ADGU vs Trekboxx

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mschop

mschop

Joined
Feb 11, 2025
Threads
9
Messages
35
Location
Los Altos, CA
Hi all,

I’m looking at kitchen drawer setups between these two vendors. Both are premium drawers and are regarded as best in market with raving fans.

After hours of researching here/instagram/facebook, I’m struggling to decide between the two. Would love to hear how others landed on one over the other.

Trekboxx Alpha
Pros:
  1. Incredibly durable being made of Baltic birch (high grade material) andLine-X coating (I’ve used it on my truck and can attest). Frequently cited as “overbuilt” in a good way.
  2. Full Alpha system seems a bit cheaper than the latest ADGU for comparable builds
  3. Fridge setup appears to fit my Dometic 75
  4. Pull-out seems more stable than ADGU based on the clips I’ve seen
  5. Latest model has been tried and true in the field for longer
  6. Drawers are marginally bigger than ADGU (e.g., passenger at 37.7 x 14.5 x 9.9 vs 36x13x8.75)
  7. Ed Sargent @ ed Martin uses in his now vehicle. Videos online doing detailed walkthroughs/reviews are super helpful. Frequently installs trekboxx in his premium modded vehicles. Slee used to sell them on the website
  8. Haven’t heard anyone say anything after usage (no breaks, problems, etc). Only negative feedback is maybe the weight
Cons:
  1. More than 300 lbs
  2. Sent a few email inquiries with no response
  3. Not seeing as much community buzz lately compared to ADGU’s latest model
  4. No solo sleeper option
  5. No extra pull-out trays; only one tray that is a cabinet itself. That said it's very sturdy.
  6. I've only heard two people make the switch to adgu from trekboxx; one said it was crazy heavy and with their rtt, they were bottoming out on off-road and the other simply wanted more sleeping options with kids gone

ADGU Kitchen
Pros:
  1. More innovative touches (hinges, hooks, side panel access, etc.)
  2. Slick, modern look
  3. Also happy customers from those who have; more folks have on wishlist "if money was no object"
  4. Aluminum frame for meaningfully lighter weight (~180 lbs vs 300+ lbs)
  5. Additional features like a pull-out tray at ends of drawers
  6. Responsive team
  7. Solo sleeper option
  8. Lately dissent has moved to featuring adgu in their vehicles along with other shops like stellar built.

Cons:
  1. Not really a knock, but I see “well built / well designed” vs “overbuilt" like trekboxx
  2. Comparable config is a bit more expensive; the cage makes it significantly more so
  3. Latest model has only been in market a few years; earlier models had reports of rattle/noise, and there are fewer customer references with latest overall (last 2-3 years) vs trekboxx (one fridge drawer update to be larger in 2023 timeframe; otherwise seems same since 2017). This leads to parsing through complaints / issues because you need to check which model they're on
  4. Marginally smaller drawers
  5. Unclear if the Dometic 75 fits as it’s extremely close; can’t find anyone confirming, whereas Trekboxx is a confirmed fit
 
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We are about to have ADGU drawers installed in our LX and we were also debating on drawers before choosing them. I called and talked to the guys at ADGU and the guy that answered the phone was the owner and he had answers to whatever oddball questions I could throw at him. If you haven’t already, I’d call both and just ask. It was extremely helpful for me and what I thought I wanted wasn’t what I ended up buying because my internet research fell incredibly short.
 
We've had the ADGU system in my wife's GX for a few years now. The system in my LX is homemade. I've never used or seen in person the Trekboxx system.
That being said, I'd vote for the ADGU. I prefer the extruded aluminum frame work as it lends itself to modifications better. Down the road, if your needs change, it's easy enough to make some changes without scrapping the complete setup. The downside to it is that you have to make sure everything is tight or you could get some squeaks. I called them a couple times before, and after, ordering the GX system and they were always great to work with.
 
The substantial difference in weight would be the discriminating factor for me.
 
If the original poster would reply with his final decision and reasoning, with any data gained (like actual weights), that would help the community greatly. Cheers.
 
So I had the original ADGU system in mine for awhile and switched to the Trekboxx when a friends 200 got totaled and I could buy them at a buddy price (sorry BIC JET).

I had no real complaints about the ADGU—the owners are great dudes and I had a couple little small weird things pop up and they were quick to help fix them with me. The drawers themselves were dead quiet, though I do feel like the contents were noisier than they are in the Trekboxx—I even had a thin foam yoga mat in the bottom of the ADGU. I’d be happy to buy and use them again without hesitation.

I wanted the Trekboxx because I mine for extended camping/hunting trips as much, if not more, than I do to wheel on trails. The setup of it with the full cage and extra shelf is just more appealing to me for those trips. For me the weight is the only real con of the system.

