Gregory Alpaca Camp Box 50

The Gregory Alpaca 50L Camp Box is a durable, solid, and waterproof container suitable for packing food, cooking gear, or equipment necessary for camping or travel. I have used this box on four car and pop-up camper camping trips and one hut camping trip this season, and have found it to be a reliably waterproof and strong storage compartment, facilitating packing and accessibility to its contents. I can recommend this storage box for front country camping, travel, or for long-term storage of supplies kept in your vehicle.

Introduction:

I camp frequently between May and October, usually solo canoe camping in which I use soft dry bags to pack my gear (so as to better squish into my solo canoe). In addition to those trips, my husband and I go on at least one car camping trip per month, plus a few short trips and a long fall trip using our SylvanSport GO camper.

For car camping, we have used an assortment of milk boxes and storage tubs, in an attempt to keep things organized for our travel time and at the campsites. 

When we use our SylvanSport GO, all our kitchen equipment, sleeping gear, camp tools, and foods are packed in hard plastic containers that fit on the bed of the trailer. These containers must be less than 20 inches high, so as to fit beneath the collapsed frame of the trailer for travel. We have tried various storage containers, and have learned the hard way that they are not all durable, waterproof, easy to pack, nor lightweight, and do not permit easy access to contents.

This Gregory Alpaca Camp Box in 50L size has been easy to use, it fits perfectly in our GO configuration, and has been a helpful packing option for both car camping and GO camping trips. We have used it for three short duration front-country camping trips, as well as a week of GO camping in the Adirondacks and four days of hut camping in Vermont. After these trips, we feel we can accurately ascertain its value for both short- and long-term travel and storage.

Construction and specs

I have been utilizing the 50L Alpaca Camp Box from Gregory, the largest of their new 2025 hard gear storage options (they also offer a 45L option); Gregory also has a selection of Alpaca soft totes and a 70L Gear Basket for storage, but for us and our camper, the hard option is necessary. This model is available in two colors, slate blue or mirage tan. I am using the slate blue box.

The Alpaca 50L Gear Box is 19.9 x 17.3 x 15.2 inches (44.5 x 50.5 x 39cm) and has a nice dual hinged clear lid. The box is very solid, made of 50% Recycled and impact Resistant Polycarbonate. Its weight empty is 5.7 lbs (2.5kg) and has a carrying capacity of 50 lbs. (22.6 kg). Note, the box does carry P65 warnings in California, due to the materials used in the construction. A California Proposition 65 warning indicates that a product may contain chemicals that can contribute of lifetime risk of cancer or birth defects or reproductive harm.

The box is designed to facilitate packing, and is tall enough to allow an upright water bottle to be packed; Gregory promotes its ability to hold a roll of paper towels upright, though we do not usually bring such disposable items camping. 

The transparent lid is hinged on both sides, allowing it to be completely removed, or flipped up from either side. The lid is strong, and permits stacking of other such boxes on top, even if loaded to the 50-pound limit. This lid has a gasket seal, protecting contents from water or dust. Gregory reports the lid has integrated channels to drain off water. On a rainy day camping in the Adirondacks, we discovered water had settled on the lid as the box was not under cover. I found that tipping the box on its side allowed the water to freely flow off the edge of the box, whereas lifting the lid up meant the water flowed out of the channels and over the top of the lid, not flowing off the box in a steady flow.

The box has molded carrying handles, allowing for easy pick up and carry. 

Gregory reports that the box is waterproof, as proven by its IP 65 rating, "passing a water jet test when sprayed from any angle". 

This box is designed to accommodate the Gregory Alpaca Kitchen Case, an organizational optional element that we do not have. 

The box is made in China, and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Our Uses of the Camp Box

We have used the Camp Box to pack our portable kitchen kit, which is enclosed in an orange plastic case. That still allows room for us to place our non-perishable foods in the case, protecting them from crushing or compacting. For short trips, where we do not have as much food supplies, we have put a small cooler in the case in addition to the foods.  

The camp box usually ends up on a picnic table, and it is easy to access the contents because the lid can be opened from either side. The box stays in the car overnight, since it is not bear- or critter-proof; its tight seal and hinges mean that most small animals would have a heck of a time getting into it, but it would probably just be a fun puzzle for a bear!  When in the car, on the back seat, the dual hinged lid means it is easy to reach in and get what we need from the box.

The Camp Box has served as a convenient footrest, just the right height for me when sitting in a camp chair. It also serves as a side table, as when the lid is resting on top upside down, it creates a nice shallow area for plates, cups, and goodies.

Our prior camp storage boxes have been purchased from big box stores, and are not specifically designed for camping. We found that those boxes are not reliably waterproof, and the plastic hinges, snap lids, and bases break. This Gregory Camp Box seems to be a different animal, made of super strong and durable plastic that should last a long time with regular use. The premium price is worth it, as we value its ability to protect the contents.

This size camp box fits nicely on the bed of our SylvanSport GO camper trailer. It is reassuring to have a proven waterproof container, since our experience has been that boxes packed on the enclosed trailer bed do get splashed upon, rained upon, and exposed to road debris. In our three GO trips where we used this box, it has held up perfectly!

For our hut camping trips, we do not have to bring kitchenware, so we packed all our food, a small cooler, and a small camp stove in the box. The box helped with our organization in the small hut, and fit nicely on the hut's counter.

Conclusion

This Gregory Alpaca 50L Camp Box is well made, durable, and has features which make it a suitable storage or transportation box for car or front country camping. It feasibly could be used for canoe camping, but those traditionalists who like a hard wooden camping box (a "wanigan") for back country canoe camping, would probably not choose a plastic box that does not have carrying straps. However, for short term paddle-in camping, it might be a helpful addition if weight and size are not an issue. I may have to give that a try next season! 

I definitely can recommend this item as a fine addition to any camping kit. 

Background

My husband and I are a longtime campers who have used a myriad of storage packs, bags, boxes, coolers, and crates for canoe camping, backpacking, winter hut camping, car camping, and SylvanSport GO pop-up trailer camping. I camp in all conditions from April to November, and hut camp in the winter, totaling between 15-20 trips per year.

I feel confident that I can offer a fair and accurate assessment of the durability, packing options, and ease of use of this product.

We have used this Gregory Camp Box for four car tent and pop-up camping trips ranging from a three-day weekend to a six-day trip camping in the Adirondacks, and a week of hut camping in Vermont .