DeWalt Tool Storage Evolution: Unveiling the Versatility of TSTAK and ToughSystem for Australian Tradies and Craftsmen
For more than a century, DeWalt has been one of the world’s premiere names in tool manufacturing. Their iconic black and yellow colour scheme is associated with some of the most rugged, and innovative tools on the market; and since 2011, their reputation for innovative tool storage solutions has reached an equally iconic status.
DeWalt was the first major tool manufacturer to recognize how, as tool development and usage patterns were being reshaped by lighter and more compact devices, that tool storage requirements also needed to follow suit. And while most of their competitors have been slow to embrace the importance of making tool storage more efficient, DeWalt continues to set new standards for modular, value-added tool storage.
Get the Versatility You Need with Integrated DeWalt Tool Box Systems
Let’s be honest: if you’re a tradie or a chippie, then you know that transporting and storing tools are major undertakings. There’s nothing pleasant about hauling heavy, oversized metal toolboxes around muddy job sites or out to remote locations; that’s why DeWalt’s integrated ToughSystem and TSTAK box systems are the hands-down favourite when it comes to heavy-duty tool storage systems.
The lightweight, modular design of both the TSTAK and ToughSystem solutions is what makes them so attractive to tool owners. These ingeniously designed, plastic polymer systems rely on interconnectable cases, bags, and chests that can be stacked and combined, in either portable or fixed configurations. They allow tools, equipment, and consumables to be organized and bundled according to the way they’re needed, and combined and transported only as required.
It’s this level of portability and versatility that helps make both DeWalt TSTAK and ToughSystem boxes standout among similarly-conceived tool storage systems, and they’re backed up by a combination of features that include:
- Modular stacking latches with patented side latch technology;
- Full- and half-sized internal storage partitions;
- Heavy duty metal hinges and locking front latches for security;
- Complete mix and match capability between different sized containers; and,
- A selection of fixed-location racking and stacking accessories.
By harnessing the versatility of TSTAK or ToughSystem boxes and cases, users have the ability to assemble their own custom toolbox configurations, effectively eliminating the need to wrestle with overloaded, all-in-one toolbox complements. DeWalt even makes modules for TSTAK and ToughSystem drawers that allow users to manage their fasteners and other hardware with the same level of efficiency as they would their tools.
See the Organizational Advantages of TSTAK and TSTAK 2.0
Although it isn’t obvious at first, there are considerable differences between DeWalt’s TSTAK and ToughSystem solutions. Both are manufactured from high impact polypropylene, making them the strongest tool boxes in their respective classes, but strength is only one of their attributes.
The foundation of the DeWalt TSTAK box system is organization, and it’s reflected in the interconnect-ability of its cases, bins, and even trays that prioritize efficiency over volumetric storage. The system doesn’t compromise any of its durability though, and it boasts a core of rugged features that include:
- A 2.5mm polypropylene casing;
- A content capacity rating of up to 30kg per box; and,
- IP54-rated water and dust protection.
And because DeWalt isn’t a company to rest on its innovative laurels, the latest generation of TSTAK storage boxes, TSTAK 2.0, builds on the original TSTAK’s efficiency by adding a solid selection of product enhancements that include:
- Innovative, metal-pinned modular stacking mechanics for greater stability;
- Tracker Readiness functionality, allowing boxes to be tracked by DeWalt’s Tool Box app; and,
- Full integration with all TSTAK bags and totes.
TSTAK 2.0 also boasts full backwards compatibility with all other TSTAK boxes. Users can be confident that any first-generation DeWalt TSTAK toolbox they purchased in 2011 can be used seamlessly with 2.0 variants.
ToughSystem and ToughSystem 2.0 Provide Maximum Capacity
When the scope of work calls for bulk-sized tool and equipment storage, the DeWalt ToughSystem is in a league all its own. ToughSystem boxes and cases are designed to provide twice the storage capacity of TSTAK boxex, along with stronger latching mechanisms and an outer casing that’s tough enough to withstand the heaviest impacts and vertical drops from up to 1 meter.
Tough really is the name of the game with ToughSystem drawers, boxes, and cases, and they boast a bevy of hardened features that include:
- A 4mm reinforced polypropylene casing;
- A content capacity rating of up to 50kg per box; and,
- IP56-rated water and dust protection.
And just like the TSTAK system, DeWalt has also developed a more robust ToughSystem 2.0 version of their original ToughSystem. Increased capacity and convenience were the second-generation ToughSystem’s objectives, and they’re achieved through an array of features that include:
- A thinner 3.5mm outer casing, allowing for a 20% increase in content capacity;
- A patented AutoSlide locking feature for quicker case attachments and releases; and,
- Tracker Readiness functionality, allows boxes to be tracked by DeWalt’s Tool Box app.
Not surprisingly, DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 is also backwards compatible with the original ToughSystem, giving users the same assurance they have with the TSTAK about their commitment to all of their first-generation boxes.
DeWalt Mobility Adds Up to Craftsman Productivity
No matter if you prefer the TSTAK’s productivity potential, or the ToughSystem’s full-sized capacity, the ability to easily move tools to, and around jobsites is critical. There’s no way to predict the type of terrain that needs to be negotiated, which is why mobility is an essential component of both DeWalt box systems.
That’s why TSTAK and ToughSystem solutions both offer 2- and 4-wheeled rolling boxes, trolleys, and wheeled carriers that host a group of features that include:
- Adjustable bracketing for customized transport configurations;
- Central locking mechanisms that solidly secure each case to the wheeled transporter; and,
- Telescopic handles that help improve maneuverability.
DeWalt tool box solutions are the ideal combination of mobility and capacity; and for craftsmen, it’s the advantage they need to maximize their time and productivity on the jobsite.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, the evolution of tool boxes has mirrored the evolution of tools. They’re both lighter and more compact than ever, but they give away nothing in capability, and that’s precisely what’s expected from modern tool boxes as well.
Regardless of whether they’re used for tools or consumables, DeWalt’s integrated ToughSystem and TSTAK box systems are the best storage solutions you can buy. They’re the standard when it comes to rugged, innovative tool box design and manufacturing.