Back when I was just a lowly apprentice framing carpenter, transporting my tools to the job site was simple: Grab my tool belt and coffee and go. The foreman would make sure everything else was there. As time went by, and I started taking on my own projects, making sure I had the right tools to get through the day got a bit more complicated; few things are more frustrating than down time from not having the necessary tool. Making sure you have enough room to schlep all those tools – and have them arrive in one piece – was Milwaukee’s goal when they designed the new 24” Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag. They rolled one over to HomeFixated headquarters; join us as we see if they succeeded in their noble quest.
Milwaukee definitely had pro users in mind when they designed this bag. From where the all-terrain rubber meets the road – or more likely the mud and rocks – to the top of the beefy handle, the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag (model 48-22-8220) is designed for real-world abuse. Here’s a list of the features and specs, followed by an overview video, complete with Milwaukee’s signature soothing music:
• Hardtop Construction, Designed for Stacking
• 6″ All-Terrain Metal Rim Wheels
• Industry’s Strongest Extendable Handle
• All Metal Skid Plates
• Full Length Metal Axle
• 250 lb. Weight Capacity
• Wide Grip Handle
• Fold Down Front Panel
• 1680D Ballistic Material Construction
• Integrated Tablet Sleeve
• 53 Total Pockets
• Length: 16”
• Width: 25”
• Height: 21”
• Weight: 27 lbs.
A Closeup Look At The Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag
Your first clue that this is a serious bag comes when you pick it up. Weighing in at 27 pounds, this is definitely not a flimsy plastic toolbox. The weight is a necessary byproduct of using heavy-duty components, like metal rimmed wheels, a metal skid plate and through axle, and a very beefy telescoping handle.
Speaking of the handle, they clearly put some thought into its design. Since the handle is often the first component to fail, Milwaukee rotated the handle on the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag 90° for strength. This is evident by how sturdy the handle feels when you extend and collapse it. They also incorporated metal skid plates to protect the handle and the rear of the bag, as you bump it up and down the stairs.
The 6” wheels are offset, so they protrude behind the bag a couple of inches. This helps keep the bag from bumping into stairs, or rocks and debris as you drag it across the jobsite. The 12-1/4” wide handle helps give you a bit of personal space, so your fully-loaded 250-lb. bag doesn’t take a chunk out of your calf.
It’s The Little Things…
When the designers at Milwaukee spec’d out the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag, making it rugged was just the first step. They also wanted it to be as functional and flexible as possible. For example, at both ends of that nice, wide handle are little nubs, so you can hang your jacket or hardhat without having it end up in a puddle.
Service techs, or anyone with a lot of pliers, screwdrivers, nut drivers, and so on, will appreciate the 53 pockets in the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag. There’s even a protected pocket, so your sharp chisels or Sawzall blades don’t make little holes where they shouldn’t oughta. A drop-down zippered flap in front gives fast, easy access to several of these pockets, plus another zippered, transparent pouch inside.
In the main compartment, there’s a padded pouch where you can slide in a tablet or laptop. It also makes a great place to stow blueprints or other important paperwork. Several more pockets and elastic loops help keep the smaller stuff organized, and there’s a huge space in the center for the big stuff. I loaded in a full-sized Sawzall with a 9.0 Ah battery, a hammer drill, and an oscillating multitool, along with a bunch of smaller tools and accessories, and still had a good bit of room to spare.
Moving to the outside, the helpful features keep rolling on. My body requires a massive infusion of caffeine in the morning, and water throughout the rest of the day. Expandable water bottle holders at either end of the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag accommodate both requirements nicely. For your beverage-quaffing convenience, there are a couple of recessed cup holders built into the lid.
The lid is made of rugged plastic, with straps and clips to secure it. It’s flat across the top, for those “Hello, Dolly” moments when you have extra boxes or tools to schlep with you; Milwaukee says it will handle up to 250 lbs. My 61-pound Ridgid compressor hitched a ride on it, and it rolled along smooth as could be.
When it’s time to lift the lid and get to work, a couple of recesses latch onto the handle and keep it from slamming down on your dainty digits. When the lid is closed, a V-groove running across the top makes a nice resting spot for pipes or tubing.
A couple of good-sized D rings on the front allow you to strap on a level or document case with bungee cords. A smaller ring makes a good place to clip on your truck keys, so they don’t fall into the foundation trench just before it gets backfilled. The bag is constructed of 1680D ballistic material; it feels very rugged, and is designed to stand up to years of being banged around.
The wheels and handle make it easy to move the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag to where the action is. It’s a big bag, though, and if you’ve got it loaded up with tools (which is kind of the point), that sucker is likely to be HEAVY. To make it easier to lift it into your truck at the end of the day, Milwaukee incorporated a sturdy handle into each end.
Got A Handle On The Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag?
I was very impressed with the quality and design of the Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag. It’s roomy enough to transport a bunch of tools, both large and small, and all the pockets and flaps will help keep everything from becoming a jumbled mess. It looks and feels very robust, and should hold up to years of real-world abuse.
Got a bit less stuff to schlep, or looking for a unit that will fit into an on-site job box? The Milwaukee Hardtop Rolling Bag is also available in an 18” version. It doesn’t have the hard top, but it’s just as sturdily constructed, has even more pockets (66), and can schlep 200 lbs. of your tools to where you need ‘em. Both bags come with a limited lifetime warranty. Get one and get rolling.
Buy one from our sponsor Ohio Power Tool for around $200:
Or buy the Milwaukee 18” Jobsite Rolling Bag From Ohio Power Tool for around $170:
