As the title says, huge modular tool box and accessory launches are coming soon.
Based on what I’ve seen, I don’t think anyone should be buying into a new modular tool box system right now.
If you didn’t buy into a modular tool system already, and you don’t know which brand’s tool box or storage system might be best for you, my advice is to WAIT. Learn more about what’s coming out, and then decide.
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I recently spoke to managers at 2 different brands about their modular storage product roadmaps, and just received news about another brand new system.
With the preview of yet another upcoming line, I started off thinking “oh no, more?”, but as I scrolled through the slides, I saw very compelling unique storage products.
Maybe you’ve made a decision, or already bought into a modular tool box system, such as Dewalt ToughSystem 2.0, Milwaukee Packout (shown above), Ridgid Pro Gear 2.0, or similar.
There are always holiday season deals, discounts, and bonus freebie promotions. Wait a couple of weeks and then expand or buy into the system of your choice. There’s a good chance you’ll save money if you just wait a little.
If you can’t wait, do you have to.
So to sum it up:
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If you already bought into a storage system, wait for holiday deals and savings before you buy more.
If you did not buy into a storage system, but have been planning to, wait until companies show their cards. Big launches and expansions are coming up.
Based on the launch preview info packet I received today, I can say that I’d be kicking myself if I bought into a new modular tool box system yesterday.
There are ways to mix and match storage products from different brands, but most users prefer sticking with just one brand of modular tool boxes and accessories.
I realize this is all very vague, but I cannot share any details yet. My intent is to save some of you from buyer’s remorse. Hopefully you can understand that.
Jared
I take it this means there’s something “revolutionary” coming, not just another brand entering the market with a modular tool box system like everyone else’s. I can’t wait for the grand reveal.
Stuart
I wouldn’t say revolutionary, but definitely evolutionary in enough ways that it might work better for some users than other modern solutions.
I spoke to Flex recently, and have been testing their drawers. I’ve also been working with Ridgid’s new drawers.
And I also spoke with Milwaukee about Packout…
Readers gave me some questions to ask at Pipeline…
Noah
As much as I love my power tools, I equally love my portable storage boxes. It’s like how my wife is with her purses or shoes. She even said as much the last time I was buying more toolboxes to go with my 2 rolling stacks. Stacking and reconfiguring toolboxes for my vehicle is one of my favorite things to doš – it’s like solving a difficult puzzle.
But in all seriousness, our toolboxes say a lot about us. Having good looking, functionally organized modular boxes is the equivalent of showing up to work in a nice clean work truck and clean(ish) uniform. I’ve gotten compliments on my organization from many customers and trade professionals alike. I’ll never go back to messy toolbags.
RLS
You know I had not thought if this, you are absolutely correct. Concerning the wife’s bags, purses and such. I to love my storage system as much as the contents. I am standing here looking at the wife’s collection as I type this on my fone. I suspect around 3k to 3.5k worth. As far as my storage goes, I have alot of catching up to do, value wise.
Thank you good sir
JJN
Iām chomping at the bit to buy into Rigid Pro 2.0 with the new drawers. Hopefully 2, 3 & 4 drawer options. My ideal config would start with 2 drawer boxes.
Release date canāt get here fast enough ! Yesterday I was roaming my local HD looking up in all the overheads for early arrival stuff. LOL.
Toolio
Hilti Boxes!!!
Stuart
No, not Hilti.
Toolio
I was gonna reply with a sad face emoji but figured then Id have to turn in my man card after all the ridicule id receive on a site like this.
It was just a wild guess and I’m sure if Hilti is to produce a mod system it would be pretty extraordinary.
I’m gonna wait, but definitely buying into the new Husky system.
Stuart
Being upset that Hilti doesn’t appear to be entering the modular tool storage market is perfectly okay. Having a tantrum or whining about it would probably get your man card taken away, if you made it a habit.
JJN
Stuart,
Are you allowed to disclose any details of the Rigid drawer units ?
Iām hoping to start my first modular system with Rigids multiple drawer pieces and the wheel cart. A 3 drawer and a 4 drawer would be perfect.
Right now the wheel cart is āout of stockā at HD online. Iād scoop one of them up now, along with some mid sized pieces and accessories and wait for the drawer units
I donāt know if they are holding the wheel units back in order to offer rolling drawer packages as an alternative to the rolling large box that all the other brands offer.
