After stamping its name in the world of tuner Ford Mustangs, RTR, led by professional drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr, has unveiled its second “publically available model”, the 2019 Ford F-150 RTR.

The F-150 RTR is sold as a dealer-fitted package from select Ford dealerships in the United States for all Ford F-150 variants, with the exception of the F-150 Raptor. For existing F-150 owners, the full package is available directly from RTR for US$12,750.

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Based on the F-150 RTR concept that was unveiled at SEMA 2017, the RTR package includes RTR’s signature upper front grille with the iconic geometric LED light inserts, fender flares, front off-road skid plate, and 20-inch wheels wrapped in Nitto Ridge Grapplers.

For customers looking to customise the F-150’s interior, RTR also offers an optional RTR-designed and branded leather upholstery.

As far as performance tuning goes, the RTR package only features a cat-back sports exhaust. While that won’t turn any F-150 into a Raptor-fighter, RTR’s suspension package, which comprises of Fox 2.0 coilovers and shock absorbers, will give it some trail-bashing capability.

HERE are six reader-submitted 4x4s that were recently featured in the April 2019 issue of 4X4 Australia.

To get involved, post a pic and a description of your rig on our special site here or post it to our Facebook page.

1980 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER FJ40: ADAM SMYTH (4×4 Australia Readers’ Rigs Winner of the Month)

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THIS IS Dexter, an old-school FJ40. It has been restored, trying to keep its original look.

Kit includes: 2F engine, extractors, Aisan carburettor, twin diff locks, ARB bar, Warn winch, custom rock sliders and brush bars, a waterproof sound system that’s used in boats, ARB LED spotlights, UHF radio, OME suspension (50mm lift), 16-inch steel rims, Cooper muddies, custom bonnet wrap, dash cam, and two soft tops.

It’s an original Toyota design, and I kept the narrow profile to preserve its look. I’m currently on Fraser Island as I write this.

2011 JEEP WRANGLER: DAVID DOBINSON

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KIT includes a 3.8V6 auto, 2.5-inch AEV lift, 4.11 diffs, HD drive shaft and steering links, reversed HD steering damper, Uneek Baja front bar with loop and 12,000lb winch, STEDI light bar, LED headlights, fog lights and spread lights, Uneek rear bar, LED reversing lights, LED tail-lights, various underbody armour, AEV Pintler alloys shod in 33-inch Achilles XMTs, Rubicon rock rails, a snorkel, and an axle-back exhaust.

Favourite trails include Mt Airlie, Coxs River, Stockton Beach, Yarwal and Monkey Gum, but there are many more to mention.

1988 DAIHATSU ROCKY: CRAIG SAINSBURY

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IT RUNS a V6 Commodore engine and has a two-inch lift. It loves all tracks.

1997 1FZ-FE TOYOTA LC80: BAILEY MCQUAKER SILMAN

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IT HAS a 2.5-inch lift with coils all around, Safari snorkel, LED light bar, Rhino roof racks, rear LED tail-lights, LED indicators, 2.5 x 2.5 Ironman awning with built-in LED lighting, 2.5-inch stainless steel exhaust system, Toyo Open Country all-terrains, halo headlights, 40-channel UHF radio, air horns, and Titan drawers in the rear to store recovery gear, tools, oils, etc.

I’ve taken it to the beach tracks south of Mackay, and to the state forest tracks both north and west of Mackay. I am still yet to do some wheel-lifting, as my Cruiser just seems to flex over everything.

2007 TOYOTA LC76: MARK SPAGNOLO

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MY LAND Cruiser features ARB lockers and bar work, Recaro seats, three-inch exhaust, Outback drawers, Redarc battery system, and a TJM roof rack. The list goes on. Best places are the Kimberley, Alice Springs, Vic High Country, Cape York and Fraser Island.

