A Total Composites slide-in camper owner has tipped us off to a modular storage system that could revolutionize your truck and camper organization. Rear seats to camper cabinets; Milwaukee PACKOUT could be the ticket.
There’s a trend in the overland truck camper marketplace toward shell campers with either manufacturer-furnished or DIY modular components. By foregoing a permanently installed factory interior, the owner has nearly infinite options on how they finish their campers and can change and improve their campers at will.
Most of the time we’re talking about modular campers we are referring to key components; refrigerators, cooktops, portable lithium battery systems, heaters, fans, porta-potties, lighting, water heaters, and shower systems. In a truly modular camper, of these items are portable, removable, and replaceable.
What we’re not often talking about with modular campers is the furniture. While there are several overland companies offering modular cabinets, drawers, and utility modules (Goose Gear for example), these products tend to focus on specific camper makes and models and are on the expensive side. From what we’ve seen, the majority of shell camper owners built out the camper cabinetry and furniture themselves.
This brings us to the second video Truck Camping Canada has ever published. In a short presentation, Truck Camping Canada showcases his Total Composite slide-in camper shell and a Milwaukee PACKOUT modular storage system. With a scan of the Total Composite (by Off-Grid Customs) interior, he had me writing this Camper Beast. And the idea has been right under our Home Depot nose.
Milwaukee (owned by Northern Tool) has created a wide range of rugged and space efficient storage modules including drawer systems, boxes, bins, various organizers, worktops, and tables. The modules are made with impact-resistant polymers and feature metal corners, heavy duty latches, and reinforced hinges. As a result, the modules won’t break or open while off-roading like the Container Store products we currently use in our camper. Some of the modules are even IP65 weather proof rated for outdoor use.
Naturally, every PACKOUT module connects to every other PACKOUT module so you can stack, disassemble, and reconfigure these modules any way you want or need. To secure the modules, companies on Amazon are making vertical and horizontal Milwaukee PACKOUT brackets.
Shell campers aside, the Milwaukee PACKOUT system also allows traditional truck campers to get into the modular game. Several PACKOUT modules could radically improve a camper cabinet or closet, and dramatically improve the storage density, organization, and function of any truck back seat area.
The potential downsides of the Milwaukee PACKOUT are cost and aesthetics. While nowhere near overland prices, individual Milwaukee units range from $60 to $200. And yes, all of the modules are Milwaukee red and black. This is clearly a color chosen for brand identity, not interior decorating. Hey Milwaukee, offer PACKOUT in a neutral gray or tan, please.
Thank you, Truck Camping Canada, for the Milwaukee PACKOUT tip. And congratulations on your brand new YouTube channel. If you can get our attention with your second video, you must be doing something right. We’ll be watching!
For more information on the Total Composite truck campers, visit their website at totalcomposites.com. Click here to request more information about Total Composites campers.
