Cargo Cover (1 Viewer)

ikoinu · Sep 28, 2023

Greetings Everyone.

So, lately I've been on a mission to improve my cargo security. There are 2 methods at our disposal for this.

Obfuscation
Obfuscation & Locking of Cargo

First I examined all of the drawer offerings for the LX570 & LC200, falling into #2. There are quite a number of great drawers available for our vehicles. These range from $800 for single drawers, to $3000 for a well thought out locking double drawer system with fridge slider. My favorite offering because of the flexibility is the one from Air Down Gear Up. The reason I don't own one is the price. Good god, is it expensive. In their defense, you get what you pay for and there seems to be a lot of value there.

This leads me to #1, Obfuscation. If potential thieves see nothing of interest to steal, they are less likely to risk breaking in to steal it. Risk vs reward.
Originally, I looked for a factory style cover that either folded out or extended to cover the cargo area. Note, I have removed the factory third row in the LX570 to increase cargo space for camping pursuits. This search proved to be futile. There were no factory ones produced apparently, except for the anniversary LC200. Good luck trying to find one. There was an aftermarket company that made one they sold on Amazon, but it appears it is no longer being made.

So, after looking through this forum, I found a post by 7000ft here: Full Cargo Coverage Help Needed - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/full-cargo-coverage-help-needed.1300610/#post-14734012
I liked the product he chose, which was a 4KNines waterproof cargo mat measuring 56"x106" (XL), but wanted to further obfuscate the cargo by making the cover as flat and non-indicative as possible as I don't have a drawer system like his. I started ordering stuff from Amazon (what can I say, I'm captured).

Here's what I came up with. The cover is suspended over the cargo using tension poles. The beautiful thing about this cover is it is long enough to extend over the tailgate, which I was having trouble keeping clean standing on while putting up my rooftop tent and using as a makeshift table. The other good thing about using this cover is if you have dogs or messy cargo, you can remove the poles and use it as a cargo mat. Added value.

I found that these spring poles are the best choice for price vs stability, but they still can move out of place while off-roading. The fix for this is to use a retaining socket to stabilize, while still using the spring poles to keep tension and keep from rattling.

All told, you are looking at $219.75 before adding governmental theft. Expensive for what it is, but exceedingly cheap compared to the alternatives. This solution allows you to cover your Front Runner Wolf Packs, and your Costco Instacrates