Milwaukee Tool’s widely-anticipated Packout van racking system is launching soon.
The new Milwaukee Packout van racking system is designed to provide an easy path to outfitting your van, truck, or trailer with road-tested Packout-compatible drawers, and that’s likely going to appeal to a lot of companies.
Preorders just opened, giving us a first glimpse at initial pricing. In no uncertain terms, the rack system is not inexpensive. In the image above, that’s $4000 in racking hardware, not including any of the Packout tool boxes.
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This is what a single 2-drawer Packout rack looks like. You can have a vertical bay with up to 3x of these racks, attached to the mounted frame.
Equipping the frame with 2 racks leaves space at the bottom for a rolling tool box or other supplies.
A 3-rack vertical bay can fit up to 12 drawers (6 included, 6 extra) if you’re only storing Packout low profile organizers.
Everything ships flat-pack, with some assembly required.
The rack kit comes with 2 racks, 4 slide-out drawers, and a rack frame.
I asked Milwaukee how the rack kit compares to buying everything separately, and they said it’s trimmed down to avoid having extra hardware and parts (such as extra top and bottom panels).
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Here’s the initial pricing:
- Packout Rack Frame (48-21-8010): $500
- Packout Rack with 2 Drawers (48-21-8000): $750
- Packout Rack Drawer (if you need more) (48-21-8040): $200
- Packout Rack Kit (48-21-8070: $2000
Discussion
We were able to preview Milwaukee’s Packout van racking system last year at their Pipeline media event. It seemed like a very high quality setup, with sturdy active-lock drawers.
Shown in this image above are two 2-rack bays and two 3-rack bays, all attached to frames.
Here’s a breakdown of how much it would cost to build your own 4-bay setup like the one shown above:
- 4 frames: $500 x 4 = $2000
- 10 racks: $750 x 10 = $7500
This would come out to $9500, not including shipping, and that also does not include any of the Packout tool boxes, organizers, accessories, or side mounting plates. Each rack comes with 2 drawers, and so you’d be left with spares.
A reader recently reached out asking about how to build something like this for workshop use, and without having to DIY something out of plywood. This is not going to be a viable solution for that, even if the pricing weren’t an obstacle.
I asked Milwaukee a couple of questions about the potential to adapt the drawers or racks to custom framing or environments outside of a van, trailer, or similar work vehicle, and the answers could be summed up as “no.”
For everyone who reacted about the steep pricing – which I expect to be most of you – what are your thoughts on the system if someone else (boss, client, winning lotto ticket, etc) were paying for it?
Jody
Getting something custom-made for your van and needs by local fabricator / metal shop would cost less. Could have them paint it red if you really needed it
Andy
That depends on where you are. Using a fabricator by me would probably end up costing at least 50% more.
JH
There is already in existence similar products that are not modular and do not pull out but hold more packout organizers for less $.
eddiesky
Less? Dunno where you live, but a custom fit, welded, metal bins, even with NC made parts trays, and needing locks that match, etc… would be almost double. Ofcourse, the cost would vary on the type of contracting work, what you need to store, its weight, etc.
A neighbor that was a restoration contractor, where most of his custom work was in his shop, had a fabricator do as “cheap” a fit as possible with what were rivet shelves, bins, file cabinet drawers. Looked like a nightmare if they got into an accident. But was cheap. However, his work was usually 5 to 6 figure estimates but when you saw the inside of the van, it looked like it should be 3 figure estimates… yet his work and crew did great work.
I guess I would be skeptical of someone with $5000 packout…but it could be paid for over a few jobs and that’s fine. We aren’t talking a SnapOn truck here.
Now, typing this, I wonder, how long will Milwaukee support Packout and what about replacements down the road? If they make a change like Dewalt every couple years, are ya screwed?
eddiesky
Actually, I wonder about weight. I found this site and think OK, a custom interior out of aluminum.
https://ezstak.com/van-interiors/
Jared
Wouldn’t part of the appeal be that you could move this between vehicles too?
I don’t know how easy that would be – but presumably it’s a DIY job and not another visit to your custom shop.
It ought to be reconfigurable too.
John Blair
My first thought is that it is a colossal waste of space. With the boxes’ walls added to the gaps on the sides and top, you are probably using less than 50% of the space.
There are two models here. 1) I want everything in drawers in a work truck so I can organize them and find them. 2) I want everything to be mobile so I can wheel them into a job site. This solution is the worst of both worlds, oh, and it’s expensive too. The best solutions I’ve seen are narrower shelves on top with rolling packouts bungee-cabled in below.
I think Jody is right. For that much money, you are better off having a custom solution made by a local fabricator. Start out with a design in plywood; once you’ve figured out what you like and what you don’t, then have something designed and made.
alex
With this setup, you can have both. Best of the world but the price is just too high.
