For me, camping has always been a family event, and I hope to pass that tradition on to my son. While plenty of gear gets upgraded or wears out with expected use, when possible I try to outfit us with equipment that will last for years, if not decades. One piece of our kit that I consider truly a heirloom is our Zarges storage cases. The design is timeless; they’re built to take all kinds of abuse, and they just get better with age. The word patina gets thrown around a lot, but in the case of Zarges cases, they truly look better with age and use. Each scratch and ding tells a story about a past trip, but it doesn’t hamper their performance at all.
They also capture the balancing point between form and function. They look cool, no matter if they’re serving as an impromptu coffee table in the garage or if they’re stacked up in camp. Well beyond looks, they’re also tough. They take the abuse, and they’re MIL-STD-810 tested, water- and dustproof, and Grizzly Bear Certified. With that kind of guarantee, I fully expect to pass these Zarges cases down to my son when he’s heading out on his own adventures. Beyond the years of future use, the aluminum construction will be 100% recyclable should it ever truly fail. I also appreciate that they aren’t susceptible to issues with low temperatures like plastic cases are, and I don’t have to worry about broken latches or cracked lids on winter trips. On average, they’re also lighter than plastic cases in similar sizes.
Unbelievable Durability
While I put my cases through plenty, it’s really nothing more than the use I expect from all of my gear. I don’t abuse them, but I don’t want to baby them by any means. My K470-40568 lives in my truck full time and carries my air compressor, jumper cables, tire repair kit, and a few other miscellaneous items. Day in and day out, it rides around strapped down to my Bedslide with whatever else I’m hauling. Outside of some superficial scratches, this case doesn’t look any different than the day I loaded it up for the first time, years ago, and tossed it into the truck. I also have two K470-40678s. One just carries miscellaneous gear, and the other is my dedicated camp kitchen box. All three stack together if needed, and it’s great to have spots for the gear I take on every trip, plus the things that change depending on the destination or activity.
I don’t think I’ve ever really tested the mettle of these aluminum cases, but a good friend has the best testimonial for what you can expect a Zarges box to stand up to that I can imagine. Last year, he was making his way back from a trip out West and, on his very last night, stopped in at a HipCamp in North Carolina. He specifically asked the host about leaving stuff out of his truck overnight, and he responded, “It will be fine; nothing should bother anything.” Well, as it turns out, a black bear decided to bother some things, specifically a Zarges case that my friend uses as a step to get into the back of his Canopy Camper. The bear not only took the case from his camp, but it also spent the next five hours trying to break into the case in the gulley next to his camp. Once the sun came up, my friend retrieved his case. The locked latch had been pulled off, and the case came away with plenty of claw marks, but a five-hour tussle with a bear is pretty impressive. Plus, Zarges offered to replace the case, but he chose to repair the latch with a couple of rivets. Now that’s some gear with a story.
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A Case for Every Use Case
When it comes to gear storage at home or on the trail, I really appreciate a system that not only stores my gear but also works well together. Crates or cases that securely stack provide peace of mind when you’re jostling down the trail and optimizing storage space in the garage. Zarges offers several sizes to fit the customer’s needs within their heavy and medium-duty cases, but within those series, you’ll find several common footprints. For example, the 40810, 40568, 40678, and 40564 models are all K470 cases and share a width and depth of 21.65×13.78 inches with varying heights. If those cases don’t work for your use case, you can move up to the group that’s 21.65×21.65 inches. And, of course, there are smaller options as well. Regardless of your rig or what you’re carrying, you can dial in a Zarge case or two to fit your needs.
Customize Your Zarges Case
A sturdy case you can hand down for decades is only the basis for a good gear storage system. Zarges case protects your gear, but their line of accessories keeps it organized and optimized. The K470 that I use for my kitchen kit also features Zarges’ Foam Liner kit. This keeps rattling down with camp dishes and other metal items, plus it helps my DIY dividers to stay in place. I want to add one of the MOLLE Lid Panel to my other case to keep some small items easily accessible. Circling back to the accessories and the ability to stack the cases is the reason I always pack the Bamboo Travel Top along. When I stack two K470s together, the Travel Top makes a great prep surface while seated, and with all three stacked, it’s a great standing height. When it isn’t in use, it folds in half and fits into my camp kitchen box.
A testament to the quality of the Zarges cases is also evident in how other trusted brands in the overland space utilize them and produce accessories for them. My smaller case is outfitted with a Goose Gear top plate so that it can be used as a step or seat without fear of buckling the lid. I’ll most likely add these to my larger cases as well.
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, Zarges aluminum cases aren’t cheap, but with a quality construction that will stand up to decades of use, a robust line of accessories, and a warranty that even covers bear damage, I firmly place them in the buy-once cry-once category. If they’re ever damaged beyond use or warranty, they’re recyclable. However, I highly doubt that will ever be the case, and instead, I expect my son to head off on his first solo overland trip with a well-worn Zarges case protecting his essential gear and with plenty of fond memories connected to the scratches and dents from trips with dear old Dad.
