Anyone who does any decent touring in their 4WD will know just how convenient a good set of drawers in the back are for storing all the tools, spare parts and camping gear we need. They make sure your stuff is stored securely and out of sight yet still allowing you to have sufficient room for the weekly grocery shop or for packing the suitcases and golf clubs for a weekend away.

The drawer system in our Patrol was made by Fourby Fitouts and we were very happy with it. The only real issue we had was that it was a large unit that stacked the drawers one on top of the other. This intruded into the rear vision out the back window. It also left us with little spare space for shopping bags or luggage. When it came time to get a drawer system for the Landcruiser, we wanted a simpler system with drawers side by side and the fridge slide on top.

This time round we went with a system from RV Storage Solutions. While the name of the company is new, these guys have been around for some time, previously trading at Black Widow. Their systems were very highly regarded in the market so when we looked at their current range made under the new name, we were pleased to see they had maintained the same high quality.

The first thing you notice about their drawers is the large grab handle and latch system. It is very substantial and looks like it will last for years. To close the drawers, they require a firm shove to ensure the mechanism locks properly. The roller bearings are very good and there is absolutely no free play in them at all. There is not a peep of noise out of these drawers when driving along roads of all conditions.

The drawers are made to custom fit the vehicle and they take full advantage of all available space including trap-doors for the space either side of the drawers. All existing cubby holes in the OEM trim are still accessible. The mountings utilise the existing mounts for the seats so no additional drilling is required. They can be removed without any trace they were there.

The fridge slide is another well engineered piece of kit. We went for the larger slide that can accommodate a 50l fridge. The slide has dual locking mechanisms ensuring the fridge does not move one bit while in transit. High quality straps fix the fridge to the slide. They feature a quick release if you need to remove the fridge frequently.

Fit and finish on these drawers is pretty much perfect. In fact you would be forgiven for thinking these were fitted by the Toyota factory.

We had our unit installed at RV Storage Solutions factory in Gisborne, Victoria. They removed the third row of seats from our Cruiser as part of the install costs and I was impressed with the care and attention the guys took while installing the system. They even gave me a lift into, and back from, Gisborne township so I didn’t have to hang around their factory for the 3 hours it took to complete the installation.

Summing up, I reckon these drawers are about as good as you can get. They are not cheap but when you compare the quality of this product against some of the cheaper brands, it’s clear to see where the extra money goes and if you’re planning to do a substantial amount of travelling involving miles of off road driving, you want your drawers to stand up to considerable punishment. The system from RV Storage Solutions will certainly do that.

5 Westies