Outdoor Adventure USA

Vehicle and Camping Storage Solutions

Our recent trips have highlighted the benefits of effective camping and vehicle storage equipment. Part of the value of this net will be to let others know what has worked best for us, and why, The remaining part of the net, we hope, will be for us to learn from others what has worked well for them. That not to subtle hint is to encourage everyone to participate by letting us know about your storage solutions.

As vehicle dependent campers, we enjoy the benefits of being able to carry a lot more than backpackers or day hikers. There are however, limits to how much we can carry, including the size of your vehicle, the length of your trip, and the load capacity of your vehicle. In addition to these limits, there are additional considerations that deserve attention, such as convenience, ease of storing and access, durability, cost, and the ability to protect your valuables from the elements (like rain and dust, just to name a few.)

If we have learned anything from our years of camping, it is that there are no limits to the ingenuity of our fellow campers. AND, there seems to be no limits to the creativity of manufacturers who offer a variety of storage solutions. Herein lies the value of this net. With all of our listeners out there, we are bound to hear new storage ideas and new storage products that would be a benefit to campers. Join the net and let us know.

Just don't be like this guy!!!!

Product Spot Light

Battery Terminal Distribution Blocks by Rugged Rocks
Availability: Available
$44.95

From Web Site

*Not just for Nissans!
Includes a pair (one negative & one positive) of aluminum terminal blocks with hardware.
Battery post power distribution blocks. These provide a clean way to connect your vehicles electrical system, along with accessories to your battery posts.
Each terminal block provides 3 large connection points using M8 bolts and one smaller side connection point using an M6 bolt.

https://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/power-di ... rocks.html



By Stevo

Got a new vehicle - or new to you? After you put the lift on, bigger tires and rock sliders, you still have a major task ahead of you. How do you get all that stuff you want to take in the vehicle?

Sure you can just make a big pile. The trick is how to organize it so it can be retrieved quickly (read that – move as little other stuff out of the way to put your hands on the item you want). And how can you store it safely and securely. Hit a big rock or flop your vehicle on the side, you want most (actually all!) of you gear to stay put.

Here is a list of categories for storage. If anyone wants to address them in detail feel free. I am only going to talk about a few quick and simple first time solutions.

Bags
Boxes
Shelves
Cabinets
Fuel Storage
Electrical Storage
Trailer
Information Storage

Mandatory Quick Access

Make it a RULE to always have very and I mean very quick access to these items.

Shovel & Toilet paper
First aid Kit
Recovery Strap & D ring
Go Bag
Hammer (to setup your tent in the rain)
What else would you add to the list???

My first 3 options follow:

Outside Storage

As a rule anything that you can conveniently bolt on the outside of the vehicle, under the hood, or on the bumper is worth considering, because it saves space inside.

Under the hood, you ask? Sure! That’s a nice spot for an air compressor. This will not only save space inside your vehicle, it will also save setup time when you need the compressor. Certain tools and parts can be stored under the hood, as well. Be mindful of the warm temperature in there. Tape, hoses, and some fluids break down in extreme heat.

If you have the money, now the time is ripe to finally decide on your rear bumper system. The right one can carry many items you want to get out of the interior space - shovel, jack, tire, gas and water.

If you are not sure what you want, start with two simple items – a roof rack and a shelf.

Roof Rack

A roof rack can get bulky, odd shaped, dirty items out of your interior space. Fire wood, fire grate, BBQ, spare tire, pull pal, hi-lift, gas cans, and water cans all come to mind.

One drawback is that it can be difficult to lift and retrieve heavy objects. Bring a ladder. Get help if needed. I prefer to NOT put my Hi-lift jack on the roof rack. I will try anything to get my buddy to use his Hi-lift before attempting to bring mine off the roof rack.

Shelf

A shelf to divide the usable space in half (or third) is one of my first solutions. Want a simple, quick and temporary solution? Place two 2x12 (or 2x8, 2x10) boards the full length of the space (tail gate to the back of the seats) and cover it with a sheet of plywood. Find a way to attach the 2x10 to the floor and glue carpet on the plywood.

