Gear Storage

Advice
#1

I need some suggestions for gear storage. Preferably, something that I could grab in the garage and load in the car. Any suggestions would be great.

#2

Rubber Maid plastic boxes…
We use them for our paddling gear, our camping gear, and all other stuff.

Put a strip of ducttape on an end and a side, and Label it.



Cheers,

jackL

#3

small hockey bag
may work. has straps for carrying and zips full length. Can then be rolled up and shoved in the hatch if need be.

#4

think retreival
and not storage. Having it all together in one or two boxes or bags is the way to go. Will reduce the chance of getting to the water without the right gear in working order.

#5

Rubbermaid Action Packers…

– Last Updated: Apr-11-06 8:56 PM EST –

I've tried a lot of container/storage boxes and found the Rubbermaid Action Packers are the best. They are just the right size, easy to handle even when packed full of heavy items, but not so large that things are hard to find. Very sturdy and have lockable handles that hold the lid down tightly. They are small enough that they don't sit higher than the gunwales of our canoe. I ran a bead of silicone sealant around the top of a couple of them. With the pressure of the handles it makes a good water resistant box. Won't hold back water under pressure, but it's fine for an unexpected dunking or when it's raining.

We have about 10 of them lining our garage shelves, black marker on duct tape identifying the contents. We grab what we need and they fit nicely in the back of our Outback. They also keep all the water, sand and muck out of the car when we dump everything back in on the return trip. Also, if you use them on a canoe, the lids don't collect water like the Rubbermaid Roughnecks.

I found mine at Walmart a couple of years ago for $10 each in the automotive section. Apparently, they've gone way up in price (we use the 8 gallon version):

http://tinyurl.com/kyhvn

#6

Mesh Duffel Bag
This is what I use, works great. It allows you to bring all your stuff down to the putin, and then stuff the bag in one of your hatches.



http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=3075&src=champ

#7

Storage suggestions…
If you live in southern New England check out the local chain of stores called “Ocean State Job Lot”, they have an assortment of Stanley brand sports organizers. (Bargain Outlet also had the Stanley sports organizers at one time.)The one designed for storing tennis rackets works absolutely GREAT for our paddles—it even has neoprene on the rack that protects them! For the rest of the stuff we use mesh bags to just grab and go (a different color bag for each family member), plus (labeled) Rubbermaid containers for all the straps, bungees, extra gear, etc., etc. that seems to multiply!

#8

I agree witn no_quater
use mesh bags I get mine from campmor they are all mess except the bottom. I like the mesh because if anything is wet or damp it will dry in the mesh bag.

#9

Monster Bag
From someone that has perhaps too much gear, or too little closet space at home, Wildwasser Monster Gear Bag.



See you on the water, with lots of gear,

Marshall

www.the-river-connection.com

#10

Ammo box
A .50 cal ammo box is great for smaller items. They can be found for about $5 online or at Army/Navy stores.



For larger stuff I just picked up a dry bag. They are cheap enough at Sierratradingpost.com

#11

Check dive shops
For day paddles, I keep year-round items such as paddle float, pump, visor and sunglass keeper, Pelican micro box (for keys and fob), straps, clean neoprene booties, sprayskirt, cockpit cover, PFD, and energy bars in a huge heavy-duty mesh duffle I bought at a dive shop. It has a zippered pocket that contains Sealskinz gloves “just in case.” This is the “grab and go” bag.



I store all the rest of the kayak gear (except camping stuff) in two deep Rubbermaid Roughneck bins. A third, separately-stored bin holds the kayak-camping gear. That way, I know where my drysuit or other sometimes-used gear is even though I haven’t used it in months.



I specify Roughneck because the plastic has more rubber in it than most other such bins and therefore resists getting brittle and cracking in cold weather. They stack very well on each other, too. That’s what the “water collecting” recessions are for. They are not meant for use on the water anyway; the lids snap shut but they do not have gaskets.



Target seems to have the best selection of these Roughnecks.


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