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 a Boco Customs mount as a lockable base to stack my boxes (click here for an alternative). This photo shows my previous use of an extra lid as a mounting base.
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.
Eventually, I reconfigured my setup to move the refrigerator to behind the driver’s seat and the stacked boxes to behind the passenger seat. It was part of a house battery upgrade project in 2025. The new arrangement is more convenient for loading groceries into the fridge on “my side” of the car while having toolbox access away from traffic if I’m at the curb. The only drawback is a substantial blind spot to my right. I take a long, sweeping look at my right side mirror before committing to a lane change!
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
