You might think that the United States is the king of pick-ups. But what if I told you there’s a good chance we’re doing it wrong? Australian pick-up beds (also called ute beds) are flat-sided, collapsible trucks, often made of aluminium. They are versatile, lightweight and could just make the perfect truck.
What is a pickup truck utility bed?
A utility pickup bed is common in other parts of the world, namely Australia where it is often called a “ute” bed. It is a box bed with fold out sides that can make it a flat bed. It usually has a “rack-back” style front panel to protect the cab.
At US Defense, we’ve built something that looks a lot like the Australian Heavy Duty Dump Truck Utility Bed. The result is a kind of light dump truck that can be converted into a flat bed.
The beauty of a utility bed is that it is often made of aluminum and is therefore light enough for a half-ton truck. Although it is a heavy-duty truck technology, it can make the light-duty truck more versatile.
Confusingly, Australian slang for any pickup truck is “ute”. But the phrase is used more often to describe compact, light-body trucks derived from automobiles. Think of the recent releases of the Chevrolet El Camino. Yes, Chevrolet still makes El Camino like trucks in Australia, branded as Holdens, and it’s great. But that’s another article entirely.
What is a pickup truck utility bed?
A classic ute bed or a versatile Australian-style pickup truck bed goes with it all. It can convert from a flat bed to a spacious square bed. So you can tie a load of lumber too big to pick up on a regular basis. But you can also fold up the sides and use them to haul a load of gravel or dirt.
The small American style bed definitely looks attractive. It may also be more aerodynamic than an Australian style utility bed. But who buys aerodynamic pickups?
Many automakers are trying to make the American-style pickup bed more versatile. Enhancements include the “Ram Box” with locked toolboxes built into the walls of the Ram pickup bed. GMC is at the forefront of ladders, in-bed lighting, and tie-down hooks to make its beds “professional grade.” Honda also offers a box in the bed in its Ridgeline line that can double as a cooler. But try loading 50 light but bulky hay bales into any of these pickup truck beds and you’ll wish you had a rollaway bed that folds into a flat surface.
Can You Buy an Australian Style “Out” Bed in the US?
There are custom pickup truck bed companies in the US that will build you just about anything you want. But an Australian-style aluminum bed can cost between $5,000 and $10,000. That’s pretty steep when a work truck costs $30,000.
If more people order utility beds, there could be a stronger used market that pushes prices down. The aluminum bed will resist rust even when shooting the rest of the truck.