Iād appreciate any help you can offer.
TIA
JJ
Stuart
Sure – what do you want to know?
In my opinion, I don’t think they’re holding inventory back deliberately. I think it’s simply a matter of inventory build-up, especially if the drawers will be stocked or promoted at Home Depot stores.
I don’t know if they’ll be offering any combination packages, or at least this has not been discussed with me. So far, I have not seen the rolling cart component sold separately from the XL tool box.
John J Nuttall III
Hi Stuart
Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your time, and this website. Im sure you are very busy with all these product rollouts
To answer you, I found the rolling cart component here:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-2-0-Pro-Gear-System-All-Terrain-Rolling-Tool-Cart-9-in-Wheel-Attachment-255230/326963040
If you go to that page you can see photos of the Rigid rolling carts with drawer boxes – 2 and 3 drawers – on the bottom of a stack, so I’m thinking they are XL sized ? Am I wrong ?
So, since you have examined some drawer boxes, can you tell us if they are XL sized ? Do you have 2 & 3 drawer units ? What do you think about the drawer boxes as a unit ? Drawer size capacity and practicality ? Is the construction of the drawer ‘case’ Strong enough to support what’s loaded above them ? Do the drawers operate well ? Are the bottoms reinforced so they don’t sag ? Do you think they will hold up as well as the other components in this Pro2 system ? How do they compare to other brands drawer systems ?
Ive pretty much settled on Rigid Pro 2, and I appreciate that Packout, Klein & ToughBilt already or will offer what I want, but I like the value the Rigid offers. It allows me to put the $$$ difference into Wera, Knipex, Wiha, Muromoto etc
TIA
JJ
Stuart
Thank you!
Either I didn’t see that before, or I forgot. Either way, I appreciate the heads-up!
The 3-drawer is XL-sized. https://toolguyd.com/ridgid-pro-gear-drawers-tool-box-teaser/
I haven’t torture-tested it yet, but so far I think it’s a good box. The brand that makes them is no stranger to drawers. The Ridgid boxes are not king of the hill, but they deliver a lot of value for what they cost.
Drawer sag tends to depend on user habits. Are you placing a 10-gallon cooler on top of the tool box, or another Ridgid Pro Gear box? Modular tool box drawer frames tend to be designed to route the load of stacked tool boxes to the sides. Does it always work out that way? Of course not. These seem to hold up well, but everyone’s experiences could be different.
Steven+B
OK, so Stuart won’t tell us. Anyone know the rumors? Anyone want to do wild guessing?
I am a DeWalt guy, so my wish is they update TStak. I have both TStak and ToughSystem. ToughSystem is great if you’re leaving stuff on the back of a pickup truck or hauling it around muddy jobsites. Otherwise, it’s clumsy, heavy, and expensive.
TStak is nearly perfect for people whose tools rarely leave the garage or workshop and work indoors, like me. I know they’re really popular and they’ve updated their craftsman lines to add weather stripping and the European market has gotten updates the American market hasn’t…so I am hoping they’re coming out with a TStak 2.0 that surpasses their craftsman offerings for people who don’t haul tools in rainstorms down unpaved roads.
Stuart
There was one leak or hoax recently, but as the images seem to have been scrubbed from the internet, I’m thinking there was a serious NDA violation.
With ToughSystem, I have been liking their half-width tool box. I bought a pair, and then Dewalt also sent a few for review.
They’ve also been coming out with new half-width powered accessories.
Tom
Yeah, Iām really likening the new half width Tough System floodlight with tote, and battery charger box.
Hopefully DeWalt ups their racking game, as the van racking in particular was let down by not having extra brackets available.
Lots to come from several brands is great news!
Steven+B
ToughSystem is nice for a heavy duty user. Most of us aren’t heavy duty. Most of us are home users, like me, or professionals who work in “civilized” environments, like an electrician or installer working indoors.
Most of us don’t throw our tool box, drop it on the ground, or leave it outdoors in the rain.
I don’t work in the trades, but how many people actually abuse their tools enough to warrant the ToughSystem? I place my tools down gently and make sure they’re out of the elements when I’m not using it.
Stiff locks and lids are a detriment. Extra weight is a detriment. For example, I tried using my ToughSystem box as a general toolbox around the house. It’s so stiff that I can’t easily open/close it with things in my hand. It’s a minor thing, but yeah, it impacts my productivity to put down my tools, open the toolbox then be able to put things away. Frequently things get dropped or a socket rolls. Also, if you make it difficult to close, I’m basically rarely going to close it because I don’t know if I have to go back into the box soon. TStak is lighter, easier to maneuver and easier to open/close, so it’s not a chore to close it up properly when I am done or open it with things in both hands.
The half boxes are nice. I was close to buying some…but they’re still meant for people who throw around their tools and leave them in rainstorms…not people just trying to a job indoors.
So some softcore weatherstripping, like the Craftsman, to slow rust in the garage, a few more accessories and I’m good with TStak…maybe reinforce it so it can hold heavier tools.
I can’t emphasize how much the TStak boxes are a joy to use. The ToughSystem live up their name. The packouts and every other brand have similar issues to the ToughSystem…they’re nice, just not meant for someone like me. They’re going after those who work in uncivilized conditions while ignoring the majority of us who are nice to our tools and don’t drag them to a muddy site on the regular.
Noah
I actually started with TSTAK, then added weather stripping to them so they are weather proof like the versastack stuff, which I also have. I bought into the Tradestack stuff which works with TSTAK via an adapter and it’s been the perfect match for me. The Tradestack boxes are smaller and lighter than the other brands, but they are still tough and weather proof! Plus they don’t destroy floors and they can be rolled around outdoors. I have bought every TSTAK, versastack, and Tradestack box they make and I’m so well organized I get compliments all the time. And it’s cheap stuff. Didn’t buy anything that wasn’t on sale. I bet the three systems I use are not going to be affected by whatever announcement is coming. But it would be nice if they expanded tradestack to have more options!
Noah
I totally can’t agree more with your statement about TSTAK. The only problem is here in the US, TSTAK boxes don’t come with weather stripping. In Europe they do, under the name TSTAK 2. But making a gasket was easy enough..
Adam
I saw a T-Stak 3.0 image that looks slick as hell.
And the recent Flex offering seems very well thought out.
With those, I definitely feel the PackOut is a little old in the tooth. Too make them compete with the others, you are often looking at aftermarket 3D solutions, which I love, but seem Milwaukee cout have incorporated from the get go.
Stuart
With Packout, keep in mind that most of their tool boxes have very deliberately-designed aluminum corner rails… š¤
TomD
Packout has a number of things that are obviously designed for a reason from the very beginning, and some 3D printer peoples have used them, but itās been clean that eventually Milwaukee would reveal the true use in the fullness of time.
The aluminum was clearly not just a handle to grab and it didnāt provide much additional needed strength.
Eric
That’s the problem with coming to market before most of the others. The competition can look at what you did and the public feedback from users. And then have the opportunity to incorporate those feature requests before they come to market with their system.
Stuart
True, but you need trailblazers to grow a market over time.
Chuck
Whenever I see something new from tstak, it ends up being something that was released overseas.
The JobChest and bit holder caddy are two that come to mind.
Farmerguy
Somewhere I read (r/packout, maybe) of a packout rolling toolbox with one large drawer or multiple drawers at the bottom. If this is true, I am happy to hear because I avoided the current packout rolling toolbox that one must unstack all of the above packouts to access the contents of the bottom box.
Luke
Thanks for the /r/packout tip. I’m on /r/tools and /r/milwaukee plenty (and /r/skookum can be fun), but I didn’t know there was a dedicated packout subreddit.
Matthew
I would definitely appreciate some new Tstak products. The larger roller box across the pond is a welcomed addition but itās nowhere stateside yet. A cabinet or a taller drawer would be amazing.
I like Flexās new offerings but the prices are quite up there for my liking.
James
And as Iām $5k deep in Packout and accessories, too late for remorse, and hoping that wheeled drawer unit is comingā¦ā¦ā¦.
Dave (not here)
The Packout dollies have done well for me, and I now have 2 stacks with 5 sets of drawers, an XL regular box, and a couple of organizers that handle 90% of what I leave on site for 2+ week jobs. My wheeled XL box and other medium boxes have been relegated mostly to my garage as unstacking and scattering them on a job isn’t ideal.
