Last week at their annual new product show, NPS17, Milwaukee shocked tool news and review media by announcing their Packout modular tool storage system.
Milwaukee Packout is, and I mean this in no uncertain terms, the most impressive modular tool storage system I have ever seen.
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This is why Milwaukee’s new portable tool storage number 1 in my Top 5 New Milwaukee Tools from NPS17 post.
I was quite frankly amazed and at an initial loss for words. A lot of tool enthusiasts had wished for Milwaukee to come out with a modular tool storage system of their own, and now they have.
I will be updating our guide to the best modular tool storage systems later this year, once Packout tool boxes start hitting the market.
The new Milwaukee Packout tool boxes are many times more durable than the Festool Systainers and Bosch L-Boxxes that I won, and I would say that rival or exceed the strength and durability of Dewalt ToughSystem tool boxes.
On-site demonstrations of cinder block impact tests would suggest the Milwaukee Packout boxes far exceed the strength of Dewalt ToughSystem boxes, but I’ll feel more comfortable conducting such tests on neutral ground.
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A pile of destroyed Dewalt ToughSystem tool boxes sends a strong message, but I would encourage sensibility. One media attendee proclaimed that “Dewalt will have to head back to the drawing board,” but I disagree.
Dewalt ToughSystem tool boxes have always met and exceeded my expectations, and I have ZERO hesitations about their durability in most real-life applications. To break a ToughSystem tool box like this takes a very concentrated impact strike that would likely destroy any other tool box on the market, except perhaps a Packout box or one made of heavy gauge steel.
That said, I was very thoroughly impressed with the apparent strength of the Milwaukee Packout tool boxes, and their new tool bags seemed impressive as well.
I would go so far to call the Milwaukee Packout system a game changer, and not just because of a demo that resulted in a pile of smashed Dewalt products.
The Milwaukee Packout system features exceptional versatility, and many very user-friendly aspects. For instance, every single latch that I opened and closed felt the exactly the same – something that I cannot be said for higher-end tool cases, even those from Pelican.
The repeatability and consistency, at least of the production or early production models on-site at the media event, screams of a finely-tuned and thoughtfully perfected manufacturing process.
The latches were easy to open, but closed with a strong and confident motion.
Milwaukee Packout tool boxes stack together via a new Mod-Lock design, and it is this Mod-Lock design that allows for Packout products of different sizes.
When asked about what else might be coming to the Packout lineup, the Product Manager gave a vague response, and their eyes told a story of big plans. This is only the beginning, with lots more to come.
At launch, there will be 8 different Packout products.
- PACKOUT Rolling Tool Box, 48-22-8246 ($129.99)
- PACKOUT Large Tool Box, 48-22-8425 ($79.99)
- PACKOUT Tool Box, 48-22-8424 ($69.99)
- PACKOUT Organizer, 48-22-8430 ($44.99)
- PACKOUT Compact Organizer, 48-22-8435 ($29.99)
- PACKOUT 20″ Tote, 48-22-8320 ($129.99)
- PACKOUT 15″ Tote, 48-22-8315 ($99.99)
- PACKOUT 10″ Tote, 48-22-8310 ($79.99)
Update: Slim versions of the organizer, 48-22-8431, and half-size organizer, 48-22-8436, are coming out in 2018.
The pricing is high. A 3 tool box stack, with roller cart, large tool box, and small tool box, would retail for $280 given the launch pricing. But from what I saw, you’re paying for quality. You can spend less and get a lesser product.
Who knows, maybe Milwaukee has a “Packout Lite” product line on their roadmap. But for now, this looks like it could the best modular tool storage system out there.
The plastic tool boxes are made in Israel. There are PP (polypropylene) recycling logos on the bottom of the boxes, and the product manager said they’re made from polypropylene with some “secret sauce” added in.
The boxes are impact-resistant, sealed to IP65 standards, and the tool boxes (but not the organizers) have built-in mounting locations for One-Key Tick tracking modules.
It’s quick and easy to stack and unstack Packout units, with the active part of the lock being a spring-loaded tab. Press the tab up, via a spring-loaded ring, and the pull the top box or bag forward to disengage. You can open a Packout box even with something connected to the lid, but this becomes impractical with taller or heavier top-mounted loads.
