Well, I bit the bullet and picked up an Alubox of my own.
In my case, the change was driven by a shift in my overall kitchen setup - the previous box which held stove/pots/utensils/etc. required that I have a flat surface to set it on - this necessitated bringing a camp kitchen or table of some sort, which I didn't always want to bring. Switching to the Alubox means I can set the kit on the ground (if need be), and access the contents from the top, rather than opening a case flat. So, while the Alubox of similar volume is slightly heavier (~2lbs) than the previous ABS tool case, this method lets me eliminate the 13lb Coleman folding prep station I'd been bringing.
I've previously posted about how I'm a big fan of the corrugated-plastic-divider method, and I'd planned to go that route again, but I made a discovery while playing around with how to organize the new box, and I thought I should share:
The internal length/width of the 42L/60L/73L Aluboxes (and probably the Zarges too) are such that they're very close to the size of a standard industrial food-service steam-tray pan. (Also known as a "hotel pan" - these are sold in various divisions of a "full size" pan. In this case, two "1/2 size" hotel pans fit perfectly side-by-side in the box.) I don't have a "full" pan to test, but I'd bet that would fit too, if you needed something that big.
Here are two 1/2-size by 4" deep pans stacked underneath my butane stove (washing supplies stored within):
(The "wasted" volume around that pan holds a couple of small items, so it's better utilized than it looks there.)
I've also added a 1/2-size by 2-1/2" deep steam pan a which currently just holds my tools. These sit just low enough that I can store a cutting board over the top and still close the lid.
The utensils pan floats on a couple of angle brackets, leaving about 6" clearance underneath for all my remaining kit (fuel bottle, windscreen, spices, more pots/pans).
I've literally only just got everything in the last couple of days, so I'm still experimenting with how to use the new kit, but there is a LOT more utility here, despite having a very similar exterior volume to my old case. I had originally planned just to use the steam pans for washing up (replacing the collapsible sink I'd been using, but didn't love), but realized I can just as easily use them for cooking, too. I may eliminate the "camping" pans entirely and just use the hotel pans exclusively. This would free up so much volume I wouldn't even know what to put in that space!
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