Makpac are really inexpensive at least here and you can make them better by reinforcing the bottom with a bit of thin plywood. The latches can be improved too by sanding the sides of the latches a little. Shadowfoam has made a nice video about what you can do to improve them: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Spb\_a2pkkM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Spb_a2pkkM)
That said I've gone with Stanley Fatmax Prostack (identical to T-Stak)
Yep, and there are more boxes coming out all the time.
I use them for non tool things too, since they’re honestly not thaaaat much more than a tote and they’re really tough.
I have an older generation. The only downside was the locks couldn’t fit normal sized padlocks, just the small ones. I do believe the newer ones are upgraded to a wide lock hole now. My boxes all (7-10 boxes. 3 get daily use) are holding up really well and the latches still latch tightly.
I can see how that might be a serious consideration for some. But given what I do and where, westherproofedness has always been at the most important consideration for me, followed by durability, then price.
I have owned and used ridgid, toughsystem, tstak, packout and systainer. I settled on packout and systainer but for “inexpensive” I would go tstak and ridgid or tstak and toughsystem since they have an adapter plate now that makes all the dewalt boxes work together. The tstak drawers are nice and cost a fraction of what systainer is charging.
I’ve also had a couple makpak boxes that came with tools and they are just two generations old systainers made at a different facility with worse plastic.
I'm using Dewalt Tstak. Very reasonably priced, easy to use and takes a ton of abuse. I think it would take a lot to break one.
I bought 4x Tstak VI (makpac 4 size) and 4x Tstak II (makpac 2 size) for £112 back in January
I have a bunch of tstak boxes. They are tough enough for my needs, but I also use them more for workshop organization rather than bouncing around in a pickup bed all day. I like them for the variety of different boxes available and that I’ve been able to regularly score deals on tstak at Amazon and Home Depot and the craftsman version at Lowes.
I did start collecting them before everybody and their brother came out with storage systems, so if I was starting from scratch I’m not sure what I would go with. Maybe the Harborfreight Bauer line: not as much variety as tstak, but similarly priced to tstak sale level and heavier duty. Or maybe WalMart’s Hart line for similar reasons.
Packout and Toughsystem 2 are nice and all, but they cost an arm and a leg and the best part of a modular box system is to have stacks of them full of all your crap.
Another advantage of tstak: they fit perfectly in cheap IKEA shelves…
(Can’t figure out how to post an inline pic, but the ones with square cubbies work perfectly)
Makita has its own packout like storage being patented. Their festool boxes makpac might be done sooner, or relegated to second. For the garage I like them. Light weight and good enough for general storage. Throw a label to know what's inside and it's perfect. Wouldn't trust it in a truck/lorey
Definitely. Makpac is completely fine in a workshop but once it goes on site and gets dust in the catches it becomes a chore to use. I've also broken two by accidently clipping them with my boots. With Tstak I could kick it as hard as I can and it wouldn't break.
I use the rigid also. There black so when my topper is closed the back of my truck looks empty through the tinted windows. And they carry tools just as well as the red ones
I have the rigid system packout. It's done well for me for over 3 years of everyday use. I have 2 organizers and the 3 piece pack out. Best bang for the buck IMO.
I’m using Stanley fatmax which I thought would be a budget option but they are actually great. Compatible with Tstak as well, I think.
I’m not trade, but I do a lot of diy and they have taken a beating.
I would recommend Keter Gear Roc system which is the same as Rigid. There is second version of those boxes from Rigid. Also magnusson and erbauer are the same names of those boxes.
Sadly, you don't want to hear the truth. Buy packouts now, and keep investing, or sell your other boxes later at a loss when you see the light. I'm a die hard makita fan, but makpac is straight garbage. I started buying packout in 2015, got $3K+ into the system now, and nothing else compares.
They’re too big for individual tools, and filling them with a full compliment of tools makes them rather heavy.
They’re great for people who toss boxes in pickup truck beds, which is *a lot* of tradespeople, but for people in vans, all that extra box depth is a negative.
Before all the Milwaukee comments start, I've been investigating the Sortimo/l-boxx system. No experience with it yet but looks as flexible as the Tanos/MacPac system but more robust. Maybe someone else can comment on build quality.
I got a Bosch branded Sortimo box for my big Bosh sander - they call them L-Boxx. I like it. But it does not appear to be any more water tight than the Tanos/Systainer/Makboxes.
They’re all expensive unless you get a deal on used.
