Member III
What do you use to store all your gear?
- Thread starter Krasowski
- Start date
I'm considering an aluminum case to use as a pantry box for my camp kitchen. The tallest item in my kit will be 12" and I'm thinking somewhere between 40-60 liters volume should suffice. I'm looking at these two boxes:
https://www.zargescases.com/products/shipping-storage/shipping-storage-standard-cases/k470/?attribute_pa_product_sku=40678
https://www.equipt1.com/item/60-l-aluminum-storage-case-aba60
Pricewise, the Zarges and Alu-Box are comparable. Any experiences with either would be appreciated. I'm definitely sold on an aluminum box. I've used numerous totes and Pelican cases over the years and what I like about aluminum is it's fairly lightweight and theres not as much difference between inner and outer dimensions, meaning you can store more in a smaller space.
https://www.zargescases.com/products/shipping-storage/shipping-storage-standard-cases/k470/?attribute_pa_product_sku=40678
https://www.equipt1.com/item/60-l-aluminum-storage-case-aba60
Pricewise, the Zarges and Alu-Box are comparable. Any experiences with either would be appreciated. I'm definitely sold on an aluminum box. I've used numerous totes and Pelican cases over the years and what I like about aluminum is it's fairly lightweight and theres not as much difference between inner and outer dimensions, meaning you can store more in a smaller space.
Advocate III
I went with the Zarges K470 over the Alu-Box primarily because the Zarges has the rubber seal/gasket built into the lid and the Alu-Box has it on the edge of the box. Seems far better protected and less likely to get chewed up or abraded the way it is in the Zarges. I love mine, and though I was originally hesitant because of the cost, they have proven to be very practical, very well-made, extremely durable, easy to use, and I know they will outlast me and probably my kid and still look good. And, there are three sizes of the K470s that are bear-resistant.
The shorter ones I show earlier in this thread are perfect for canned goods and most jars like peanut butter and pickles etc, so work wonderfully as a non-perishable pantry. I use my larger one for other kitchen staples like boxes of crackers and rice, paper goods, etc. If you're lucky, you'll find some nice plastic containers that will just fit inside to help organize contents. You can barely see them below; they stack two deep in my large Zarges. Got mine at Target and, like many good things I like to use, they were discontinued.
Either way, Zarges or Alu-Box, they will be wonderful and you'll find them well worth the expense, I believe.
Member I
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For soft, bulky items such as my RTT annex, floor savers, awning extensions, sleeping bags, pillows, and even clothes I use the North Face Basecamp duffles. I’ve had various sizes of them for years and they’ve never let me down. They’re not waterproof, but I’ve had them strapped to the roof rack during a driving rain and they were just fine.
I use 3 Plano 1919s with $9 worth of rubber weatherstrip from Home Depot to make them waterproof.
Plano 1919 Sportsman's Trunk, Black, 108-Quart
James
Plano 1919 Sportsman's Trunk, Black, 108-Quart
James
Contributor II
2 plano 1919s right now with weatherstripping. I have another rubbermaid for dry food. Will probably add a 3rd 1919 at some point.
Member I
my camp kitchen items I store them in a 54 qt. Homz DuraBILT Storage Tote size 30.3\4" x 20.1\2" x 14.3\8" & the another exact tot for Misc. items like our First Aid Kit, Fire Starter Kit, Personal Hygiene, & so-on.(not shown because stored in my trailer)
https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/798471-homz-durabilt-27-gallon-camo-storage-tote.
My food pantry items (non perishable foods) are stored in a Green Plano 56 qt. Storage Box & dry good (perishable foods) I store them in Black Plano 56qt Storage Box
Clothing & towels are stored in a 54 qt. Hefty Hi Rise Pro tote (orange lid)
https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/798471-homz-durabilt-27-gallon-camo-storage-tote.
My food pantry items (non perishable foods) are stored in a Green Plano 56 qt. Storage Box & dry good (perishable foods) I store them in Black Plano 56qt Storage Box
Clothing & towels are stored in a 54 qt. Hefty Hi Rise Pro tote (orange lid)
I use FrontRunner boxes, plastic ammo cans, and these Mountainsmith Gear Bags... I love the bags for soft stuff. They are easy to stuff and can fit just about anywhere. I also use clear storage tubs which seal from the Container Store. There are ziplock brand versions on Amazon.