ETA: September 2017
P.S. This is intended as a condensed Milwaukee Packout introduction. Tomorrow’s post will have a full guide to the entire Packout system, discussing all of the individual products and notable features.
Update: Here is the Full Introduction to the Packout Storage System (Excessive photo warning.)
There are no public plans for special promo bundles, or cordless tool kit and Packout bundles, but we’re hopeful. After the initial launch, it would make sense for Milwaukee to produce introductory bundles of some kind.
The yeti
Nice looking kits .
glenn
Made in Israel, guessing by Keter then?
The initial release looks well though out and well made, but I am personally not overly excited about these.
First there are currently no drawer units. Again, its just a personal opinion and not to say its badly made in anyway, I am just not interested in unstacking boxes to gain access to the lower boxes. All sizes should be offered with the option of having a unit with a drawer. Perhaps these will be available later on.
Second and the most importantly, is the price.. You guys in the USA are already complaining about the pricing, Imagine the pricing the rest of us are going to get!
Eg; In Aus’ we will see near double those prices and they is no way I will ever pay that for plastic boxes or fabric totes. Even more so if it turns out they are made by Keter, a company known for building a good product but at the lower end of the pricing scale.
Also I don’t often drop Besser blocks, (cinder blocks) on my tool boxes, in fact I never do it lol.
Stuart
There’s no drawer units *yet*. But if there will be, there’s going to need to be some careful planning so as to create sturdy framing. Dewalt’s drawer Tstaks suffer from sagging if there’s enough weight, and I’ve had issues with Festool’s earlier non-T-Loc Sortainers.
fred
I would guess Keter (now a BC Partners company) too. Hardly likely to be Z.A.G. (owned by SBD). Maybe pricing will be discounted once the initial rollout has past and the line settles in to regular sales patterns.
Ray
Do the totes latch onto the toolboxes as well? That would qualify as a gamechanger for me.
glenn
Yes they do.
glenn
Sorry forgot to add that they latch onto to the red boxes but I believe not to the organisers, so its either/or unless its the half sized totes and organisers.
Stuart
YES!
The 2 smaller ones latch onto the small organizers or half the side of any of the tool boxes, in other words any of the tool boxes or organizers, and the larger one latches onto the full-width tool boxes and organizer – everything but the small organizer.
You’ll see what I mean in tomorrow’s post.
glenn
My apologies, I stand corrected, I obviously missed that in the demo video I watched!
Joseph Hilton Young II
You all have some good looking tools an other products. Very innovative well made. I hope you keep up the good work. I have what I think is a complete set. I am a retired ironworker, but I do work around the house.
GM
Are these compatible with the existing organizers 48-22-8030?
Stuart
No.
Jeff @ Tool Box Buzz
Not yet. Cargo said there are 8 skus this year and 20 next year. He also said that he and his team are working on every accessory possible. I hope that translates to an adapter for the nilfisk vac as well as one for the previous organizers.
Bremon
That pricing is ridiculous, and I say that as someone who’s quite enthusiastic about PackOut. I have 15+ ToughSystem boxes and they can be had for decent prices even here in Canada. Those USD prices will translate to a price point well above even Festool’s ridiculous Systainer pricing here. Literally twice as expensive as a similar ToughSystem stack.
fred
Even with USA pricing they do come dear. The appeal would seem to me to be for folks who’s work would benefit from the extra convenience and productivity it might afford. When I saw this post and the pricing – I thought back to one of my old businesses – and calculated that outfitting each of our vans with a set would cost close to $4500 – money probably better spent on something else. But for an individual who regularly rolls into a worksite, takes an elevator up to it etc. – a 1 set premium might not be too bad.