1996 NISSAN PATROL UTE TD42: CALLUM NORRIS

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THIS PATROL has been rebuilt. The engine has a 12mm pump and injector to suit, with a Hi-Flow Garrett and water-to-air intercooler. It runs a two-inch lift and 36×15.5 R16 MTZs, it’s twin-locked, and there’s an ELocker in the front and ARB rear. The custom tray can mount a rooftop tent, and the body is coated in Raptor liner. The majority of the work done was with my mate, Connor Browne.

THE Rambler Edition Land Cruiser 79 is a full turnkey tourer put together by the folks at TJM 4×4 Megastores.

The tricked-up LC79 – you’re ogling Rambler Edition No.001 – runs a full gamut of off-road essentials, with the base Toyota chosen for its V8 diesel engine, tough build quality and large fuel capacity.

The subdued exterior is coated in that Sandy Taupe paintwork, with the front-end featuring a TJM Outback bullbar (running to side rails and steps); a TJM Torq 12,000lb winch, and a TJM Airtec snorkel. Moving to the rear and the powdercoated rear tray and canopy are the work of Spinifex Manufacturing, while a Hayman Reese X-Bar tow bar sits at the tail.

The V8 is tweaked via a TJM 4×4 Megastore ECU tune for 40 per cent more power, with a Torqit exhaust helping with the added grunt.

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In addition to a canopy chock-full of practical equipment (Bushman fridge, Spinifex power panel and TJM Connect compressor … to name a few), the Rambler’s ride quality was enhanced via TJM’s adjustable Pace remote reservoir coil/leaf springs, a TJM heavy duty swaybar and a TJM steering damper. TJM also gave the rig its second-stage manufacturing GVM upgrade, upping GVM to 3950kg.

Amazingly, once the build is complete the Rambler LC79 retains the full Toyota warranty.

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The Rambler Edition LC79 by TJM is running a truck-load more kit, but you’ll have to read all about it in the April 2019 issue of 4X4 Australia – in stores now.

RATING THE utes in the 2019 tow test in a one-to-six finishing order is difficult due to the big difference in price and the big difference in how the six performed in our load and tow testing. What’s fairly easy, however, is to slot them in three groups: outright winners; those which are good bang-for-your-bucks work horses; and those that aren’t well-suited to hard yakka.

In the winners group, but in no particular order, are the Amarok 580 and the Ranger 3.2. The 580 is a winner thanks to its muscular powertrain, clearly the most potent here. It backs that with a stable and competent chassis that’s as good as any here, and it gets the added security and safety of full-time 4×4. But then there are the safety omissions: no rear cabin airbags and no AEB.

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Plus, if you wish to tow a heavy camper trailer in the High Country, its lack of a two-speed transfer case may be an issue – still, the Amarok is excellent off road, despite not having low range. The 580 also isn’t cheap, but that’s offset by the fact an Amarok 550 Core, which should do 90 per cent of what the 580 does performance-wise and 100 per cent of what it does chassis-wise, can be had for just $50,990 driveaway.

The Ranger 3.2 is also a winner thanks to its stable tow- and load-friendly chassis and torquey, relaxed, low-revving and endearing five-cylinder engine. It’s the largest capacity engine here, which helps when there’s hard work to be done.

The 2019 revisions – the extra convenience and safety kit – make it a better package than it was before, and it’s always been very good in every role you could ask of it, load hauling included.

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The Colorado and D-Max fall into the category of good bang-for-your-bucks load and tow rigs. On equipment parity, they are the two least expensive utes here: The D-Max, in the same mechanical spec as our test vehicle, starts at $46,600 (plus on-roads); while for $600 more you can get into a base-spec version of the Colorado we have here.

Both came through the test well. The Colorado has a bit more chassis finesse and more general towing power, while the D-Max relished the hard work of the steep climb and has the reputation of being the cheapest and easiest to service of all the popular dual cabs.