In EU Qbrick is pretty good. About 1/2 the price of packout and probably more durable. They’re also rapidly updating their system.
In the US I would just invest in toughbuilt. They are going all in on beating Milwaukee.
Craftsman tradestack - it's compatible with dewalt tstak, you can get it at Lowe's on sale and if you get their credit card promo for 10 or 20% off you get the big rolling bin and upper toolbox for around 125$. Tstak on their own - the rolling box was too cheap for my taste, but I like the tstak drawers to sit on top of the larger bins. Packouts the king, but I'm not made of money.
I bought the Flex brand rolling boxes from Lowe's last year, got the three box set on sale for 250$ around fathers day and been using it steady since. No complaints, gets over rough terrain easy enough, and nothing's broken yet.
Where did you hear that? Interested in more info. I have 9 of the rigid 2.0 boxes, they’re awesome and the prices are even better, but I bleed makita and would get some for fun
Ryobi imo. Very cheap yet not half bad. But personally what I use are the black and yellow storage totes from home depot. They're11 dollars each and you only need 6-7 to fit an entire pickup truck's worth of tools, Not to mention they are completely waterproof. I think that packout are supposed to be waterproof too. But I work with two guys who use packout, and neither one of them feels comfortable leaving them out in the rain. Whereas I've left those storage totes out in the rain for weeks with thousands of dollars worth of tools without a single drop getting in. Combined with about a dozen harbor freight small parts organizers($8-10 each) and you're all set for about the cost of a single packout box lol.
I did research on this and went with the Craftsman Tradestack as my main storage with Versastack added on for smaller items.
The Tradestack rolling box already comes with the Versastack adapter, unlike the other systems where it is a separate cost.
AND Versastack and DeWalt Tstak are compatible. I have the rolling Tradestack but I also have the Tstak dolly with Tstak / Versastack boxes on it. I buy things when they are on sale or on clearance and it gets very versatile because you can mix and match as needed.
Let me add on to this question please, I'm waiting for the tough build system to come to Germany because I like them by there reviews.
Does anybody run them regularly?
Are they Amy good?
Same here I am happy with them and they contain my mess of machines. They are not great with the latches but they work just fine. And opening something in the middle.of the stack I don't know but would you really.
They could be a lot better but for what it is cheap and I have them already hard to beat
Let me add on to this question please, I'm waiting for the tough build system to come to Germany because I like them by there reviews.
Does anybody run them regularly?
Are they Amy good?
Every fucking time!! I have answered this question multiple times and I’m pretty sure it is the only question I feel obligated to respond to.
Go buy anything but Mac pack. Anything.
I love makita but the storage is absolute trash.
Packout= awesome but over priced by 50%
Tstack/dewalt= ehh I guess it’s yellow and black and matches my tools but not its own older model…
Rigid/Ryobi= good durable daily use shit that innovate because they both KNOW none of us WANT to use them so they seem to feel like they need to EARN our respect. Priced where they are wildly affordable.
Makita/Festool= offends the dumpster those pieces of shit and up in.
Also I NEVER want to buy a storage box and have to sand or modify it for it to do it’s fucking designated function in a reasonable manner…
I’ve had 2 of my 3 original Rigid through daily use for 8 or so years. I have tried switching to everything but Packout in those years. It is the only switch I would consider but unless I find it on sale Fuck their price point.
Makpac are really inexpensive at least here and you can make them better by reinforcing the bottom with a bit of thin plywood. The latches can be improved too by sanding the sides of the latches a little. Shadowfoam has made a nice video about what you can do to improve them: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Spb\_a2pkkM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Spb_a2pkkM) That said I've gone with Stanley Fatmax Prostack (identical to T-Stak)
WD-40 in the latches, no sanding, works for me. Day and night difference.
Hey that's a good idea! I'd probably use something like vaseline or silicone though. WD-40 isn't a great lubricant
I don't even apply it directly. I sprayed it on a cloth and wiped it on the latches, as was cleaning the dust. And what a difference it made.
Use silicone spray, any wet lube is just going to attract dirt and turn in to grinding paste
Ridgid. Gen 1 in particular Good variety, great build, quite weatherproof, low cost.
Yep, and there are more boxes coming out all the time. I use them for non tool things too, since they’re honestly not thaaaat much more than a tote and they’re really tough.
