sorts of epic setups that friends have and some insanely well setup tubs but even still they all have to reach over the tailgate and move stuff out of the way to get the things they're after straight away so it still comes back to ease and accessibility and I can't see any tub having it unfortunately
made myself a full gull wing canopy that sits on top of the tub for around 1100 including steel + aluminum and about 3 weekends worth of work on and off. To me both of those canopy types have hard cons and overpriced for what the real cost is in labor and materials when you know how to make it yourself, which I figured out on the fly I might add. Honestly with the options for customizing what you want for any body watching this I strongly recommend doing it yourself if you can weld, get mild steel bars from Bunnings to weld the frames and doors, aluminum sheeting from a local supplier for the facings then its accessories like locks, seals, paint and gas struts, led lights and mounts if you want. Again this will only run you up around 1100 has a great rooftop carry capacity (you will bust your tub before the frame itself), security, and full side of tub/back access not to mention more options for mounting and accessories thanks to the frame itself.
Hey mate, How do you bolt that canopy to the tub as tub walls are made of very thin sheet metal. Did you bolt it or some sort of clips ? Any referral to a video or photo resource would be really appreciated.
@@qubadmalik1 can do either, I used bolts into the liner but the previous one made just used standard canopy clamps off eBay both of them the base is a L 30mm bracket that covers the tub top and inner wall so plenty of space. Haven't seen a similar design before for the base and haven't come across a video for the same.
Good one mate. I enjoyed this video enough to comment! Can you recommend any tray and canopy builders of Mits Alloy standard for the SE QLD area? Cheers again mate
The biggest drama I have with a tray is hight, I can bearly fit my 80 litre fridge in and have no chance of opening it plus the the has to lie down the hole time and they could stand in the tub
for something like that setup I think its anywhere from 20k-30k mate, all depends on how you fit out the inside and how crazy you want to go with the 12v system, best off clicking on the link in the description and sending through an email for a quote
Fuck I love this shit! To me, I’m so much more attracted to the tub/canopy. It’s rough and ready to go which is what I love. Ya just make do. There’s so many ways I could see to make it more functional. I love the power box too, filthy and rough and ready to go! Love that shit! But that all said, I’m a wagon man and I’m a DIY nut, so I do as much as I can myself. Currently setting up up my new GU for touring. Simple, functional, reliable - they are my only requirements.
Biggest con of that tray and canopy setup your showing there is the fact it’s $$$ I got quoted $20k for that setup not including the internals and battery setup.
Excessive, i would rather spend half that setting up the tub and canopy with everything I need, then put a rear bar with swing tyre on it instead and just use the tailgate as the table.
Sounds like you’re not happy with the tub/canopy. But that was very biased opinion from a short arse lol. You bang on about weight conscience in the tub but then say not a big deal 50-100 Kgs for tray/canopy and it’s gonna cost you $15-30k plus for the extra weight 😂
you have to be joking, I took my Ute body off and fitted a tray and canopy what was full in the Ute and hard to get at, out and put it in the tray and it half filled it and great access to every thing because i like to keep my weight to a minimum i have to watch what i put in now best thing i have ever done
Yeah no doubt a Mits Canopy are a heaps better, but for 20K + just not an option for most people. I would love to be sponsored and have one installed but most people have to work with what they have and a tub and canopy is achievable and affordable.
Awesome vid mate 👍 ive found the tub and canopy very appealing especially for anyone new to the scene. but when you actually think about it and camp out a few times the flaws start coming to light
Aluminium tray and canopy with lift-off jacks are the ultimate versatile setup.
Leave canopy off for weekly travel or carrying dirt or whatever. Put the canopy on in 5 minutes, then you're ready for the weekend camping. 😎
Hands down tray & canopy all bloody day 👍
this was the most common reply I had on a insta story I did a while back
I originally set up a Hilux with an ARB canopy for $4000. It was shite. Every thing you said in this clip is exactly my experience. Now I have a Toyota alloy tray and a lift off canopy which I bought second hand for $4000. It’s unreal- I wish I did it right the first time. You CAN spend 20k on a flash one. But it’s not necessary.