What I can’t find is a Tough System dolly – I know they have the hand truck, but it’s pricey and not exactly what I want. While I’m a Milwaukee fanboy I have a couple of Dewalt giys on staff and I usually give away tools as part of winter bonuses – everyone loves the drawer setup I adopted last year but without a way to wheel them around I’m hesitant about buying a bunch of drawer chests…
Dave (not here)
Aaaand now I realize you probably want the bigger wheels to traverse rougher terrain but still don’t want a useless XL bottom box that can’t be accessed without disassembling the stack. If I could get a chest of drawers with telescoping handle and big wheel base that would actually be even better than my dollies, but I get by moving stuff usually from my truck to the garage of a vacant house.
TomD
Iād even just be happy with a sideways box at the bottom, like the big hinge door. Even if it doesnāt store much because of strengthening it would be accessible.
James
My wheeling Packout toolbox sits in my truck empty. When I need to go in to a job that is more efficient with wheels, I stack crates / tools / parts organizers as needed, and will throw big stuff like pipe wrenches into the main toolbox at the bottom. I have the Packible Joey which is phenomenal for me because I put tall consumables (filters / membranes) in a crate on the front and bungee it to the stack.
As soon as I get to site, I install everything from the toolbox and grab whatās in there. While ok, I donāt find the process to be efficient, and would love any kind of access to that bottom without unstacking.
Iām now very curious about side entry (hadnāt even considered that) because if there are drawers or cabinet entry to that bottom box, the Joey wouldnāt work, and that part is absolutely necessary for my trade.
Now Iām thinking I could maybe make a hinged door on the side if whatever they launch doesnāt serve my purposes. Thanks!!!
Darrell
I sure hope your right. I have a set of drawers mounted to a Harbor Freight furniture mover now that works but not ideal.
TimL
Not that it matters but asking on a possible timeline. Are we thinking October, or BF in November, or Holiday Dec? I’m into Ridgid and planning on at least one set of the drawers and I recently did get the stacking vacuum already too.
Stuart
I’d say hold off until November 1st, maybe a little earlier. By then some more info will come to light, and holiday deals will start becoming apparent.
Tom
As a general comment: thank you Stuart! Iām sure you walk a bit of a tightrope with rumours coming in from one side, and NDAās and embargoes from the other.
Grateful that you put this out here.
Stuart
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Eliot Truelove
My guess is it’s either some rail mounting solutions for Milwaukee, Tough System 3.0 for DeWalt, or Makitas rumoured new storage system.
Makita has a patent for an incredible looking system that is basically double directional Packout (can click in from either side, front or back).
The patent was filed september of last year and published in April, and it may have been being developed and made over the past year, so it may be that.
I would love it if that’s exactly what it is, Makita could do with a big win. They even had in the patent some corner rail mounts similar to what 3d printers have been making.
Stuart
I’ve been debating about whether Makita USA will launch the rumored storage system here.
I’ve seen the patent, and reported on their contract with a plastic molding company for new tool cases – https://toolguyd.com/flambeau-makita-tool-cases/
But I’m highly skeptical they’ll launch it here, in a timely manner or at all. They *only* way they could compete in the USA is if their major retail partner (Home Depot) gives them floor space, and I don’t see that happening. What kind of shelf space do they have for XGT tools today?
Eliot Truelove
Ah man, your tone now makes me think Makita weren’t what you were talking about, that’s a bummer.
Whatever is coming, I hope it’s good.
I only have a few Packout slim organizers for fasteners and small pieces and a rolling case given to me that I’m using as just storage, and some of the Dewalt/Irwin/Craftsman tough case medium and small bit cases, but as for anything bigger I’m holding out before upgrading my various blow molded cases for my tools. It’s working for now.
Hopefully
Stuart
Makita USA is incapable of answering reasonable questions about existing products, and so they’re certainly not going to give me advanced info about anything.
Something could be coming though, as the patent is assigned to Makita USA sales and marketing people. However, some of those folks were probably involved in the bungled launch and promotion of XGT and “Outdoor Adventure” line of old 18V tools in an olive green colorway.
They need something better than Makpac. At present, Makpac is largely comprised of outdated and clunky Systainer-style tool boxes, and what are essentially teal-colored versions of specific Festool Systainer tool boxes and accessories, but at lower prices. For whatever reasons, they have teal T-loc specialty tool boxes, but their core Makpac are similar to 4-latch Gen1 Systainers.