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That leaves the Ford Ranger 2.0-litre and the Mercedes-Benz X350d, neither of which performed with distinction. As good as the Ranger’s new 2.0-litre bi-turbo engine is for general driving – where it outperforms the Ranger 3.2 – it wasn’t as fuss-fee in its general load-and-tow ability and dropped in a hole hauling the test load up the steep incline.

Its ‘little’ engine has to work harder than a big engine to do the same job and, while that harder work involves higher engine revs, it also means higher effective cylinder pressures. At least it has a good chassis for load and tow duties.

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For the most expensive vehicle here by a good margin, the X350d’s chassis – in terms of its stability and the ease and confidence in which it carried and towed the load – was disappointing. In this regard it was the poorest performer; although, some recognition goes to the safety and convenience benefit of its full-time 4×4 system. And while the engine generally lived up to its promise of extra performance, it still couldn’t match the Amarok 580 when push came to shove. It should have been more of a close match, but it wasn’t.

Omissions from the 2019 Tow Test

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IDEALLY, we would have liked to have had a Toyota Hilux along as well, but Toyota Australia was unable to supply a Hilux with an electric-brake controller. We also couldn’t get hold of a new Mitsubishi Triton in time.

THE ‘580’ on the 2019 Volkswagen Amarok 580 Ultimate stands for 580 Newton metres, the standard measure of torque, or turning force, at the engine’s crankshaft. The 580 tag also distinguishes it from all other Amarok V6s, which claim 550Nm and are less powerful as a result – where the 580 produces up to 200kW, the 550 tops out at 180kW.

Those power figures are what Volkswagen calls ‘overboost’ figures, attained with 70 per cent or more throttle and only in third and fourth gears; it’s there to improve response for hill climbing or overtaking at highway speeds. The 580 otherwise claims 190kW, while the 550 claims 165kW under normal, non-overboost operation. We haven’t tow-tested any Amarok V6 before, 580 or 550, but we have tested both at maximum payload, which didn’t worry either of them.

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The Amarok 580 is the second most expensive ute here at $73K, plus on-road costs, but at least at that price all the good kit – sans towbar – comes standard.

On paper the 580 should be the most troubled by our load and tow test, as it will be operating closest to its GCM due to the fact its full-tank kerb weight of 2296kg makes it the heaviest ute here – so there’s less GCM left before you even add the Range Rover, sand bags and occupants.

Even so, the 580 had around 560kg GCM in reserve under our test conditions, while the next ‘worst-off’ is the Ford Ranger 3.2 (the second heaviest ute) with 578kg left in reserve.

Volkswagen Amarok 580 General Load & Tow

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WITH THE sand bags in the tub and the trailer load hooked up, the rear suspension dropped around 70mm; so a similar amount to the two Rangers, which effectively levels up the 580’s stance.

Once underway and up to highway speeds on the country road course – with all its undulations, corners and varying surfaces from smooth to bumpy – the 580 felt stable, comfortable and as good chassis-wise as any ute here. Had our test been done when the road was wet, its full-time 4×4 would have given it a further advantage over any ute with part-time 4×4.

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A top-of-class performance too from the 580’s powertrain, which is noticeably stronger than the four- and five-cylinder utes, even if it didn’t feel much different in general highway load and tow duties to the X350d.

Both of the V6s had sufficient power to get along with the test load at legal highway speeds and weren’t too fussed by the modest hills; the difference was with chassis performance, as the 580’s was very good … the X350d’s not so good.

Volkswagen Amarok 580 Steep Gradient Load & Tow

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THE DIFFERENCE between the performances of the two V6s, let alone between the four- and five-cylinder utes, became starker with our steep gradient climb. By its very nature this is a test of full-throttle power with a test load – not part-throttle power, as is the case with the general test course, at least with the two V6-powered vehicles.

To say the 580 stormed up the steep climb is an understatement. It was comfortably quicker than the X350d, which in turn was comfortably quicker than the rest. As this climb is effectively all about full-power performance in first and second gears, the 580 wasn’t even operating on overboost mode, except for a very short period when it picked up third before having to slow for one of the tight corners.