Johnathon
Yikes. I am always shocked by Packout pricing but, whew.
My entire 7x14x7 trailer built out Ron Paulk style cost less. *Including the trailer*
kent_skinner
Some guys belly up to the Kool-Aid bar pretty far. At this point tools re a lifestyle symbol, like a Harley, to a lot of people. Some guys ride, and some guys just want to tell everybody they have a Hog.
Milwaukee is fully aware that they can make bank for a few months, then lower the price to something rational and have frequently sales to get the price reasonable. Either that, or it’ll be off the market in 6 months.
Stuart
I suppose someone could outfit a garage or workshop wall with this, but there are far nicer products for around the same or less money. I don’t see it becoming a lifestyle-type product.
ChipBoundary
Hard, hard disagree. Everything I’ve found costs as much as the van itself. And they’re just basic riveted sheet metal things. Stuff that pulls directly out of the rack and affixes together to roll into the job? Better on every way.
IronWood
I can’t imagine any company with a van fleet buying this, even if the price was reasonable. I’ve never heard of a contractor or employer supplying their people with full tool storage. And if the company doesn’t supply it, then their people will all have a variety of tools and storage. So how do you configure it? Carpenters with Festool stuff, electrician with Klein bags and boxes, people with bags and buckets and crates, not gonna make sense.
I can only ever see a few independents, maybe with a flashy YouTube channel, getting this for their one-off setup. And like the poster above said, lots of wasted space. This will get a bunch of attention for a while, and fleets will keep installing traditional metal rack and shelf systems.
Al
Last paragraph nails it. This is for the instagram “contractor” crowd. No legit outfit is dropping this much money on a system this inefficient
ChipBoundary
My neighbor is a union millwright, buying their own tools. Their spouse is as well. Exclusively Milwaukee and Packout. Their entire union pretty much is. This kind of thing would be ideal. That configuration shown at $4k is a drop in the bucket. Most systems, of any decent quality, take up way more space and cost way more. Like as much as the vehicle itself.
JH
Milwaukee has absolutely lost it with this pricing
The Milwaukee tax on this is absolutely ridiculous
Awesome looking product – straight ridiculous pricing. Hoping this does not sell and they have to lower the prices
Nick
Too expensive for what it isn’t: A system.
At this price point, it should include other parts that allow it to be shelving, or drawers, or other things besides just Packout storage. Like the Bott/Systainer system, or what every custom buildout I’ve ever seen. Sell me a solution, not some parts for some packouts.
Scotty.
Not to mention sales tax would add nearly another $1000 to the example in my area.
ChipBoundary
Move out of Commifornia then. That setup is cheap compared to other stuff I’ve seen, and it comes right out of the an ND connects together to roll into the job site, having absolutely everything you need without running to the van 42 times?
Wayne R.
I’m trying to imagine what sort of operation would kit out a vehicle like the one shown – surely not a fleet larger than one or two guys/vehicles.
If I saw a contractor vehicle out in the world with that quantity of Red in it, I’d maybe admire it for a moment then make sure he wasn’t on my contractor list.
Maybe this is for operations like the various Red Bull racing teams. People who value ostentatiousness with absurd quantities of cash – but anyone like that might prefer orange over red.
Matt_T
I work out of a van and do spend money and time cramming more stuff in it. Because it’s cheaper than a larger van……
These prices for something which really isn’t space efficient is a hard NO for me.
Stuart
The horizontal space inefficiency is definitely obvious in person, and similar is true for other systems. You lost some vertical space as well, but it’s more inline with what I expected from a drawer system.
Flat or tilted-back shelves might be a little better, but they won’t be as usable if you need to grab a part without removing an entire tool box or organizer.
An HVAC tech was here with their van earlier, and while they have quite a few Packout products, I can’t see them trading a full bay of shelves for 2 of these vertical racks.
I don’t think a lot of users are going to want to mix and match yet. It’s unclear how long it will be until this system is expanded, and what types of additional products we might see.
KC
I was interested in buying some of this stuff for my workshop to neatly store and access my packout boxes when I first saw the emails advertising it. My very poor assumption was that a full stack might cost around $300-$400. My personal interest in these has nose-dived, crashed and burned since seeing the price. I could buy a decent sized prefab storage shed just for my Packout boxes and have it painted red for less than the cost of three of these stacks.
That said, I don’t have anything to compare this pricing to in the world of van racking systems. Maybe it’s comparable or even competitive to other systems? I’ve heard more than once that half of the cost of a new Cessna airplane goes towards insurance to cover lawsuits from catastrophic events. Both Cessna and Piper have faced multiple lawsuits years and years after aircraft were built. I’ve heard similar comments about insuring surgeons and ER doctors driving up medical costs. Maybe Milwaukee is considering insurance protection in the cost of the system?
