I'm looking for ideas to secure the cargo area when going on off-road trips. I often go on longer distance trips with a cargo area that is full. Then at my destination, I off-load items like duffel bags and maybe tent and supplies, if I'm camping. However, I'll continue to carry recovery equipment, tool bags, a small cooler, and maybe camping chairs in the cargo area to go off-roading.

I'm currently using some tie-down straps to keep items from flying around but looking for a better solution that might be easier to use when I need a tool or a recovery strap, for example. The cargo nets I've seen don't seem strong enough to really secure heavier items, particularly for a worst case scenario such as a rollover. I'm not sure I want a permanent installation like a built-in cargo box. What other solutions have worked well?

 

Bump. Anyone?

 

I ordered this last night, been looking for the same thing so hopefully this will work

 

I have some of the elastic cargo nets that I bought from an atv store for holding helmets and stuff on cargo racks. I love em. I also have a bigger one that is a "spider web" for truck bed...

 

Adventure Trailers JK interior rack, SoCal Trailers custom drawer, ARB fridge on Tembo Tusk slide, and drawer and fridge on custom baseplate screwed to Jeep floor. Pricey, but so much more livable and safer than cargo nets or tie-down straps.

 

Interesting, I'd like to hear how those work out.



Do you have a name or link for the cargo nets?



Very impressive. I'm not an overlander, but I can appreciate the beauty of your setup. Thanks for sharing what a true professional setup looks like.

 

The other approach is to use cargo bins for many of your items.
I always use 4 in my JKUR and they fit perfectly in the rear section with the rear seat folded down, plus leave room for ice chest and other items between them and the front seats, plus provide a reasonably flat platform for soft items (duffle bags and sleeping bags, tents) on top.

 

Along those lines, I've been looking at these Rubbermaid Actionpackers that would fit 3 across that could be secured with ratchet straps, then placing items on top that will be removed like tent, sleeping bags, etc. There should be still room left for a cooler, chairs and other items that won't fit in the containers.

http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-117...d+actionpacker

 

The problem with the ActionPackers is volumetric efficiency. That is, lots of thick wall and not quite so good on the actual storage space. The sides are also sloped, limiting usable storage space even more. They are quite inexpensive though. Here's another fairly inexpensive option that some of my friends are using (I use Alu-Boxes--don't ask how much) ...

frontrunneroutfitters.com/front-runner-wolf-pack.html#.U_TGuPldVQA

 

My cargo bins are more like these:
12-Gallon Commercial FlipTote in Grey-121521-001 at The Home Depot

The efficiency of the space is better and mine have translucent sides so that I know what category of gear is inside without having to open them.