To the comparison with Festool – I’m not sure that the Milwaukee name has the cache or advertising power that Festool has. When I retired – we had only a few Festool track saws that we’d bring onto jobsites – but had a few residential clients remark that they had seen Tom Silva using the brand on TOH (with the notion that they were impressed by our use of the tool). I don’t recall ever having a client remark about any of our other tools – although I heard recently that some new Mercedes Sprinter vans – were getting some positive client feedback (never heard a peep about our E350’s or much more capable/expensive Step Vans).
taras
As Bremon said above, I’m super stoked at how these turned out, but they came way too late (more than 2 years after everyone else!), and it is way too expensive. The DeWalt boxes (which I bought), are more than double the price north of the 49. Milwaukee’s stuff tends to be marked up only a little above the stable exchange rate, but I bet it’s still going to run over $500 for that set of three boxes. The DeWalt DS450 is $70 in the US. In Canada it is $180. I bought it and the the DS130 ($80 Can Vs $35 US), and I choked at paying that much for what they are. As great as these Milwaukee boxes are, I won’t be paying the prices that they are asking, as I feel I payed WAY TOO MUCH for the DeWalt boxes. If the Milwaukee boxes are priced the same as the DeWalts are up here, I might consider selling off my ToughSystem boxes to fund the Pack Out system. Otherwise, too late to the game, and way overpriced.
Bremon
Not sure where you’re shopping (hopefully not Home Depot) but I’ve purchased all of my DS100s for $40-44 CAD, DS130s for $47-49 CAD, $50/60/70 for 150/300/400, except when the 300s go on sale for $36 occasionally, and regularly see the DS450 for $119 CAD. Meanwhile Milwaukee power tools, Fuel especially, have regularly seen price jumps multiple time a year for the past 3 years to the point where only half my tools at this point are Milwaukee. I can’t justify their gear without bonus “freebies” etc., otherwise I’m just paying for marketing. A DS150, 300, and 400 stack can be had for $180 CAD, I’m anticipating a similar stack to be $350-400 for PackOut which puts me firmly in “no thank you” territory.
taras
Even if it wasn’t HD, here in Edmonton the prices have been the same everywhere. I looked into mail order, but for some reason the shipping would be cheaper on a gym quality spin bike than on any of the Tough System cases I could order.
taras
Also, the DS carrier wall mount is something that would need to be replicated in my opinion, or at least a Pack Out tray attachment system for shelves. I don’t just want to stack things on top of each other and play Jenga when I only need a case or two. It would go a long way to getting users to buy into the system if they can organize and access these cases quickly and efficiently in a shop/garage/van.
Hilario
That’s what every body doesn’t get. The tough system is clearly still better. I don’t see how they can proclaim that is the best system or more convenient.?!
taras
On a side note, has anyone tried to attach the TS DS brackets/carriers to the sliding uprights on the DS450?
Adam
I may be in for some of these, once I can check them out in person.
I really like that the totes latch onto the boxes. I’m usually carrying stuff with me for a days worth of work, but that may be a number of different tasks requiring a different subset of tools. Being able to carry a large box to the job with me, then break it down into a tote for a given task would be incredibly useful.
Travis
They look great but like several other folks mentioned, the pricing will be the key. I have never had any trouble with the Dewalt TSTAK or Tough systems but I’m always seeking improvement for the right price point. Also curious on how the empty weight compares to Dewalt. I like the looks of the aluminum posts on the corners. Always nice to be able to attach and lash things easily.
fred
Yes I was intrigued by those aluminum posts. Wondered what their intended function (grab bars, lashing points, structural etc.) was – and the tradeoff with lost interior space within the boxes.
Bremon
The posts seem to have multiple functions; additional handles, tie down points, and reinforcement for the corners.
I’ve been told that the PackOut boxes are quite heavy in person…any heavier than ToughSystem (which is already heavy for plastic boxes) and I think they’ve made a mistake.
Hilario
I’m calling foul n the destroyed tough boxes. They obviously heated them up before to make them brittle, then painted them to cover up the fact. That’s stranded marketing.
Stuart
Dewalt ToughSystem boxes can exhibit brittle fracture like that, but I’ve only see it with larger-than-realistic impact strikes.
Don’t worry, I have a few strength and toughness tests in mind for when the Packout boxes start shipping.
I saw no evidence that any of the test subjects were modified in any way.
Mo
These look like they’ll be quality above and beyond any of the Black and yellow options, the Tstaks are just overpriced garbage, sure they stack but the latches are a joke.
However I agree their about 3 years late, a d am hesitant to think they can hold a flame to festool until Milwaukee makes their tool kits fit the boxes, and start selling tools in these modular cases.