In my opinion , Milwaukee has been dominating the mobile tool storage space. While over 90% of my cordless power tools are from DeWalt, and I have a number of Tough System boxes as well as T-Stak boxes for different purposes, I will admit that the Milwaukee Packout boxes were an easy decision for some tools, largely because of drawer depth. I looked at the DeWalt Tough System XL boxes, but quickly decided against them because I need to unload them and take them to the work and couldn’t imagine lifting those out of the truck and onto a dolly with tools in them. As previously reported here, the larger DeWalt boxes are now significantly lower in price.
A company as big as Milwaukee has more than likely done their homework and knows what the market will bear. I’m sure a previous commenter is correct in saying that some well known YouTubers will have these to show off, as will the die-hard fans of the brand who have the money to pay for them. More than likely, the cost of unclogging a drain or installing new plumbing fixtures will go up for some to cover the cost of these units. Or, a little less likely, this is a failure in the market and a fire sale will happen in a year or two. Time will tell…..
Rog
Absolutely absurd pricing.
TomD
I don’t see how this could work in a van but NOT work elsewhere.
This is insanely priced and outrageous – it’s going to sell well and we’re going to be blasted and flabbergasted in a few year’s time.
Alex
I would love a cart version of this setup that you can bring to the jobsite (kind of like the festool mobile workstation).
Brian
Ok hear me out. If they can get the price of the shelves down, it looks like it would require minor modifications, then if they sold the retainer/rattle catches that line the boxes in like 1 ft increments and make them interlock like the packout wall plates. Would be SUPER easy to create a cheap(er) garage/shop setup.
Otherwise this is going to fail miserably. Hope I get to nab some on clearance.
S
I guess I’m left trying to see where the value-add exists.
google says official packout mounting plates are going for $30. Metal versions are going for $30-110.
A normal van metal shelving unit goes for $400-500
But the metal van shelf is equal to roughly 2 $2,000 packout spaces.
Adding a bunch of the mounting plates to a $500 metal rack, I guess the $2000-4000 price isn’t that far off of reality.
I could probably get a custom solution down to around $1000 in parts. But would be left with some time consuming custom fabrication that would add lots of shop time
Ken
Crazy expensive. I was really looking forward to this, and would have bought a few at $1000.
Now im just going to make my out out of aluminum strut, drawer slides, and packout bases.
rob masek
I think something a lot of folks ignore with packout is weight. all this modularity comes at a cost of very heavy space inefficient containers, and then heavy racking. Most tradesmen ignore dot regulations until they get caught. there is a lot of weight in those plastic boxes that could be other stuff to make money.
Stuart
That’s my thinking, that getting everything up to transport safety standards required a lot of engineering and maybe complex drawer slide and latch construction.
Another Bob
From what I understand as long as the van has that metal bulkhead/wall behind the driver seat the cargo compartment is just that. you can throw whatever you want in there as long as it’s not falling outside of the vehicle. In a crash, the bulkhead would protect the driver/occupants from any items in the cargo area.
Plus, if there’s no divider its easy to smash your window and then they can steal all your tools, whereas it’s harder to break into the rear doors that don’t have glass especially with auxiliary padlocks.
Curious, if some other state, DOT’s are requiring something else. Obviously any hazmat stuff needs to be secured, gas cylinders, etc..
Steve
About the only way I’d buy this silliness is on a clearance end cap. Doubt this will be a retail stock item many places…..So guess it won’t be in my trailer. Silly.
Nathan
What’s the weight? Along with the bulk I’d also worry about my payload capacity. Since I also have to haul the supplies with me. If I used a modular box system(any) I’d probably have my stack setup to roll onto into the job already rigged right. So I’d strap that or secure it to the walls. Since I’m using it anyway. If I had boxes to I terchange they would stack to and also live in the van. Less space less weight.
Adam
There is a point where more expensive options don’t seem justified. I get the efficiency increase on PackOut alone, but here we are talking about very little return on investment.
Sure, they said “up to 15 minutes saved” per call, but how many calls are you making that you need that much tools? Likely those are bigger jobs, and unloading once and staying a longer time. A smaller job won’t save as much time, and I can imagine that tradesmen already prepped for those kind of jobs, so minimal savings at best. So I think the “time saving” aspect, while there, isn’t as much of a seller as I think they make it out to seem.
A lot of PO is great, but some of it is just a money grab it feels. Take the garage organization. If I want to hang a few items, I need the mounting plate(s), plus hooks or other accessories to hold. Verse a few dollars in hooks. You pay more to hang the item, than the item is worth. Also, whatever layout I really wanted, ended up wasting plate space as the plates weren’t fully utilized. On top of that, how often is someone rearranging that stuff?