Be sure and tell yourself that this is only a temporary solution. But as a RULE: Temporary solutions tend to stick around for years.

An unbelievable number of small bags containing heavy items can be stored under the height provided by a 2x12. This is the ideal place for tools, recovery gear, winch kit, spare parts, spare fluids, and 16 oz. propane bottles.

VEHICLE AND CAMPING STORAGE SOLUTIONS - PART 1

No discussion on vehicle storage should be complete without recognizing just how heavy these things can be. As such, THEY EACH need to be securely fastened. In an accident or rollover, that 40 lb storage box becomes a lethal projectile. Most (and probably all) vehicles will not come factory equipped with attachment points for all of your particular storage needs. The solution: secure attachment points that you install. As an example of the kind of strength you should copy, look to see how the manufacturer attaches car seats to the floor of your vehicle. In addition to secure points of attachment, you will need to use hardware that is up to the task.

SECURED CONTAINERS :


The Zarges boxes and the Fridge Freeze are secured with these:

• 1. D style connecting ring with a 5,000 lb rating:

• 2. Ratchet Straps

These are available from Ratchet Strap USA (https://www.ratchetstraps.com/) with the following specs, from their website:

Ratchet 11,000 lb B.S.
Web 12,000 lb B.S.
Assembly 3,335 lb W.L.L.

• 3. Turn Buckles

A working load limit of 5,000 lbs.( http://www.fehr.com/1-x-12-forged-hook- ... -9hh100x12 ):


SECURED WATER CANS


SECURED GAS CANS

VEHICLE AND CAMPING STORAGE SOLUTIONS - PART 2


SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS

1. SLIDE OUT TRAYS
Access to storage containers is as important as the container itself. In response to the growing market for vehicle dependent camping, there are a number of companies making slide-out trays for your equipment and containers. Easily getting to your stuff makes for quicker camp set-up and take-down, and it sure cuts down on the wear and tear on your body when it is easier. Unless the "already made" slide out trays are specifically for your vehicle, and for your needs, it is easy to make your own. One example:


2. ROOF RACK STORAGE

There are times when your passengers occupy all the room in the vehicle that you usually reserve for storage. This is when having a roof top carrier, with a weather proof enclosure, really shines. The cover makes it possible to store items that require protection from the elements, like sleeping bags, clothes bags, etc. Chances are good that there is a carrier that is made specifically for your vehicle, but if not, having one made can really make for a abetter trip. Here is an example:


3. FIRST AID KITS AND ELECTRONICS STORAGE

Sensitive stuff which you cannot afford to lose, deserves the best container protection you can get. First aid kits and sensitive electronics immediately come to mind, but there are more, depending on what you carry. For my money, Pelican cases are among the best. They are American made, have a lifetime warranty, come in a huge variety of sizes, water tight and dust poof, and tough as nails.


4. Craftsman Compact Truck Boxes

These "Made in America" compact boxes are the perfect storage containers, ideally suited to keep smaller things organized, like tire repair kits, tent repair kits, miscellaneous hardware, and anything that you want to keep all in one easy to reach place.

The boxes are, unfortunately, the victim of Sears collapse, and appear to be unavailable through normal channels, at least that I could find. My 4WD now sports 5 of these very handy little storage containers, four of which I was forward thinking enough to buy before Sears crashed and burned. In desperate need for one more, I was fortunate enough to find one on Ebay, and while the price was a little more than a new one (when Sears carried them), it was well worth the cost. IF ebay is sold out, it looks like there is another source for these types of containers, in a large variety of sizes, at very reasonable prices. You can bet that this is where I will be going in the future for these containers!!! Check them out::

• https://shop.casesbysource.com/category ... ying-cases

Here is what the Sears cases look like:


5. STRICTLY CAMPING STORAGE CONTAINERS

Some camping things need to be kept together, making them convenient to use. The most obvious one, of course, is your kitchen gear, which also needs protection from dust, moisture, and a variety of insect varmints (whether flying or crawling.) Depending where you camp, you may also need to protect your camping gear from bears.

