Looking for an exterior storage box for your motorhome or campervan? Not sure which is best for you to buy? Here are some of the best options on the market in the UK and the pros and cons of each. We also explain why we chose the motorhome storage box we have and why we’ve been using it for years!
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Why you might need a motorhome storage box?
One of the biggest downsides to small motorhomes and campervans is the lack of storage space. Particularly external storage space. Sure, some small motorhomes (under 7m) have garages which are incredibly useful for storing all sorts of gear, but many models don’t have anything at all.
On our current motorhome, a Swift 685 Escape with an end lounge, we don’t even have a locker with external access. So, what do we do with all our outside gear? Where do we store our folding chairs, BBQ, mud mats and other paraphernalia which is useful when on motorhoming holidays?
One option is to add a trailer, but that can be tedious and limit your ability to stay in some places due to length limits. Towing with a motorhome can also increase costs for things like the ferry or tunnel.
Another option is to add a roof box, especially if you have a campervan which is lower and easier to access than a motorhome. But with a motorhome, that’s not only difficult to get to, but it can also increase your costs on tolls if you’re motorhome touring in Europe.
The best answer- fit a rear external motorhome storage box. Having one of these has made it so much easier to store things we use outdoors, including:
- outdoor chairs
- BBQ
- Levelling chocks for the motorhome
- outdoor games
- hosepipe and other essential motorhome accessories
- mud mats
- other random things we use outside and don’t want to bring inside the motorhome (especially if there’s a chance they’re covered in ants!)
READ MORE: You can see all our essential outdoor motorhome gear here
Motorhome rear storage box- the options
There are several types of external motorhome storage boxes designed to be mounted on the rear of a motorhome or campervan. These can be broken into roughly three categories:
Whichever type you pick, it needs to be able to handle being out in all weather, be waterproof, robust enough to handle bumpy roads and ideally not be broken down by UV rays.
Below, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each so you can decide which motorhome storage box is best for you to buy.
Rigid exterior motorhome storage boxes
Typically, all rear mounted exterior motorhome storage boxes are bolted onto either a bicycle rack or their own kit.
Fiamma Ultra Motorhome Storage box
The market leaders of purpose-built rear motorhome storage boxes are Fiamma- and they have the Fiamma Ultra series. These have been designed with motorhomes, camper vans and even caravans in mind.
They’re built from high quality, hyper-resistant ABS for high shock absorption and weatherproofing. They also have stainless steel hinges, aluminium profiles and a net to hold all luggage
All their Ultra boxes are designed to fit onto the Fiamma Bike rack and can be easily added or removed. They are not compatible with ALL types of bicycle rack, so if you have another brand you’ll need to research if it will fit first.
If you don’t have a bike rack already, you can buy a bike rack here.
Aluminium External rear mounted Storage Box
This is the external rear storage box we have on our motorhome. We chose it over the Fiamma for two reasons. Firstly, it was available quickly when we needed it (we got it for when we headed off to Norway in our motorhome).
Secondly, it doesn’t cover the rear window. The whole point of us having an end lounge was so we have lots of light and pretty views. Covering up the rear window with a lot of plastic seemed to defeat the point!
We also prefer the ‘rugged’ look of the aluminium to the plastic- but that’s personal preference.
We’ve now had this box for years and are very happy with it. As you can see in the video, we’ve mounted it sideways for easier access and it can store a LOT of gear.
In fact, we like it so much we bought another one to mount on the front of our motorbike trailer to hold bike gear.
We have added an additional asp and eye which we secure with a padlock for additional security- not that we keep anything particularly precious in any of the boxes!
The biggest downside to this box is that it doesn’t have a net to hold in everything when you’ve stored it on its side. We keep meaning to add one to ours!
See around our motorhome external box
Watch the video below to see inside our motorhome box and how we mounted it to the bicycle rack:
We hope you found the video useful. If you did, we’d love it if you followed us on Youtube. New videos with tips for motorhoming and campervanning in the UK and Europe are released weekly.
External Motorhome Storage Bag
The biggest benefit of a storage bag over a rigid box is that it is easy to transport and fold when not in use as well as being lightweight.
Fiamma Cargo Back soft external bag
Lastly, if you don’t want a rigid box or want something even more lightweight, look at something like a Fiamma Cargo Back soft luggage bag, designed to be stored outside but not permanently attached.
This is commonly used for storing and transporting privacy rooms/ driveway awnings. It will still need to be attached to either a bike rack or a tow bar rack.
This Cargo Back soft luggage bag from Fiamma is made from anti-rip reinforced nylon and can be installed on all rear bike carriers. It’s perfect for anyone looking for more storage space for their caravan or motorhome and it is quickj and easy to attach and remove. The nylon YKK zippers make the bag highly water resistant.
Dimensions: Open: 120x70x35 cm Closed: 38x28x10 cm Fixing straps included
Hitch Mount Cargo Carrier Bag
Volume: 20 Cubic Feet, Dimensions: 149.9L x 61W x 61H centimetres. This bag is waterproof and is a hitch-mount style bag which can be attached to the vehicle via a tow bar mount or on your roof.
Things to consider about rear mounted motorhome storage boxes
Be aware of the weight you are storing inside the box. That’s a LOT of weight on the rear axle… and most motorhomes are front wheel drive. If you are adding an external motorhome storage box on the rear, you’ll probably want to shift some weight forward- something heavy like your motorhome generator would be ideal. And of course, remember your overall motorhome weight & payload, especially if you have to keep under 3.5 tonnes.
Another downside of having a rear storage box mounted on the bike rack is that you cannot also take bicycles with you are the same time.
Lastly, remember that if you are travelling in Europe, you will need to fit a red/ white striped board to show that you have something extended beyond the rear of the vehicle. This is not compulsory in France, but IS compulsory in other countries, including Italy. Personally, we think it’s well worth getting wherever you’re going.
Want more tips for motorhoming?
Here are some more ideas you might find useful:
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Last update on 2024-12-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
