Makita MakTrak: How The New Modular Storage System Works

Every major portable toolbox brand has had some form of modular storage system for a bit now, even Makita with its very simple Makpac line. However, Makita has also been sitting back and observing what consumers like and dislike about modular storage systems and decided to create one with one major feature that others are not built for.

Though it's not the first tool company to design a rolling tool chest — Milwaukee's on-the-go Packout system sells a similar option — Makita MakTrak is solely built with a horizontal-first design, which will alleviate some of the challenges that come with the vertical style storage systems, even its own Macpac. This includes not being able to get into the bottom toolbox without having to remove any of the heavy organizers on top.

Even more, Makita has considered the difficulty of being able to pack these systems in and out the bed of a truck, especially for only one person, and has come up with quite an efficient design while keeping plenty of space for larger tools. That said, after finally coming out with the MakTrak and having some differences from other storage systems you've seen on the shelves, how does it work?

If you've walked around Home Depot or driven past a job site, chances are you've seen the vertical-first style portable modular systems. It's typically built from a rolling toolbox and then other toolboxes are stacked on top. However, a lot of these sets are fairly small in width compared to the size of some power tools. Milwaukee's Packout Rolling Tool Box is only 22.1 inches wide. However, for $240, Makita's MakTrak Rolling Tool Chest is 39.31 inches wide with a handle that is 15.3 inches.

Why does the handle length matter? Because you can add an additional MakTrak Extra Large Extension Tool Box for $130 on top of it. This handle has more than one job, though. At the end of the handle are Gecko Grips. These grips are made of heavy-duty rubber that will hold on a tailgate and allow one person to load and unload the storage system by grabbing the handle on the bottom of the chest. However, from there, you'll be dragging the chest back and forth on the bed of the truck.

The rolling chest has a dual-hinged lid, which will allow you to open the box from either side, giving you options on where to store it in your truck. This also lets you completely remove the lid. Furthermore, there are multiple mounting points inside the box using #10 screws and a storage tray to easily keep multiple batteries and a charging station inside.

Makita's MakTrak Large Tool Box for $160 fits perfectly on top of the rolling tool chest and has a lot of similar features, like the dual-hinged lid. It also has a molle panel divider that can be used for both internal toolbox separation and a portable hand tool organizer. The MakTrak Extra Large Extension Tool Box for $130 is the deepest option in the system and the one that connects on top of the chest's handle using a cleat mount system. For organizers, there are a few options. The MakTrak Deep Medium Organizer is the middle ground of them and costs $90. It comes with several divider slots, removable bins, and a clear lid to see everything without opening it.

All of the MakTrak toolboxes and organizers can be attached in either direction of the chest and boxes underneath and use a one-hand latch release that simply needs to be pushed up to unlock. Even more, all of these toolboxes and organizers have a hidden security tracker slot that can hold common tracking devices such as Apple Air Tags and others. As of the original publication date of this article, Makita only has seven products for the MakTrak modular system, but given how well other brands have done with theirs, Makita could eventually add more options. If you're curious as to which options you want for yourself, Makita has implemented an interactive web page to help you build out your MakTrak system.