Storage totes

scottsdalerrc

Well-known member
May 21, 2009
1,025
1
central pa
So i'm looking to obtain 1 or 2 latching storage totes to strap to the roof rack when hauling the whole crew camping or on weekend getaways. obviously, if i had the cash i'd spring for pelican (they're actually not too bad on amazon) but its just overkill for right now.

i've looked at offerings by Plano as well (and some off brands) and do see some that may work but wanted to check here first to see if anyone has any thoughts, recommendations and/or insight.
Don't want anything with too large of a profile-maybe to keep chairs/tents/tarps in etc. oh, and im a cheap fuck.

what do you pack gear in for riding on the roof? can/will double as camp storage.

thanks!

Brian
 

scottsdalerrc

Well-known member
May 21, 2009
1,025
1
central pa
the reviews on it were less than stellar...i'll be packing camp gear mostly and strapping to the roof. do you feel they're 'flimsy'?
 

jhmover

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
5,571
3
California
I bought a couple of these medical transport chests from Coleman's. Aluminum, watertight, air tight. You need to crack the bleed screw to pop the lid off. All the latches are kind of a PITA but you can always disable a few to make it faster to open/close.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
561
Seattle
Everything has pros and cons. Boxes are great because they can be stacked, can hold hard/sharp objects, and can be used for seating/kitchen table, etc. in camp. The tradeoff is bulk, weight (larger Peli cases are hefty), and rigidity- they always occupy the same amount of space no matter how full or empty they are.

I use boxes on my roof in moderation, but for soft stuff like tents, ground mats, sleeping bags, etc. I like to use dry bags, like these by Seal Line. Waterproof, light, low profile, tough, and when they aren't in use they collapse down small.
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
the reviews on it were less than stellar...i'll be packing camp gear mostly and strapping to the roof. do you feel they're 'flimsy'?


I've got three of these that I use to store misc tools, camping gear, hunt/fishing gear. They live in my garage. I wouldn't worry about strapping to the roof, they'll be fine.

It's good enough.

No, it's not a pelican, but you get what you pay for. Read the bad reviews - I couldn't stand on it, I put 80 lbs of stuff in it....

Yeah, it's not a pelican, and it doesn't cost $450
 

scottsdalerrc

Well-known member
May 21, 2009
1,025
1
central pa
good info all around and i cant agree more. for $40 for the XXL tote right now you cant go wrong.

i definitely had not considered something like those dry sacks but i can see those being incredibly useful and will be looking into those for a future setup.

thanks all.
 

az_max

1
Apr 22, 2005
7,463
2
the reviews on it were less than stellar...i'll be packing camp gear mostly and strapping to the roof. do you feel they're 'flimsy'?

They're not Pelican or roady-proof gig cases, but they're reasonably sturdy to hold your stuff and stack 3-4 high in storage. Hooks on both ends to tie down and latches on three sides. Here are two on my old (smaller) roof basket:


Biggest problem I've had is the cheap elastic straps (from home depot) keep breaking or stretching. Not a problem with the box, but related to keeping the box on the roof. Even with a heavy rain while driving up to the rim, there was minimal water (about a teaspoon) inside the box. I attribute that more to the wind deflector was aimed directly toward the vent holes under the handle. No problems with water or varmints inside the container.
 

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Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
561
Seattle
Ditch those elastic straps. You need some nylon cam straps like these:

051643611092lg.jpg


A box full of your gear bouncing off the roof would be a problem.
 

scottsdalerrc

Well-known member
May 21, 2009
1,025
1
central pa
yea, i've got tons of those cambuckle straps we used to use them to tie down the pool cover.

i do like the integrated tie-down points. i've ordered one for now (on sale for $32 on amazon right now). this will allow us to pack and still bring the dog!