Heavy Duty Trunks

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Chloe is a highly-regarded expert in all things vintage and antique. She’s excited to share her vast knowledge with readers and clients wishing to infuse their homes with a mixture of old-time warmth and modern comfort. In addition to her design work, Chloe regularly volunteers at her local community center, teaching DIY projects to adults and kids.

Updated 30/04/2021

When you're ready to move but you don't want to lug around a bunch of cardboard boxes that are only good for one use, perhaps a series of heavy-duty trunks is a more useful way to go. They are waterproof and will easily store all of your items without fear that they might be destroyed. Use them again and again, and they will be one of your most attractive investments. Take a look at our extensive collection and see if we have heavy-duty trucks you could use.

Buying Guide

Most trunks or chests that are available online are either leaky or flimsy. However, if you know where to look, you’ll be able to find heavy duty trunks that can survive several drop tests without cracking. Most of them even stay dry even when they’re sprayed with or submerged in water.

If overall durability is important to you, then you’re in the right place as what we have below is a guide on how to choose heavy duty trunks. Check it out!

What are the best materials for heavy duty trunks?

The material that makes up a trunk will determine whether it is light- or heavy-duty. Steel is the perfect material for heavy duty trunks but it’s heavy and high in price. For portable trunks, common materials used by manufacturers are plastic and aluminum because they're lightweight. They are, however, not the best in terms of ruggedness, but you would still be able to find a high-grade material that’s lightweight like carbon fiber or thick aluminum. Both materials are strong and solid, making them some of your best options.

Truth to speak, heavy duty trunks take quite a ton of mistreatment. There will be times when you throw heavy items inside the trunk without any care nor regard. If you have a trunk that’s portable, you’ll drop it down as soon as you arrive at a specific location instead of laying the trunk down with care. How heavy duty trunks respond to hits and misuse will vary from one unit to another.

How to evaluate the build quality of heavy duty trunks?

In terms of build quality, there are aspects you have to assess like the following:

Joints - When inspecting a heavy duty trunk, check how the joints are like. Can you determine the technique used in the trunk’s joinery? The common technique manufacturers make use of is welding joints in connecting different parts of a heavy duty trunk. Check how many weld joints are present. More joints translate to a sturdier product.
Handle Joints - Check the handles as well as most heavy duty trunks come with frail handles which snap after a couple of uses. Personally, we want bolted handles as they don’t snap out, unlike riveted handles which weaken after every carry.
Reinforcements - To makes heavy duty trunks even sturdier, several reinforcements are made by manufacturers. Look out for corner posts, double walls, and c-channels. They help in keeping jointed parts attached to each other.

What security features do heavy duty trunks come with?

Latches - Latches are basic locking systems for heavy duty trunks. They make it easy to access anything that is stored inside the trunk, but they don’t deter other people from opening the chest.
Padlock - A padlock can securely lock items inside your heavy duty trunk. The only ones who can access a padlocked trunk are those who have the keys to it.
Key Locks - Advanced heavy duty trunks come with quality key locks, so there is no need to purchase a padlock. The key locks are often built-in. The most common types of key locks are the traditional and the cylinder. Cylinder locks are pick-proof, but they are expensive. Traditional locks may be cheaper, but they can be picked.