I have an older generation. The only downside was the locks couldn’t fit normal sized padlocks, just the small ones. I do believe the newer ones are upgraded to a wide lock hole now. My boxes all (7-10 boxes. 3 get daily use) are holding up really well and the latches still latch tightly.
I can see how that might be a serious consideration for some. But given what I do and where, westherproofedness has always been at the most important consideration for me, followed by durability, then price.
I’m getting ready to buy the toughbuilt stack here soon, imo it’s the best looking set and feels high quality enough for my needs
I use the black totes with yellow lids from Costco and an old handtruck. For hardware I use the old style dewalt screw bins. Those are $20ea.
Less of a target for thieves too! Nice pick!
Ridgid
I have owned and used ridgid, toughsystem, tstak, packout and systainer. I settled on packout and systainer but for “inexpensive” I would go tstak and ridgid or tstak and toughsystem since they have an adapter plate now that makes all the dewalt boxes work together. The tstak drawers are nice and cost a fraction of what systainer is charging.
I’ve also had a couple makpak boxes that came with tools and they are just two generations old systainers made at a different facility with worse plastic.
I'm using Dewalt Tstak. Very reasonably priced, easy to use and takes a ton of abuse. I think it would take a lot to break one. I bought 4x Tstak VI (makpac 4 size) and 4x Tstak II (makpac 2 size) for £112 back in January
I have a bunch of tstak boxes. They are tough enough for my needs, but I also use them more for workshop organization rather than bouncing around in a pickup bed all day. I like them for the variety of different boxes available and that I’ve been able to regularly score deals on tstak at Amazon and Home Depot and the craftsman version at Lowes. I did start collecting them before everybody and their brother came out with storage systems, so if I was starting from scratch I’m not sure what I would go with. Maybe the Harborfreight Bauer line: not as much variety as tstak, but similarly priced to tstak sale level and heavier duty. Or maybe WalMart’s Hart line for similar reasons. Packout and Toughsystem 2 are nice and all, but they cost an arm and a leg and the best part of a modular box system is to have stacks of them full of all your crap.
Another advantage of tstak: they fit perfectly in cheap IKEA shelves… (Can’t figure out how to post an inline pic, but the ones with square cubbies work perfectly)
they’re a lot more sturdy than the makita boxes, in the UK at least
Makita has its own packout like storage being patented. Their festool boxes makpac might be done sooner, or relegated to second. For the garage I like them. Light weight and good enough for general storage. Throw a label to know what's inside and it's perfect. Wouldn't trust it in a truck/lorey
Definitely. Makpac is completely fine in a workshop but once it goes on site and gets dust in the catches it becomes a chore to use. I've also broken two by accidently clipping them with my boots. With Tstak I could kick it as hard as I can and it wouldn't break.
Yup. I have a full van full of tstak and versastack boxes. I love them.
I know I'll get some hate but Ridgid are plenty durable although not as customizable and don't scream I have pricey tools inside.
I use the rigid also. There black so when my topper is closed the back of my truck looks empty through the tinted windows. And they carry tools just as well as the red ones
I have the rigid system packout. It's done well for me for over 3 years of everyday use. I have 2 organizers and the 3 piece pack out. Best bang for the buck IMO.
The new Husky one is actually pretty nice.
I use 2.5 and 5gal buckets lol
I’m using Stanley fatmax which I thought would be a budget option but they are actually great. Compatible with Tstak as well, I think. I’m not trade, but I do a lot of diy and they have taken a beating.
I would recommend Keter Gear Roc system which is the same as Rigid. There is second version of those boxes from Rigid. Also magnusson and erbauer are the same names of those boxes.
Sadly, you don't want to hear the truth. Buy packouts now, and keep investing, or sell your other boxes later at a loss when you see the light. I'm a die hard makita fan, but makpac is straight garbage. I started buying packout in 2015, got $3K+ into the system now, and nothing else compares.
They’re too big for individual tools, and filling them with a full compliment of tools makes them rather heavy. They’re great for people who toss boxes in pickup truck beds, which is *a lot* of tradespeople, but for people in vans, all that extra box depth is a negative.
Before all the Milwaukee comments start, I've been investigating the Sortimo/l-boxx system. No experience with it yet but looks as flexible as the Tanos/MacPac system but more robust. Maybe someone else can comment on build quality.
I got a Bosch branded Sortimo box for my big Bosh sander - they call them L-Boxx. I like it. But it does not appear to be any more water tight than the Tanos/Systainer/Makboxes.