I’ve ended up using the wall plates for PO vac, a socket set & impact, and first aid kit. Brooms & shovels have inexpensive hooks.
With all that said, I do get organization, and it is arguably priceless to have a great system (but the PO rack
won’t be on my wish list)
Frank D.
That pricing is bonkers.
$2000 per rack setup ?!
$750 for a small box that holds two drawers that you can slip a packout onto??
Good lord. Are they making them one at a time??
Flat pack DIY assembly metal, plastic and some slides cannot add up to that much.
I was not expecting it to be cheap … but that is pretty crazy.
Another Bob
My first thoughts are Expensive!!! and not space efficient. I do like the Milwaukee boxes, but the Achilles’ heel with all of these nesting modular toolbox systems is you can’t get to middle boxes without unpacking all of them.
To my knowledge, the only one that designed around this problem has been DeWalt tough system. They have a dolly and permanent mounted bracket system that allows the boxes to slide in and out independent of each other. In addition, they have the normal nest one on top of each other feature as well.
In a van/box truck/trailer the wall brackets/arms that extend horizontally out to hold the boxes can fold flat against the sides of the van if you needed to put some kind of bulky item like a kitchen cabinet in there. Two vertical brackets (4’ tall I think) and 10 horizontal arms to hold five boxes go for $100 bucks. Very cost-effective if you’re in the tough system ecosystem.
You do have to remove the box to open it unless you use one of the tough system drawer units. Whereas the Milwaukee with the rack mounted drawer base you can open it up and then flip the lid of your pack out box open. Honestly, for the money you’d save with a tough system you could have a few custom slide out shelf bases fabricated from a van up-fitter.
I’m sure they’ll still sell like hotcakes. Milwaukee has some excellent offerings. On top of that, they have done exceptionally well building a lifestyle brand and guys are willing to pony up for it.
Mr. X
For under $1000 of plywood, drawer slides, and misc. hardware, a custom set up could be built by anyone with moderate carpentry skills. Pricing on this stuff is crazy.
s
ok, now add the labor hours for what you’d bill a customer for that work.
the difference here is that this is a nearly turn-key solution with minimal fabrication.
JG
Every time Milwaukee or any tool brand keeps coming out with products like this and can’t justify the sky high pricing it makes me start looking at other tool brands that are much more reasonably priced. Unless something like this is going to make me a lot of money and I can soon forget how much it cost it’s a hard pass. Maybe there’s a good reason for the price but I doubt it.
ElectroAtletico
60″ Van Rack works with the Packout stuff. Up to 8-shelves in each for $1,000. So emulate the example above and you get a saving of 50% while theoretically doubling up on the number of shelves. Granted it’s just shelves, without a slide out capability, but who cares, its good enough and does the job.
Philip
Put you tools in foam in packout drawers then put the packout in this overpriced shit? Fill your big ass van with a the same amount of tooos you could put in a hatchback.
Yadda
It is an investment in efficiency. For people that need to be super organized and efficient I see this as the solution to their needs. If you run a business you have depreciation models for investments. Depreciation models come with a break even calculation on investments. I assume businesses considering an investment in these would determine the break even point on investment and return. No system is the solution for everyone, otherwise we would only have one organization solution.
SamR
Those prices raise some important questions. They are likely paying royalty fees if a patent exists on the design. Alternatively, they may need costly certifications since the product is used in moving transportation. Regardless, I do not believe it holds any economic value for businesses or consumers.
Tim
I built this in my savanna almost full length on one side and from the side doors to the back on the other and it was ~$450 in unistrut, plywood and 7 milwaukee base plates and one small plate. It stores 10 compact part organizers, 2 deep organizers, a regular and large toolbox, tool tray, XL tool box, 4 drawer toolboxes, 2 M12 battery holders and a crate with room for a bit more if I needed it, and plenty of space for equipment and boxes of wire under some of the shelves, an extension ladder and an 8 foot ladder on a slide on the interior of the roof. These are pretty I suppose, but hell no I would not pay that much for something you can create to purpose yourself with way less expensive and sturdier materials. Even if an employer was paying for it, I’d rather have my custom crafted vehicle storage
Nino
I purchased 18 inch deep shelving out of L A free delivery in white. Perfect for my packouts
Shelving is adjustable . Magnetic hooks in blue from harbor freight. Velcro Hangers for belts at home depot. Painted hose hanger ( blue) from home depot for gaskets. Spray Painted 4 inch abs and hung from roof top for hoses .
Against the the portion is a blue tool box via harbor freight. This van Ford 250 mid roof makes jaws drop for a fourth of the price.
Josh
Why didn’t they brand this Rackout? It’s right there.