I actually use both these boxes, each has their place. Honestly, I think a mix of the two works very well. I keep my recovery gear in a Plano in the back of the XTerra at all times and a second Plano with larger, lighter things. The recovery box is heavy as hell, but since it doesn't really go anywhere, it's not really a problem. The box with the stove and other cooking stuff is still fairly easy for a guy my size to move around. I use two Action Packers to organize my food, one for canned food, rice, and other "wet" food; the other for dry food like pasta, chips, etc.
Plano:
Pros:
- Size
- Wheels
- Tie down points
- Hinged lid
- Doesn't care about being left out in the rain
- Stackable
Cons:
- Flimsy when the lid isn't latched
- Gets heavy fast when fully packed
Action Packer:
Pro:
- Easier to throw around when loaded
- Sturdy
- Fits perfectly in the rear footwell of a Nissan XTerra to act as a sleeping platform (does not apply to all owners)
- Doesn't care about being left out in the rain
- Stackable
Cons:
- Small size
- Tapered shape results in wasted space
- No tie down points
The lack of tie-downs on the Action Packers isn't a problem because they get held in by the front seats, I could probably roll the vehicle and they would still be glued into place.
So, which one do I think is better? They both have their place, and I think that it depends how things pack into your vehicle. If I had a larger cargo area, I would probably just do three Plano cases like
@Michael has proposed. However, due to the smaller size of the XTerra, I found using two Plano cases and two Action Packers makes the best use of my space.
Both are very good solutions and neither cost and arm and a leg.