ARB are way to expensive, wanted $750 for clearview towing mirrors and $120 to fit, I bought a set from Ocam Industries for $499 delivered and took 10 mins to fit in a Triton
Thanks so much for posting this. I'm going through this dilemma right now... I think I'll be sticking with a cheap tonneau and my tub until I can afford to go the tray and aluminium canopy option, rather than waste a ton of money and time on a tub/canopy setup. Subbed!
I have a Ford Ranger 2019 bottom of the range, bought brand new with Tub and Canopy, I put a Tray and three door canopy on 3 Years ago, best move I ever did, Cost me for removal of tub and fit new tray /canopy AUD$8000.00
I do believe if you set a tub& drawers setup "better" than yours, than it can work quite well.. im running an ARB Canopy which is far better quality, bigger windows and more volume inside, plus im running custom madelawson 350mm deep twin drawers with an inbuilt tilt fridge slide... this give enormous amounts of storage and easy access to my 60l engel... all up cost me $5,500 which is very reasonable... tray and canopy will be three to four times that if done correctly and really cant see that extra value. Just my opinion, cheers for the video mate! Subscribed.
yep I 100% agree with you mate I could set it up way better than it is now, I have a few mates with insane tub setups but in the big scheme of things their setups would still be the same amount of money to do a custom canopy with a fitout... but like you said too the ARB ascent canopy is a much larger canopy and better window sizes which makes a huge difference. But at the end I still see an issue with being able to access the whole canopy 100% which is the thing I keep coming back to... what 12v system do you have in the tub mate? have you got any extras in there too eg: water, compressor, cage?
@@AzventuresAustralia I hear what you are saying mate, for pure access you will really struggle to beat a metal tray / canopy setup... i just believe don't under estimate how good a simple, clean, ARB canopy on the standard tub can work with the correct drawers etc.. My vehicle is the new MR Triton GLS Premium which does not have a smart alternator (thank god) so 12v wise i am running an under bonnet tray with a 85amp hr fullriver battery paired to a Redarc SBI12, powering a rear 'power panel' in the tray for my fridge and accessories (when this battery dies im going the 105amp hr).. Water im running an under tub 30L poly tank which sits above the spare tyre (gravity feed), compressor is an ARB twin compressor under bonnet, and not running a fridge cage as the inbuilt tilt slide seems really good so far. Either way, great topic to discuss as there is both pro's and con's with each set up and specific use. Cheers.
@@AlsAllAussieAdventures having an arb canopy doesnt make one iotta of difference to the dust levels that still get in the tub area. You can have the sickest drawer system on the market, you still need to access stuff at the back of it, and the wheel arches on a tub render that space between the drawers and tub sidewalls useless. For a legit tourer setup tray and canopy is the only way to go. For a poser or mall crawler who goes on a dirt track but once a year a tub is fine lol
@@krump7429Poser or Mall crawler?? Please mate, i can almost guarantee you i do more off road trip than your self.. you dont even know what i do for a living.
@@AlsAllAussieAdventures if you do so much "4wding" then you know first hand a tub and canopy is useless no matter how "better its set up".... and cause you do so much "4wding" you know how much dust your arb wiz fangle dandy canopy lets in.... all good bruh just a bit of back and forth different points of view i couldnt care less what you do for a living...
Reminds me of a tool commercial. Tool one used poorly followed by new gadget used in optimal manner.
Is a tray canopy better, yes for access and storage. Impacts budget, gvm, gcm, requires suspension mods, reduces off-road performance and increases metacentric height of vehicles.
Good video mate. You are spot on about dust being a problem with a tub and canopy. To all but eliminate it maybe look at fitting a roof vent to funnel air into the canopy and create some positive pressure inside it. Dust can't get sucked in from the back that way. The vent must face forward though like an intercooler bonnet scoop because if it faces backwards it will make the problem twice as worse. ARB sell a low profile closeable/lockable one and I think it is cheaper than the tailgate seals which aren't effective anyway as you already know.
