Step #3: Organize and Secure Your Gear, Tools and Supplies Wrangler Storage Accessories Canada / USA
Storage Long-Term Expedition Jeep JK or JL 2-Door
No heavy roof racks
No ammo boxes
No instatrunk
No metal drawers with sharp edges
When you buy a 2-door Jeep, you have to deal with a lack of storage space right off the bat. And if you want to use the rear cargo space for sleeping or to make money by transporting goods or equipment, your options are now pretty limited. But you still have to carry everything you need to survive a long journey, repair your Jeep, and overcome off-road obstacles. The following is my personal strategy to make it work without even having to use the rear cargo floor area.
Prepare your first expedition with your Jeep in the extreme remote wilderness. How to optimize the available space with cheap, easy-to-install, and ingenious storage accessories and items for a 30-day expedition or a permanent stay in a remote area.
6 goals before we solve the storage issues of a Wrangler JK 2D
1. Light : We don’t want to waste precious payload capacity by adding heavy drawers, storage bags, vaults, and steel consoles. For example, some PVC side storage bags weigh up to 8 lbs (each!) and concealed underseat drawers up to 15 lbs (!!!). So, your challenge is to find a way to create a lot of secure and robust storage without using heavy storage products available for Jeepers.
2. Hassle-free : DIY projects are cool but take time, tools, and a workshop. We are looking here for quick and easy-to-install storage products.
3. Affordable : We want to spend our money on the most important things, like Jeep upgrades, tools, and spare parts, NOT on aluminum storage systems, expensive BPA-free rubber bins, luxury powder-coated drawers, or genuine-leather bags.
4. Efficient : Everything should be in the right place and easy to access. Functional and clean. You don’t want to store a muddy recovery strap with your clean clothes.
5. High storage capacity : More cubic inches available means more supplies. More supplies means surviving longer (and going farther). Carrying a lot of calories, water, and hygiene items can also act as a powerful stress reliever when you realize you’re now stuck somewhere for a while. Even if it takes two weeks to get your Jeep unstuck or to get help, you are (for now) just a fat cat camping in the wilderness.
6. Appearance : Since you are going to spend weeks in your Jeep, a better interior style will certainly contribute to lift your spirits on a daily basis.
A lightweight storage set up for a Jeep JK 2-door for long-term expeditions (10+ days)
Overhead Console 2.5 lbs. |
4-Can Holder 0.2 lbs. |
Bear Canister 0.6 lbs. |
2x Tubes 2.0 lbs. |
| BestStop SideBags (Pair) 3.5 lbs. | NcStar Vism Scabbard 1.65 lbs. |
Sports Bar Clothing Luggage 2.35 lbs. |
2x Fila Tool & Recovery Bags 2.90 lbs. |
| First Aid Bag 0.99 lbs. | Roswheel Bag 0.75 lbs. |
| Snap Hooks & Auto Velcro 1.0 lbs. | Side Seat 4USB Organizer 1.9 lbs. |
| 4 BagBase Shoe Bags 1.2 lbs. | |
Total Weight : 21.54 lbs. (9.52 kg) Total Budget : $750 (Can) $630 (USD) |
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VDP 31700 Overhead Storage Console Jeep JK 2007-2018 I 2.5 lbs. I Price $99 to $150
Made in USA by Vertically Driven Products (a very reputable company on the off-road scene). This storage console weighs only 2.5 lbs (including the two steel brackets and the straps), and it fits not only any 2007–2018 Wrangler but also previous models since 1987. It also fits with hardtops and soft-tops. Easy to install (five minutes). It doesn’t interfere with the sun visors, the rearview mirror, or the overhead CB radio mount. You can flip the two trap doors independently to securely store valuable items like your satellite phone, handheld VHF radio, personal locator beacon (like the Spot3), sunglasses, etc. I keep fire starters, lighters, tissues, work gloves, and snacks at hand in mine. The doors stay firmly closed when I drive on bumpy trails. It’s a light, good-looking, and reliable product as you can see.
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That AWESOME (!!!) VDP 31700 overhead storage console is often hard to find. Below is another option : Rugged Ridge has a model too, but it’s not my first choice because their console doesn’t have flipping doors but 2 nets instead of trapdoors. |
So, the overall appearance is not as nice as the VDP 31700. And it’s heavier too (5 lbs. instead of 2.5 lbs.). You better use the weight difference to carry more water or a cool tool instead. You can also use this ultralight overhead console as mounting point for a CB radio.