All good on the downhill section, too, thanks to decent engine braking and disc brakes all around. The paddle shifters also make for easy ‘manual’ control of the gearbox.

Volkswagen Amarok 580 Tow Test Results

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Towing Capacity: 3500kg Towball Download (max): 300kg Payload: 785kg

2019 VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK 580 ULTIMATE SPECS: Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel Max power: 190kW @ 3250-4500rpm Max torque: 580Nm @ 1400-3000rpm Transmission: 8-speed auto 4×4 system: Single-range full-time Kerb weight: 2296kg Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres ADR fuel consumption: 8.9L/100km

WHETHER parking your behind on the driver’s seat of your 4×4 or on a camp chair around the campfire, it’s essential to ensure both pews are comfortable and durable.

Terrain Tamer seat cover

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Seats cop an absolute hammering on an outback trip – and even just during general everyday use. Terrain Tamer has launched its own seat covers, with a unique vehicle-specific design and one that is compatible with various side-impact airbags.

The patented-design seat covers are made from super-tough water-repellent 12-ounce canvas and are designed to be a snug fit around your vehicle’s seats, thanks to the use of an elasticised fitting system.

That means you don’t have to worry about the seat cover pulling or dragging itself out of shape when you’re jumping in or out of your rig. The seat covers are available in a dark grey colour and will last for many years of wear and tear, as you’d expect from a brand which has decades of off-road touring experience.

Website: www.terraintamer.com

BlackWolf compact directors chair

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BlackWolf’s new camp chair adds a bit of luxury and convenience to your campsite with a heavy-duty steel frame and handy fold-away side table (with a drink holder; perfect for the coldie). The chair is built tough and this is reflected in its 130kg weight capacity, while it is also built smart; the non-slip foot design ensures you and the chair stay put.

The seating is padded and the high back section and wide arm rests add to the comfort levels. Impressively, the chair is quick to set up and also to fold down flat and, when stored, it takes up hardly any room in the back of the 4×4. There’s also a zipped accessory pocket and the chair weighs a featherweight 6kg. Available in blue and khaki.

RRP: $140 Website: www.blackwolf.com.au

IT’S NO SECRET Mercedes-Benz’s new X-Class ute is based on the Nissan Navara. Mercedes wanted to fast-track a ute into what is a booming global ute market so turned to strategic partner Renault-Nissan for its Navara D23.

However, don’t think for a minute the X-Class is just a rebadged Navara … far from it. Strengthening the ladder frame and widening the body is just the start of the detailed re-engineering Mercedes-Benz applied to the Navara to create the first X-Class models, and all that was before they threw out the Navara’s entire four-cylinder powertrain and slotted in their own V6 diesel complete with a full-time dual-range four-wheel drive system.

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All this comes at a price, as the Mercedes is comfortably the most expensive vehicle here. As tested it’s $89K before on-road costs; that’s about $15K north of the Amarok 580, the second most expensive vehicle here.

One design aspect Mercedes carried over from the Navara is the use of coil springs for the rear axle, a feature that hasn’t gone down well for heavy load carrying and towing and has seen Nissan revise the rear suspension, not once but twice, since this coil-spring Navara arrived late 2015.

The X-Class’s re-engineering does mean different springs, dampers and bushings – at the very least – as well as a wider track and higher GCM than the Nissan Navara. At 6180kg, the X350d’s GCM is the highest here.

Mercedes-Benz X350d General Load & Tow

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BY CIRCUMSTANCE rather than design we used the X350d to pick up the 450kg of sand bags the day before the test got underway, and straight away the signs weren’t good. This sort of weight in the tub should be near undetectable beyond a more compliant ride, but there was a noticeable change in front-to-back attitude to the detriment of the steering and the chassis’s overall stability.

