Wooden trunks with chrome trim and custom colors are on the wish list of probably every competitive rider. Rich wooden tones, beautifully stained with hand crafted attention to detail. The bandage storage is inset right in the trunk lid, the handy sliding tray and grooming tote that doubles as a saddle stand.
Okay, I admit I may have spent a little too much time on the custom tack trunk configurator. I'd love one, but the reality of it is, I keep my horse at home, ship in to lessons and do self-care at shows. As much as I would love one of these, the fact of the matter is, for me it's just not functional. I'm not alone on this opinion either!
More and more riders, who keep their horses at home, and even some training stables, are opting for large wheeled tool trunks found at home improvement stores. For the simple reason that they are lighter weight, offer similar functionality at a more economical price point. Additionally when someone accidentally hits it with a wheelbarrow or the loose dog relieves himself on your trunk, it doesn't hurt nearly as much.
The DIY competitor who ships in to lessons and shows needs something big but light weight and maneuverable. It also needs to have the ability to load on and off the trailer without assistance.
Recently I asked some fellow DIY competitor friends what kind of "Tool Trunk, Turned Tack Trunk" they use and why. I was a bit surprised at how many of us are using these and how many different brands / styles are out there. Not to mention some of the INGENIOUS things riders are doing to customize them and make storage more efficient. We'll have to save that last part for another blog post, but just a little hint - you can get custom trunk covers for these on Etsy!
Ok, on to the reviews of the different trunks, taking the win over all is the Husky 50 gallon rolling tool box from Home Depot manufactured using a durable Polypropylene textile and currently priced at $99. This trunk has a lot of handy features that clearly show why it's a top pick with equestrians. It offers sturdy wheels on one side and a retractable pull arm for easily getting it where you need it. The Husky also has recessed latches they lay flat when open and closed, comes with an embedded lock and keys, and also offers padlock ports in the latches for extra security. The Husky comes with a grooming tote that is embedded in the top of the trunk. Another super feature is the retractable pull arm is sturdy enough double as a saddle rack when pulled open, or a place to hang your saddle pads to dry when put away. Sturdy Polypropylene construction.
Second place goes to the Dewalt 63 gallon tool trunk available at Home Depot. This one is a little more expensive at $119 but also holds a little more than the Husky. This design does lack the handy tray / grooming box available with the winner, but it is very deep and conveniently fits a standard brush box, or a tall saddle rack style brush box as well as the rest of your gear. It offers a handy pull out handle, and the rails across the lid make strapping additional gear to the top of the trunk, very handy. We see easily strapping bags of shavings or hay to the lid helping to make fewer trips back and forth from trailer to stall for set up. The Dewalt also has recessed clamp closures and accommodates most standard combination locks and is designed with Polypropylene for years of use.
3. The Stanley 50 gallon trunk, this is a nice trunk for the price. These run about $100, and has the 'grooming box' that nests in the frame work of the trunk when closed, and when open, the tote sits perfectly in the retractable handle. This handle also can double as a saddle rack or a handy place to keep damp equipment like bandages, saddle pads, towels or horse boots. It comes with an embedded lock in the lid but also has additional padlock eyes in the clamp closures for extra security. The clamp closures have the padlock eye's embedded, preventing the clamps from being flush when closed. This trunk is constructed of a polypropylene textile, and while remaining light weight feels very durable. 
4. This is the least expensive find, the Kobalt 50 gallon rolling tool storage trunk. You can pick this trunk up currently for $74.95 at Lowes. I love how this trunk has all the same features as the more expensive trunks, with a smaller price tag. I noticed it is no longer available on the Lowes website, so this one may be discontinued, or only sold at the store. The telescope pull handle, durable wheels, grooming tray etc. The structure of the trunk seems solid, but it does have some give to it. If the trunk is jostled while digging through your gear, the trunk walls will flex and cause the tray to drop. The clasp hardware offers padlock ports embedded in the clamp closure, the ports are a little rough to the touch. RIP to a pair of schooling breeches of mine who met an unexpected demise when they caught and ripped at the knee on the padlock port. But over all, this is a solid trunk.
5. The $99 Flambeau Rolling Tool Chest with Tray. The main reason this one lands doesn't land higher on our reviews is because it is difficult to find concrete details about this trunk. Based on the dimensions, I believe this trunk has a 50 gallon capacity. Even the manufacturer's website is a bit lack luster in details. One of the benefits I found is, it offers a unique grooming tote compared to the other trunks. Half of the grooming tray has pop up lid, a neat feature for keeping small items contained. Treats, braiding bands, hair nets, hair ties, all those little things that seem to get lost in the abyss known as my tack trunk. So that's nice added feature. This style also has the collapsable handle that doubles as hanging storage or nesting area for the grooming tray. The wheels seem durable. I was unable to find information about how the piece is constructed and what textiles were used, reviews were also a tough find. That leaves several unknowns out there, and lands this trunk toward the bottom of the list.
6. The Craftsman 50 gallon wheeled tool trunk is nearly identical in size and design to the Stanley, it comes in slightly cheaper than the Stanley, running currently at $89. Handy wheeled construction with embedded grooming tote, retractable handles, and lockable latches. The reason why this one lands at the bottom of our list is that it is manufactured using plastic with stainless steel latches, hinges & handles. You will notice the others use Polypropylene over plastic. Although light weight it does not feel incredibly durable for the long haul. The plastic has a fragile feel to it where it just seems like it would not be ideal in a situation where temperatures vary in extremes. I get the impression it would be subject to cracking if subjected to a hard impact. 
Do you have one that belongs on this list? Send us an email and let us know!
5 comments
At the boarding facility where I have my horse, no one ever closes the latches on their trunks. The trunks that have the hook type latches are extremely dangerous when left open. The craftsmen and Stanley trunks are the only safe trunks when the boarders and staff don’t see the problem. They could easily slice a tendon or worse if they got too close
I love the Husky trunk and find it very useful. I’ve added a mesh net bag to the inside of the lid using bungees ( it’s easy to drill small holes to hook the bungees)- makes for good storage of rags, spurs and other like items.
Would love ideas on how to customize these for horse gear. Our stable uses the Husky & DeWalt boxes, other than regularly having the latches ripped off by tractors driving through the aisles, they’ve been a convenient and affordable alternative to the standard trunks!
Another issue of which shoppers should be aware: most of these tool trunks cannot be used as a seat.
I have used the Husky and the Stanley trunks for years & some of my barn buddies have used the Dewalt. One of the biggest flaws with any of these trunks is that the plastic straps that are supposed to help keep the lid in an open position break very easily, so they are virtually useless. I keep a short bungee strap in my trunks to secure the lid in an open position when needed. The other problem I have with them is that the latches rust in horse environment & eventually break or refuse to snap shut. I have been unsuccessful in finding replacement latches. If you plan on moving a trunk with broken/non-closing latches around frequently, good luck keeping your stuff in the trunk & sticky fingered folks out of the trunk.