Great video. I currently have a tub and canopy, its not perfect but it works. Made my own cage that fits around my fridge to stop shit falling in behind it. Have an alloy tilt slide so easier to access my fridge.
Made my own battery box for my slimline and a little shelf that holds my travel buddy, mounted compressor, inverter and 12v.
Still plenty of room for water, and all the other gear i need.
In saying that, if i was cashed up id get a 1500mm tray and a 1200mm canopy, love the look and like the fact of having a shorter tray for offloading , plus cutting down the weight i can have behind my rear axle
Let's be straight up. The only reason you wouldn't go for a tray option over the tub is cost. That's it. Tray/canopy shits all over a tub/canopy . Sadly for me, I still have a tub while waiting for a Lottery win.
best reply yet !!!! 100% agree I was also in that boat with the cost but now after nearly 5 years of constantly changing and upgrading things I feel the initial outlay on a custom setup wouldn't have broken the bank account, but everyones circumstances are different and can see all sides of this debate
@@AzventuresAustraliaWith ya there. I shoulda spent the bills straight away and be done with it. With all the chopping and changing I've done, I'd probably be in front money wise anyway!
Poor man pays twice always same story. First tub then tray
Built a canopy for about 3k with a second hand tray.
Next time I'll buy one for about 6 k with a trundle drawer and tool boxes. No need to spend 12k plus!
I weighed my Dmax with full fuel and driver at 2.24t. Then I installed a Norweld tray and canopy with 40L full water tank, 130L bushman upright fridge, ARB twin compressor, 200ah lithium, 2000w inverter, DCDC and ACDC chargers. The weight increased to 2.7t. It leaves me with 700kg capacity for gear within my Pedders GVM upgrade. Thats plenty for an additional person, food and tools to go touring or working as a tradie around town. Canopy also has a roof rack that can hold much more weight than the car roof. Tray n Canopy is much easier to use than a tub with canopy!
I've had a station wagon (GQ Patrol), tub (Hilux), and now have a tray (Dmax). Love the look of the tubs, but trays are all business. Mits alloy is nice, but probably out of reach of most folk. I currently have a canvas canopy on my tray but just about to swap to a $2800 alloy canopy (so not mega expensive). No fancy drawers inside, but easy access, dry and secure. I wont go back to a tub.
Good video mate....me personally, I’d prefer a tray and old school canvas canopy over a security mesh style inner frame.
Looks great, keeps the weights down and keeps fuel consumption down.
Not bagging the Mitsalloy guys because they do sensational work and are lovely fellas however I’m just not a huge fan of those big blingy glitzy looking canopies. Reason being I think you lose a lot of your utes ‘normal’ day to day carrying capabilities like picking up a tonne of mulch or a pallet of besser blocks ( unless you go to the trouble of jacking the canopy off ).
I think the constant weight throws out some of the driving comfort too, bit like driving a small tinny with a couple of all black front rowers on the back seat 😆. The other thing is yes you do have a lot of ‘useable’ space but unless you’re packing well and double stacking everything, you have a lot of wasted space up high.
Our camper trailer is a Colorado tub with a carryboy canopy on top and it works well. It has both its pros and cons.
PROS - looks good, tows well, easy to maintain, does the job, it’s quite customisable, quick to pack, easy to wash out if it gets too dusty inside
CONS - weighs 407 kgs plus the canopy plus whatever we load in it for camping, canopy’s not 100% sealed - so have
to hose it out occasionally, somewhat limited space but you learn to pack well and efficiently 👍
This debate will go on forever - Holden v Ford / Toyota v Nissan 😆😆
Keep up the good videos champ, see you on the tracks hopefully soon 👍👍
Cheers for doing this video mate; it was bloody helpful. You've answered a few questions I have had in the back of my mind about a tub & canopy setup for a while now. I do like the look and have been keen on going that setup for a while but just can't quite bring myself to do it.
And yeah; a schmick looking tray & canopy doesn't come too cheap either. . . 🤔
too easy mate!!! its something I've been asking myself for a long time now too and thought it was time to make this vid to help legends like you out!!! yep a custom setup does cost the extra cash but I 100% reckon you would forget how much it cost you once its setup next to a crystals clear creek with the fire cranking and beer in hand and all your mates admiring your setup !!!