Hooking up the trailer and Rangie the next day – with the sand already in the tub – saw the X350d even more nose-up, bum-down. With the combined weight the X350d dropped some 80mm, the most here, which was made more significant as the X-Class’s rear suspension isn’t a notably long-travel design.

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Once underway with the full load onboard and trailer behind, the X350d’s general stability on the country road course was acceptable but, at the same time, the least confident of our six utes. The steering felt the least connected and the directional stability the poorest. If the roads were wet its full-time 4×4 would have been handy, given the other utes bar the Amarok have comparatively primitive part-time 4×4 systems.

Better news is with the notably quiet and refined 190kW/550Nm V6 powertrain, which offers sufficient performance to make relatively light work of the load. Nice gearbox, too; it’s a long-serving and widely used Mercedes unit and not the same seven-speed automatic as seen in the Navara.

Mercedes-Benz X350d Steep Gradient Load & Tow

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NOT SURPRISINGLY the X350d was strong up the steep test incline, even with the significant weight it was carrying and towing – it comfortably bettered the five-cylinder Ranger, the best of the rest, and the lesser performing four-cylinder utes. However, the X350d was still no match for the Amarok 580.

Good engine braking, four-wheel disc brakes and a well-performing automatic transmission (with paddle shifters) were positives on the steep descent.

Mercedes-Benz X350d Tow Test Results

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Towing Capacity: 3500kg Towball Download (max): 350kg Payload: 1060kg

2019 MERCEDES-BENZ X350d POWER SPECS: Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel Max power: 190kW @ 3400rpm Max torque: 550Nm @ 1400-3200rpm Transmission: 7-speed auto 4×4 system: Dual-range full-time Kerb weight: 2190kg Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres ADR fuel consumption: 8.8L/100km

HAVAL has added a suite of safety technology to its 2019 Haval H9 range, with the off-road-capable SUV now getting Autonomous Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Departure Warning as standard.

Despite these additions, the thrifty Haval maintains a budget price tag, with the driveaway prices of the SUV remaining unchanged: $41,990 (H9 Lux) and $45,990 (H9 ULTRA).

“Instead of the traditional approach of charging more for safety and luxury features, Haval is making them standard and at the same price” Peter Mercuri, General Sales Manager of HAVAL Motors Australia, said.

The H9 continues to be powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol capable of churning out 180kW and 350Nm, which is mated to an eight-speed auto transmission and runs through a Borg Warner Torque-On-Demand transfer system.

Key features of the H9 LUX include tri-zone air conditioning, a rain-sensing sunroof, auto Xenon headlamps and wipers, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror, a rear camera and park guidance.

The H9 ULTRA adds heated and ventilated massaging front seats, a rain-sensing panoramic sunroof, a 10-speaker INFINITY sound system, heated steering wheel, Comfort-Tec seating and adaptive front lighting.

Haval now offers a seven-year unlimited and five-year national roadside assistance (through the Australian Motoring Clubs) standard across its entire range.

IT MAY SEEM like little has changed with the 2019 Isuzu D-Max in recent years, but in 2017 a Euro 5 emissions upgrade to the 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel bumped max torque from 380 to 430Nm, and a six-speed auto replaced the five-speeder. All this was done subsequent to our multi-ute load and tow comparison tests in late 2016.

These tests involved 800kg in the tub and a 3500kg tow test, conducted separately as these utes can’t carry and tow that much at the same time. In both tests the D-Max’s chassis was generally up to the task, but the 130kW/380Nm five-speed powertrain let it down and struggled with the work asked of it.

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In 2018 all SX, LS-U and LS-T dual cabs received revised suspension, with three-leaf springs at the rear instead of the five-leaf used previously; to improve unladen ride. LS-M models retaining the five-leaf springs. Despite this change the GVM of all 4×4 models was increased by 100kg to 3050kg, which seems counterintuitive.

