There are no rules to overlanding. What works for one person, may not work for another. In much the same way, a family of four may have camping requirements that differ to those of a retired couple. Your needs, and therefore your vehicle, are constantly evolving to suit your lifestyle.
But, much like any evolutionary process, your vehicle’s ability to adapt to these changes is based on sound building blocks, and we believe that no overland solution is more fundamental to the success of the journey than an off-road canopy.
Safety and shelter are critical aspects to living life on the road. In more ways than one, a good canopy should combine these elements in a way that is not only easy to use, but also adaptable to change.
Back in the 1990s, when we started building the first-ever aluminium adventure canopies, we knew from our own travel experience that three factors are vital to the success of vehicle-based travel and/or overland equipment. These are weight, strength and versatility.
The trick is to find a solution that offers the best combination of all three. Until engineers start building passenger planes out of fibreglass or stainless steel, we’re going to stick with the material that offers the best possible (and most economical) strength-to-weight ratio: Aluminium.
But, aside from the obvious strength / weight benefits, we favour aluminium for its unsurpassed corrosion-resistance, its UV stability, its repair-ability, and its flexibility – essential qualities in any off-road environment.
We also know that the versatility of a canopy is very much dependent on its substructure, as well as its ability to house a rooftop tent, load bars, built-in kitchen unit, or any other bolt-on accessory. We’ve spent almost two decades designing, refining and building our canopies to fulfil your every need and adaptation, whether you’re a diehard adventure traveller, surfer, fisherman, mountain biker, or even an occasional camper and business owner who uses his rig for work and leisure.
But don’t take our word for it: simply look at the 4×4 rental market, where Alu-Cab canopies are the preferred choice for Africa’s harshest terrain. In most cases, these canopies outlast the vehicles they’re fitted to, and jump from one rig to the next in an ongoing fleet update.
For this reason, we don’t think of our canopies as just another accessory… we view them as evolutionary building blocks for a lifetime of adventure; whether you’re a family of four, a retired couple, or loan-star traveller, your Alu-Cab canopy can adapt to the journey.