I always thought the tub was better but after this vid. Definitely the tray setup seems better.... cheers az
I've always loved the look of the tub and canopy... but in a user friendly sense its definitely nothing compared to a tray and canopy hey
ute master have awesome canopies that address the side entry issue
Good vid mate. Depends on canopy style and vehicle. My MR Triton running a Mean Mother canopy has excellent access - the side windows are huge. I have not used a slide for the fridge (easy to pull out and push back in and have it strapped down). No draws also keeps weight down. It's all about weight. 100kg canopy is a very light way to go touring. Also IFS utes don't gain much from a lift but you lose access into the rear. If you don't need a lift, don't lift. The fibreglass canopies run from 80kg roof limit to 100kg. That's enough. I wouldn't normally go over 50kg on the roof to keep the handling. Cheers
Land Rover I agree. I was running a canopy on the tub of the Triton and the access through the side was pretty decent. Rangers tend to be much taller, especially once you lift them and slam on some big muddies. The canopy old mate has looks the goods but the windows are tiny.
Some really valid points there. Some not so obvious ones too which I definitely may have overlooked. Glad I watched the vid. Cheers mate
Your right mate the I've got a fibreglass canopy as well they leak like crazy I also think security is a massive issue yer u can black out the windows but they're Easier to get into than the alloy canopy.
I've added a fridge slide to mine and the weight is way to heavy for the draws
A well setup tray and canopy makes things so much easier so much more useable and functional space makes packing bulky items easier I Spose it comes down to is dollars and what u wanna spend
No one mentions how these tray and canopy setups affect the fuel consumption. It’s quite a big box hanging out the sides.
Also how much gear is needed to Jack and store the canopy? Is it an option when buying the canopy? That’s where I’m at between the two. I can jack and store one or spend a little more time unpacking and have less space.
How about a tub and canopy with a floor that devides the 2 so u have the tub area as storage and the canopy for everything else like u would on a tray and canopy? Like wat 24/7 did to the white pony hilux
Good comparison i run tray canopy all day long with stuff falling behide your fridge i build a cage around mine to stop stuff falling didn't liok pretty but worked great and dropped the stress levels when packing ute to go camping
My canopy on my tub has nice big doors lower sides 💪🏼
To help with the dust problem I made two brackets to keep my front canopy window open a couple of inches.
Another top video.Bloody good explanation on both trays
cheers Chris I was hoping I got enough info into the vid to make my points valid\
Well done mate good comparison between the two
thanks Tony!!! was a bit hard to do not being side by side, but I think I got it right for a one man band
I've got a cargo Slide by going to build a set of drawers on top of it so I can roll the whole thing out and then pull the drawers out
Just come across this video and your reply. How did this setup work out for you? Sounds like a great idea. Was it heavy?
i cant justify the price, speaking for myself. i just bought a 4x4 and i only plan to do camping/off-roading like once every 2 months, these setups are for people that live and breath the outdoors.
Id have a tray and lift off canopy set up anyday... Just need to win lotto to get it !
Agreed! I checked everything out and decided to go tray and canopy! Bought my ute with a tub... now it's keeping the tub... can't justify the cost...
Great review of the two options. Honest and straightforward.
Dude awesome video going in details on both keep it up.
thanks cam!!
You forgot that if you go to a tray and canopy set up you will most likely require a GVM up grade.
Tub+Canopy is a good "all rounder" option I feel, you still have the space if you want to chuck the kids bike in the back or have a few mates chuck some swags and a fridge in there, also with a few crates you can still do the shopping. The Tray+Canopy while nice (and 4x as expensive) is more suited for the outdoor enthusiast, probably not a big family type owner as most of the space is dedicated for specific use and not able to be used for all storage.
Pros/cons to each setup and as nice and easy the tray/canopy option is for my case with family and a hilux with a tub already, canopy makes far better sense and the tub isn't as high as this one pictured, also an ARB canopy on a Hilux has much bigger side windows so it is just as important to choose the correct vehicle for the job and yes, if you then go and add lift kit and bigger wheels the height of your access to fridge etc will increase too. Get a small foldable step stool
I have an accent arb canopy and i don't have any of tge issues you mentioned, true the tray is bigger.
