Overland Storage Boxes From Radius Outfitters (Review 2023)
Overland storage boxes are essential to life on the road because they provide compact solutions to store all of your van life gear. The best overland storage boxes ensure that every item you own has a home, preventing them from going missing or getting damaged. This comes from our personal experience from years living on the road, and any van-lifer, trucker, or adventure rig enthusiast generally echoes these sentiments.
We came upon Radius Outfitters’ range of overlanding boxes during our continuous search for more efficient van life storage solutions. We found Radius Outfitters’ overlanding boxes to be the best overlanding storage option for three reasons. First, Radius Outfitters’ boxes are durable. Second, overlanding storage solutions from Radius Outfitters offer a range of customization options that are essential to keeping our specific gear organized and safe. Finally, Radius Outfitters storage boxes are portable and come in a variety of sizes to suit any need.
Below, we share our thoughts and experiences with using overland storage boxes while living and traveling in our adventure rig. We highlight the problems we’ve faced with storage during our time on the road, and explain how Radius Outfitters’ overland storage boxes helped us solve them.
Who makes the best overland storage boxes?
Radius Outfitters makes the best overland storage boxes.Radius offers many products for life on the road. However, their storage boxes are their most popular products. The reason for this popularity is that Radius storage boxes solve real problems overlanders face. Radius Outfitters knows overlanding is never a one-size-fits-all affair, so they provide customizable storage solutions at non-boutique prices.
About Radius Outfitters
Radius Outfitters is a small business based in California, born from a love of the nomadic life. The founders of Radius Outfitters have experienced life on the road and created products for their rigs. The products Radius Outfitters produced fill the gaps in the overland gear market. Everything in the Radius catalog is utilitarian and durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of overlanding and van life.
Are overlanding storage boxes necessary?
Yes, overlanding storage boxes are necessary to any home on wheels. Overland storage boxes are essential gear for life on the road because they provide an effective storage solution. Storage space is limited in a van, bus, RV, or truck, so even a minimal amount of gear quickly turns into a cluttered mess unless it has a designated spot. Radius Outfitters overland storage boxes provide a home for each item, making it less likely for your stuff to get broken or lost. Moreover, knowing exactly where everything is in your overlanding rig is empowering, as it lets you focus on adventuring rather than mundane chores.
Do overland storage boxes keep my gear safe?
Yes, overland storage boxes keep your gear safe, but there are two caveats. First, your storage boxes must be durable. If the boxes aren’t not sufficiently sturdy, their contents stand no chance of weathering the bumps and shakes of back road exploration. Second, overlanding boxes with no adjustable interior storage allow your items to jump and jostle with every tricky turn. You need boxes with adjustable storage inside them to keep your items snug and safe from moving around while you drive.
The amount of things we’ve broken while living on the road without an adequate storage solution is staggering. We’ve broken everything from a full carton of eggs, jars, and even the van’s cabinets while traveling without overland storage boxes. These experiences with damaging our gear taught us the hard way to store everything of value in a safe space.
We’ve since invested in Radius Outfitters overlanding boxes, and these boxes have proven to be up to the task of keeping our gear safe and tidy. Overlanding boxes from Radius Outfitters have impressed us for two reasons. First, these overland boxes feature rock-solid construction that keeps even the most fragile of our items (like jars) safe from damage. Second, Radius Outfitters overland storage boxes come with convenient quick-change dividers to house our cookware, electronics, clothes, tools, and other gear.
What are other important features of overland storage boxes?
The other important features of overland storage boxes are rooted in accessibility, durability, and organization. Below is a list of the key essentials every overland storage box must have (Radius Outfitters gets these right).
Hardshell sides for protection
Radius’ overland gear boxes have hardshell sides that keep the items inside secure and give the box its sturdiness. The sturdy construction makes Radius’ overlanding boxes super portable and lightweight compared to a box with a full hard plastic side.
Magnetic fidlock closure for security
The gear boxes have a magnetic fidlock closure. We haven’t come across the magnetic fidlock closure before. However, our tests have shown that this closure is super intuitive and easy to use. Most other overland storage boxes have an actual latch that has to be unlocked, which requires extra effort and is inconvenient when you’re in a rush. We appreciate the small details Radius has put into its gear boxes. Little details like the magnetic fidlock closure make using it day-to-day super effortless and intuitive.
Can I customize my overland storage box?
Yes, you can customize your overland storage box – but only if you have the right box. And finding a customizable box isn’t easy. Many van storage companies offer prefabricated compartment layouts to cut costs and provide one-size-fits-all solutions. However, this approach rarely offers the most efficient or secure use of space. Everyone living on the road has their specific gear and has unique storage requirements. For example, photographers and van life influencers often need an absurd amount of camera gear. Other folks run small product-based businesses, requiring a plethora of crafting tools and materials. Others yet couldn’t survive without their favorite books, games, cookware, or exercise equipment. The list of individual storage requirements is endless, yet most overland storage boxes lack the customizability to meet their users’ unique needs.
Radius Outfitters overland boxes are the rare exception to the aforementioned rule – we’ve found them to be utterly customizable. We need a storage tote that can house our camera gear one day and then our bulk food the next. Plus, we are constantly switching vehicles, so easeful portability is a big must-have on our list. Radius Outfitters’ overland storage boxes are both customizable and portable, which are two of the reasons we’ve chosen them to store our kit.
Radius Outfitters’ customizable storage boxes fit our modular lifestyle
Radius Outfitters boxes feature a customizable interior section with oversized padding to fit a modular lifestyle. We love being able to mix and match layouts from day to day as needed, thanks to the rip-stick hook-and-loop divider design. It’s super easy to simply rearrange the dividers to the exact dimensions you want. Radius’ customizability allows us to go with the flow and make our next adventure’s physical logistics the least of our concerns.