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North Face Canister Base Camp 5.75 Liters I 9.5 oz 270g I Price $35 to $50
Many hikers carry and store their food in this phthalate-free and ultralight canister in combination with a cheap airtight Loksak bag. It’s an effective combo to trap odors inside (and it also protects food against insects). I started to use it for two reasons: 1) It’s ultralight (only 9.5 oz), and 2) The canister has twin haul handles on its ends. I decided to use two Velcro straps and detachable snap hooks to attach the canister to the overhead Wrangler JK OEM Sound Bar.
I use this improvised food canister in the middle of my Jeep to keep my smelliest food items (coffee, granola bars, jerky, bananas, etc.). And I can easily detach it and bring it with me outside when I need it. With a volume of 5.75 litres (350 cubic inches), you can store a lot. It’s also equipped with a compact removable mirror you could eventually use as an emergency signaling device.
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Bestop Affordable Side Storage Bags for Jeep JK 2-Doors 2007-2018 JL 2018-2020 (#54108 and #54110) I 1.75 lbs. Price $150 - $200 (for a pair)
This light, durable, mildew-resistant, and medium-sized saddlebag offers a capacity of 10 gallons (37.7 litres). I use the pair to accommodate a huge load of groceries and MREs (up to 15 lbs. each).
I don’t hang the saddlebags in suspension but rather have them sit on the wheel wells (with the four straps attached to the vertical roll bars). Actually, those storage bags perfectly mold the shape of the wheel-well fabric liners, and you save room to hang another bag on the top sports bar later.
Please note: The official weight is supposed to be 2.2 lbs., but I weighed it myself, and if you remove the tags and the shoulder strap (they provide it in case you want to use the saddlebag as a duffel bag), the actual weight is exactly 1.75 lbs.
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Wisengear Suspended Cargo Saddlebag for Jeep JK 2-Doors 2007-2018 I 2.35 lbs. I Price $55 to $80
This bag is strongly attached to the sports bars (driver’s side) and offers a perfect place to store your clean clothes. There are compression straps inside, which hold your clothes. It’s cool to still have your clothes in place after a rough ride on the trail. Enough space to store two pairs of pants, a sweater, T-shirts, and numerous other items.
Enough space to store a pairs of pants, a sweater, t-shirts and numerous other items.
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Smittybilt First Aid Storage Bag 769541 I 0.99 lbs I Price $30 to $45
Three pockets offer an incredible combined volume of 3.5 litres. You can add extra items to the basic first aid kit.
I personally carry those extra items :
- QuikClot Clotting Kit (to quickly stop bleeding)
- Aleve (kidney stones)
- Benadryl (allergies)
- Alka-Seltzer (upset stomach)
- Polysporin Antibiotic Ointment
- First and second-degree burn gel relief (don’t underestimate your odds of burning yourself while building a fire or repairing your Jeep on the trail)
- Back pain gel (riding a Jeep on unmaintained trails will eventually take its toll on your back)
- Etc.
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Swivel Snap Hooks with 360 Degrees Rotation I 1 lbs. I Price $45 to $60 (for 6 hooks and 9ft of Velcro)
I use these lobster claw snap hooks in combination with Velcro straps to hook just about anything when needed. They are strong and reliable.
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Beer Or Soda Can Storage Holder Organizer I 0.2 lbs. I Price $8 to $12
What the heck? Well, it took me thousands of miles on rocky logging roads and bumpy ATV trails to finally find a way to stop denting my beverage cans once and for all. These cheap can holders changed my life.
If you enjoy the idea of bringing several soda or non-alcoholic beer cans on the trail for long distances, you need to know that driving off-road is a sure way to dent a can. And sometimes you won’t notice there’s a dented can buried under other supplies, and you will keep driving miles and miles off-road. The more you shake that dented can, the more you hasten the escape of the carbon dioxide. You don’t want to make a mess in your storage with any sugary and/or fermented beverage in the wilderness. It’s a bear attractant of course, but it’s also—and especially—an insect attractant. The only way for you to clean that mess would be to find a water source and wash your storage bag as well as every other item contained in that bag. You will also have to dry everything afterward. I know what I’m talking about. It’s a nightmare that this can holder may prevent.
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Rugged Ridge Sport Bar Tube Storage Bag Jeep JK 2007-2018 JL 2018-2020 I 2. lbs. for a pair I Price $35-$50 each
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The lightest tube bag in its category and very strong attached to the rear roll bar with three straps. Only 15 inches long but hasa volume of 12 litres.