So what we have here is effectively a new powertrain (130kW/430Nm engine and six-speed auto) with a revised chassis. Our test D-Max is the top-spec LS-T, but it’s still the second cheapest ute here.

Isuzu D-Max General Load & Tow

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WITH THE trailer hooked up and sand bags in the tub, the D-Max’s rear dropped 60mm; that’s less than all but the Colorado, with which the D-Max shares the basic chassis but not the spring and damper tune. Like the Colorado there’s less total suspension travel than with the Rangers or Amarok, so it’s unusual there’s not as much suspension compression under load.

Once loaded and underway the D-Max’s steering is confident without being special and the handling is stable enough. It’s not quite as good as the Ranger or Amarok which are the best here in that regard, nor is it up to the Colorado; but it’s still more than acceptable.

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How it compares to what it was like before the rear suspension revision is hard to say, as our last heavy duty tow test involved different parameters. Only testing an LS-M retaining the five-leaf springs with this exact load would answer that question; although, Isuzu claims the same GVM and GCM regardless of the springs fitted.

The engine’s performance under general touring conditions hauling this load is reasonable without being a front-runner, as you’d expect with the two V6s in play. It still works away without much fuss and shuffling around from the reasonably refined Aisin six-speed automatic, a similar gearbox as to what’s found in Toyota’s Hilux and Prado.

Isuzu D-Max Steep Gradient Load & Tow

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GIVEN ITS modest power and torque outputs – the lowest here on both counts – and its generally commensurate highway towing performance, we didn’t have much hope the D-Max would mount our steep climb at anything but a pace that would find it at the back of the pack.

Well, it didn’t charge up the hill but the combination of hard work, lots of revs and a decisive gearbox that happily shifted back to first on the slowest bits, and the D-Max was bettered only by the two V6s and Ranger 3.2. Perhaps it’s Isuzu’s truck-engine heritage shining through, but it certainly seemed to relish the hard work. Decent engine braking on the way down, too.

Isuzu D-Max Tow Test Results

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Towing Capacity: 3500kg Towball Download (max): 350kg Payload: 1024kg

2019 ISUZU D-MAX LS-T SPECS: Engine: 3.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel Max power: 130kW @ 3600rpm Max torque: 430Nm @ 2000-2200rpm Transmission: 6-speed auto 4×4 system: Dual-range part-time Kerb weight: 2026kg Fuel tank capacity: 76 litres ADR fuel consumption: 7.9L/100km

THE Dometic CFX 50W fridge/freezer used on our most recent trips around Australia has really impressed – and that is saying something, as I’d learnt some years ago to leave anything with a Waeco brand at home. In what is a smart move, Dometic, after taking over the Waeco brand a couple of years back, is dropping the Waeco name completely.

Dometic has eight fridges in its CFX range, varying in size from a 28-litre unit to a dual-zone 95-litre unit. Our test unit was the 50-litre version, which would suit many people’s fridge and/or freezer requirements. Dometic says it can hold 72 cans, but I’m guessing that is without the interior basket which, with its slightly uneven base, makes the cans fall over unless they’re packed tight.

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The unit features a compact and robust design, good insulation qualities, and is fitted with reinforced corners, stainless steel hinges and a tough lid lining. The lid is designed so you can choose which way it opens, and this can be changed in just a few minutes with a screwdriver. The folding handles are beauties and I wish all fridges had something similar.

Most controls and readouts are located on one side of the fridge, though – at the top edge of the unit – which can be a bit of a pain to read, depending on how you set it up in your vehicle. There’s also a USB output near the control panel which can be used for charging phones or anything else with a USB input.

When using this unit for the first time it’s best to set the battery voltage at what the unit will switch off at. Experience tells me the ‘High’ position of 11.8V would be the safest, while the ‘Low’ setting of 10.1V is way too low and could cause premature failure of some batteries.

