Rubbish and wet, dirty gear are the worst things to carry inside a 4WD on a long trip: bags tear, leak and smell. The Bushranger Wheelie Bin straps onto the spare wheel and keeps all of that outside. It cost us $120, and it has been on the back of our car for several trips.
What’s in the box
A spare wheel bin in reinforced 1000D PVC with a stiff, double-thick base and partial walls, so it holds its shape empty or full. The main compartment holds 57 L and has a moveable divider, and two 5 L side pockets bring it to 67 L. The lid closes with four side-release buckles, there are drainage eyelets in the base and a reflective strip on the front, and adjustable straps fit it around most spare wheels. It has a five-year warranty.
What we like
- 67 L, with a divider
- Stiff 1000D PVC body
- Four buckles keep it shut
- Drainage eyelets
- 5-year warranty
What we don’t
- Heavy at 2.3 kg
- Covers the whole spare wheel
- Pricier than soft bags
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Bushranger |
| Capacity | 67 L57 L main + 2 × 5 L pockets |
| Material | 1000D reinforced PVCUV tested |
| Colour | Grey |
| Weight | 2.3 kg |
| Size | 45.5 × 19.5 × 64.5 cm |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Build
This isn’t a floppy bag. The base is double thick and padded, the walls are partly stiffened, and the 1000D PVC feels like it will take years of dust and sun; Bushranger UV-tests it in Australia. The buckles and straps are heavy duty, and the stitching is neat. At 2.3 kg it isn’t light, but on the outside of the car that doesn’t matter.
Fitting and Using It
The adjustable straps buckle around the spare wheel in a few minutes, with no tools. Four side-release buckles hold the lid, so it’s quick to throw rubbish in, and they kept dust and animals out. Over corrugations it stayed put with no rattling. We use the divider to keep general rubbish on one side and recycling on the other, which makes the unpacking at home much easier, and the side pockets are handy for small things like gloves, bags or kindling.
Rain and Cleaning
After a surprise downpour, the water ran out through the drainage eyelets instead of sitting in the bottom. At the end of a trip, the PVC hoses clean and dries quickly. The only real catch is size: it’s a big bin that covers the whole spare wheel.
Which Spare Wheel Bag?
We’ve tested three spare wheel bags. This Bushranger is the most rugged, with a stiff base, a divider and buckles; the Kings Spare Wheel Bag is the lightest and cheapest, and the San Hima is the biggest at 70 litres.
This one Bushranger | Lightest Kings | Biggest San Hima | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | 1000D PVC | 400 gsm PVC | 1680D polyester, PVC coated |
| Capacity | 67 L | 48 L | 70 L |
| Weight | 2.3 kg | 1.12 kg | 1.85 kg |
| Price paid | $120 | $50 | $85 |
| Our score | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
Conclusion: Bushranger Wheelie Bin 57LConclusion
The Bushranger Wheelie Bin is the rugged way to keep rubbish and dirty gear out of the car: a stiff 1000D PVC bin with 67 L of room, a divider, four buckles, drainage eyelets and a five-year warranty. It’s heavy at 2.3 kg and big enough to cover the whole spare wheel, but for long trips it’s worth every bit of the $120.
Built to last on the back of the car.
It stayed put over corrugations, kept dust and animals out, drained after a downpour and lets us split rubbish from recycling. It’s heavy at 2.3 kg and covers the whole spare wheel.
- 4WD tourers
- Car campers
- Caravanners
Yes. I paid $120 for a tough 67 L bin with a divider and a five-year warranty that keeps rubbish and dirty gear out of the car. It’s heavy and bulky.