I mean, I recently spend ~$900 on Milwaukee nailers and I got 2 crappy bags that don’t even hold the tools. So I had to spend another $200 on systainers.
Multiply that times all my Milwaukee purchases in the last 3 years.
As a result of Milwaukee cheeeping out , I am now so invested in Systainers that I will never switch to these bulky boxes.
These size also tend to lean towards trades like framers and plumbers, not trim Carpentry like the Green and Black.
fred
Be nice on us plumbers – that’s where I started out in business – although expanded with partners into pipe/metal fabrication, then cabinetry/woodworking/stair building then installations/remodeling/general contracting/light construction.
Seriously, I think that Milwaukee saw an underserved market with plumbing, saw the use of PEX etc. growing and didn’t want to leave the market to Ridgid (The Emerson Part – not the Home Depot part). Their partnering with Uponor-Wirsbo and Viega on PEX tooling – plus other Force Logic tools was a good thing for the industry.
I still lament the passing of the age when quality power tools came in metal cases that held them reasonably well in place, protected them from damage and had enough room to pack an accessory or two.
Travis
Yes, I love my old Milwaukee steel cases. They are not bulky or heavy but they did the job well – the tools always felt protected. I actually kept a bunch of them and have modified a few with some foam to fit the newer cordless tools. Works great!
SiSiX
On a pricing note, as a photographer, these would be about half what I’d pay for a Pelican case. For some of what I need to move around (lights, accessories, that sort of stuff), if the sturdiness is there, this would be a much better option for me for a lot (not all, but most) of my location shoots. And in the neighborhood of half the cost.
Doesn’t look like it’s going to ‘replace’ my Pelicans anytime soon (I CAN stand on those and do so frequently and without hesitation), but for most of what I’d need them for, they’re a better alternative.
And yeah, they’re still expensive. Of course, how much is a high quality ‘consumable’ 10″ saw blade going for these days? https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Tooth-Crosscutting-Blade-LU88R010/dp/B0000225UI/
So, in comparison, they’re expensive, but only compared to what’s come before them.
Bremon
More likely to see Diablo, Dewalt, Irwin Marples, etc. type blades on the type of tools getting schlepped around to site in these boxes than Freud Industrial, CMT Orange, Tenryu, Forrest, etc.
Nathan
I would concede your point however those DSLR’s you’re packing probably also cost more than the circ saw that’s packed into one of these.
and more susceptible to damage – or worse those lenses and lights.
I’m equally curious on those drop tests on empty boxes – because you know a divider or 2 in there would have stabilized the top for impact. But you know testing like dropping bricks from a skid loader 3 ft higher than the rail of your truck bed to show how you can puncture an AL bed.
Stuart
I had the same idea. They don’t have Prop 65 warnings as Ridgid’s boxes, and the different product types boost them for this purpose beyond Dewalt’s. One small organizer can be kitted for batteries and related power accessories, another for studs and mounting adapters.
What remains to be seen is how the internal storage spaces can be organized. They’re convoluted enough to where I’d pony up the money for Milwaukee cut-to-size pick and pluck foam, rather than trying to make rectangular foam fit.
Milwaukee needs to do some more work before these are potentially suitable for holding more sensitive gear. Tools are designed to be impact resistant and tough. Most photography gear is not.
Alex Smith
These are not Dewalt cases. They by design do not coincide with those that are sold in stores. And extruded polystyrene does not crack so.
James Taylor
Would like to check one out .. But Nothing is in the stores yet ..
dan
will the millwaukee superhawg fit into the bottom? i spent a lot of money on the sweet cordless super hawg but all they gave me was a cheap bag. i would be interested !
Stuart
That’s not something I can answer at the moment, but Milwaukee customer service might be able to.
Gene
Yes the super hawg fits in the large wheeled bottom box, sort of.. it doesn’t lay flat on the bottom, it has to lay corner to corner and it’s still at an angle top to bottom.
Ben rogers
When do these launch In the uk?
Stuart
I haven’t heard anything yet. Have you checked with your local/favorite Milwaukee dealer?
Some of the SKUs are on backorder in the USA, and so supply hasn’t caught up to demand yet.