Gear Organizers for Fly Fishing: RUX and Alternatives - Fly Fishing Insider Podcast

Short answer: the reason gear organizers make such good gifts for anglers is that they solve the problem nobody buys gear to solve — finding what you need, when you need it, and keeping wet gear away from dry. RUX built a modular crate system around exactly that. We stock a different take on the same problem, which I've listed below.

Why a gear organizer beats more gear

One of the biggest challenges for outdoor people is keeping equipment organized. Tents, sleeping bags, cookware, waders, fly boxes — it all ends up in a heap in the back of a truck. A proper organizer gives everything a home and, critically, lets you separate wet gear from dry.

That last part matters more for anglers than almost anyone. You finish the day with soaked waders and boots, and unless they're separated they'll damp down everything they touch on the drive home.

What makes the RUX system work

The RUX 70L crate is built from waterproof 840D TPU-coated material, fully RF welded, with rigid spring steel for support. Rain, snow, sleet, hail — water stays out. The materials are rugged but light enough to actually carry, and the crate folds flat when you're not using it.

What I like is that they took a good crate and built a system around it. Bags, hooks, coolers and other components all attach and work together, so you can configure it for the trip you're taking. I use mine as transporters, or as grab-and-go bags for a particular activity — everything for one job in one box.

Gear organization we stock

We don't carry a modular crate, but we do carry a lot of the same problem-solving. Depending on how you like to work:

If you organize by category

Overland Storage Cube Set — the closest thing to the RUX philosophy in our shop. Separate cubes for separate jobs, stacked in the truck. Less rugged than a welded crate, but far cheaper and lighter.
Van Gear Box Storage Bag (set of 3) — three boxes, so you can genuinely split wet, dry, and food.
Gear & Shoe Storage Bag — purpose-built for the muddy boots problem.
Overland Tool Bag Organizer and the Tool Pouch — for everything that lives permanently in the vehicle.
Recovery Gear Bag — if you drive to remote water, this is the bag you hope stays unopened.

If you organize by trip length

This is the approach I'd suggest for anglers who travel. Our dry duffles are sized by days, which takes the packing decision out of it entirely: the 1-Day Overnight Dry Bag Backpack, the 3-Day Dry Duffle, the 5-Day Roll-Up, and the 7-Day Dry Duffle. Being genuinely waterproof, they double as the wet-gear bag on the way home.

For the boat

The Boat Bag Dry Bag and the DeckBoss Dry Bag Duffle are built to sit in standing water without caring. Browse everything in dry bags and off road and overlanding.

Choosing one as a gift

Think about how the angler actually travels. Someone who drives to a local river wants vehicle organization — cubes and tool bags. Someone flying to a lodge wants a duffle sized to the trip. Someone who fishes from a boat wants something that shrugs off standing water. Match the organizer to the journey, not to the gear.

Love fly fishing? Here's a gift list you can read and pass on to your gift givers: 25 Gifts for Fly Fishermen.

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Tight lines, everyone!

Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast