What Storage System Is Best for My 4x4?

Posted by Apex4WD Team on 12th Aug 2026

Every 4x4 owner reaches the same point eventually. You open the tailgate looking for the recovery strap, and end up unloading half the vehicle onto a wet verge to find it.

That's usually the moment you start looking at 4x4 storage systems. The question is which type, because there are two very different approaches and they suit very different people.

Put simply, cargo boxes are modular and removable, storage drawers are space efficient and fixed in place. Almost everything else follows from that.

1. Heavy Duty Cargo Boxes

A cargo box is a sealed, hard sided case that lives in your boot or truck bed and comes out whenever you want the space back.

Why fit them?

They come out in seconds, so the truck goes back to being a truck
You can pack at home and load the vehicle in five minutes
They work anywhere - boot, truck bed, roof rack, canopy or garage shelf
Sealed lids keep out dust, water and mud
Far cheaper to start with, and you can add one at a time

The Apex4WD heavy duty storage cases are available in several sizes, from the small vehicle friendly 50L overland case, to the popular 70L and 92L versions, and our larger 150L and 220L models. Built from hard wearing, lightweight moulded plastic with stainless steel latches and hardware, a secure rubber seal for dust and water resistance, a built in bottle opener and a drain plug. Larger models also feature gas struts built into the lid, and we offer molle panel attachments and quick release roof mounts.

All three core sizes come in black, sand, grey and green.

Worth knowing before you buy:

You can't stack much on top of a domed lid
Getting to the bottom box means moving the top one
A box is only as secure as whatever it's locked inside
Loose boxes need strapping down, as an unrestrained case is a serious hazard in a shunt

Boxes suit you if your 4x4 does other jobs during the week, you get away a handful of times a year, or you're building up gradually.

2. Sliding Storage Drawers

A drawer system is a fixed unit that fills the boot or bed and gives you sliding access to everything inside, with a flat load floor on top.

Why fit one?

Nothing gets buried, so you can grab what you need in the rain and in the dark
The flat top becomes a sleeping platform, a fridge base or somewhere to strap a box
Everything stays put on rough tracks instead of sliding around
Much better security behind a locked tailgate, canopy or roller shutter
It turns a boot into a proper boot build

The Apex4WD sliding storage drawer systems are built from a solid galvanised steel frame with a heavy duty wood ply top, covered in hard wearing carpet.

Our range covers:

900mm fixed top single drawer - the sensible entry point, and a good fit for smaller boots
1300mm deep universal drawer system - built for pickup beds and larger load bays
Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series - custom fit for the boot
Land Rover Discovery 3 and 4 - custom fit for the boot
Land Rover Discovery 2 - custom fit for the boot

If cooking is the priority, our modular slide out cooking drawer system gives you three lockable sliding benches that extend to 160cm, with each worktop rated to 60kg.

Worth knowing before you buy:

It lives there, so taking one out is a job rather than a decision
Several times the cost of a box setup
A steel framed system is meaningful weight before you've put anything in it
Universal units need measuring properly, custom fit ones tie you to the vehicle

Drawers suit you if the vehicle is a dedicated or semi dedicated adventure truck, you're away most months, or you want a sleeping platform

3. Most Good Setups Use Both

This isn't really an either or once your build matures.

The setup that works best for most people looks like this:

Drawers in the load bay for anything you need regular access to
A 12V fridge on top of the flat drawer surface, or on a slide
Boxes on the roof rack or canopy for bulky, light gear like chairs, pegs and fuel cans
One spare box that goes in and out depending on the trip

The drawers give you order and access, the boxes give you flexibility and overflow. A roof rack or pick up canopy is what ties the two together, and a canopy or roller shutter is what makes a pickup bed drawer system worth fitting in the first place.

Worth adding either way, the Apex4WD drawer table is a stainless bench with a lift on, lift off design, a 10kg capacity and a built in bottle opener, towel rack and hooks.

Before You Buy

Five things worth checking:

Measure the load area at its narrowest point, not the widest, and check where the wheel arches intrude
Check your plated payload, then subtract passengers, the system itself and everything going in it
Think about the weekly reality, not the annual trip. If you need a clear load bay for work, buy boxes
Keep heavy items low and forward, and save the roof for bulky and light
Plan the security. A drawer system in an open pickup bed is an invitation

Which Should You Buy First?

If you're not sure, start with boxes. They're cheap, they work, they move to the next vehicle, and they'll tell you a great deal about how you actually pack. Plenty of people never need anything else.

If you already know you're away most months, and you're fed up with kneeling in a wet car park digging for a shackle, go straight to the drawers. It's one of those upgrades nobody regrets.

Storage sits high on the list either way. Our guide to the best 4x4 upgrades to buy first covers where it fits alongside lift kits, roof racks and lighting.

Final Thoughts

Good storage isn't the most exciting modification you'll make, but it's the one you'll notice on every single trip. Being able to grab exactly what you need without unpacking the whole vehicle changes how a weekend feels.

At Apex4WD, we stock a huge range of storage solutions for pickups and 4x4s, from heavy duty cases and sliding drawer systems to roof racks, canopies and camp kitchens. If you want a hand working out what fits your vehicle, give us a call on 01462 516137 or email sales@apex4wd.co.uk. Collection is available from our unit at SG5 4NZ.