Mountainsmith Modular Hauler System
by Mountainsmith
Link: http://a.co/1iDTrrK
Mountainsmith Modular Hauler System
by Mountainsmith
Link: http://a.co/1iDTrrK
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Like many of you here, I'm a container geek and I've used everything from <$10 plastic totes to >$300+ Pelican and Alu-Box cases. I live in the Midwest and moisture is always a factor when packing. I've ruined gear and had some soggy camping experiences. Let's just say that I've acquired a lot of containers over the years. My love for Overlanding came from a career in the US Army. We did a lot of route recon work that was very similar to Overlanding (off-highway travel by day, camp at night). We would spend hours going over load plans to squeeze every inch of space out of our Humvees and trailers. Now that I'm retired, I got lazy and just started shoving gear wherever, with no real plan. Now I'm back to drafting load plans.
One thing about vehicle camping/Overlanding that my wife and I got tired of real quick was all the loading/unloading of containers and searching through containers to find stuff. If I could go back and give myself some advice when I was just starting out, it would be this:
One thing about vehicle camping/Overlanding that my wife and I got tired of real quick was all the loading/unloading of containers and searching through containers to find stuff. If I could go back and give myself some advice when I was just starting out, it would be this:
- Don't get laser-focused on a certain type of container, or how cool it will look on your rack. Function over form.
- Make a list of all your gear that you pack for an adventure.
- Divide up that gear into kits, or systems. Like kitchen, sleeping, vehicle recovery, cooler items, ...
- Rank those kits based on:
- Do I need to access it while on my trip or on the trail, or can it wait until basecamp?
- How much protection from the elements does this kit require? Obviously, I put my camera kit in a padded Pelican case in the vehicle, while the toilet kit can travel in a much cheaper container.
- How much internal space is needed for this particular kit? I often lay everything out, then go container shopping.
- How much external space will this container take up? An aluminum case has a much higher internal to external dimension ratio compared to a plastic box like a Pelican or Plano.
- Small items inside larger containers are elusive, especially in the dark. Use smaller containers within larger ones. Clear plastic containers work best for me and cut down on the rummaging around.
- Think about safety. Tall, heavy items on the roof rack will definitely affect stability when off camber. Try to keep roof rack items as low profile as possible. No taller than a Jerry can for sure. Also think about securing your roof load with proper straps.
- Sketch a load plan, detailing where each kit goes on the vehicle/trailer. This is especially useful for other members of your party so they can help pack/unpack.
- If you have several containers that are alike, come up with a way to label/mark them. You will curse everytime you take the wrong container down from the rack. I've seen other folks use reflective numbers or markings so they're easy to find at night. Or put all those Overland decals to good use and mark your containers with those!
- It may seem silly, but I spend hours in the driveway loading/unloading my kit to get it just right.
- Have fun! After all this organization and planning, it's time to enjoy your kit and the fruits of your labor! Your kit should work for you, not the other way around.
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I love the container store! When I'm looking for smaller, clear plastic containers to go inside larger containers, they have the best selection. Office Depot/Office Max also has some really good small plastic containers with locking lids.
I recently picked up the Yeti Panga 100 for storing my sleeping bags, pillows, and woobie (poncho liner) on the trailer roof rack. Those items absolutely must stay dry, or the wife will quickly put an end to the adventure! The North Face bag has the RTT annex, shower tent, CCGear Multimats, and a few things for the Foxwing awning. Nothing that absolutely has to stay dry. I've had good luck with the North Face Basecamp duffels, but I wouldn't trust my sleeping gear to it. Especially driving through a hard rain; the water has ways of getting inside normal zippers and poor seals.
I also picked up Kanulock lockable security straps for securing my bags to the roof rack. So far, I'm really impressed. They're designed for securing surf boards, paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes, but they work great for bags and are super easy and quick to use. The straps are thick, don't flap around as much, can't be cut with a knife, and best of all, lockable.
I also picked up Kanulock lockable security straps for securing my bags to the roof rack. So far, I'm really impressed. They're designed for securing surf boards, paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes, but they work great for bags and are super easy and quick to use. The straps are thick, don't flap around as much, can't be cut with a knife, and best of all, lockable.
