Like most people who read this publication, I enjoy many sports. I also enjoy many auxiliary activities like camping and tailgating, which I consider sports (I’ll fight anyone who says tailgating isn’t). The new ($1,599), which I’ve had in the back of my F-150 for more than four months now, streamlines the organization process of all these activities so much, that it feels like I’m somehow cheating.
I’ve been looking for a solid solution for the back of my truck since I bought it three years ago. I’ve never had a topper that locks, so I couldn’t keep any gear in the truck bed and had some climbing harnesses and shoes stolen when I forgot to remove them one night.
The (from $629) was a great solution for camping, allowing me to store gear beneath the platform while sleeping in the back of the truck, but it wasn’t a solid option for organizing and storing gear all the time. I could hide some gear below the Airdeck, but it wasn’t watertight, and if I had to store enough that take up the length of the truck bed, I’d have to lift the Airdeck to reach the gear in the back of the bed.
Though the Decked system isn’t perfect, if you use your truck for truck things but need organization for overlanding and all the outdoorsy activities, this is the system for you.
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Decked Drawer System
The Decked Drawer System Updates
Decked released their first drawer system in 2014 to a good bit of fanfare. Decked updated this new version based largely on user feedback of the original system. The drawers extend up to 12 inches further depending on the model truck you have, giving you access to the entire length of your truck bed, and each drawer has 10 percent more storage volume because the drawers extend further out from the truck bed. Decked improved the new system’s weatherproof rating by adding waterproof lids to the Stash Cans (I took a pressure washer to the system and everything inside stayed completely dry). The company also added four integrated tie-down D-rings on the top/floor, which I’ve used to tie down everything from paddleboards to go-carts.
The updated system also comes with the brand’s new high-impact cases (one Sixer 16-liter and one Halfrack 32-liter) which are completely waterproof. You can also open these boxes without removing them from the drawers, which is convenient. Fun fact: These boxes also make great coolers (they’re not designed for this purpose and aren’t insulated, but they do the job in a pinch). You can add plastic dividers ($20 each) and a grippy traction mat ($499). Extra coolers, er, , start at ($90). Decked also left the end caps next to the drawers open so you can use that space (I find it perfect for storing shoes).
Like the original system, the new Decked drawers are made in the U.S. using 100 percent recycled HDPE (high-density polyethylene), reinforced with steel tubing for a 2,000-pound load rating. You can drop a load of gravel on this thing and it won’t crumple. Each drawer can hold 200 pounds of gear. That’s roughly the size of me—I tried to get into one of the drawers, but I was too tall. If I had a longer truck bed, it might’ve worked.
To make use of the weird nooks and crannies created by the wheel wells of a truck bed, the new system has large stash bins with weatherproof lids built into the system’s floor, making use of the space on either side of the truck bed’s wheel well. I haven’t figured out how to best use these bins yet (more cooler space?), but that’s half the fun of an organizational system like this—deciding how to use it best. If you have an actual job where you work out of your truck, it’s a no-brainer. You stash the tools you use the most in these drawers and then switch out the weekend warrior gear of your choice on Friday afternoon.
How It Tested
I use my truck for gear testing and travel, so one drawer is always full of my car camping and tailgating gear—chairs, small stove, cookware—because that’s what I use almost every weekend. I switch out the gear in the other drawer based on my activity. Sometimes I fill it with golf clubs and shoes. Sometimes it has mountain bike gear or my son’s baseball equipment.
I was originally disappointed that my favorite ammo cans, the FrontRunner Outfitters ($100 for two) didn’t fit inside the drawer system because they’re too tall. If you have favorite gear you can’t live without, do the measurements first and make sure it will fit inside these drawers.
But since that original letdown, I’ve been won over by Decked’s boxes, especially the large 32-liter Halfrack, which holds a good bit of my cooking kit. I’m considering buying two more boxes for climbing gear and mountain biking gear, so I can have all three sports pre-loaded in one drawer. Or if that takes up too much space, you can switch pre-loaded cases out on the fly depending on what activity you’re about to enjoy.
You can’t get into the drawers when your tailgate is locked, but you can also add an optional lock and key set if you’re worried about keeping it safe. The fact that my gear is protected from the weather and sticky fingers means I can keep it in my truck all the time, saving me the precious minutes it would typically take to load my truck for each adventure.
And that’s the main selling point on Decked for me; I’m always looking for a way to streamline adventure. I have a full-time job. and two kids that keep me busy as hell, so having my gear for various adventures ready to go in my truck makes the transitions between home and backcountry seamless.
I built something similar for my 4Runner during the pandemic. It probably cost me $500 in materials (heavy-duty drawer slides are expensive) and I spent the better part of a week putting it together. I enjoyed the process and was proud of the final product. But the Decked system is a hell of a lot better, offering more storage in a sturdier, more weatherproof package.
Plus, it only took me a few hours to put together. Decked recommends two people to build their drawers, but I did it solo. I only needed a few common tools (a drill) and it didn’t require me to drill any holes into the bed of my truck. The instructions were slightly confusing sometimes, but overall it was a simple process that most people could do without professional help.
The Downsides
I don’t like how the Decked system takes up some volume of the truck bed. You can still load the bed with mulch or rocks—I put a go-cart on top of the Decked recently and tied it down to the D-rings—so you can still do truck things with your vehicle. But there’s not enough height to sling a mountain bike into the bed and carry it over the tailgate. Being able to stack four bikes side by side over my tailgate is one of the selling points of driving a truck, so if you have a standard-height truck topper like me, the Decked also eliminates some headroom. I’m tall (6’3”) so I can’t sit upright when camping in my truck bed now that the Decked is installed. These are issues with any drawer system; you’re going to lose some truck bed volume.
This could be a deal breaker for some people, and I understand your hesitation if you fall into that category. But for me, the value and convenience of having gear safe in the back of my truck at all times far outweigh the cons of not being able to use the tailgate as a bike hauler.
I’ve learned that being organized streamlines the adventure process and allows me to spend more time outside. Decked’s new drawer system takes my truck bed to the next level, giving me the benefits of an SUV without sacrificing the joys of truck life. Do I feel guilty about how easy this enhanced organization makes my life? A little bit. But I’m quickly getting over it.