I have been a fiercely independent traveler for a very long time, both in vehicles and on my bicycles. I often carry more tools or parts than necessary. I had been carrying cargo in bags, then boxes, and even some stackable cases. Then I discovered the new Build-Out series of tool cases by Husky. I bought my first units in 2024 to support my side job as a bicycle tour mechanic. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the Build-Out boxes are a great fit for my in-car use. I use an extra lid as a mounting base to stack my boxes (click here for an alternative). Husky does not currently sell the lids separately. Instead, I bought a small box, removed the lid, and then saved the base to use as a ¼-height crate.
More than just stacking, the boxes latch together with their own built-in hardware. I like that the boxes come in different sizes and have different features. This photo shows that I’ve included a pair of boxes with small parts bins. I have three of these: one is loaded with wire termination parts, another has hardware for my mobile radio tower, and the third has bicycle parts. The box on the very bottom has a 270-piece mechanic’s tool set. The large box has most of my “quick-grab” tools, towels, zipties, and other oddball items. I load whichever boxes I need for the mission at hand. See the photo album at the bottom of this page to view some contents of each box.
Husky introduced Build-Out boxes with latching drawers in 2025! As you can imagine from the photo above, which shows my tiedown strap in use (mandatory for off-roaders, I think), I cannot access any contents without first removing at least one box, often more. With the drawers, I can slide their contents toward me for easy viewing and retrieval. I loaded the drawers with items that I may use more frequently, including tower tools and towels. I can access the lower boxes by simply opening the appropriate latches and then swinging the remainder of the stacked boxes as I open the lid that I need.
A pair of drawer boxes is a great fit in the trunk without being too tall to fit under the parcel shelf. What do you think? I can substitute a crate or large box in their place. See some examples in the photo album below. I don’t normally put another stack of Build-Out boxes on the passenger side because that’s where my refrigerator and 3000W voltage inverter live. However, I have made one trip where I needed tool storage more than I needed a refrigerator. A drawer box and a small toolbox fit very well behind the inverter, though I will admit that the boxes are difficult to unlatch and remove since they ride “sideways.” See the photo album below for more photos. 🙂
Built-Out!
Scott