But will they ever be able to sell it? Where? Home Depot visibility is what got Milwaukee Packout off the ground, and what has contributed to the sales and growth of Ridgid Pro Gear and Dewalt ToughSystem solutions.
HD visibility isn’t enough though, as evident by the lackluster adoption of Ryobi Link system.
Maybe Makita USA’s new CEO and President, which I assume was assigned to them by Makita Corporate HQ, will make it happen. But he’s going to have a lot on his plate also trying to foster XGT adoption.
Jack D
Ryobi’s problem isn’t HD visibility, it’s the over visibility of that atrocious green…and I admire their product line. Can’t live with that color, though…
TomD
I think ryobiās color and a lack of ryobiBlackā¢ is mainly HD wanting to keep the big colors happy.
Robert
Stuart, following that older link, I see I read it when it came out and was curious back then. Since then, did Flambeau ever build any storage units for Makita, and release them in Europe? I would think both companies would want revenue from that factory
Stuart
Not yet.
There’s a chance they were talking about kit and combo kit-type plastic tool cases, or a new line of modular tool cases but didn’t want to share full details.
From the sounds of it, Flambeau geared up for high volume. Makita seems to be producing fewer kit boxes and kitting more tools with bags these days.
It’s impossible to know. No brand would answer questions at this level, it’s too deep into their inner workings.
Mrfixit
As much of the Makita tools I see at my local tractor supply I bet they would win floor space there easier than Hd.
Daniel Julian
Thanks for sharing this kind of info. I noticed today that Northern tool has a good sale on the 2 and 3 drawer packouts (plus you can stack the $20 off $100 coupon)!
Jack D
I’ve been hemming and hawing over this exact thing for nearly a year now, looking for the perfect solution for my needs. This post reads as though it were literally directed at me.
Thanks, Stuart! I appreciate all you do! There’s a reason this is a daily stop for me…
mahk gee
I finally just bought into milwaukee packout. Fergusson was running a pretty hot and popular packout promo. They were sold out everywhere so hopefully i dont get if for another month and maybe return if needed
Plain+grainy
Seems like I seen a Dewalt cabinet with a glass door. Could this be a microwave? It also has tool storage top & bottom!
Peter Fox
After years of dismissing the available modular tool storage options as over-sized boxes that you had to un-stack to get to anything. I was finally convinced last year to reconsider after seeing a few friends Packout setups with the current 2 and 3 drawer units.
After some careful planning I picked up a few 3 drawer units, a bunch of crates and several organizers taking advantage of several good deals during the holiday season. After adding several narrow organizers to the mix I have a pretty well optimized system that fits my current need perfectly and will be able to grow as I need it. I couldn’t be happier and nothing else on the market currently would fit my needs as well.
My best guess is that Milwaukee may attempt to capture some of the market that Etsy and other third party sources have proven viable. Especially all of the aftermarket accessories and add on’s that people come up with. Either that or maybe they are planning on offering the “dark themed” Packout products that they are selling in the European market. I can only imagine how many existing Packout users would love a more discrete or subdued color option. Noting says “look at my expensive tool collection” more than brightly colored boxes covered in Milwaukee logos.
mahk gee
I too would like the blacked out version as well. Seeing red from a mile away and gets dirty real easy
Mopar
“Nothing says ālook at my expensive tool collectionā more than brightly colored boxes covered in Milwaukee logos.”
I still think the Packout system is by far the most diverse and overall useful for most trades, but this is EXACTLY the reason I invested in Toughsystem and TSTAK instead. The Packouts just seemed to draw too much unwanted attention in the field.
Now that I’m semi-retired, most of my purchases have been TSTAK stuff on sale. It’s a great bang for the buy for the home shop and the occasional side jobs.
And not just for tools. My wife appropriated the last TSTAK tool tote I purchased ($18 on sale) and uses it for carrying wine/cocktails/glasses/cigars/snacks/etc from the house to the firepit.
William Adams
It is about time someone got this right.
– bottom/base needs to be a drawer unit
– it needs to have wheels suited for going up/down carpeted stairs
– size needs to be something reasonable — large enough for a reasonable array of tools, small enough to fit through narrow doors
– needs a suitable worksurface option
and it has to be good enough to dissuade me from going all-in on Systainers which is the current plan.