Dust and moisture are relatively easy to keep out of most cases. Bears however, are another matter. These critters are amazingly strong, and in many cases, very determined when it comes to finding food. So much so, in fact, that most bear containers are advertised as, "Bear Resistant," and NOT "bear proof." Regardless, if you travel in bear country, you are well advised to get as much bear resistance as your wallet will afford.

Zarges can do it all, but Bruce will have more. Here we are at camp, overlooking Lake Powell, making dinner, with the kitchen from Zarges boxes:

My Exterior and Interior custom storage solution is a work in progress.

The roof rack is designed to hold two boxes and two awnings which cover the rear hatch and the passenger sides.

I use two rifle cases from HF, $119 each on sale. Half the price of the more durable Pelican but since I drilled holes in the cases, the warranty is voided anyway. These are used for dirty, bulky or less used items. With that said. They are easily accessed when needed.

I wanted the sleeper to be readily accessible so the only items that I place on the mattress are a table and chairs. They are the first things that come out at camp.

Custom drawer and deck system

I designed the entire system to utilize the many mounting points already found in the truck bed. I can remove the entire thing in as long as it takes me to find a place in the garage to put everything and only requires a socket wrench and a screwdriver.

Once everything is removed, the truck bed appears stock, less the tie down points I removed.

I remove the entire set up on occasion as this is my daily driver and is also used for other business. It does weigh a lot and doesn’t help my gas mileage.

The following is my attempt to come up with a DIY flexible storage solution

I use a fairly stock, older (2006) SUV both for daily driving and for off-road trips. For years, my "go to" storage solution has been as illustrated in the three following images. I've always used a rooftop cargo box to provide additional vehicle storage, primarily filling it with lightweight bulky items such as sleeping bags, chairs, and clothing. Then I've tried to organize the inside of the vehicle, which always seems to self-disorganize by the third day of a trip.

Yakima rooftop cargo box, an old friend. Typical view of the rear of my loaded vehicle. A divider offered a convenient way to achieve two-tier storage. Plastic boxes were easily removed and replaced. Jackets easily accessed during the evening. Inside of the vehicle with bulky propane tanks (relatively safe) and gas (not so safe). 2nd row passenger seats are removed. Propane and gas are held in place using straps through hooks attached using seat mounting holes in frame floor.
I really wanted to get gasoline cans outside of the cabin. I purchased a Front Runner Outfitters Slimline roof rack in part because they offered compatible mounts for standard NATO-style (Wavian) jerry cans. This rack was quite a pain to install. It was a "universal" rack, not specifically designed for my vehicle. I had to drill a number of holes in the roof and add blind rivet nuts (aka "rivnuts", "nutserts"). The aluminum did accommodate my roof, which was not flat, by bending. The rack enabled transporting four 5-gallon jerry cans, two propane tanks, and a 10 gallon water tank, with leftover room for a solar panel. The Front Runner propane tank holders were sold out, so I cobbled something together from some tank holder / stabilizers that I had on hand. My next step was to re-do the inside of my vehicle. I wanted a flat surface to which I could mount my fridge, battery, supporting electronics / wiring, and some kind of TBD storage, maybe drawers. The inside of the vehicle was not entirely flat, with seat mounting hardware and various bolt holes that had been used to hold 2nd and 3rd row seats. I mapped it all out. The end result was a fairly flat, carpeted floor. Some of the bolts needed were non-standard (e.g., 11mm x 1.25) so I had to make those using similar-sized bolts, a lathe, and a die for threading. Pain in the @$$, but necessary. I tried to use every big of space. For example, where the floor overhung toward the doors, a lexan panel provided a nook behind which I can stash whatever. On the opposite side, I used the space for a solar controller (WMR Epic PWRgate) and related electronics which provide both alternator and solar charging. Here's the fridge, with a LiFePo battery in front plus electronics and wiring. Kind of messy, but it works fine and I completely understand it. A well known problem with early Sequoias (presumably fixed by now) is that the rear door latch mechanism will (not can) eventually break. In fact, this has happened twice during trips. The door can only be opened by lifting a panel off the inside of the door to get at the latch mechanism. It is possible to avoid strain on this mechanism and postpone (eliminate?) breakage by applying pressure to the outside of the door while opening. The dent here (circled in red) has been caused by repeatedly kneeing the back of the door while opening to reduce strain. I'm not sure if my knee will outlast the door.

