Storing equipment

[fhaggis]

Hi all, so the times come to move all our camping stuff, ruck sacks etc out of the house as all our gear takes up to much room.

I'll need to put it in the shed but being in Scotland it's cold and damp so how do I keep the gear from going moldy etc? Was thinking off putting one of the garden storage boxes in shed?

Any tips would be great!

 

[mousey]

My missus stores her horsey stuff in these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00UPEHMXY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

145L plastic, wheeled, lockable, stackable, storage box.

They are usually in a shed / barn / some type of semi-cover.

I'm thinking of getting a couple for my camping stuff that could live outside rather than in my cupboard.

 

[bopdude]

I use the big clear stackable plastic boxes, the type you can get from the supermarket etc, been in the attic for a year and a half just fine.

https://www.diy.com/departments/hom...ic-storage-boxes/storage-boxes/DIY1255297.cat

 

[fhaggis]

think ill go with the biggest version of of these i can get, got a lot of stuff!

 

[Modchop]

I use ‘Really Useful Boxes’, tough and the lid sort of locks on, you can usually find deals on them in Staples and Hobbycraft etc.

 

[Limaed]

I use ‘Really Useful Boxes’, tough and the lid sort of locks on, you can usually find deals on them in Staples and Hobbycraft etc.

Second vote for these boxes, used them in the garage for years, never had an issue.

 

[Nomad64]

Another RUB fan here but bear in mind that they are not rodent proof so may be worth setting a few traps to make sure that nothing gets nibbled.

Cheap and cheerful vacuum clothes bags can also help reduce volume and minimise risk of condensation and mould.

 

[Insel Affen]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00UPEHMXY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

+1 for me too. Used to buy Gorilla boxes, but only because I had access to a US PX. Now I've started to buy these and they work well in the garage. Gorilla boxes have been through 3 moves are starting to show their age.

Oh yes and Really Useful Boxes are great too!

 

[C_Claycomb]

My 2P.
If the plastic box is not sealed, the air in it will over time acquire the same humidity as the surroundings. Being plastic, once moisture gets in, it won't get out. I absolutely agree that the Really Useful Boxes are good, the best I have seen or used, and its a good way to store things, but I would suggest that you perform a regular maintenance check on the contents. Bring them all into the house for a warm and dry out at least twice during the course of autumn, winter and spring. Might not need to be so often, but better to start with more frequency than less. Use of vacuum bags might negate the need for checking and drying.

 

[Nomad64]

My 2P.
If the plastic box is not sealed, the air in it will over time acquire the same humidity as the surroundings. Being plastic, once moisture gets in, it won't get out. I absolutely agree that the Really Useful Boxes are good, the best I have seen or used, and its a good way to store things, but I would suggest that you perform a regular maintenance check on the contents. Bring them all into the house for a warm and dry out at least twice during the course of autumn, winter and spring. Might not need to be so often, but better to start with more frequency than less. Use of vacuum bags might negate the need for checking and drying.

If money is no object, I can highly recommend Zarges boxes - aluminium, air and water tight.

https://www.zarges.com/uk/products/boxes/

I was lucky to buy 8 of these in virtually as new condition at Eastnor Land Rover show several years ago for less than the price of one new one - I wish I’d bought more! Probably cheaper to buy new camping kit each year though.

 

[Billy-o]

Storage is a big industry here, people having so much junk and so many garages.

Super-large boxes become a considerable pain once you start wanting to stack things or put them on Ikea shelves or whatever. See-thru plastic is good, so you can see the stuff you want. Generally they aren't, not exacly fragile, but not burly either. Standard blue boxes come in two types 1) as cheaper harder plastic which is slightly brittle, but in any case will crack, and 2) the more robust, slightly deformable, slightly rubber-feeling plastic which is virtually indestructible. RubberMaid is good at about $10 each. We have lots of that.

I have one box which is tough as anything, made of hard plastic with a very positive closing, which I put in the back of the car for camping organization and, if camping near the car, use it is a bench. ActionPacker - it cost about $15 I think. It is great

I don't have anything watertight, so on the rare occasion that anything susceptible to getting damp or picking up an odour goes into the garage (which carries the lovely scent of racoons), I put it in a bin bag with a few of those silica gel packets - which I have been collecting over the years and have any number of now

Anyway, whatever the UK equivalent of Canadian Tire or HomeDepot is the place to go

 

[Winnet]

think ill go with the biggest version of of these i can get, got a lot of stuff!

If they are too big they can be a bu$$er to move around. I use the 35ltr RUB ones and find them a good size.

G


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[Macaroon]

See the folk at your nearest takaways, hotels and restaurants, they get a lot of things like sauces and chutneys in heavy duty blue plastic barrels with screw-on lids. They're as tough as old boots, completely waterproof, stackable and large enough to be very useful but small enough to stay manageable. Brilliant things.

The main thing with storing gear outside is to get all of it absolutely 100% bone dry before you pack it away, and while you're packig it be in a completely dry atmosphere; only seal the container in dry air. If you fill some old socks with wooden cat litter, then put them in a low oven for a few hours and lay one or two of them atop your packed container, they'll perform exactly the same function as the silica gel and you can then do the checks C_Claycomb suggests above whilst re-drying your cat litter socks. That's been my regime for years, and I've had no spoilage.

OH yeah, they're rodent-proof, as well.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Nice one Macaroon! Well, more than one nice one!!

 

[Quixoticgeek]

When storing you kit outside of your house, take the time to make sure that there's no food, food residue, or smell on your kit, you don't want to take your pack out of storage to find a mouse has eaten it's way through the bottom to get that kendle mint cake you forgot about.

Consider also putting some silica gel packs in the boxes if you're going the sealed plastic boxes route. I wouldn't store inflatable sleep mats (Exped et al), or down sleeping bags outside tho.

J

 

[fhaggis]

When storing you kit outside of your house, take the time to make sure that there's no food, food residue, or smell on your kit, you don't want to take your pack out of storage to find a mouse has eaten it's way through the bottom to get that kendle mint cake you forgot about.

Consider also putting some silica gel packs in the boxes if you're going the sealed plastic boxes route. I wouldn't store inflatable sleep mats (Exped et al), or down sleeping bags outside tho.

J

Why not inflatable matts? We have a few of these! Cheers

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Why not inflatable matts? We have a few of these! Cheers

Because they have down or insulation in them, and so you kinda need to treat them the way you do sleeping bags. I have 3 exped mats, and I treat them with the same storage care as I do my sleeping bags. You also want to control the humidity inside the bag so that you don't get mould growing inside (hence the inflation bag thingy exped include with their mats).

J

 

[Winnet]

I keep my inflatable mats under my bed with the valves open.

G


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[Wander]

I've been storing unused/seldom used kit in the shed for years.
I do use those Really Useful Boxes, but what I also had were some spare dry bags/rucksack liners.
So I put the kit in those first, sealed them, and then put them in a RUB.
I've even put stuff in black plastic bin liners, squeezed the air out, and then tied a knot in it. No problems with that either.

Never had mould, damp, smells, or mice attacks (and we've had mice in the shed) in all that time.
Though, as someone said above, ensure everything is clean, aired, and thoroughly dried before long term storage.

 

[Laurentius]

Another RUB fan here but bear in mind that they are not rodent proof so may be worth setting a few traps to make sure that nothing gets nibbled.

Cheap and cheerful vacuum clothes bags can also help reduce volume and minimise risk of condensation and mould.

Indeed they are not, I have been caught out by that. The definition literally of a rodent is something with big teeth that can eat through plastic.