There are so many things to consider when buying a vehicle for Overlanding. You have to think about suitability and reliability, offroad capability, comfort and safety features, gas mileage. Additionally, what kind of decked drawer system do you want?
So, I asked the question, and here is what I found out.
Why You Need A Drawer System In Your Overlanding Vehicle
Any camping vacation must begin with a game of Tetris. Regardless of how many times I’ve gone camping, preparation for a trip begins with finding the best place for everything. I’m not the kind to toss my things in the back and go.
I’m all about making the most available space and knowing where things are when I need them.
When it comes to camping, having the right equipment and staying organized is essential. You intend to bring only what you require. Packing your camping gear correctly may make your camping vacation a lot easier and more comfortable.
A Drawer System Provides Ultimate Storage
The ultimate in the overland organization is a back drawer arrangement. A drawer system, allows you to arrange your goods and store them out of sight.
Some drawer systems are designed for incorporating camp stoves or providing sleeping platforms in addition to gear management.
A drawer system will help you keep things organized and reduce the possibility of losing or forgetting things.
This system will limit the number of items that can fall off your lap when climbing steep inclines. And lets you store extra items under the seat without worrying about them sliding out. And finally protects sensitive electronics like laptop computers and tablets from potential damage.
Drawer systems for several popular off-road vehicles are manufactured by companies like ARB, Goose Gear, Truck Vault, and DECKED.
The advantage of manufactured drawers is that they are produced to order. They are intended to fit around all of the curves of your truck or SUV’s interior.
Another advantage is that many produced drawers are made of high-quality materials that can survive the vibrations of off-road driving.
These drawers allow you to store stuff while keeping your truck bed’s full-length flexibility. On top of their drawers, you may even transport up to 2,000 pounds of goods.
Top Benefits of Using Drawer System
Organization
The reason I like it so much is because of the usefulness of drawers as organizational tools. They’re like the Rubbermaid bins in my garage keeping items organized and easy to find.
Many users have claimed that organization isn’t only good for your mental health; it also expedites your exit time. Spending less time looking around equals more time exploring.
Capacity
There are several tools in the larger of my two DECKED system drawers that go in my 2005 short-bed Tacoma. Drawers that are decked out are broader, while those that are decked out are narrower.)
In the larger drawer (18 inches wide by 53 inches long), I keep several items and tools. Tow straps to rescue people. A large assortment of tools in case something goes wrong. A set of jumper cables in case I forget to turn off the dome light. Gloves for cold weather, an extra jacket, and a breaker bar for changing a tire—you get the picture.
If I fill it with camping supplies, a huge six-person tent and four sleeping bags fit easily in the drawer. In the smaller drawer, which measures 53 inches by 11 inches holds around 86 liters. This fits two bags, two mats, and a four- or five-person tent.
Accessibility
Because I packed the bread in the middle of my truck bed, I had to unpack everything just to make a sandwich for lunch. The drawers in this cabinet open completely to make things more convenient. It allows me to get to the bread without holding a hastily organized yard sale.
Best Types of Drawer System
1. Drawers with Two Compartments
My Tacoma’s DECKED system is a side-by-side double-drawer design with a full-bed platform made of high-strength polyethylene plastic that allows me to store up to 2,000 pounds of gear. Since those coolers can hold so much weight, I never have to worry about them tipping over and spilling beer or soda all over the drawers below.
A two-drawer system may be organized in any way you choose. Tactician Walt Wagner, who runs an adventure and overland store out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, loves the Alu-Cab versions ($900), which have two drawers, one for “clean” items and the other for soiled ones. Clothing, sleeping bags, and cooking equipment go in the clean drawer, while tools and recuperation gear go in the dirty one.
The use of a two-drawer filing cabinet has spawned various innovative storage solutions throughout the years. I have a Toyota Tundra with Decked drawers, as does Grayson Schaffer, an Outside editor-at-large and co-owner of the production business Talweg Creative.
One slide-out drawer was loaded with nonperishable food on a recent multi-day filming trip that included much camping. They stocked the pantry with everything from licorice to sweet potatoes, making it convenient for the family.
The second drawer was set aside for photographic equipment. To keep bodies and lenses safe, I kept them in cushioned F-Stop Internal Camera Unit bags.
In the hands of other photographers, Pelican containers made of reinforced plastic with custom-sized cushioned inserts are commonplace.
2. Slide-Outs
There are several alternatives to the traditional two-drawer design. Create your own if you’re handy with woodworking, or go with a hybrid slide-out like Stuart Palley’s, the most famous wildland fire photographer in the country.
Bedslide, a shelf that slides out but lacks sides and a top, was installed in his Tacoma (beginning at $900).
Truck drawer systems are available from Custom Goose Gear, managed by cabinetmaker Brian Fulton, who works on Toyota 4Runners and Jeeps.
According to the inventor, Fulton’s Camp Kitchen 2.0 ($1,700) is a huge drawer with a slide-out mobile fridge and stove on the bottom and a storage shelf on top. The drawer’s location in your truck is completely up to you as it’s always made the same way.
To avoid having to unload their fridge from the truck bed, some came up with this concept. They valued having easy access to food and a working stove. Thus he disliked how ordinary kitchen drawers took up so much room.
Final Thoughts
It all comes down to how organized you would like to be. You can go with a handful of tubs and gear or you can create a system where you spend more time on the road or trail than you do hunting around for the ketchup. Your choice. Mine is to go with a drawer system and get on the road. Happy Travels!
After you have your drawer system, it’s time to add some specialized storage bags. Check out our recent article on the Decked D-Bag here.