Thanks 👍
Access to my tub and canopy is dead easy.
My side hopper windows on my Flexiglass tub canopy (Hilux) are way bigger than yours. I can get large objects through them. Also my arms reach to the centre of the tub from the side windows so I can reach everything easily.
Also my fridge is on the floor of the tray so no problem seeing into or reaching into the fridge. Also I can easily see and reach into my fridge from side window as well. Also I don't have or need a fridge slide to easily access the fridge.
Yeah I agree, he didn't buy the right canopy for his tub
I don't own a Ute. But if I had to choose a Canopy i'll have to go with an alloy canopy that goes on a tub as they are stronger then a fiberglass one. Yes they will cost more but i'll have to go with a tub as i won't be able to put my kayak on top of one with a tray. owning a Grand Vitara its easy for me to reach the roof. My parents own a Disco 4 with the drop down door to make it easy to put heavy things on the roof. Patrols great vehicle but the rear doors open sideways which makes it harder to get on the roof. yes you can buy a ladder but putting things on makes it harder in that sense.
I had an all black raptor with canopy and the slide out fridge and every time anything fell behind and I couldn’t slide the fridge back in I would curse the dam thing!
For that reason alone I’m gunna put a tray and canopy set up on my hilux.
Tub and canopy works perfect for me, I camp 3-8 days tops if I was touring, I’d go tray and canopy
I think what would really be better with this video is do the comparison with the cost of both options because this isn't even close I priced both and it's not even close your talking a 25k difference
This wasn’t a price comparison video, this is a comparison on what setup is better for camping out of and ease of use
Why is there what looks like 250mm in height above the wheel arch to the bottom of the canopy? Looks like it sits way too high.
Love the idea of this comparison, but it is not a great execution due to the disparity between the quality of the two. That is, you compare the "ducks nuts" tray and canopy with a less than ideal tub and canopy.
How about heat ? Notice there no insulation? I can see it being cooking inside in middle of summer out west.
Very very informative! Thank you for making the video and being honest
I don't think alloy is that much bigger if at all because it looks like the floor is higher up where on a tub and canopy the floor starts below the wheel arch
How much for fully tray and ultimate canopy? 20,000 AUD enough? My truck is Mitsubishi Triton Plus 2012 Double cab.
More then the triton is worth and I own the same model
Love your work as always brother !! Geeez I would love a tightly designed tray / canopy solution 😍😍😍
than Jase!!! mate you have one of the best tub and canopy setups I've had the pleasure of camping next to and for you to say you'd love a custom tray and canopy is huge!!!
thanks, answered or brought up issues i need to consider, thanks again
That Mits Alloy canopy is mint but way out of my budget. I had a flexiglass sport canopy and tub on my last Ute and I’ve got a tray now with some boxes either side. I prefer the tray way easier to fit lights and bolt stuff to it without making it look out of place.
something to work towards on the next build mate!!! I agree you can get a standard alloy tray and back a couple trade boxes on the back and set them up just as good as any custom box
Pros,yes they have much more room and are about the same weight as a style side,maybe a little bit more.
Cons more wind drag when you go 1900 x 1800 on a ford ranger , more fuel consumption,and the other is to forget to put down the left hand door and drive up the the drive way and write the door and canopy off. I’ve done this twice now ,last timeI bent the tray as well. Had MRT supply the last 2 Canopys,maybe a little bit cheaply made,they look ok ??
Now listen everyone, get a door alarm installed in your Ute for when you forget to put the doors down 😂😂😂😂
Barry MARSON
A good quality tray and canopy set up is north of 350kgs. A factory tub is around the 150-200kgs and an ABS canopy is around 85kgs. A tray and canopy combo may have more room, but when you are putting 1800mm trays on any dual cab, you are pushing the limit of rear overhang. Also going a tray/canopy is an invitation to go over your GVM because you have so much room, so you can fit everything including the kitchen sink. A lot of tray/canopy combos require you have wider mirrors due to their width being greater than the cab. The points you listed are all valid. Not good about the wiping out of the doors, they would be hard to see when up as it is out of the viewing range of your mirrors.