There are metal loops that can be used to hook some carabiners or anything else you can come up with. One underrated function of these hooks is that you can attach climbing rope onto them, then store the boxes deep inside the garage. If you need your supplies, you simply pull on the ropes to bring the storage boxes to the front of the garage for easy access.
Additionally, Radius Outfitters overland storage boxes have a variety of small storage pouches on their exterior. Inside, there are canvas pockets that have significant stretch to them, making it easy to fit smaller items into. Finally, there are some elasticized pen holders which are a small but well-thought-out detail that adds to the beauty of these highly functional storage totes.
How portable are overland storage boxes?
Overland storage boxes are highly portable out of sheer necessity. After all, living on the road requires adaptability. For example, if your rig breaks down and you need to move into a hotel, you’ll want your gear to be easy to transport. Moreover, if you want to visit a friend and end up staying an unexpected amount of you, you want portable storage. Whatever situation you find yourself in, you want your overland storage boxes to be able to go where you go and adapt to your needs.
Radius Outfitter’s Gear Boxes are a perfect portable storage solution. The radius boxes take the hassle out of moving from rig to rig or from the back of your rig to the front. For example, sometimes we need our camera gear in our living space with us during the week. Other weeks, we take a step back from creating and want to tuck the gear under our bed. To make radius boxes a breeze to move around, they have superior durability, rigid design, convenient metal hooks, and leather handles.
Having dedicated storage that isn’t built into your rig itself is something that we see many new to the lifestyle overlook. Having cabinets and built-in storage solutions has its perks. However, if you want to leave your rig for a while, you’ll have to pack and unpack your gear. That’s where modular, portable, and durable overland storage boxes from Radius Outfitters become invaluable.
What size overlanding storage boxes do I need?
The size of overland storage box that you need largely depends on what vehicle youre planning to put it in. For example, with our DIY sprinter conversion, the 3500 works perfect for us thanks to its thin profile and stackability. However, a smaller rig would benefit off of the 3000 as it has a smaller footprint yet its higher sides can still fit a bunch of gear. The 5000 is perfect for sprinter sized rigs (and beyond) that are looking for a little extra storage space in comparison to the 3500. If we were currently customizing or building out our van we would probably end up using a mixture of all three boxes as each of them has an advantage for storing different items in different use scenarios.
Stacking smaller storage boxes maximizes vertical space in your rig
Stacking smaller storage boxes on top of each other keeps your gear confined to one area and opens up more horizontal space. The size of your overland storage boxes not only determines how much stuff you can fit inside, but also how many boxes you can fit in your adventure rig. For example, a single large box can carry a lot of gear, but it may take up an inordinate amount of horizontal space in your vehicle. With smaller storage boxes, you can take advantage of unused vertical space by stacking them on top of each other. We always end up surprised at just how much more gear we can fit in our van when we stack with smaller boxes.
The radius outfitters gear boxes aren’t just customizable on the inside, each box can help organize the space inside your adventure rig.
What sizes of gear boxes does Radius offer?
Radius offers gear boxes in three different sizes below.
Radius Outfitters Gear Box 3000
Dimensions: W 18″ x L 13.75″ x H 12.25″
Cost: $219
What to put in it: Wine (or any taller bottle), kitchenware, adventure gear
The smallest of all three boxes. The 3000 has a smaller footprint and is perfect for a smaller rig that still needs extra storage. Additionally, its smaller size allows us to make use of tight spaces in the van that might otherwise go unused.
Radius Outfitters Gear Box 3500
Dimensions: W 25.25″ x L 16.75″ x H 7.375″
Cost: $239
Ideas of what to put in it: Camera gear, bulk food, supplies to run a small business from the road, etc.
We personally love the 3500 as its thinner profile in comparison to the others, making it easier to stack. It is absolutely perfect for storing items that need to be moved once in a while with its thin profile that makes it super portable. In our case, this is perfect for moving from rig to rig, especially when using it for camera gear.
Radius Outfitters Gear Box 5500
Dimensions: W 25.25″ x L 16.75″ x H 12.25″
Cost: $249
Ideas of what to put in it: Bottles, bike gear, extra shoes, pantry goods, extra clothing or seasonal clothes.
The 5000 has the same length and width as the 3500 but with its higher sides its perfect for storing your larger belongings. Depending on what you pack it with, the box will vary in weight as it has a larger storage space volume compared to the other models that Radius offers. However, depending on what youre using it for, this can be an upside to the larger box. If you have a little extra space for storage in your van, or if you have a larger rig such as a skoolie or unimog, this is the Radius Outfitters gear box you want in your rig.
Final thoughts: Why it pays to get the best overland storage boxes
After spending the last few months testing overland storage boxes from Radius Outfitters, we must admit that we are impressed with every aspect. We are blown away by how well these boxes would fit into any adventure rig – from the thoughtful additional exterior storage pockets to the craftsmanship behind every well-made gear box.
We especially enjoy the fact that they are so effortlessly portable. Portability is something we see other overland storage box competitors missing out on as hard round-edge plastic is often a nuisance to fit into a prebuilt space and lug around.
The folks over at Radius Outfitters have without a doubt created a product that can easily surpass the standard overland gear boxes you see flooding the industry. Additionally, Radius offers a product that translates easily into the van life, skoolie, and car camping markets.
We absolutely recommend Radius gear boxes for your rig. If you’re someone who understands the importance of being organized and prioritizes keeping your belongings secure, this is the perfect storage box for you.
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I’m preparing for a trip and I’m looking for a storage box that can sustain high temperatures. Do you have any suggestion from the ones above?
I think it all depends on the size you need and can afford in your van. Whatever you choose, should be a good decision.