I’ve been rocking the Pelican TX80 Adventure Case in the back of my truck for about five months. Whether it be to bust out the Jetboil for a quick tailgate ramen session or to grab that extra headlamp because my main one wandered off to parts unknown, having a dedicated ‘catch-all’ box in the back of my rig has proven to be pretty handy.
The box is both lightweight and extremely durable – no surprise coming from Pelican. I’ve long used their gear to protect my camera equipment and so was on-board to test their newer line of ‘adventure cases.’
Designed with the ‘over-lander’ in mind, and while not completely waterproof like their OG cousins, they are lighter, and very weather-resistant with a thick rubber seal. And honestly, on most casual river trips the case seems like it would do just fine. It seems to me that any water might only be able to enter via the mounting hardware holes. This hardware includes steel latches and side-hardpoints make it easy to strap down. I also really like the hinges that keep the lid open while you get at your items inside. A removable slide tray completes the ensemble.
The case comes in two sizes, and part of me wishes I had gotten the smaller version, as it does take up a fair amount of room in my Ranger’s 5 ft truck bed. But then again, I’m thankful for amount of stuff I can cram into it. It’s all personal preference at the end of the day.
TX80 Adventure Case by Pelican MSRP – $249
I’ve rigged my case up as a tailgate catch all. Here’s a list of the gear that it’s currently holding.
- Basic Cooking Kit – I keep an old school Jet Boil system along with some a couple cans of tuna, chicken and veggies. Along with a couple freeze dried meals and some ramen stored in nesting Tupperware.
- Tools such as a multi-tool, hatchet and screwdriver kit. (I keep a larger, vehicle-centric tool kit under the back seat of my truck.) Duct tape, binos, p-cord and a small fire bag.
- I use small tote bags to contain extra cam-straps and cold-weather add-ons like a beanie, jacket and gloves.
- First Aid kit with some cold-packs and ace wrap. Don’t forget the TP bag, sunscreen and bug repellent.
- Small water filter with a water bottle. Maybe a flask of the good stuff too.
Within a smaller, locking Pelican Case (TKTK) I keep a USB battery pack, spare AA batteries, headlamp and string lights. This smaller case also makes for a quick grab and go when I need a small waterproof solution to throw into the boat for my cell phone. Check out the story by Nick Hinds on how his case like this came in handy!
What else would you put into the box? Let us know in the comments below…
This summer, when it came time to load the truck up for a multi-day camping trip out to Washington’s coast, I emptied the box and re-loaded it up as the grub box. We used the tray to hold all our silverware and filled the rest with our non-perishable food and paperware. The locking lid gave me good piece of mind against marauding rodents.
If you’re the type that likes to be super organized, I’d recommend picking up a couple smaller plastic boxes to nest inside, otherwise it all end up being a jumble of food after day two.
Overall, the Adventure box is a versatile packing tool for whatever kind of mission you want to throw at it.
