The WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX is my pick for families who want to carry bulky things like sleeping bags and mats in one trip. The deciding point is a 178L bed that expands to 53cm deep, and it folds to about 36 × 22 × 70cm (JPY 15,800). At about 12.66kg, plan for the weight when loading it in the car.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
The floor stays about 82 × 41cm; only the walls stretch up, and 106L becomes 178L. The added 72L is space to stack into, so you pack with heavy things at the bottom and light, bulky sleeping bags and mats on top. So I recommend this wagon not as a cart that carries 200kg but as a deep box that carries bulky bedding in one trip.
Key points
- The bed is about 82 × 41 × 53cm, which multiplies to 178.2L. At 106L the depth is about 31.5cm by calculation, so switching adds about 21.5cm of depth
- The tire is 1cm wider than the previous model at 9.5cm, while the diameter is smaller, from 20cm to 17.5cm
- The Coleman Outdoor Wagon NX at the same JPY 15,800 is 3.36kg lighter and has a floor 124c㎡ larger. What WAQ wins on is the 20cm of depth and the load capacity listing
In this article (9 sections)
The Outdoor Wagon DX's 178L is depth, not floor
The WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX switches capacity between 106L and 178L. But read the official dimensions and the bed's floor stays about 82 × 41cm. All of the extra 72L is upward.
How I judged it
The first thing I looked at was the folded size, about 36 × 22 × 70cm, which multiplies to 55.4L. Compared with the Coleman Outdoor Wagon NX at the same price, it holds 63L more and is 9.1L smaller folded.
What I wavered on was the 3.36kg weight difference. I still put it at No. 1 because no other wagon in the ranking of 7 gets both the load you can carry and the small folded size at this price.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 15,800 (as of 10/14). Prices change daily.
Outdoor Wagon DX size and weight (official numbers)
| Item | WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX |
|---|---|
| Official price (incl. tax) | JPY 15,800 |
| Weight | About 12.66kg |
| Load capacity | 200kg (static) |
| Capacity | 106L ⇔ 178L |
| Size in use | About 86 × 48 × 55 to 70cm high |
| Bed (storage area) | About 82 × 41 × 53cm |
| Folded size | About 36 × 22 × 70cm |
| Tires | 9.5cm wide, 17.5cm in diameter (brakes on the front wheels) |
| Materials | Frame: steel / seat: canvas / tires: PVC |
| Accessories | Rubber fastening straps, storage cover, bottom board |
When you spend half the year camping, what you load changes with the season, and the amount differs a lot between summer and winter. So I read capacity not as one number but as a range from small to large. This wagon's range is 72L.
How the extra 72L comes about
Multiplying the bed's about 82 × 41 × 53cm gives 178.2L, so the 178L capacity is the volume of the box itself. The floor is 82 × 41 = 3,362c㎡, so the depth at 106L works out to 106,000 ÷ 3,362 = about 31.5cm.
In other words, all switching does is raise the walls by about 21.5cm (53 − 31.5). In the official photo, the part that extends upward is a mesh wall. The added part is space to stack into, so you put heavy things at the bottom and light, bulky things on top, and WAQ's cautions also ask you to secure the load so it does not shift.
The weak points
The first is weight. At about 12.66kg it is 3.36kg heavier than the Coleman NX's about 9.3kg, or 36% more (3.36 ÷ 9.3). The wheels come off with one touch and you can load it in the car with the gear inside, but the weight you lift does not go down.
The second is the tire diameter. In the official comparison table, the width grew from the previous model's 8.5cm to 9.5cm, while the diameter shrank from 20cm to 17.5cm. The cautions say to avoid large bumps and big steps where you can. The brakes, a first for this model, also carry a note that depending on load and slope they may not hold.
How WAQ differs from the Coleman Outdoor Wagon NX
No. 2 in the ranking is the DOD Aluminum Carry Wagon, but the official store showed no colors available to buy, so I compare with the NX at No. 3, which you can buy.
| Item | WAQ DX | Coleman NX |
|---|---|---|
| Official price | JPY 15,800 | JPY 15,800 |
| Weight | About 12.66kg | About 9.3kg |
| Load capacity | 200kg | About 100kg |
| Bed floor | 3,362c㎡ | 3,486c㎡ |
| Bed depth | 53cm | 33cm |
| Capacity | 178L | 115L (calculated) |
| Folded volume | 55.4L | 64.5L |
| Folded height | 70cm | 62cm |
The surprise is the floor. The NX's floor is 83 × 42 = 3,486c㎡, 124c㎡ larger than WAQ's. What WAQ wins on is the 20cm of depth.
The NX for people who carry flat boxes side by side or want lightness. WAQ for people who stack bedding and big tents to cut the number of trips. For family camping where the load grows, I take WAQ.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Outdoor Wagon NX
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 12,998 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 17,687 between shops. Prices change daily.
What else you need, and what's sold separately
If you only carry, there is nothing more to buy. The separately sold dedicated rear carrier is about 46 × 42cm and about 1.08kg with a load capacity of 25kg. The official store has a set with the wagon (JPY 18,780). The rule is not to use parts other than the included ones, so if you add one, use the dedicated item.
In a deep bed, things at the bottom get hard to take out. My answer is to bundle small tools in container boxes before loading. WAQ also cautions not to put or carry children in it, since it is a transport tool.
Who is it for?
It suits families with a long distance from the parking lot to the site who want to carry sleeping bags, mats and a big tent in one trip. It stacks up to 53cm deep, and folded it stands up in a trunk.
If your gear fits in 106L, there is also the NX, with a wider floor and 3.36kg lighter. If your car trunk is small, the DOD Perry Wagon (about 8.9kg, 130L) is also a candidate, at 46.5L folded with a floor of about 91 × 45cm. It is 3.76kg lighter than WAQ and 10cm lower folded. The 200kg is a static figure, so pull it avoiding big steps where you can.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 15,800 (as of 10/14). Prices change daily.
FAQ
How does the WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX differ from the Coleman NX?
Depth and weight. The WAQ's bed is 20cm deeper and holds 178L, while the NX is 3.36kg lighter with a floor 124c㎡ larger. The price is the same JPY 15,800.
How do I switch the WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX's capacity?
By button. There are two settings, 106L and 178L, and the handle height also changes from about 59 to 78cm.
How do I fold the WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX?
The official diagram shows 4 steps: remove the bottom board, pull up the knob and fold, fasten the belt and put on the cover, and store the bottom board beside the cover.
What is the warranty on the WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX?
A 1-year manufacturer's product warranty and a 30-day return and exchange policy after arrival (as listed at the official store). Aging and damage caused by the user are excluded.