When I bought my ADGU setup their kitchen didn’t exist. To have added it to mine after the fact would have meant I was in it for nearly $8k with a spare drawer that couldn’t really be used and I couldn’t justify that. If I were buying today it would have been a much more feasible option.

As far as not getting emails back from David—check your spam folder. I had sent him one and thought he never responded until I was clearing out my spam and realized he had replied to me within a couple days.

In short—you really can’t go wrong with either one IMO
 
Wow - great call on checking the SPAM folder... I just checked and it looks like David responded. Man I feel like a goof. Not sure why his messages are ending up in SPAM.



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I had a Trekkbox Alpha system in my 2015 and absolutely loved it. It's built like a tank and very convenient. I have not even seen an ADGU system but it looks nice in videos. I have no basis for comparison but I can highly recommend the one I had, fwiw.
 
Thanks to everyone for the input. Going with Trekboxx. Honestly you couldn’t go wrong with either, but here’s what tipped it:

Two big reasons:
- Several folks (including some who messaged privately) emphasized how overbuilt Trekboxx is, which matches how I think about the Land Cruiser. A few of those same people are switching to ADGU, but for the sleeper option, not because of any drawback with Trekboxx. I have no doubt ADGU will last, but the durability story resonated.
- The Dometic 75 fits. With ADGU it looked razor edge, even talking to the team. They don’t see that fridge size often, and eyeballing the measurements felt like a gamble. I didn’t want to downscale if I got it wrong.

Other smaller considerations:
- Trekboxx is heavier, but it’s an “extra teenager” kind of difference. With upgraded springs, it felt even less of an issue in my case.
- ADGU keeps iterating on the design. Two major updates (this year and I think 2023), with smaller ones along the way. All genuinely very good improvements, but I wanted something final without the feeling of just missing the next revision.

Also, for anyone in the market for a used ADGU, here’s the unit I was strongly considering for used: For Sale - Greenville, SC. ADGU Triple Extension Kitchen with side storage wing - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/greenville-sc-adgu-triple-extension-kitchen-with-side-storage-wing.1374407/#post-16290682
 
I’ve got the Trekboxx Alpha and have been super happy with it. I’ve beat it up pretty good with zero issues and it still looks brand new. I also had the second row seat delete sleeper setup for a bit. Took it out, but it was great for extra storage and a solid sleep setup.

The side wings are honestly my favorite part. Tons of usable storage space. I was able to fit a 320Ah Dakota Lithium under the left wing (doesn’t fit on the right wing).

I run a single sleeper Hest mattress next to the fridge cage for solo trips. Fits super snug, but is a nice option if I don’t want to use the RTT but also keep the fridge. Customer service has been great too. I lost my drawer keys and they sent replacements for free no hassle.
 
This is probably neither here or there, but I was passing through Colorado a couple years back and stopped at ADGU shop. Both of the owners were sitting around a table having lunch and took time out to answer all my stupid questions, to include bringing me outside to one of their vehicles and showing me how they had everything set up. Great folks.
 
I have been running the Trekboxx Bravo for 4+ years now. The craftmanship is fantastic and have had zero issues. The Bravo weighs 200lbs empty.
 
mschop said:
Thanks to everyone for the input. Going with Trekboxx. Honestly you couldn’t go wrong with either, but here’s what tipped it:

Two big reasons:
- Several folks (including some who messaged privately) emphasized how overbuilt Trekboxx is, which matches how I think about the Land Cruiser. A few of those same people are switching to ADGU, but for the sleeper option, not because of any drawback with Trekboxx. I have no doubt ADGU will last, but the durability story resonated.
- The Dometic 75 fits. With ADGU it looked razor edge, even talking to the team. They don’t see that fridge size often, and eyeballing the measurements felt like a gamble. I didn’t want to downscale if I got it wrong.

Other smaller considerations:
- Trekboxx is heavier, but it’s an “extra teenager” kind of difference. With upgraded springs, it felt even less of an issue in my case.
- ADGU keeps iterating on the design. Two major updates (this year and I think 2023), with smaller ones along the way. All genuinely very good improvements, but I wanted something final without the feeling of just missing the next revision.

Also, for anyone in the market for a used ADGU, here’s the unit I was strongly considering for used: For Sale - Greenville, SC. ADGU Triple Extension Kitchen with side storage wing - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/greenville-sc-adgu-triple-extension-kitchen-with-side-storage-wing.1374407/#post-16290682
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I'll second this. I have an earlier version of the ADGU system and have some issues with it that they apparently resolved in later iterations. I think you made the right choice to go with the Trekboxx, especially if this is a buy once cry once type of purchase.
 
I know you were just asking about the 2 stated brands, but I got the Goose gear and love them. The fit and finish is OEM like quality.
 
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