Anticipating that the latch mechanism will eventually break again, I didn't want to put anything permanent inside that made it impossible to access the inside of the door ... such as a nice drawer system.
While buying plywood for the floor, I came across the Milwaukee Packout line of products which has apparently been out for a while and are well known by serious contractors. I viewed a number of YouTube videos and came to the conclusion that these might do the trick for vehicle camping storage.
Milwaukee Packout

A key feature of the Packout line is that they can be locked together in a stack. This Mounting Plate is the first step in your stack. There are a fairly large number of products in the line. Right on top of the Mounting Plate, a drawer box can be mounted which allows access to its contents without moving any boxes. The drawers, especially the 2-drawer, seem very popular and might be hard to find as they just became available in June. I plan on buying a couple more 2-drawer boxes when they become available. The large tool box provides a significant amount of storage for larger items that don't conveniently fit into the drawers, e.g., compressor, pots and pans, dutch oven. Initially, this was the only reasonably large box available. I use an Organizer to store everything that I need for evenings and inside the tent such as headlamps, flashlights, device charging batteries, and cords. The Compact Organizer is great for smaller items, such as a handgun with cleaning kit and ammo. Crates are convenient to put on top of the stack for jackets and things that you want quick access to but don't want loose on the floor. Got a Work Top for the heck of it. Have used for running a JetBoil and making breakfast. The dolly is useful primarily at home when moving your Packout stack(s) between home storage and vehicle. I tried to layout the back of my vehicle with two rows of Packouts, with an open area in-between for items that don't fit, such as sleeping bags, seeing pads, chairs, and propane fire pit. The rearmost mounting plate is positioned such that I can remove any mounted Packouts even if the rear door latch mechanism fails.

The fridge is where my wife wanted it. She had complained for a few years about the previous location.

My theory is that--in case of an accident--the front row of Packouts will hold back anything in the open area. I of course don't know if the Packouts themselves will stay in place under high G forces.

One drawback to the Packouts is that they’re somewhat bulky relative to the storage space provided.


The Mounting Plates are held down with bolts and T-nuts. Here's a rear view of the back loaded up. All of the Packouts are marked with labels noting their contents. I discovered that the drawer boxes are slightly taller than the large tool boxes such that the crates no longer fit when stacked on the third level. I may eventually move the rear Mounting Plates about an inch forward to allow this. That’s a stove of the right side. Inside look with two crates on top. The large tool boxes are actually reasonably accessible even with the other boxes on top. An entire stack can be tipped back, assuming there's nothing huge behind it. Higher view showing fairly large area between Packout rows. And a look into the large area which as I mentioned can fit propane firepit, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, chairs, tent, tent poles, and clothing. Lastly, I had some unused space on the roof rack that opened up when I moved the propane tanks to the sides. I wanted a box that was somewhat aerodynamic, but I couldn't find an existing Thule or Yakima that exactly fit in the open space, so designed one. Here it is as yet unused. I used exterior grade 1/2" plywood and painted over it with an ugly gray waterproof / UV-proof coating. I also had a company make a waterproof cover that exactly fit it, but found that it quickly mildewed on the box. Still trying to figure out a mildew-proof coating for this, though not sure anything will stick due to the waterproof coating.

My intent is to store tentpoles, longer tools (e.g., axe), ice/snow scraper, and chairs. we'll see.

Zarges Cases

The Zarges company has been around since the 1930s. They started out making aluminum ladder and then expanded into other products. They are most well known today for their line of aluminum cases. These have been a staple of expeditions and commercial work in remote areas for decades due to their ruggedness, durability, and tight construction.

