Bringing Order to Chaos Without Breaking the Bank: The Plano GoNow Box

Being a fishing-crazed maniac with an absolute plethora of both fresh and saltwater equipment, keeping my gear locker organized has always been an uphill battle. Add in the challenge of packing for a weekend trip or even a quick afternoon outing, and my carefully curated storage endeavors often unravel, devolving into everything simply being thrown into the back of my Subaru.

Plano’s GoNow Boxes have changed the way I keep all my fishing gear stored and ready to rock. For the first time in my life, I actually know where all my fishy odds and ends are safely stashed. Now that I’ve seen the light regarding mindful gear storage and organization, I plan to add GoNow Boxes to my arsenal for my camping gear, beach kit, hunting essentials, and perhaps other categories as I continue to bring order to my chaotic gear locker.

In short: Available in either 30L or 72L sizing, the Plano GoNow Box is a brilliant way to store and organize your essential gear for quick and efficient access. Equally awesome as a stay-at-home gear locker as it is for simple grab-and-go use, Plano has built these boxes with an outstanding degree of customization potential so you can kit them out for virtually any equipment lineup and adventure style. 

Plano GoNow Box Review

The practicality of the GoNow Boxes has thoroughly exceeded my expectations. While I was initially excited to finally compartmentalize all of my fishing gear, I didn’t realize to what extent these storage solutions were going to come in handy.

Not only is the GoNow a brilliant way to keep all your equipment safely and coherently stored, but it also doubles wonderfully as a gear box for active use in the field, wherever that might be.

Organization Potential: Internal Tray & Customizable Dividers

My favorite part of the GoNow Box is the drop-in internal tray. It fills the top of the 30L box and about half of the 72L box, leaving room below or beside it for bulkier gear. Removable dividers split the tray into up to six compartments, which makes it easy to keep small items from turning into a junk drawer.

I’ve been using the 30L box for freshwater fly fishing gear, and the tray has been the most useful feature. I use the compartments for tippet and leader, indicators, sunscreen and bug spray, a power bank and headlamp, and tools like nippers and forceps. The sixth slot stays open for whatever odds and ends come along that day.

The dividers can also come out to create larger sections. Each side is deep enough for most freshwater fly reels, so an extra reel or spool can stay protected and easy to grab near the top of the box.

The main compartment also has a divider, so you can leave it open for larger gear or split it into two sections. In the 72L box, that layout makes sense for camp storage. I’d put a stove, cutlery, and fuel on one side, and food on the other. It also has enough room to work as a beach box or mobile camp bar.

Burly Build

Built from polypropylene, Plano has engineered the GoNow series to laugh in the face of physical abuse. Both the main body of the box and the lid are built from the same rock-solid material, so good luck beating this product up.

All of the attachment points for the compatible GoNow accessories are recessed into the box corners and feature rubber tabs to close them off when not in use, so there’s no breakable hardware or protruding components of the box to be damaged. Plano has ensured these boxes are high-speed/low-drag when you want them to be, which most definitely boosts overall integrity.

Loads of Compatible Accessories

Plano built the GoNow Box around its QUICKLINK accessory system. Each corner has a snap-on port that accepts compatible add-ons like a bottle opener, rod holder, or cup holder. When the ports aren’t in use, rubber tabs keep dust, debris, and water out.

The GoNow also works with several lid-mounted accessories. A MOLLE board or cutting board can attach underneath the lid, while the Lid Keeper snaps onto the top of the box and creates a quick-access spot for gear. The bungee tension adjusts, so it can hold smaller items tight or loosen up for bulkier gear. I’ve used it as a place to stash my net while fishing.

Plano also offers a gun rest that seats into the internal tray, plus StowAway trays, StowAll pouches, and packing cubes that fit the GoNow system. You can build it out into a highly organized setup or keep it simple and toss gear straight into the box. Either way, the system makes organization easy without forcing it.

Rigid, Waterproof, and Lockable Lid Supports Sitting & Standing

The lid of the GoNow is already impressive given its compatibility with a number of highly practical accessories, but its burly build and waterproof seal are arguably its best features. You can sit and even stand on both sizes of GoNow Boxes without worrying about damaging the lid, which is not to be underrated (300-pound weight limit).

The smaller-sized box isn’t terribly ideal for standing on due to its smaller footprint, but the 70L box is large enough to work great as a casting platform, step stool, or camp seat. The waterproof gasket around the lid means the GoNow Box can ride up on the bow of wave-washed vessels without worrying about your gear getting soaked in there.

If you want to lock up your GoNow, you can easily secure a cable lock or padlock that secures the lid to the main body of the box.

DUALHINGE Latches

One of the most practical design features of the GONow is the DUALHINGE Latches that enable you to access the inside of the box from either side or remove it entirely. The latches pop open easily, but not too easily, so you can quickly get in there with one hand.

The 30L box features one latch on each end, while the 72L box has two on each side. By opening the latch or latches on one side/end of the box and keeping the other end secured, you can lift the lid up and keep it open in place. Unfortunately, the clasped latch or latches are pretty willing to let go and detach if you bump the lid with any amount of force, but if you’re gentle getting in and out of the box, the lid stays up just fine.

The ability to open and access the box from either side is pretty darn handy, especially if you’re using the GoNow as a boat box and can only reach it from one side. While out fishing in the canoe with a buddy, we can both pop the GoNow open from our respective ends of the boat without having to spin the whole storage system around.

Being able to remove the lid entirely is also very appreciated at times — Plano has made sure you can get in and out of there however you see fit.