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NcStar Vism Tactical Shotgun Scabbard Overhead Gun/Shotgun Rack Jeep JK 2007-2018 I 1.65 lbs. I Price $25-$50
In the remote wilderness, most off-roaders carry a shotgun or a big bore rifle for bear defense (or just to sleep better at night). There are several racks available on the market, but I don’t like any of them for the following reasons :
1. They are all made of steel or aluminium (with a weight ranging from 5 to 18 lbs.)
2. They hook or attach to inconvenient locations like directly over your head (not much room for that), in between the front seat (restraining your access to the cargo area), or behind a front seat. It’s a big discomfort when you are driving a 2-door Wrangler.
3. They are expensive (from 150$ to 500$).
4. No quick access: If you want to have your shotgun at hand in case of an emergency, none of those racks allow easy and quick access.
The solution
It’s very simple: attach a cheap NcStar Vism Tactical Shotgun Scabbard to the sound bar and the rear sport bar (with quality Velcro straps) in a diagonal manner. With the included retention strap, it won’t move. Ever.
Whatever happens, it won’t take you more than two seconds to draw a Double Barrel Coach Shotgun. It’s the perfect holster, and a scabbard will also protect your firearm against moisture at night. I personally have a Marlin 45-70 Trapper 1895.
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Fila Cypress Duffel Bag 19x11x12 I 1.45 lbs. each without the shoulder strap I Price $35-$50 each
For sure, that company has no clue, but they created the perfect fit for a tool bag sitting on the rear floor of a Jeep Wrangler JK 2-door. Beyond the affordable price, I like this duffel bag for the following reasons:
1. Tightly fits the contours of each rear carpeted floor compartment area (19 x 11 inches). It won’t budge when driving in rough terrain.
2. Nibs on the underside provide extra grip on the carpet.
3. Made of strong 600-denier ripstop nylonwith stitching reinforcements at every stress points. You can easily use this sports bag to carry up to 40 lbs. of gear and tools.
4. Pretty water resistant and easy to clean with water. Protects your tools from the trail’s messy conditions.
5. You can open the mesh ventilation pockets to help your wet tools and recovery straps dry faster.
6. Shoulder strap to quickly carry your tool bags to your room when you spend the night at the hotel or any other kind of lodging facility (because your bags will certainly contain some expensive tools you don’t want to leave unattended).
I weigh my bags to make sure both are exactly 24 lbs. It’s the maximum load I allow because I strongly believe that lighter means safer (and they will be easier to carry on the trail). Before I start driving, I also verify that both front seats are pulled back into place so the bags are securely trapped and won’t budge in the event of a rollover.
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Roswheel Handlebar Bag Front Pannier for Bicycle fits Jeep JK 2007-2018 I 12oz or 0.75 lbs. I Price $35 to $50
I found this magic product on the trail after I met a guy riding a mountain bike with a muddy Roswheel tube bag attached to his handlebar.
My first goal was to be able to use my grab-handle bag outside too, so I needed it to be rainproof. My second goal was to have enough room to store basic toiletries, a small cooking set, a PocketRocket stove, and at leasttwo 230g isobutane/propane canisters. My third goal was to get a higher level of shock absorption because I also wanted to sometimes drive with my dash bag attached to the front bumper (in case I want to free some space for the knees of a passenger). Sitting at the front of my Jeep, that bag would have to somehow roll with the punches but still protect the contained items.
I’m literally in love with that thing for the following reasons:
1. Highly reflective
2. 100% waterproof
3. Reduced vibrations (U shaped PE pad inside)
4. Extra padding at the front
5. A lot of room
It’s a bit pricy but made of a very durable and strong fabric. My handlebar bag will probably last forever.
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Passenger Side Seat Storage Organizer Jeep JK 2007-2018 I 1.9 lbs. I Price $35-$50
- - Four USB charging ports to recharge four devices simultaneously (cell phone, satellite phone, flashlight, portable radio, etc.)
- - Fits between the Wrangler’s console and passenger’s seat
- - Doesn’t interfere with emergency brake handle, gear shifter, and cup holders
- - Foldable extra cup or bottle holder
- - Waterproof and easy to clean
I couldn’t live without that organizer on the trail because I’m constantly recharging several devices at the same time.
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8-Litres Shoe Bags 0.3 lbs. I Price $10-$20
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If you want to be well-organized in the bush, I warmly recommend you to buy several BagBase boxes. Good to carry food, coffee, spare parts, etc. Fits perfecty inside the saddle bads. Various colors.
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