Doug N
Agreed. Strange that the systainers are the most expensive, made from the cheapest materials, and lacking weather seals, yet still are the best/only option for certain uses. For example, finish carpenters working in older homes with lots of stairs and narrow doorways.
Ken
I’m very curious who will be bringing the “brand new system” to market. One major player missing from this space is Bosch, at least in terms of a *modern* modular system. They were a pioneer in this space with the L-Boxx system, but the L-Boxxes now seem woefully outdated. Given that Bosch is typically last to market on everything it wouldn’t surprise me if they are the “brand new system” Stuart is teasing, now that they have been preempted by the likes of Husky, Kobalt, Purdy, and Klein.
BTW, for anyone interested, there are some videos on youtube showing off the “wave 2” Flex system. Lots of cool innovations – some of which should have been obvious for gen-1 systems, but welcome nonetheless.
MM
The new FLEX Wave 2 stack pack items look great! I like the cabinet-style box, the 2 and 3 drawer boxes, and the 4-wheel dolly. Those are great additions to an already good system.
MrMister
The Husky Build Out has me the most curious. Especially with their line of bags and the options that adds to the mix. I think they even stated upon release that more stuff was coming towards the end of the yr.
I think a heavier duty Festool system makes sense since they have all their cards lined up with the Systainer system… and then make the two compatible like DeWalt did with Tstak and Toughsystem by using an adapter plate. Price would be crazy but I could see it being evolutionary.
I don’t foresee Bosch making any noise in the modular box UNLESS they come out of the gates running hot with stuff that no one else has… how much real interest does anyone have in Bosch these days?
Then I think Toughbuilt. I see them coming with affordable boxes with a ton of bells and whistles. I think eventually we will see something from Veto, Metabo HPT and maybe even Skil.
James
While invested in Milwaukee 18V and 12V, Bosch remains a viable choice for me in both corded (Vacuum with L-Boxxes attached – excellent!, big SDS drill, chop saws, routers, etc) and also 18V tools as I was invested in Bosch before picking up Milwaukee to have access to trade (plumbing) specific tools.
Other than the 18V circ saw which was junk, Iām very happy with my Bosch tools, although I did have a couple of 12V tools that I didnāt like so gave them away. For standard tools available from all brands, I find Bosch tools to be ergonomic and efficient, with some of them (compact band saw, oscillating saw) excellent.
Now if they were to come out with something modular, I wouldnāt look because weāre already deep in Packout, but in general Bosch is still on my radar and it doesnāt hurt that there is an excellent mom and pop repair shop in town (Montreal).
Steve Diamora
Here in the States, Lowes has been clearing out the Bosch 12v and the 18v display has maybe 10 tools. Places like Acme, Menards and Tool Barn all carry them as well BUT it’s rare to see anyone in the field or job site with a complete set of Bosch tools. You see their rotary hammers, a few 12v drivers here and there and maybe a freak impact but for the most part Bosch has no presence, at least from what I’ve seen anywhere at all. Most of their stuff seems to hit the Euro market first so I’m sure we would have seen the modular system there well before they were available here. It’s not that Bosch doesn’t make solid tools, it’s seemingly just a lack of interest in them, in my opinion.
Frank D
I hope – regardless of the brand – that all these new products and accessories will get launched by the end of this month, so we can shop accordingly for the holiday season … and maybe some of these things could make their way into a buy $nnn => -$nn or -% discount.
Sam Spade
Sorry, I’m not a heavy user of my “tools” on a daily basis to earn a living. Just a DIYer on some projects, and a “heavy” user on other projects when needed. But, I feel and can see that a majority of people and “professional tradesman” like having there “tools” organized….time is money…..and protected…..abused or neglected tools is money wasted. So, some of the new systems with drawers on the bigger bottom boxes, and divided sections that can be changed by the owners needs in the smaller boxes is a must in my opinion.
Farmerguy
I would speculate some company will offer a powered wheeled version of a stack of boxes. Power assisted pushing up a hill, one more use of the battery platform, and help moving heavier loads on uneven ground are use cases I could see a manufacturer seeing value.
