The Disco: Storage - Part 1

One of the biggest "must-haves" to an overlander looking for a suitable vehicle is storage. Storage space is a big deal, especially for someone who has so much junk to carry, like a tent, camping chairs, cooking gear, a cooler/fridge, extra fuel, water, etc. This becomes even more of an issue if you're carrying and equipping more than two people. So storage and unique solutions become mandatory. But sometimes you only have so much space inside the vehicle, and even less if it is a priority that you can see out the back window (which it is for me). So your other option is external storage. For me, this means a roof rack.

There are a few limitations and drawbacks to having a roof rack. Yes, it will raise the vehicle's center of gravity, and yes, you must ensure what you carry on the rack is either not bothered by weather or put in a weatherproof container, but I believe the advantages far outweigh the drawbacks. Effectively, it gives me a space the size of a long pickup box to carry things in, and it looks damn cool. I knew I wanted one almost immediately.

It might surprise some people to find that there is a massive aftermarket for the Land Rover Discovery II, especially when it comes to expedition equipment. This was the case when I set about looking for a roof rack. There are several companies that build roof racks for the Disco: Gobi Racks, BajaRack, Brownchurch, Hannibal, Voyager, Safety Devices, and many others. As I went about sifting through which to get, I came across a picture of a roof rack that I though looked fantastic:

This is a Safety Devices Highlander roof rack. This rack is sort of the definitive roof rack for the Discovery. It follows the shape of the iconic roof line and has those famous stepped light mounts. These racks were made famous in the much-loved Camel Trophy, G4 Challenge, and Land Rover TReK events. I knew I wanted something of this nature because I love the front light mounts and the way to rack flows along the roof line. It looks great. Unfortunately, as I found out, Safety Devices doesn't make this rack anymore. Used ones aren't easy to come by either, since they are so popular. So I thought I'd look for a substitute that looks similar or just as good. What I ended up finding was a near carbon copy:

I saw this and loved it. This rack is made by the Florida-based Voyager Racks company. They look good, but I discovered that is about where the positives stop. After reading the reviews online, I found that the Voyager racks have been reported to be badly welded and badly powdercoated. Also, the mounting feet aren't a sophisticated design, and so the vibrations from rough roads have cause cracks or breaks. They also are priced very high, even for a basic rack (which isn't all that useful considering the huge gaps in the flooring). They also take astronomically long to build, and their customer service isn't all that great. So I was on the hunt again. 

The great alternative I found was the BajaRack (bajarack.com).

The BajaRack has a good reputation in other vehicle circles and in the overland crowd. Their products are well made and look great. They do have a wind deflector, which helps to reduce wind noise. They also have two work light mounts on the back, whereas the others only have one. I could also buy mounts for my Hi-Lift jack, a shovel, and an axe, which weren't too expensive. They also have a much better flooring section. 

The mounting system is also better, and the customer service is fantastic. So I ordered one. The price was also right, at $965. I ordered the standard rack, along with mounts for my Hi-Lift, a shovel, and an axe. I also knew I wanted some extra lighting, which will be delivered by way of four 8" 130 watt Pro Comp off road lights from Summit Racing (summitracing.com). The wiring and switches will be covered later on.

I also knew I wanted to be able to carry more fuel with me for greater range. At the least I wanted to be able to carry ten gallons of fuel in two 5-gallon metal jerry cans. Obviously, I wasn't going to be carrying them in the car in case they spill. So I need to mount them outside the car. I could mount them on the spare tire, but I've heard this could cause excessive stress on the rear door hinges. This left the roof rack. Once again it's a product from Expedition Exchange. 

For $75 each, I got two jerry can holders that will be mounted at either rear corner of the roof rack, allowing me easy access to the fuel cans. I bought both of the fuel cans from my local Shipton's Big R, a Montana-based ranch supply store, for $40 each.

Now all that's left to do is wait. BajaRack is making my rack, and it will be shipped to me this Wednesday. I'll be doing another post once it gets installed.