THE STORY OF GRANT BUDD

"In this day and age you really do get what you pay for and I can happily say we made right choice."

Take a look at the lifestyle my setup has enabled:

Read on to hear Grants Story below...

> WHERE IT ALL BEGAN:

Purchasing our new V6 XLT Ford ranger was a costly decision, especially when the necessary extras for towing a heavy caravan and extended fishing trips were added. The research of these extras was very daunting as I had no prior knowledge. For the novice it's very easy to get sucked into the marketing hype and the sea of options made it hard to decide on what we needed vs what's nice to have.

First up, I knew a tub canopy was priority and although the fiberglass options look fancy, they are fragile, with side windows that offer limited security and open access. I knew I needed something tough for carrying building materials and more importantly my surfboards and our kayaks. Although we tow a caravan there could also become a time where a rooftop tent weighing close to 100kg could be added so we had to get it right the first time.

One day my Facebook feed displayed a link to Utemaster Centurion canopies. I decided to learn more and instantly noticed the product was not another Chinese import, but built in New Zealand. The videos highlighted the many canopy features and showcased a build quality that stood firmly on the shoulders of the competition.

Adding extras to any 4x4 is a numbers game as everything added takes away from available payload and GCM when towing. To my surprise the Centurion canopy was lighter than fiberglass options due to its aluminium construction. The list of positives continued with a unique design that stops water ingress and most importantly prevents access from petty criminals. Theft from ute's is becoming increasingly common and the lack of windows and a covered locking mechanisms gave me increased confidence. Lastly, I knew I wanted to eventually raise the floor of the tub for a drawer fridge and the ability to fully open all three sides fully was a huge plus.

I still however needed a roof rack/platform system. Some platforms required brackets to be drilled and riveted directly to the roof. I didn't feel comfortable with such modification to a brand new car. Bar mounted options offered poor static and dynamic load ratings which means total allowable weight on the roof while the vehicle is parked or in motion. Dynamic loads can tumble dramatically downward on many systems when offroad and in the unfortunate event of an accident you risk voiding your insurance and/or car warranty so read the fine print.

The Ford ranger roof has a maximum dynamic load rating of only 85kg so all of you with roof mounted tents take note! Its an interesting exercise to divide the total cost of a roof system into your maximum dynamic load rating to find out just how much you are paying to carry each kilo.

The Utemaster cantilever roof rack gives a massive 200kg dynamic and 600kg static load rating! This is because it mounts directly to the canopy and doesn't involve the roof of the ute at all. This system prevents wind noise and offers excellent access for roof cleaning. The cutouts down the side reduce weight and allow bigger items to be easily secured. Should we add a roof top tent I know I'm never going to void my insurance or vehicle warranty.

Being built in New Zealand I had to find a local dealership in QLD. With one on the Sunshine Coast I took a trip to view the canopy and from the second I opened the rear door it felt solid, didn't flex and felt like it would last a lifetime. There were no ugly spot welds or poor spray jobs here! I placed the deposit and it was soon fitted with additional internal LED lights, central locking and rear roller for loading of timber and my kayak.

TESTED. TRUSTED. WORTH IT.

I GOT IT RIGHT, FIRST TIME.

Having owned it for a year I can tell you that it is indeed indestructible. I've hit trees, been in a cyclone and driving rain where I had to pull over. When it comes to cleaning I have been through the carwash and hit it with a pressure washer from a safe distance and its never let a droplet of water in. Being black I thought it would be hard to keep clean but its simple with a quality PH neutral car cleaner and chamois. For extra shine I follow up with a light application of silicone spray and polish with a microfibre cloth.

In this day and age you really do get what you pay for and I can happily say we made right choice. Furthermore, we supported a small business making a big difference amongst a sea of mass produced brands.

- Grant Budd.