They are not cheap but this is a true case of getting what you pay for. They can take a beating but unless they get severely damaged you should only have to buy them once.

https://zargesusa.com

Below is a link for the history of the Zarges company -

https://www.zarges.com/en/company/history-of-zarges/


Advantages

• Strong

• Light Weight

• Well Sealed

• Securely Stackable

• Available in Many Sizes

• Some Models Certified Bear Resistant

Disadvantages

• Expensive

• Dents and Scratches are Permeant

• Aluminum leaves black marks if rubbing against anything

(I consider dents and scratches as trail patina proving that they are really used and I'm not just being a poser )


Above is a picture of my typical camp. Most of the gear is carried in the stacked Zarges boxes.

Earlier this year I finally equipped my Tacoma camper with a slide out kitchen. Originally, I had planned a rather elaborate cabinet to slide out above the stove. After starting the project I determined that what I had planned was likely beyond my wood working skills so I settled on mounting a Zarges box on a piece of plywood and having that to store my cookware and utensils. The smaller items are kept in separate soft organizers to make things easier to store and find.

Here is a closer picture of the slide out kitchen with the Zarges box for the cookware and utensils. You can see the rubber seal on the underside of the lid that prevents dust and dirt from getting inside even under the worst conditions.


Bear Resistance


One advantage of using Zarges boxes over cheaper plastic containers is that some models are certified as being bear resistant by the Interagency
Grizzly Bear Committee. This rating is required for food storage in some National Parks and other bear inhabited areas.


Adding a clip or a lock to the box latches makes it virtually (?) impossible for a bear to get into the box.

The link below has additional information on the bear resistant certification along with a couple of videos showing grizzly bears trying to get into a Zarges box.

https://zargesusa.com/zarges-protection ... ing-trips/



The Zarges K-470 line of boxes have reinforced cast aluminum corners which allows the boxes to be securely stacked. Surprisingly little tension is required on the straps to make the stack rock solid.

I usually carry 8 boxes in the back of my Tacoma and Flip-Pac camper using this method.

The boxes are held down with straps connected to fittings on logistics track also called L-track. Logistics track can be a little hard to find but I prefer it over the more common E-track since it's smaller and less obtrusive. Its generally used on the aircraft cargo floors so it is plenty strong enough for overlanding purposes. Normally it would be flush mounted in a grove on the floor but I didn't want to increase the thickness of my floor so it's just mounted on top. The L-track is secured to the plywood floor using T-nuts. The floor is then separately secured to the truck bed with separate hardware.


Above are a couple of pictures showing close up details of the L-Track. The tie down fittings can be positioned along the track by lifting up on the blue part while pushing down on the center post and sliding them over a round hole to remove them or positioning them between the round holes.


Here is a picture of the setup I use with the Zarges boxes in the Pinzgauer. The folding seats on the right side are removed and the boxes and Engel refrigerator are in their place. Once again ratchet straps are used to hold the Zarges boxes in place. This a little tightening the boxes are rock solid.


Taking advantage of what was available to work with in the bed of the Pinzgauer I use straps with hooks that fasten on to an existing lip on the side of the rear bed. I found a site on-line that offered custom made straps that fit the requirement.


Since the hook on the bed lip is behind the boxes small neodymium magnets are used to hold the hook in place until the ratchet straps are tightened.


One the front side an aluminum bar was attached with spacers and utilized the existing tapped holes for the stats for mounting. The ratchet straps hook to the aluminum bar to hold the Zarges boxes in place.


RotoPax


RotoPax is primarily known for their fuel tanks but they also make cases that can be used with their mooting system to store things. Here are some examples that I use on the Pinzgauer. The inside of the rear door is a perfect spot to attach 2 sets of RotoPax units. Only the white one is use for water, the others are used for tools, emergency kit, and other important camping equipment

Advantages

• Moderately Prices

• Easily mixed with other RotoPax units

• Convenient Mounting System

Disadvantages

• Odd Shape and Center Mounting Make for Awkward Filling

Above is a picture of the RotoPax units attached to the inside of the rear door on the Pinzgauer. Mounting them on the inside has the advantage that they are hidden from the outside but readily accessible when needed and they are protected from the weather.


Here are the emergency medical supplies.



A trail tool kit.


And other essential pieces of camping equipment carefully padded with microfiber towels

Please check me in KM6OJB
Thanks
Joe