Anyone Else Using Rubbermaid Tubs?

[tree md]

Just wondering if anyone else here is using Rubbermaid tubs to keep their gear organized and dry. I believe that I had read where someone here mentioned using them a year or so back.

Anyway, I started keeping all of my climbing gear and rigging gear in two large Rubbermaid tubs. I keep my ropes in water resistant bags anyway but they are not waterproof. The tubs keep all of my gear dry should I get caught in a downpour. About two weeks back I got rained out in the morning, sent my guys home and went to look at an emergency call I had gotten. On my way across town I got caught in a massive downpour. Could barely see the front of the hood it was raining so hard. By the time I got to the call I was able to climb the job high and dry thanks to the Rubbermaid tubs.

They also keep me organized. Instead of having things carried piecemeal to the truck I just unload both tubs and bring them to the work area. I only unload the stuff I need and it's much faster for me to look both tubs over and do a quick inventory before I leave. So convenient!

I think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread!

 

[rmh3481]

I use them for parts. They seem to work well for this too. Good idea.
Thanks,
Bob

 

[kevin bingham]

I hate em. especially when it gets cold. cant take a Michigan winter. They crack at the slightest nudge.

 

[tree md]

I used to use tarps to wrap my gear up in, carry it in and out and keep it dry. The tubs work so much better.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I use them if I'm just taking my chipper and chip truck to the job. Load a pair of them up and throw them in the back.

 

[flushcut]

They are nice!

 

[lego1970]

Not so much for climbing gear, although that's a good idea too, but I use them to house my gear lube, oils, starter fluid , two cycle oil, etc, etc in work or semi trucks. That gear oil is pretty stinky anytime of the year but especially in the summer. The rubbermaid containers keeps the smell contained. However, I guess you still have to worry about combustable vapors when you first open the lid.

 

[trimmmed]

I can fit 24 of the 18 gallon tubs in my van.

 

[beowulf343]

I hate em. especially when it gets cold. cant take a Michigan winter. They crack at the slightest nudge.

+1

Md, are you saying your gear just rides around out in the open?

I snagged one of asplundh's old toolbox/pickup-bed caps a few years back. Took some work to clean up, but i love it, has a door in the front section so can reach everything in the whole bed, nice storage for poles, and plenty of hooks for gear so every thing can stay up off the floor.

 

[tree md]

+1

Md, are you saying your gear just rides around out in the open?

I snagged one of asplundh's old toolbox/pickup-bed caps a few years back. Took some work to clean up, but i love it, has a door in the front section so can reach everything in the whole bed, nice storage for poles, and plenty of hooks for gear so every thing can stay up off the floor.

When I am in the pickup Absolutely... But I guess you could say it is not out in the open as long as it is in the tubs.

 

[tree md]

My old bid truck had a top on the bed so I could carry it in any weather. I no longer have that truck. I never liked carrying it in the chip truck because I didn't have any compartments for gear and it would get wet in the chip bed. Plus that is the first place someone looks to snatch something if they catch the truck setting unattended.

Even if I did still have my old truck with the camper shell I would still carry my gear in the tubs for the organization aspect. I keep all of my climbing gear in one and all of my rigging gear in another. Works great for me. I would not go back to using a tarp or carrying my gear around piecemeal.

 

[tree md]

Guess that's where i'm different. I customize my gear to the job, so prefer standing at the back of the truck and just picking the stuff i need instead of carting everything into the yard. Of course, i'm kind of a micro-manager too, different spikes for different trees or different weather, different ropes for different woods or rigging situations, different blocks , etc. Carrying everything into the yard on every job just seems inefficient to me.

Lol, not being argumentative this time, just interested in the different ways people do things. Glad you found something that makes you happy, that's all that counts.

If you have a truck where you are organized like that then that would be ideal. I contracted a guy from this site out of Ohio to do some storm work for me. Super nice guy. He had an old Telephone company van that he had customized to keep all of his gear organized and hanging in the van. He even had a bench where he could work on saws. Real neat setup.

Anyway, I am not a huge outfit. I've got two climb lines that I climb on and 3 rigging lines. Two sets of gaffs. All of my climbing gear goes in one box with one light rigging line. If am working on something that requires no heavy rigging then I only carry that box into the work area. I have my rigging bags and bull line bags in another box with my blocks, slings and all of my heavy rigging gear. I only break that out on jobs that require heavy rigging (although it always rides in the truck). Believe me, I don't tote that around unless I have to. It's heavy.

I keep all of my ascenders and rope working gear in a bag with my climbing gear. I even keep extra chokers and ratchet straps in my rigging box. It really helps me to keep organized and not leave anything behind on a job.

 

[treemandan]

All my crap goes into trashcans, works well for keeping the lowering lines neat at the bottom of the tree and moving ropes around the jobsite. Then I can just toss the crap back in them and heave them onto the pickup without fear of damage. The only problem I ever had is when they get to close to the curb on trash day.

 

[Adkpk]

No tubs here. Wish I had some of those ones with the double interlocking lids but I haven't found any since the last thread on these wonders. I use duffel bags to store my ropes in. A large daypack for everything I need to get up a tree including belt and lid. I have a large "calzone case" to keep all of it away from dirt and moisture in the back of my shop.