So you are a DIY enthusiast, or maybe a tradie who needs to transport a significant number of tools and equipment to get the job done. You soon realize that the right car for you is an UTE, but an UTE alone is not very helpful, as the car only has a large tray on the back, and it is not safe to leave the tools loose, and the tray itself is not the best place to safely secure your gear. You need a canopy tool box. 

Now you are in the market for one, but it is very easy to get overwhelmed with many different models, sizes and prices. Each supplier claims they have the best one. However, is the best one you need? You do not want to pay a premium price in a product that is likely to be too much for your needs. The same way you do not want to go cheap and end up buying a product that does not meet your requirements.

In this article, we are going to point out the different canopy tool boxes in the Australian market today and the most popular and useful features. 

Durability

The tools box will be exposed to weather conditions most of the time, if not all the time. It must be made of a strong material, that is rust and water resistant, as well as light. Aluminum is, by far, the most popular material of construction of canopy tool boxes. Not any aluminum, but marine grade one.

Marine grade aluminum has been developed to be used in marine environments and vehicles, such as boats, jet skies, etc. It has many properties, like: corrosion resistance, and high strength-to-weight ratio.

It is highly recommended that the canopy tool box be made of marine grade aluminum, as it is the best material for the application. The rivets, bolts and hinges should be made of stainless steel.

Internal Space

In this case bigger is not better. Even though space is important, it is not only how much of it you get in your canopy tool box, but the arrangement of the space. After all, your UTE tray is already large enough. You want a spacious tool box, but also drawers, shelves and ample storage space. 

Ideally the tool box will have different compartments of different sizes and shapes, so it can fit an array of equipment and tools. 

Sealing

The tool box will be exposed to dry and wet weather. It is very important that it protects your tools and equipment from weather elements. To achieve a perfect seal, all the seams must be welded and not bolted up together. It does not matter how tight it is, if not welded, weather is going to penetrate. 

Another very important component to make the canopy tool box seal properly is rubber seals; but not any seal, it must be weather resistant rubber seals. If the tool box comes with ordinary cheap seals, it will not last long and soon the interior is not going to be protected from wet weather. 

Final Words

These features are the minimum ones you need to look for before buying an UTE tool box. It is not only applicable for UTE tool canopy, but also UTE under tray tool boxes. So no matter if the tools box will be installed over or under the UTE tray you must seek a product that will last long, is spacious inside, have different storage compartments, and seals properly under any weather condition.