If you have been following us for a while, you know that one of our favorite portable tough solutions is the Dewalt system. Today we are going back and taking a look at the Dewalt Tough System Review. The Dewalt Tough system came out a couple of years ago and has been a hit ever since. The tough system we are covering today has many of the same features and benefits as we have covered in the past, but there are a couple of extra features which we will cover below.
Dewalt Tough System Review
Don’t be fooled by looking at this system. Just because it’s plastic, don’t think it doesn’t have a lot to offer. In fact, during our Dewalt Tough System Review, we found a lot to love about it. If you are familiar with their older system, you know that the cart is separate and also very heavy. The reason it’s heavy is it’s not only designed to carry these boxes but also designed as a dual function for a dolly to move heavy items such as bags of concrete. With the new DeWalt boxes, you can notice that the cart is built into the lower box, which means this system is much lighter than previous versions.
Dewalt Tough System Review – Durability
Again, even though you see a lot of plastic, don’t let that fool you. The major areas that need to be beefed up, are beefed up with metal. The whole handlebar system is made from metal. The latches that keep the box closed are also metal. This way they are not going to break and you will be out of a box that works. Plus if the box falls, which they will eventually, the box will stay closed.
Underneath the lid of the box, you will see Dewalt reinforced the lid. They added extra plastic to make sure that the lids will not dent or break. So if you have to rest something heavy on the lid, it will be able to withstand a heavy load.
Dewalt Tough System Review – Maneuverability
On the bottom box, there are two large wheels made of plastic. If you are going to be pushing this cart system in front of you, you will have some issues trying to get over extension cords and other obstacles. However, if you are pulling the boxes behind you, the wheels do a great job getting over these obstacles, including extension cords.
Stacking the boxes on top of each other is easy. We have tried other systems where it takes a lot of finesse to stack boxes, but Dewalt designed these to be easy. Once you place a box on top, it pretty much fits into grooves so you know you are lined up. There are plastic holders that hold each box together. You just have to make sure these are open before you put a box on top otherwise you will have to take the box off and try again.
Dewalt Tough System Review – Organization
This system has three boxes, large, medium and small. The large and medium are pretty much just open boxes with a small tray on the top. So for me, I would like to see some more options to organize stuff. While they are designed to hold bigger tools like saws, it would still be nice to have areas to store saw blades, etc. The smaller box is great for organization.
The smaller box is great for organization. There are four trays you can keep screws, bits or whatever you want. Underneath the top lid, there is more storage to help you stay organized. While the smaller box is limited to smaller tools, the organization in this box is great.
Dewalt Tough System Review – Protection
Portable storage boxes always get exposed to outside elements. We keep them outside in the back of the truck, we forget they are outside on the ground and who knows what else? Dewalt designed the boxes to be waterproof. As you can see there is a nice rubber gasket to help protect your items in the box. So as long as the lid is closed, you shouldn’t have to worry about your tools getting wet.
Dewalt Tough System Review – Final Thoughts
Overall we love these boxes. They are tough and provide protection for your tools. Having a portable system that meets these criteria requirements is key to a successful product. If you are looking for portable storage options, the Dewalt Tough System should be considered.
Check them out at The Home Depot. See the reviews and see for yourself.
I just picked up a DS400 to complement the newer boxes in this review and my DS300s. Haven’t done an in-depth comparison yet, but the DS400 does appear to be slightly sturdier, albeit at the same price as the DS450 that doubles as a transportable base. My DS Carrier should be here tomorrow, so I can have two DeWalt Tough System stacks! I bought a few of the DS130 and DS300, along with an organizer and three Tough System radios, so most of my tools should be able to fit in these modular systems now. Also have a number of Ridgid boxes (but need another wheeled box); nothing wrong with them either. If anything, they’ve proven more durable than the DeWalt, though I like the latter’s features better.
Hopefully these are still offered in the coming years. If so, the wall racks will be a must buy when I retire from the Army in four years. At this rate, I’ll probably need twenty of them by then. Just got my first DS300 last February.
Thanks for the information and thanks for your service.