I finally found some time for an update thanks to whatever disease I contracted after some rando sneezed on me on Caltrain. I guess the silver lining is that I've had some time to catch up on Mud, go through vacation photos, and document what's been going on with the truck. I'll start with a retrospective on the Trekboxx system.
Trekboxx Storage System (Link)
I've put the Trekboxx Storage System through its paces since last spring via a couple long trips and numerous extended weekend trips. I also use it extensively while working on the truck. I figured it's time to share my opinion on whether it's worth the price tag (short version: yes, easily).
Yes, the Trekboxx product demands a premium over other drawer systems. I had a baltic birch DIY system in my Yukon and the popular ARB drawers in the 200 prior to the Trekboxx, for reference. Generally, I'm a fan of secure, safe, storage in the cargo area and pretty much any drawer system worth its salt will get you there. While I had nits to pick with my ARB drawers, I ultimately decided that I wanted more of a complete storage system rather than drawers alone. From here on out I'll cover what we like and don't like about the Trekboxx system.
Let's start with a short kudos for
@TrekboxX. Working with David has been an absolute pleasure and I appreciate his ongoing support on anything from answering questions, dropping spare footman loops in the mail, making custom straps for my Aluboxes, and designing/building a middle row platform that matches the rest of the system.
I think it's important to look at the Trekboxx Alpha as a complete storage system — not just a set of drawers. Which features stand out that makes this more "storage" than "drawer" system?
- The shelf above the refrigerator opens up a significant amount of space that's perfect for bulky, lightweight goods.
- The cage surrounding the refrigerator enables you to store gear next to refrigerator on both sides, attach Molle gear, or as tie-down points.
- The height of the cargo barrier is low enough that middle row roof cargo nets from Raingler or BROG can still be used.
- The Trekboxx Fridge straps keep the refigerator secure but still easy to remove if needed and the fridge itself can be utilized for a bit of storage (paper towel holder, utinsil bag, etc.).
- The wings on both sides between the drawers and the quarter panel are much easier to access and utilize than they were previously. I think the addition of an extra inch or so provides enough usable space to house spares, some tools, fasteners, fluids, and miscellaneous gear. I also like that the wings have soft-closing hinges and are one piece.
- The built-in dual Richlite surface of the shallow drawer enables the drawer itself to double as a workbench, food prep surface, or a bar/lunch-counter. This is probably the most-used feature of the system.
Even without considering the middle row platform (where I keep a small Alubox for pantry items, the dog's penthouse, tools, recovery gear, med kit, and long implements), it's possible that I may store as much stuff (in terms of volume) to the cage/dividers and in the wings as I do in the drawers themselves. It'd be close. The point here is that the system has made it incredibly easy to have virtually instant access to our most of our gear. Everything has a home.
The Trekboxx system is one of the few truck modifications that sees equal attention from both my wife and myself. I asked her what she thinks of the system now that we've done a number of trips and her immediate response was, "I don't care what else you change on the truck but those drawers are staying" — no joke.
Aside from the "storage system vs. drawers" aspects above, here's a laundry list of things we like about the system.
- No more scrapes/cuts on her hands — the ARB drawers (mainly the one with the roll top) had some galvanized steel interior structure that she cut herself on a few times
- The drawers stay locked in place even on inclines.
- The dual work surfaces on the shallow drawer make it easy to grab stuff out the drawer while still using it as a work surface. We keep our lunch kit on one side and quick access gear/tools on the other. It probably takes half the time to prepare a cold lunch compared to pre-Trekboxx time.
- The surface (LineX) is easier to clean and maintain than the bootliner-type material on the ARB drawers (TBH I do miss the practicality of Velcro-ing stuff to the ARB drawer faces but I've since moved many of those items to the shallow drawer or tool kit).
- The refrigerator is lower and more accessible which also let us install a larger fridge.
- In terms of appearance the system is simply on par with the quality of the truck itself. It looks like it belongs as much as custom cabinetry in a vehicle can. One of my primary annoyances with the ARB system was that it cut up my quarter panels. It just didn't fit in the vehicle. I don't know if that was a 16+ issue or what. The Trekboxx does not touch vehicle interior at all aside from the mounting points. This is an impressive feat and a testament to the design, build quality, and fabrication. Every aspect of the system exudes quality and attention to detail.
- There's no noise from the unit itself. If the drawers are empty and the fridge is unloaded the rear of the truck is completely silent. Upon installation, David did mention a couple types of noises that come up that are usually indication of needing to apply grease to a tab on the slide. I haven't had that issue, yet. Regarding the gear within the drawers, I've actually made use of TrekPak (no relation to Trekboxx) to isolate items within the drawers. I think most of the noise comes from the refrigerator when traveling.
So, which parts of the Trekboxx Alpha system could use improvement? There's only one thing that stands out and perhaps it's just personal preference: The Aux Work Station. This is an add-on to the Alpha System that includes two laser-cut brackets that screw into the tall drawer when extended. The brackets are cantilevered off the drawer and another Richlite surface or stove (if holes are drilled in the bottom of the stove) can be installed.
We haven't worked this feature into our camp setup like I thought we would. There are a few issues (and I'm pretty sure David is aware of these in general). First, the aux station brackets and Richlite surface must be independently stowed. It'd be nice if there was a built-in place for them to go. The brackets are pretty large and they can make noise if not secured well. The Richlite surface actually stores pretty easily in the tall drawer but it'd be nice if it could remain in pinned in place instead of just laying on top of the stuff.
Stowing the aux station gear isn't really the problem, though. In order to use the aux staton the drawer has to be extended all the way. When the drawer is extended it's pretty difficult to access anything in the refrigerator. If we really needed something, we'd basically need to disassemble the aux station, push in the drawer, get something out of the refrigerator, and then reassemble. From this perspective it could make more sense to put the aux station on the end of the shallow drawer instead of the large drawer?
In any case, I'm not a huge fan of having the stove attached to the vehicle and we tend to just set it up on our table. I did expect that we'd use the Richlite surface but instead I just leave it pinned on the drawer or just use that surface atop the tailgate. One scenario where the aux station would work much better is if your refrigerator opened from the driver side and if you don't have a rear bumper swingarm hindering access to the pullout from the driver side. I could see that working pretty well.
Anything else we don't like? Not at all. If we found ourselves with a new 200 tomorrow the Trekboxx would be the first thing we'd migrate over without question. I thought about mentioning the weight of the system (it's heavy) but I can't imagine where the weight reduction would come from without sacrificing something more important such as usability or strength.
Lastly, something to internalize for anyone in the market: realize that the actual drawer volume is a little lower than other systems, but you get more convenient, usable storage space overall when you factor in the wings, cargo shelf, and the barrier/dividers.
Also, just because I'm a Trekboxx fan doesn't mean I think all other storage systems suck. I think we're actually lucky in that so many amazing options exist for the 200 series. I'd have no hesitation recommending ARB, Drifta, or the KISS drawers based on what I've seen depending on all the usual decision-making factors. I know there are more vendors out there that I don't have as much experience/knowledge of.
More photos:
Here's a gallery if you'd like to see more.