@@userisalexI did the same thing with my left door. Drove into the garage with it open.
is there any way to sleep inside the canopy? i slept inside the SUV during my ski trips. it would be nice if the utes have the internal space to accommodate
If the Ute is a single cab you have heaps more length. Space cab follows behind. Dual cab... You need to be quite short.
I've got my new canopy coming: 17k. It wasn't easy to justify that cost, but there's no place to put a wet dog in my car if I use a tub set up. Plus my tub leaks like a siv
Good work mater, good vid
I would go canopy straight on chassis no tray. That way kitchen prep area is much lower and easier for shorter people to use.
I have a px3 ranger which on fords website weighs approximately 2,200kg. I have alloy tray and canopy with drifta drawers and 40l drawer fridge and it got weighed 2560kg. Much better in my opinion and not really gaining that much more weight..
Great video buddy 👍🏼
i hate my tailgate. always in the bloody way. when i go west so much dust gets in a tub/canopy and through everything. If you can afford it. go aluminum tray/ canopy
Hey Az. How do rate your canopy.
Tub & canopy heaps more economical..use a step stool and suddenly the side opening canopy becomes more accessible
more economical in what sense? monetary value? yes I agree the money can be far less, but I reckon if you spent that extra money on a custom tray and canopy setup that first time you go camping with it the money side of things wouldn't matter and you would forget how much it cost
More economical, sort of.
A tray and canopy can transfer to your next dual cab.
Milk crates are awesome for this job!
Yeah hands down a canopy is the best setup. However I think a direct chassis mount canopy is best as it brings everything lower and allows for more storage.
On a tray things are just that little higher and there's more wind drag.
Do you know if mits do a chassis mount canopy?
Thanks for the vid
Mick
Trig Point do it and they look great, but you can't take the canopy off to use the vehicle as a daily driver
How often do you use your tools? Why not put them, in-front of the fridge together with your spare parts. Then you will have the second draw for something that you will use more often.
unfortunately I use them too much hahaha I've chosen to use one drawer dedicated to toys and parts to keep it more organised and packed away securely, currently there isn't as much gear in there as usual with everything that happening so I have nt had the need for alot of stuff, when I go away and take my camp oven it usually sits in that space onto of my recovery gear
Ive had a wagon which was good. Ive now got a dual cab ute with a tub. Cant wait to fk the tub off i absolutley hate it. Its booked in next week for a tray then im getting a canopy. The tubs suck for me as i cant organise it well enough in comparison to what can be done with an alloy canopy. Also the dust gets absolutley everywhere on a tub and when you have a whiney woman in the pasenger side who gets sookie about dusty equipment 😂 Dont @me
Good stuff Azza! Id love a tray and canopy on my Ranger but maybe one day i'll afford one. Side question (sorry) when you took out your back seat was there any trick for turning the seatbelt light off? Or was there no problem straight away. Love your work. Cheers Steve
thanks Steve!!! gotta have a dream and a goal hey!!! as for the back seats yep it comes up on the dash every time I start my car telling me there's a back seat issue... I've talked to ford to get them to turn it off but its one thing that isn't possible, the only way to fix it is by buying more of the wiring connections for the seatbelt and looping it back into itself to trick the seatbelt sensor into thinking the seats and setblets are in there
Azventures Australia thanks mate wanna tip mine out too. Saw you a couple of weeks ago in Merewether but didn’t put 2&2 together till you went through the gate lol
Why don't manufacturers ever disclose the weights of their tray and canopies ???