Optimized for Stacking & Transport

When it comes to bringing your GoNow Boxes along for road trips, campouts, overlanding excursions, and other gear-heavy endeavors, Plano made sure they can be packed, stacked, and tied down with ease. Non-skid feet keep the GoNow from sliding around on deck or in your truck bed, while integrated tie-down points provide you with the ideal attachment points for snugging your box down with ratchet straps.

The modular stacking design also allows you to play a perfect game of Tetris when loading multiple boxes into a limited space. The boxes, unfortunately, do not have any kind of locking system to keep them connected once stacked, but you can easily use the tie-down points to ratchet them together if needed.

I’ve found that the non-skid feet and slightly recessed fit when stacked hold the boxes together just fine when driving around and boating, but rough days on the water and bumpy two-tracks will call for some extra fastening down if you want to keep your top-side boxes from tumbling off. 

Available in a Few Different Purpose-Built Kits

While I personally think it’s worth customizing your GoNow Box and selected accessories specifically to your needs, Plano does offer a few purpose-built kits intended to support particular storage solutions. Only available in the 30L sizing for now, there is a saltwater fish kit, a freshwater fish kit, a hunt kit, and a camp kit, each tailored to set you up for organizational success.

If you total up the cost of the included accessories when sold separately, you definitely save a bit with the kits. So, if the included add-ons seem to fit the bill for what you need, springing for one of the curated options will help you cut some corners on cost.

For example, the cost of the freshwater fishing kit is $170. If you were to buy the 30L GoNow Box, two rod holders, a cutting board, and four StowAway 3700 boxes all separately, the total cost would be $210.

It’s worth noting that the clear lid included with the Camp Kit allows you to peer into the box contents without opening it, unlike the standard lid, so be sure to consider if you’re into that. It also sports the same 300-pound weight capacity as the standard lid, so it’s just as durable.

Affordable Price Point

One of the biggest wins of the GoNow Boxes and compatible accessories is the shockingly fair price point. Coming in at just $100-150, you’re getting a whole lotta bang for your buck, in my opinion.

Sure, the boxes might not be totally submersible, and the lid latches might let go on you if you’re not careful while propping them open, but all things considered, this is still a top-notch storage and organization box. Add in the customization potential and mindful portability/transport features, and the overall value climbs even higher.

By comparison, a 30L YETI Loadout GoBox will run you $250, while the 60L option bumps up to $300. That’s twice the cost for 10L less capacity compared to the 72L GoNow. Sure, the YETI option has a neat Pack Attic gear compartment built into the lid, but other than that, the two designs are very much comparable. Plus, the 72L Plano GoNow is lighter than the 60L YETI GoBox, weighing in at 16 pounds versus 17.2 pounds.

When it comes to organizing your essential gear, I totally understand there are different strokes for different folks, but don’t let higher-priced storage solutions fool you into believing they are necessarily higher quality. Plano’s found the sweet spot here when it comes to balancing craftsmanship and cost.

In the Field

Field testing the Plano GoNow Boxes has been mostly positive. My gear locker is far less chaotic now, and the boxes are light enough that loading one into the vehicle doesn’t feel like a chore. I’ve used them for kayak and canoe fishing, as well as home storage for fishing gear. Going forward, I’ll likely keep the larger box at home and use the smaller GoNow as my grab-and-go setup.

The boxes also have plenty of uses beyond fishing. The 72L has enough surface area to work as a casting platform on a boat, and both sizes can double as general storage bins around camp or home.

Latch Hitches

The DUALHINGE latches are both my favorite and least favorite feature. Being able to open the box from either side is extremely useful in a canoe, boat, truck bed, or tight storage space. While canoe fishing with a friend, it allowed both of us to access the box from opposite ends without shifting everything around.

The problem is the latch connection. When the lid opens from one side, the opposite latch hangs onto the box loosely. If the lid gets bumped or pushed too far, it can pop off and fall. That happened a few times in the canoe, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to stay quiet around fish.

Removing the cutting board accessory helped by reducing weight on the lid, but the latch still releases too easily. Without that issue, the GoNow system would be much closer to perfect.

Don’t Overdo Accessories

The accessories are useful, but they depend heavily on the activity. For fishing, I found most of them more likely to catch line than help, with the bottle opener being the exception. For camp, pier fishing, or a beach setup, the cup holders, rod holders, and cutting board make more sense.

That flexibility is the real benefit. You can strip the box down for a cleaner fishing setup or add accessories when you need more function around camp, at the beach, or on the pier.

Who Is It For?

I can say with complete confidence that the Plano GoNow is for virtually anyone who needs storage and organization. Given the reasonable price point, this is an accessible product for anyone who thinks they could use it — even if you put the intended application of supporting outdoor pursuits aside.

I’ve already dialed in my freshwater fishing kit with a 30L GoNow, and am eager to designate another box or two for some other hobbies. I’ll be mix-and-matching and repurposing my GoNow Boxes for campouts, road trips, at-home storage, barbeques, and much more, I’m sure. The applications are truly endless, so if you’re scratching your head and wondering if a GoNow Box is suitable for you — trust us when we say it is, no matter what you’re up to.

Final Thoughts

No matter how you choose to implement your GoNow Box, you’ll get more than your money’s worth. Whether you’re in desperate need of a purpose-built organizer to finally sort out your cacophony of a gear locker, or simply want a reliable and tough-built storage solution for supporting virtually any of your hobbies, both size boxes are a truly great value buy.

Whether it’s a boat box, casting platform, camp kitchen, mobile mixology kit, or gun cleaning station, the GoNow Box is a class-act chameleon that you’ll learn to personalize to your specific needs, consciously or not.