STAPLL vs. DECKED: Two Ways to Store Gear in Your Truck Bed

If you've been shopping for truck bed storage, you've probably seen and considered DECKED — the weatherproof in-bed drawer system that a lot of contractors and overlanders swear by. It's a well-built product with a loyal following, and if organized, lockable drawers are exactly what you need, it's worth a look.

But drawers aren't the only way to solve the storage problem — and for a lot of trucks, they're not the best one. If you want to keep your bed floor open and still carry fuel, water, recovery boards, tools, and cases, a bed-side system like STAPLL approaches the same problem from the opposite direction. Here's an honest comparison so you can pick the right one for your build.

The core difference: in the bed vs. on the sides

DECKED installs a two-drawer deck that sits inside your bed. You get sealed, weatherproof drawers underneath and a flat deck on top you can pile cargo on. It turns your bed floor into organized, lockable storage.

STAPLL doesn't touch your bed floor. Its fender racks are MOLLE panels that mount to the sides of your bed — the fender area above the wheel wells — using a universal, no-drill bracket. Your gear (fuel cans, water, MaxTrax, shovels, hard cases) rides on the sides, and the entire bed floor stays open for lumber, gear bins, a cooler, a dog, a dirt bike, or a rooftop-tent setup.

That single difference — in the bed vs. on the sides — drives everything else below.

Side-by-side comparison

	DECKED Drawer System	STAPLL Fender Racks
What it is	Two weatherproof in-bed drawers with a deck on top	Bed-side MOLLE panels that mount your gear externally
Where storage lives	Inside the bed (drawers)	On the bed sides (fenders), bed floor stays open
Bed floor space	Consumes bed depth; raises the load floor; reduces payload	Keeps the full bed floor open and usable
System weight	~200–220 lb full-size (~164 lb midsize)	6.5 lb - 80lb depending on build
Load capacity	2,000 lb drive-on deck; ~200 lb per drawer	50 lb per bracket (84-100 lb per storage box)
Install	No-drill, uses existing bed anchor points	No-drill, universal MTMS™ bracket
Fits	Truck-specific kits	Nearly any truck — universal fit. Upgrading your truck or fleet, just move the racks to the new truck.
Security	Sealed, weatherproof, lockable drawers	Add a lockable STAPLL hard case for secure storage
Modularity	Full-bed drawer system, one commitment	Start with one rack; add racks and accessories over time
Price	A premium investment (four figures — check current pricing)	Single bracket is a fraction of the cost, similar storage volume is comparable premium investment. (comp your build on STAPLL product pages)
Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime on racks + money-back fit guarantee

(DECKED figures are from DECKED's published specs — verify current numbers before you buy.)

Where DECKED is the better choice

Credit where it's due. DECKED wins when:

• You don't need your truck bed space to be versatile for large loads. 
  
• You don't need full bed depth and would rather trade some height for organization.
• You're outfitting one specific truck long-term and want a single, permanent system.

If that's you, DECKED is a genuinely good product. 

Where STAPLL is the better choice

STAPLL wins when:

• You want to keep your entire bed floor open — for a slide-in truck camper, hauling ATVs, a rooftop tent setup, bikes, or bulky cargo — and still carry gear.
• You care about weight. A drawer system adds ~200 lb before you load anything.
• You want to spend less and start smaller — buy one rack now, add more as your build grows.
• You run fuel, water, recovery boards, or a hard case you'd rather mount externally than bury in a drawer.
  
• You want the flexibility to move gear around with a modular MOLLE platform.
• You want a work space on the side of your truck. When mounting a hard case to the side of your truck, the lid can double as a work bench for laying out tools or cooking on. 

In short: DECKED organizes the space inside your bed. STAPLL frees up that space entirely and moves the gear to the sides.

Can you run both?

Yes. They're not mutually exclusive. Some builds run both — but if your priority is an open, usable bed with less added weight, that's exactly the gap STAPLL fills.

Which should you choose?

• Choose DECKED if organized in-bed drawers are the point, and you're okay giving up bed depth, adding weight, and paying a premium for it.
• Choose STAPLL if you want to keep your bed open, mount your gear on the sides, add storage modularly — without being commited to a specific year/make/model truck.

Not sure a STAPLL rack fits your truck? Check your fit with the Rack Recommender — and remember every rack is guaranteed to fit your truck, or your money back, and backed by a Lifetime Warranty.

Shop STAPLL Fender Racks →

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FAQ

Is STAPLL a good alternative to DECKED? If your goal is to keep your bed floor open and mount gear like fuel, water, recovery boards, and cases on the sides of your truck — yes. STAPLL solves storage without the lost bed depth of an in-bed drawer system. If you specifically want in-bed drawers, DECKED is the better fit.

Does STAPLL take up bed space like DECKED? No. STAPLL mounts to the bed sides (the fender area), so your entire bed floor stays open. DECKED's drawers sit inside the bed and raise the load floor and do not work with slide-in truck campers.

How much does STAPLL cost compared to a DECKED drawer system? A single STAPLL fender rack is a fraction of the price of a full drawer system, and you can start with one and add more over time. See current pricing on the Fender Racks collection.

Can I lock up my gear with STAPLL? Yes — add a STAPLL lockable hard case to a rack for secure, weatherproof storage on the bed side.

Will STAPLL fit my truck? STAPLL's universal MTMS™ bracket fits nearly any truck, including dually, with no drilling into your vehicle. Check your fit here.

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STAPLL is not affiliated with or endorsed by DECKED. "DECKED" is a trademark of its respective owner; product details are based on DECKED's published specifications and are subject to change — verify current specs and pricing at decked.com.

Sources for fact-check before publishing:

• DECKED Full-Size Drawer System — https://decked.com/products/drawers-fullsize
• DECKED Midsize Drawer System — https://decked.com/products/drawers-midsize
• DECKED compare/specs — https://decked.com/pages/drawers-compare