Very true! A lot of them say “from xkg” don’t they…. At Mits we bought scales and weighed each item and can give a exact weight of what a setup is
good vid mate thanks for sharing
Great video, thanks!
yeah you're right, access is better. But if you set up your tub and canopy better you'll be a lot happier with it.
iv camped with all sorts of epic setups that friends have and some insanely well setup tubs but even still they all have to reach over the tailgate and move stuff out of the way to get the things they're after straight away so it still comes back to ease and accessibility and I can't see any tub having it unfortunately
made myself a full gull wing canopy that sits on top of the tub for around 1100 including steel + aluminum and about 3 weekends worth of work on and off. To me both of those canopy types have hard cons and overpriced for what the real cost is in labor and materials when you know how to make it yourself, which I figured out on the fly I might add.
Honestly with the options for customizing what you want for any body watching this I strongly recommend doing it yourself if you can weld, get mild steel bars from Bunnings to weld the frames and doors, aluminum sheeting from a local supplier for the facings then its accessories like locks, seals, paint and gas struts, led lights and mounts if you want.
Again this will only run you up around 1100 has a great rooftop carry capacity (you will bust your tub before the frame itself), security, and full side of tub/back access not to mention more options for mounting and accessories thanks to the frame itself.
Hey mate,
How do you bolt that canopy to the tub as tub walls are made of very thin sheet metal. Did you bolt it or some sort of clips ? Any referral to a video or photo resource would be really appreciated.
@@qubadmalik1 can do either, I used bolts into the liner but the previous one made just used standard canopy clamps off eBay both of them the base is a L 30mm bracket that covers the tub top and inner wall so plenty of space.
Haven't seen a similar design before for the base and haven't come across a video for the same.
@@lukemcgregor5477 thanks for replying so quickly. It is appreciated.
Good one mate. I enjoyed this video enough to comment! Can you recommend any tray and canopy builders of Mits Alloy standard for the SE QLD area? Cheers again mate
The biggest drama I have with a tray is hight, I can bearly fit my 80 litre fridge in and have no chance of opening it plus the the has to lie down the hole time and they could stand in the tub
Was thinking the same thing. With the tray your looking anywhere up to 300mm in height
ive got a tub .. wish i had a tray
Shit as access on those canopy doors! The new aluminium big open doors are mint for access
Nice canopy
Any ideas on a price for a mits tray exactly same as this
for something like that setup I think its anywhere from 20k-30k mate, all depends on how you fit out the inside and how crazy you want to go with the 12v system, best off clicking on the link in the description and sending through an email for a quote
Thankyou for your insights
Intro song is 🔥
Get yourself a rsi or bush tech tub canopy
Awesome video 👌👌
fair comparison?
Probably not fair in terms of price and quality, this was more a comparison about practicality and ease of use
is that a metric ton or an imperial ton? lol
16kg difference, who cares
Fuck I love this shit! To me, I’m so much more attracted to the tub/canopy. It’s rough and ready to go which is what I love. Ya just make do. There’s so many ways I could see to make it more functional. I love the power box too, filthy and rough and ready to go! Love that shit! But that all said, I’m a wagon man and I’m a DIY nut, so I do as much as I can myself. Currently setting up up my new GU for touring. Simple, functional, reliable - they are my only requirements.
Biggest con of that tray and canopy setup your showing there is the fact it’s $$$ I got quoted $20k for that setup not including the internals and battery setup.
Yeah as soon as he said 17k I was like noooope, it's more like 20 with bare internals
MITS are beautiful but there is much cheaper alternatives if you look around
Excessive, i would rather spend half that setting up the tub and canopy with everything I need, then put a rear bar with swing tyre on it instead and just use the tailgate as the table.
Yeah that's just say too much money for me.
I got quoted 28k recently for a bare bones canopy and then you have to add electrics haha
Sounds like you’re not happy with the tub/canopy. But that was very biased opinion from a short arse lol.
You bang on about weight conscience in the tub but then say not a big deal 50-100 Kgs for tray/canopy and it’s gonna cost you $15-30k plus for the extra weight 😂
There’s no chance in the world those ally canopy’s have more volume then a tub and fibreglass setup
you have to be joking, I took my Ute body off and fitted a tray and canopy what was full in the Ute and hard to get at, out and put it in the tray and it half filled it and great access to every thing because i like to keep my weight to a minimum i have to watch what i put in now best thing i have ever done