Black Widow Storage System
 

Hi Everyone, we are about to outfit a Land Cruiser 100 series and have found a company in Australia called Black Widow. Their gear looks good and seems to be well constructed but there is nothing like hearing from the people who have either got some of their gear or have seen it in use. What's the verdit? Is it worth the effort shipping to the U.K?

Storage systems
 

Hi Bigpond

I also looked at the Black Widow system for my 80 series but inally settled on the African Outback system and its very very cool. Not sure how much the BW drawers cost with shipping but they look similar to the Outback drawers and from our recent shake down trip with them they have loads of space, quiet and really strong.

I know that Matt Savage can get hold of the Outback system so it would be worth trying him.

Becky

Hi Becky, thanks for the tip. We feel that the storage system is a big decision as we will be living with it on a daily basis for three years so we are trying to do as much homework as possible before spending the hard-earned cash.
Barbara

Also take a look at the outback roller draws systems manufactured by 4wd interiors in Cairns Australia. Much better quality than Black widow and the same price. In fact I think the african outback draws are the same thing but made under licence in africa.

Storage systems
 

Bigpond,

You are welcome to come and check out our storage anytime.

Saab463,

Yes the drawers are both made by the same company but as you correctly said they are marketed in S Africa in slightly different name.

Becky

Heavy
 

Both Black Widow and Outback draw systems are heavy - on the wallet and literally in the back of the car. I've longed for a similar system in the back of my 80 series but I want something much, much lighter (still strong) and much, much cheaper. Somewhere on the forum are home-made ideas and one or two have been really good. A search will track them down.

For me, the weight of both systems is the big downer.

Jeremy,

Draw systems will always be heavy, but when you consider that most 80s will have a set of heavy 3rd row seats being removed to fit the draws in the weight difference isn't that much.

Unless you are just stacking boxes in the boot and strapping them down any storage solution is going to weight something.

Julian,

How about a drawer system at the back using grp honeycomb material you once mentioned you can obtain? It is apparently very stiff and lightweight.

But then, a drawer is but a box with the lid permanently attached to the car, so why bother with the mechanics of the drawer when strapping it down takes seconds. And in the LC80 the side doors can't be opened wide enough to pull out a drawer, while a box can be manuvered at an angle.

The weight issue is not too much of a problem for us as we agree with Julian, what you take out will be replaced by the drawers so hopefully not adding too much.
For us the drawers are something we think would work best because 1)we are neat-freaks, 2)we are going to be travelling for three years and want something that will last the distance. We want to take plenty of time to plan the layout as I am sure a badly planned storage system will drive us nutty. 3)we look at the cost as an investment (if its planned well). No system is perfect and along the way we will probably discover things that we never thought about sitting here in the UK however, reseach is the key to a well prepared vehicle hence the feedback coming through is great, thanks to you all.

Hello bigpond,

I think it is a bit overenthusiastic to reason that "what you take out will be replaced by the drawers". Try translating each kg into the quantity of fuel you will have to burn to move this mass for the distance you are planning to travel, and decide if it really is not a problem for you.

IMHO, if you want your kit to last for three years, try something easily repairable and easily replaceable. Banana boxes spring to mind ...
:D

Discovered by accident ........
 

The back of our landy is partitioned by plywood covered in carpet, this keeps the noise down and allows us to sleep on it. But the best thing is, in between and under the plywood, we use plastic jerry cans ... both to hold reserve water, but also with the top cut off as an easily accessable draw.

Simple, robust, light, cheap (the jerry cans no longer held water and we were going to be thrown), replaceable and IMHO exactly what you get from a drawer system and yet pay hundreds of pounds for.

See here

Jenny and Ollie's Big Trip

C'mon Roman lighten up! We aren't going to build a tank! A couple of well-built storage drawers isn't going to make or break a LC. Maybe I was a little relaxed about the removing/replacing but for the sake of ease I thought a short description is better. We are trying to be very careful about what we take and how we are going to do it so are considering all the options, nothing is ever set in stone.

Hi Ollie, thanks for the photo, great idea! And looks like it works well.

Oh Yes
 

Yes it works really well. currently our toolkit is located there and it's so easy to access.

Pretty versatile as well. We are currently debating whether to make another drawer out of the next water container. We have a 40l tank plumbed in as well, so might just take a collapable water container with us.

But yes, works a treat

Hi bigpond,

I know, but it's tempting, isn't it?

I also know that the stuff you start with on a trip is not necessarily the same stuff that you end up with, including many parts of the car itself. Hence flexibility is a great thing, unlike many built-in expensive solutions that may one day become dead weight but will be too valuable to throw away.

On my last trip I had a setup like in the picture.
http://www.zen59375.zen.co.uk/public/temp/IMG1_0783.jpg

Cheap, flexible, repairable, light and easy to fab in a weekend. I also like Ollie's idea with the plastic water cans.