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We had two units away with us, running at set temperatures of 2°C and 5°C respectively. Both units reached these temperatures with little effort and a minimum of noise, and they maintained those temperatures with a minimum of current draw.

The temperature displayed is the actual temperature of the large interior compartment, meaning the smaller shelf area of the fridge is at a slightly warmer temperature; so you can put fruit or vegetables here and it’ll be cool not cold. This unit can cool down to -22°C, which is impressive; although, I’m not sure it could do that on a 40°C day.

The unit is controllable via Wi-Fi and a smartphone app that has control, display and alarm functions. We didn’t use this app to see how good it was, but from what we’ve heard it works fine. The fridge is also available with a number of accessories including a mounting kit and a protective cover, none of which we used.

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The mounting kit would be a good idea, while the covers have received criticism on review sites for their fiddly opening and closing. The unit is easy to clean and has a drain plug to make defrosting easy.

The final word: I’d take this unit away on a longer outback trip, and that’s a pretty big accolade in my world.

Power to the people

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OF COURSE, a 12/240V fridge needs power to keep your food and drinks cold, and most of us will have some form of dual-battery or auxiliary power system in our 4x4s to keep the fridge running when the engine and alternator are off. This ensures you won’t drain your vehicle’s main battery and the vehicle will start when you turn the key.

Not everyone has or wants a dual-battery system, and the cramped engine bays in many modern vehicles make it difficult to fit a second battery in there. This leaves you looking for a reliable auxiliary source of power that won’t drain the car’s starting battery, and again Dometic has the answer.

New to the Dometic product range is the PLB40 power pack. PLB stands for Portable Lithium Battery and, as the name suggests, the pack contains a 40Ah/512Wh lithium-ion battery and DC-DC charger. Dometic claims the PLB will run a CFX 40W fridge for up to 40 hours on a single charge.

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On this trip we were running one of the fridges in a standard Ford Ranger with no auxiliary battery system, so the PLB provided the backup required. The fridge was powered from the standard 12V power socket in the cargo tub during the days, while the car was running and able to power any accessories. But if we were to leave the fridge running overnight without the engine running, it would have drained the Ranger’s battery.

Also, while the car was running during the day, we had the PLB40 charging via a 12V plug in the Ranger’s console. It can be charged this way, via 240V AC power, using the included charger or using solar power, but with the Ranger running for most of the day the PLB was fully charged each afternoon. Then when we pulled up to camp for the evening, we simply plugged the fridge into the PLB for power throughout the night.

The PLB40 has a bright LED screen that displays the unit’s charging status and inputs and outputs. On the output side of the unit are a single two-pin twist-lock socket, a 12V ciggie lighter socket and a pair of USB outlets.

With the PLB tucked behind the passenger’s seat while charging throughout the day, we were also able to charge our phones. It also has a cutout that switches the PLB40 off if no load is detected on the unit for 24 hours.

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The compact PLB40 was easily stashed behind the seat. It’s relatively light at 7.5kg and has a robust case. Dometic must have done something right when designing the PLB40, because in February this year the company received an iF Product Design Award from the world’s oldest independent design organisation, iF International Forum Design GmbH.

Also from Dometic is the PS120A folding solar panel, a monocrystalline panel with a 6.63amp output and an in-built 10amp regulator. When we were at a campsite for multiple nights we were able get the solar panel out during the day, charging the PLB40 from the sun while the PLB was powering the fridge.

Powered by the sun and PLB40, this trio of Dometic product provided us with a self-supporting system to keep our food and drinks cool. We had to adjust the solar panel a couple of times throughout the day to catch the most of the sun as it circled our camp, but other than that it was fuss-free. The PS120A solar panel comes in a robust carrying case, but at 754x534x70mm it’s quite large, so you need to think about where you carry it in your vehicle or trailer.

RATED Available from: www.dometic.com.au RRP: CFX 50W ($1349); PLB40 ($1199); PS120A ($499) We Say: Quiet; effective; well-designed.