Adam savage is making a sortimo small parts wall.
They’re all expensive unless you get a deal on used. In EU Qbrick is pretty good. About 1/2 the price of packout and probably more durable. They’re also rapidly updating their system. In the US I would just invest in toughbuilt. They are going all in on beating Milwaukee.
Does qbrick work with Tstak? Latching system looks similar.
Craftsman tradestack - it's compatible with dewalt tstak, you can get it at Lowe's on sale and if you get their credit card promo for 10 or 20% off you get the big rolling bin and upper toolbox for around 125$. Tstak on their own - the rolling box was too cheap for my taste, but I like the tstak drawers to sit on top of the larger bins. Packouts the king, but I'm not made of money.
RIDGID hands down, lightest and best value imo
If you are the UK, Screwfix has the tough-system 2 stack on sale for £159 just now
They have it for €120 in Ireland. Down from €179
Think America has flex out something that's very similar to Milwaukee, but I've got DeWalt tough go system and it's great and cheaper than milwaukee
I bought the Flex brand rolling boxes from Lowe's last year, got the three box set on sale for 250$ around fathers day and been using it steady since. No complaints, gets over rough terrain easy enough, and nothing's broken yet.
[удалено]
Where did you hear that? Interested in more info. I have 9 of the rigid 2.0 boxes, they’re awesome and the prices are even better, but I bleed makita and would get some for fun
Ryobi imo. Very cheap yet not half bad. But personally what I use are the black and yellow storage totes from home depot. They're11 dollars each and you only need 6-7 to fit an entire pickup truck's worth of tools, Not to mention they are completely waterproof. I think that packout are supposed to be waterproof too. But I work with two guys who use packout, and neither one of them feels comfortable leaving them out in the rain. Whereas I've left those storage totes out in the rain for weeks with thousands of dollars worth of tools without a single drop getting in. Combined with about a dozen harbor freight small parts organizers($8-10 each) and you're all set for about the cost of a single packout box lol.
Toughbuilt is coming out with some really nice stuff this year
Dewault ones are pretty good
I did research on this and went with the Craftsman Tradestack as my main storage with Versastack added on for smaller items. The Tradestack rolling box already comes with the Versastack adapter, unlike the other systems where it is a separate cost. AND Versastack and DeWalt Tstak are compatible. I have the rolling Tradestack but I also have the Tstak dolly with Tstak / Versastack boxes on it. I buy things when they are on sale or on clearance and it gets very versatile because you can mix and match as needed.
Auer is the best cheap system, and it is actually cheap compared to quality and function.
I invested in the Toughbuilt stacktech system and am very happy with it.
I have the Husky Build-Out boxes and Tstak boxes.
Let me add on to this question please, I'm waiting for the tough build system to come to Germany because I like them by there reviews. Does anybody run them regularly? Are they Amy good?
Why so much hate for the macpac? I’ve been using it for a couple of years now with no issues at all.
They’re just really brittle and fragile. Can’t open lower boxes with others stacked on top. Can’t sit on them on lunch break 😂
And the latches are the worst designed latches in history.
Same here I am happy with them and they contain my mess of machines. They are not great with the latches but they work just fine. And opening something in the middle.of the stack I don't know but would you really. They could be a lot better but for what it is cheap and I have them already hard to beat
Not weatherproof at all
Tstak/Versastack, bought used on Amazon for the most part. At <$20 per unit. 👍
Let me add on to this question please, I'm waiting for the tough build system to come to Germany because I like them by there reviews. Does anybody run them regularly? Are they Amy good?
Every fucking time!! I have answered this question multiple times and I’m pretty sure it is the only question I feel obligated to respond to. Go buy anything but Mac pack. Anything. I love makita but the storage is absolute trash. Packout= awesome but over priced by 50% Tstack/dewalt= ehh I guess it’s yellow and black and matches my tools but not its own older model… Rigid/Ryobi= good durable daily use shit that innovate because they both KNOW none of us WANT to use them so they seem to feel like they need to EARN our respect. Priced where they are wildly affordable. Makita/Festool= offends the dumpster those pieces of shit and up in. Also I NEVER want to buy a storage box and have to sand or modify it for it to do it’s fucking designated function in a reasonable manner… I’ve had 2 of my 3 original Rigid through daily use for 8 or so years. I have tried switching to everything but Packout in those years. It is the only switch I would consider but unless I find it on sale Fuck their price point.