Easy Truck Bed Storage Systems
August 21st, 2023
You have a truck bed. You have stuff you need to store in it. But what are your options? What's the best way to keep things, secure, out of sight and out of mind? Fortunately, there are a ton of easy truck bed storage systems to meet your needs!
There are SO many ways to store items in a truck bed, depending on how you have your truck configured. Your choices will be impacted by your bed length, whether you have a cap or tonneau cover on it, and intended recreational, personal, or work uses. If your space is limited, you'll want to put lots of thought into how to use your space as efficiently as possible.
Basics of Easy Truck Bed Storage Systems
When we talk about easy truck bed storage systems, we're referring to any way you organize or store cargo in the bed of your truck. Some easy truck bed storage systems are fully-functional in and of themselves, while others are more rudimentary components that you can mix and match based on your needs and your set-up. It also helps when you want to keep gear out of the cab so all your passengers get the most out of their leg and elbow room.
When deciding what type of easy truck bed storage system you want for your truck, there are two main factors you'll want to consider: what type of gear you have to store and how you want them to be accessed.
Storing Cargo in your Truck Bed
If you're hauling small lightweight items and and your main focus is keeping them organized and from shifting around while driving, you might want to consider a hard case storages type system. If you are looking to have tools go in and out and have a variety of said tools, a serious of soft tool cases might do the trick. If you are an avid outdoorsman or woman and camping, fishing, or hunting is the name of the game, a matching set of sporting bags like the Eberlestock B3 Hercules Duffle Bag
Small items can be kept in place with simple bins either in your truck bed or attached to the rack or rails, which can be used to store anything from canteens to cabling to coolers.
Truck Bed Covers
Truck bed covers are a great option for protecting your bed and adding storage capacity. You can cover your truck bed with a tonneau cover or truck cap to get sleek, covered storage or maximize storage space by enclosing the whole area above your truck bed. By covering your bed, you can reduce the amount of wear and tear on it from weather and other external forces and protect your gear. A truck bed cover can also add a level of security so people don't have easy access to your truck bed.
Pull-out Cargo Decks
A pull-out cargo deck is a deck that slides out from the tailgate of your truck bed. The BEDSLIDE 2000 HD, for example, is a great option for storing large or bulky items that or quickly accessing anything within the full length of your truck bed. You can install these within a tonneau cover or truck cap, so they're a great way to add more accessible storage as you're figuring out the ideal cover.
Internal Storage Options
If you want to store smaller items inside your truck bed, you have a few different options. Simple trays and cargo bags make a great place to store small items like tools. If you want to store larger items like kayaks or bicycles using your truck bed, you'll want to look into rack options that stand items up vertically within the bed, on top of it, or from the back hitch.
Net and Mesh Easy Truck Bed Storage Systems
A net or mesh easy truck bed storage system is a great way to protect items stored in your truck bed. They're also perfect for stabilizing items that need to breathe, such as large soft items, Christmas trees or other gardening plants, or large loose food items. A great thing about net or mesh is that for as many ways as you can use them, they are very inexpensive and readily available.
Locking Containers
A locking container makes a great option for storing items you want to keep out of sight and protect from other items in the bed as well as outside the bed. Pelican cases, for example, are a great option for when you want very specific and matching storage for your items. There are a number of other budget hard cases like Husky from Home Depot which also make protecting and separating items nearly as easy and effective.
Locking hard cases make specific organization of small items into designated bins or boxes easy and organization can be tight and modular. This makes selecting specific cargo on the fly easier as you can even label the containers or choose specific colors for specific items.
An easy truck bed storage system is any way to organize or store cargo in the bed of a truck. There are many different types of easy truck bed storage systems that allow you to use your truck bed as extra storage space by storing items inside it.