My wish is for a packout that is shallower than organizer and taller than the low profile version with (most important part) wide open with no dividers and a flat bottom. My use would be customizing for socket rails, rachets, and wrenches, etc. Yes I know packout has socket sets with custom holders but my issue is 1/2 inch drive sockets and 1 inch plus size.
Mrfixit
Wow a novel idea a tool box that holds sockets for a 1 inch lug nut gun… imagine the tow trucks that would snap them up… I think the rails need to become more useful or else do away with them and give us more space inside the boxes.
Also hey Stuart,
Any ideas if there’s anybody doing foams to insulate or carry drills, saws , and socket guns in any of these packout boxes? And why haven’t they made battery hooks on the outside?
Stuart
There a bunch of independent makers selling foam inserts, e.g. https://kaizencasesandinserts.com/collections/milwaukee-kaizen-foam
Farmerguy
Foam inserts are great and all but not very space saving in the stack. (Inches taller toolbox than needed) also if the box were right height, the weight is condensed in the center of the box making it easier to carry as a briefcase. My complaint is I have too high of stack to hold the needed tools and socket organization in packout is a maze not a straightline like typical workbench organization of sockets etc.
MM
I’m surprised there isn’t a cordless 2-wheel dolly on the market yet. It’s such a simple thing to make and it’s easily feasible with today’s higher power battery systems. As proof of concept Makita has quite a variety of cordless wheelbarrows, flat carts, and carts with bins that can hold various materials including liquids. The more basic models use 2 batteries (one operating, the other in backup for extra runtime), and larger models which use 4 batteries (two minimum to operate + 2 for more runtime). I think there’s even a Makita cordless bicycle. But strangely, no 2 wheel dolly….
Stuart
With a 4-wheel cart, the load is on the wheels. With a 2-wheel dolly, the user supports some of the weight.
With a bit of practice, itās easy to match speed with a motorized load. It doesnāt seem very easy to match the speed of a motorized load that is partially user-supported and stabilized.
MM
The user supports some of the weight with their wheelbarrow and flat carts and that doesn’t seem to be a problem.
Stuart
In my mind, a powered 2-wheel load has a greater chance of running ahead of the user, and it’s this that can cause problems.
When the handle angle changes, the load to the user will increase. How do you have a motorized 2-wheel dolly that controls this angle? Self-balancing-type stabilization? Maybe a 3-wheel setup would work better, with two drive wheels and a third wheel to support the load so that the user only has to control speed and steering.
MM
@Stuart
I think you can probably get away with simply allowing the operator to control the throttle. The top speed would obviously be very slow so I don’t think there’s much chance that it could suddenly get away from the user. If the wheel drive was always engaged then the motor would act as a brake; in that way such a dolly would actually be safer than a traditional unpowered one because it couldn’t suddenly roll faster than intended, like engine braking with a manual transmission. It would be much less likely to get away from you on a slope or suddenly roll forward if the operator lowered their end too much.
I’d design this with at least two modes. The “Loaded” mode would have the transmission engaged 100% of the time so that it can act as a brake preventing the load from rolling other than directed by the throttle. With high gear reduction, motor braking, and a very low top speed it should be very controllable since it would take large control inputs to change speed even slightly. Then if the operator wants to move the dolly without a load, or operate it without batteries, the drive could be unlocked allowing it to free-wheel and be used like any normal dolly. Maybe have a high-speed transport gear for moving the dolly when unloaded?
Farmerguy
Even in a power boost situation (up an incline, rough surface, heavy load starting, etc) that a power boost from battery drive wouldn’t be helpful or useful?
Michael F
At this point (as Iāve mentioned in other posts) Iām selling my Packout gear just because my eyes are tired of seeing so much red. I have quite a few Systainers, which I really like, but are expensive and not big enough for bigger use cases (like irrigation spare parts). If anything Iāll buy into Flex just because they offer gray colors and with wave 2 it seems to be close to parity with Packout if you donāt need the wall system.
Jronman
I have a question which might not be able to be answered but I will ask anyways. Is this new line from a brand that has an existing modular storage lineup?
Luke Welte
Just my luck, the day after I buy some DeWalt Toughsystem 2.0 boxes you come out with this article. Oh well, thanks for the heads up anyway.
Chip
As a cabinet installer,I wasted nearly $2k in packout boxes before drawers were released .
