Are Craftsman TradeStack Toolboxes Compatible With DeWalt ToughSystem?

It'd be nice to have all your tools housed in one modular tool storage system, but the reality for many tradespeople and DIYers is far from that. In real life, many of us have to rely on a storage system pieced together across multiple brands. For example, you may have some bins from Craftsman's TradeStack modular tool storage system and others from DeWalt's ToughSystem line. But not every major portable toolbox brand is built to be mixed and matched.

How about Craftsman TradeStack toolboxes? Can they click into place with ones from DeWalt ToughSystem? Unfortunately, it's not so simple. While Craftsman does include an adapter for connecting TradeStack and VersaStack products, and DeWalt offers a similar multi-system adapter for its TSTAK line, there is no official connector that allows TradeStack and ToughSystem to lock together. So Craftsman's TradeStack units are compatible with Craftsman's VersaStack system, and DeWalt's adapter also works with the VersaStack (since VersaStack and TSTAK are designed to be interchangeable), but TradeStack and ToughSystem are different platforms entirely.

While both TradeStack and ToughSystem can connect to TSTAK or VersaStack using adapters, they cannot connect to each other without unofficial or third-party modifications. Because DeWalt's ToughSystem line is built around larger, more rugged cases that rely on their own proprietary locking mechanism, you're going to need some unofficial third-party modification to get around that. 

DeWalt does sell a ToughSystem adapter plate, but its purpose is to connect ToughSystem products with TSTAK, ToughCase, or Pro Organizer accessories. Not with Craftsman TradeStack. ToughSystem has its own self-contained modularity, and it lets DeWalt keep its professional-grade line separate from what Craftsman has to offer. All of this to say: If you've already invested heavily in DeWalt's ecosystem, crossover with TradeStack towers probably isn't going to be convenient for you.

Etsy sellers and Amazon retailers might have 3D-printed products out there to let you unofficially connect the two systems, but these listings tend to come and go, probably because they are not officially supported by either brand, which poses a problem with both reliability and safety — something those online e-commerce platforms are cracking down on.

It's a bummer that there's no easy way to connect Craftsman TradeStack Toolboxes with ones from DeWalt ToughSystem, but to be honest, the two aren't exactly spiritually compatible either. The TradeStack lineup gives hobbyists convenience at a better value, while the DeWalt ToughSystem is a much more premium storage option.

TradeStack is less expensive, more lightweight, and typically recommended for homeowners and light DIY projects. ToughSystem, on the other hand, is marketed more toward tradespeople working as professionals. It uses structural foam walls, metal-reinforced latches, and side-mounted handles so you can carry heavier tools, and its modular lineup ranges from compact organizers to oversized ones.

TradeStack goes for about $129 for a three-piece tower, while a comparable set from DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 can retail for almost three times that. This only makes things clearer: both of these alternatives to Milwaukee's Packout rolling tool box offer stackable tool storage, but they exist in different parts of the market. With this in mind, it makes sense why neither Craftsman nor DeWalt offers a way to stack them together.