Advocate III
These posts are great, @KSTrekker - great info and ideas.
I use clear adhesive-backed business card-sized pouches to label a lot of my containers, Wolf Packs, small kit boxes, etc. I use blank card stock as inserts and cross things off or make a new card as contents change. A lot of my containers are the same, so proper ID definitely reduces time lost looking for something.
I like the look of those KanuLock straps and will look them up. Interesting. I have four pair of Stratchits from Front Runner and love them for strapping gear to my trailer cover and rack, but they don't lock.
As for your point #9 - Ha! Not silly at all. I've written elsewhere on these boards that some mornings I wake up in camp almost excited that I am going to mess with organizing my stuff into a more logical arrangement. Nothing like being out on the road for weeks using gear every day to let it tell you where it wants to live, from the largest of items to the smallest.
Listen well enough and your time in camp and on the road will flow much more smoothly. Things will be right at hand where you need them and when you need them. I get a big ol' grin on my face when I reach for something out of habit and it's there, because I didn't even have to think about it when putting it away last time it was used.
I've posted this a few times here, but here's my trailer load, laid out on the ground after park camping for a street festival in the midwest:
This all--with the exception of the bike, the large black rectangular cargo bag on the right with the X straps, and sometimes the folding solar panel at lower left corner--fits into the cargo bay of my trailer. You'll notice a lot of it is flat pack stuff of similar sizes, so packs up quite nice and snug in a variety of ways.
I'll have to do the same kind of image for the nose box sometime; that's where I get in and out of more often every day.
.
roaddude.com
I use clear adhesive-backed business card-sized pouches to label a lot of my containers, Wolf Packs, small kit boxes, etc. I use blank card stock as inserts and cross things off or make a new card as contents change. A lot of my containers are the same, so proper ID definitely reduces time lost looking for something.
I like the look of those KanuLock straps and will look them up. Interesting. I have four pair of Stratchits from Front Runner and love them for strapping gear to my trailer cover and rack, but they don't lock.
As for your point #9 - Ha! Not silly at all. I've written elsewhere on these boards that some mornings I wake up in camp almost excited that I am going to mess with organizing my stuff into a more logical arrangement. Nothing like being out on the road for weeks using gear every day to let it tell you where it wants to live, from the largest of items to the smallest.
Listen well enough and your time in camp and on the road will flow much more smoothly. Things will be right at hand where you need them and when you need them. I get a big ol' grin on my face when I reach for something out of habit and it's there, because I didn't even have to think about it when putting it away last time it was used.
I've posted this a few times here, but here's my trailer load, laid out on the ground after park camping for a street festival in the midwest:
This all--with the exception of the bike, the large black rectangular cargo bag on the right with the X straps, and sometimes the folding solar panel at lower left corner--fits into the cargo bay of my trailer. You'll notice a lot of it is flat pack stuff of similar sizes, so packs up quite nice and snug in a variety of ways.
I'll have to do the same kind of image for the nose box sometime; that's where I get in and out of more often every day.
.
Roaddude - On the Road In North America - ROADDUDE
Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.
roaddude.com
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Very nice, organized setup! Sorry if this is off topic, but is that a bottle jack on the floorboard next to the Alu-Box? I no longer pack my Hi-Lift and I'm looking for a good bottle jack as a replacement. I would be interested in what brand you are using.
Advocate III
Whoa - my first thought when seeing your second photo was "Dang, that's one big frickin' tire! Why is he hauling around a giant tractor tire on the back of his car?" then realized it's the odd perspective wide angle lenses on cell phones give to a photo
Cool looking set up, clean and practical.
I use the smaller than usual planos that were on sale for like 20$. They fit the cargo deck perfect and I have stored them up top and they are somewhat weather resistant. I would like the idea of square all the way around, sometimes my OCD gets the best of me!! I'm in the process of revamping my setup and I'm looking for way to organize inside the box. I like those Mexican pharmaceutical boxs from an earlier post. Here is a quick video of my current setup
Sent from my SM-G892A using OB Talk mobile app
Sent from my SM-G892A using OB Talk mobile app