Have also dabbled in Macpac (frustrating to unlatch and to brittle),Ridgid (best crate terrible latch).
What all brands need is a stair climbing handtruck type mover.
Taller single drawer option,or cabinet that carries large tools.
IMO packout has one of the best latches,and the most options.
Their hand truck has poor engineering for strength, but the ability to carry 4 levels,guide rail,and squares on the handle…..just gives enough function to keep using it.
alex
I would love a cart with drawer slides like the Festool Sysport. Drawer boxes are ok but I would much prefer the drawers to be on the cart.
The old tough system carrier was kind of like that. Don’t know why DeWalt has given up on this idea.
Big Richard
Can’t confirm if any of this is real…yet: https://reddit.com/r/Dewalt/s/vbu1Qyt2Cz
I’ll update if/when I learn more.
Droid
Looks interesting, although since it’s hardly a brand new system I doubt it’s what Stewart’s referring to. I wonder if the latching mechanism is any different?
Big Richard
A Tough System 3.0 would be a brand new system. And that post I linked has since been taken down, the original poster said they got hit with a copyright strike, so that kinda hints at the fact that it was legit and just prematurely leaked. Someone at SBD is getting in trouble.
Stuart
Brands occasionally send concept art to feedback groups comprised of professional tool users. Such renderings are typically highly confidential and protected by NDA.
I’ve lost count as to how many renderings were sent to me over the years that never became actual products. Usually what happens is a brand sends a survey package to a focus group participant under NDA, they share it with a friend or colleague, and then the materials end up on the internet.
Puttzy
I vote for a stacking rack system for organizers.
The other day I was packing up my van for a remodel job. While loading in my trusty organizer cases I fantasized about Milwaukee creating a portable storage system similar to the Sortimo WorkMo line for my organizer cases. Something like the Workmo 24-500. A stacking & locking modular rack system would be the perfect balance between the convenience of drawers and the utility of cases. It’s not all that far off the drawer system that’s all the rage now. Like you all, I dislike having to unload the cases of my rolling tool cart just to get to the bottom case. The same is true of removing a stack of organizers to get to the bottom one.
Also, a shout-out to Sortimo for their modular mobile workstations. They are years ahead of the competition. Admittedly their costs are eye-bulging extreme but their designs are brilliant. You have to get into the world of Packout Modding to find anything close.
While I am gushing about Sortimo I should mention I have been a heavy user of their T-Boxxs for about ten years and love them (thank you, Adam Savage). Except for the price point, I prefer them over my Packout cases for small parts organization. As long as you don’t push them off the roof of a building or drop a cement block on them they are more than durable and reliable. Best of the Best, IMO.
Darren Railey
Just saw some video on the tough built modular tool boxes and dolly. That locking system looks awesome!! Too late though. I’m already well invested in Packout.
Kevin
The toughbuilt sets coming this coming spring include a towhitch specific to their boxes and a handtruck/dolly. Im waiting!
Jeremiah McKenna
Funny how I got this on my feed a few months after it was posted and many if the new offerings have hit, be they already in stores or coming soon. Looking back, I can say that, for some that haven’t bought into one already, it was wise to wait and weigh the different options.
I will say that there are a lot of new ideas hitting the market and some I will take a pass on.
The ToughBuilt box is really nice, but limited in their current offerings. Yes, we all know that Packout has been king for a long time and has a ton of aftermarket products to choose from along with their own new products.
However, for those that have already bought into one line or the other, the good thing is, you can still sell them to someone that wants to enter or expand at a slight discount. You’d be surprised at how well tools in general hold their value. After all, I started with a Ryobi (blue) kit then added a few, and sold it many years later. I actually met the guy in HD parking lot and walked in with the cash and started down the Milwaukee FUEL path.
Another great thing about having different products us thst one could buy multiple brands and stacks to hold different tools and perform different jobs.
Nat
I would be fascinated to see a follow up on this post discussing the announcements you were expecting (as far as allowed by your brand agreements of course). I held off until now on buying in to anything but I’m looking at some pack out stuff for the holidays and I’m interested to know whether the hold out advice remains relevant.
Stuart
I had already posted about all of the announcements I had in mind when writing this post.
Now is really the best time to buy as everything is available and discounted with various promotions.