STORIES

Paul Maric visits Utemaster to see what makes a canopy worth trusting

Mechanical engineer and CarExpert co-founder Paul Maric visits the Utemaster factory in New Zealand to see how the Centurion Canopy is designed, manufactured and tested for real-world ute use.

RAM 1500 TRX TrailCore Tray & Canopy Overlanding Build

See how Utemaster transformed a 700hp RAM 1500 TRX with a custom TrailCore tray and canopy, 37-inch tyres, suspension upgrades, airbags, relocated sensors and a full overlanding fit-out.

Behind the Build: Stabicraft and Stabi X Tour the Utemaster Factory

We recently welcomed Paul, Dan and Doug from Stabicraft and Stabi X to our Utemaster factory in Waikato, where they got a behind-the-scenes look at how our trays, canopies and ute storage systems are built.

Liam Lawson vs Mad Mike - Formula 1 Driver vs Drift King

The Rural Rumble When Red Bull calls and asks if you want to put your gear into a motorsport showdown between Formu...

Braden Currie

"Recovery means getting outdoors with the family, hunting, or heading off-grid to escape the pressure..."

Ethan, Top Of The Lake Guiding

When your office is in the Alps, your setup has to keep up. Life at the End of the Road Down in Glenorchy, where the...

JE Wilds

JE Wilds' Ford Ranger Raptor hunting and fishing build showcases a purpose-built Utemaster canopy designed for fish...

Brendan Hyde

"There's nothing better than knocking off at the end of the day, chucking the swag on the roof, and heading off to th...

Off The Wall Construction

Construction Ute Fleet Fitout: How Off the Wall Construction Equipped Their Crew Off The Wall rely on purpose-built c...

Leroy Strode

How Leroy from Pro-Flo Plumbing Built a Plumbing Ute Setup That Actually Works “It was like an aquarium. I had to pul...

Clarke Boys

"It'd just be cool to put some kai on the table for the kids… then I can tell the stories at the dinner table... 'Oh ...

Richard Mills

"It took me a while to land on a job that I love. But if you can find something that makes you happy at least every ...

Allan and Jess, Explore Oz

When your setup works, everything else gets easier. Life Without an Address For five years, Allan and Jess from Exp...

Grant Budd

"I'm big on adventure - fishing trips, long distance missions with the caravan in tow, chasing the surf - it's what I...

Ronny Dahl

4x4 legend Ronny Dahl likes to put his Ute through its paces! Hear what he had to say about his Load-Lid setup.  

Jim Brown's Isuzu D-Max Surfcasting Rig

"If we go away with a bunch of guys, my D-Max is normally the hub of the group for the cooking side of it."   For J...

Kia Tasman Build - Colour-Matched TrailCore Tray & Canopy

The Kia Tasman is one of the most unique-looking utes to hit the market. This build pairs the Utemaster TrailCore Tray & Canopy with a full Mule-Tek fit-out, colour-matched doors, underbody storage, and rear-mounted accessories for a setup that looks built into the vehicle.

Emergency Service Ute Fitout

Auckland Emergency Management coordinate New Zealand Response Teams across South, West, and North Auckland. These are...

Ford Ranger Raptor - TrailCore Tray & Canopy Mule-Tek Build

One Ford Ranger Raptor. One TrailCore Tray & Canopy. Full Mule-Tek fitout throughout. Most touring builds mix and...

Toyota Hilux N90 2026 - Centurion Canopy Foundation

See this 2026 Toyota Hilux N90 SR5 Limited build featuring a Utemaster Centurion Canopy, ROH wheels, Toyo tyres, and a low-profile snorkel.

Arden Packeer's Ultimate Overlanding Rig

By trade, Arden Packeer is a software developer. But outside of work hours, he's all about family adventures, overla...

Black Duck 4x4 Build

When you make seat covers tough enough for the Pilbara, your setup needs to match your standards. Black Duck® is Aus...

Next Gen Ford Ranger Touring Setup

This Next Gen Ford Ranger was built for serious touring. Kitted out with a Utemaster Centurion Canopy, a full drawer ...

