Perry Mack
We occupy all the space with two people in the front seat and dog(s) in the back seat. The Hitchfire Ledge Platform increases our cargo capacity by 40 percent.
Words and Photos by Perry Mack
Camping, day trips from an RV site, and tailgating all require essential items and stuff you need for the perfect outing. Sometimes your vehicle isn’t quite large enough and dragging a trailer around isn’t an ideal option. This is why we add racks for luggage, kayaks, food, and fuel. The challenge is accessing all of your packed gear.
Stopping for lunch (or breakfast, snacks, and dinner) is one of our favourite parts of an outdoor experience. We stop at a spot with a view or chill atmosphere, break out the grill for a hot, tasty meal and continue on our way. We’ve used everything from slide-out camp kitchens to a variety of tailgate storage solutions on our pick-ups, but both come with some challenges – cost, weight, required space, etc.
Perry Mack
A cook station is ideal for any vehicle but smaller SUVs like the Murano really benefit from its design.
Great multifunction products pull double- or triple-duty depending on the trip or the moment and when necessary, they can switch from vehicle to vehicle. Our ‘fleet’ consists of a Montana High Country 305RL fifth wheel (RVing), Chevy 3500HD diesel pick-up (overlanding, camping and work), a ’76 Toyota FJ40, a Jeep Cherokee, and Nissan Murano (for daily driving and tailgating events).
The Hitchfire Ledge Platform mounts to all 2 in receivers using the supplied 1 x 10 cm (½ x 4 in) stainless threaded hitch pin and hitch clip. You’ll need a 15/16 in wrench to tighten. This is a solid, secure, safe, and no-rattle way to mount a hitch cargo rack.
Perry Mack
With the swing gate closed, the platform securely tucks in close to the vehicle.
The swing away feature allows access to the rear vehicle cargo area, providing 84 cm (33 in) of horizontal clearance from the centre of the hitch receiver to the edge of the platform. Weighing in at just 18 kg (40 lb) means it’s also easy to switch the assembled unit from one vehicle to another or to store when it’s not in use.
However, fitting different vehicles doesn’t come without hiccups. Our Murano requires a 6 in receiver extension for the Ledge to clear the bumper when it’s closed. But it was great to see that in the 90° position the rear hatch could still open and close. The Chevy has a 2.5 in receiver mount so it needs our 2.5 in - 2 in adapter with a 0.5 x 5.5 in stainless bolt as a hitch pin. The Cherokee and many other SUVs like it require no extra hardware. For these vehicles, the Ledge is a plug-and-play accessory.
Perry Mack
We can carry an extra 50 L (13 gal) of fuel on the Ledge to gain an extra 300+ km (186+ mi) of travel.
It locks in the closed position, 90° out and a full 180° out so it can be used as a workstation or cargo rack while still allowing access to gear and supplies in the back of the vehicle. The Ledge is constructed of black, powder-coated steel and the platform is decently sized at 43 x 80 cm (17 x 31.5 in). It also includes removable side rails and plenty of tie-down points.
The Ledge is rated for 45 kg (100 lb). Since we didn’t have a 45 kg weight lying around to test the rack, I sat on it. Never overload any rack system as bumping down a rural road causes a great deal of added stress. In this case, I literally wanted to feel how sturdy it was and it held my weight of 75 kg with no ill effects.
The Ledge is available in both passenger and driver swings with a couple of optional accessories including an embossed cutting board side table. Whether we need to load a cooler, some camping gear or require a flat, stable platform for many purposes, the Ledge is now an accessory that we take for granted and take everywhere.
MSRP: $324.99