How much does a Utemaster Load-Lid cost?

Find out how much a Utemaster Load-Lid costs and what affects the price.

How to make your tub dust proof

Tips and tricks for keeping dust out of your ute tub when driving off-road.

The best hard lid for 4WD & Camping

Which hard lid is the best choice for 4WD adventures and camping trips?

Canopy Recovery Tracks

Recovery Tracks on a Utemaster Centurion Canopy For serious overlanders, recovery tracks aren't optional -they're t...

Metal Tub Canopy Canopies - What you need to know before buying!

Common Metal Tub Canopy Pitfalls.

How to Mount a Roof Top Tent on a Ute

Find out how to mount a Roof Top Tent to your Utemaster Load-Lid or Centurion Canopy.

Hard Lid Recovery Track Mounts

Find out how to mount your Recovery Tracks to your Hard Lid.

How To Install A 270-Degree Awning To Your Ute Canopy

Learn how to mount a 270-degree awning to your Utemaster Centurion Canopy with a Cantilever Roof Rack.

Create The Ultimate Tub Canopy Setup For Camping

How to create the ultimate tub canopy setup for your next camping adventure.

Hard Lid Comparison: ARB or Utemaster

Weighing up between an ARB Hard Lid or Utemaster Load Lid? This article will help you decide what is right for you.

Powder Coat vs Paint

In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of Powder Coating and Painting.

Utemaster Warranty & After-Sales Support

Utemaster is committed to providing a quality service. Find out what's covered in your product warranty here.

Best Ute Tub Liners

A comparison of the best ute tub liner options to protect your tub.

Bike Carriers – Things you need to know

Everything you need to know about mounting bike carriers to your ute hard lid or canopy.

Can I open my tailgate while the Load-Lid is down?

Find out if you can open your tailgate while the Utemaster Load-Lid is in the closed position.

Transporting a kitchen fridge or dirt bike?

Tips for transporting large items like kitchen fridges or dirt bikes in your ute.

Transporting your dog in a ute

Safe and comfortable ways to transport your dog in a ute canopy or hard lid.

Carrying long loads on a tub canopy

How to safely carry long loads using a ute tub canopy.

Can I put a fridge under my Load-Lid?

Find out whether you can fit a fridge under your Utemaster Load-Lid and what sizes work best.

Static vs dynamic load capacity

Understand the difference between static and dynamic load capacity for ute hard lids.

Which ute tub cover is best?

Comparing roller shutters, plastic hard tops, aluminium hard lids and vinyl tonneau covers for your ute tub.

How to install a Load-Lid™

Step-by-step guide to installing a Utemaster Load-Lid on your ute.

Helicopter vs TrailCore

Can our highly tempered aluminium extrusions handle the weight of an MD530F helicopter landing directly on top? Watch the video to find out...

2 Tonne Kettlebell vs Centurion Canopy

The Standard Behind Every Build Strong Bones isn't something we came up with in Marketing. It's the internal benchmar...

TrailCore vs Bandit

Your tools are your livelihood – protect them!

Find out whether our TrailCore really is Bandit Proof...

TrailCore Tray vs 1 Tonne Digger

Strong Bones……Words are easy to say but actions speak louder.We don’t just talk tough, we test tough! Watch the video...

Airport Fire Truck Vs Centurion Canopy

Water wrecks gear. Gear costs money. The Centurion Canopy protects both.

Centurion Canopy vs Crane

The Centurion's got Strong Bones - proper bracing, no shortcuts, no fluff.

800HP Drift Car Vs Centurion Canopy

Will the Centurion Canopy hold up to an 800HP Drift Car?

Centurion Canopy vs Pro Wakeboarder

When it comes to adventure, Red Bull "King of the Air" and kiteboarding legend Marc Jacobs never holds back!

Load-Lid vs Rocket

Can we land a backflip on a Load-Lid?

Load-Lid vs BMX

Can we land a backflip on a Load-Lid?

Strong Bones: TrailCore vs 1 Tonne

How strong is the Utemaster TrailCore Service Body? The custom extrusions that form its backbone have a well-earned r...