63 Industries enters the truck storage game with the KARGA Double Level Over-The-Seat System — a modular, customizable solution built for full-size GM truck owners who refuse to choose between job-site utility and trail-ready organization.

Tidying Up the Chaos: 63 Industries KARGA Double Level Over-The-Seat System 

I’ve been drawn to back-seat organization for a while, from custom drawers to seat-delete systems. Most of the options I considered felt too permanent for the way I use my 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500.

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One week, the truck is full of camping gear. The next, it’s hauling tools and supplies for a house remodel. I need the back seat to change with the job.

I also envied the storage options available for vehicles like 4Runners, Lexus GXs and Broncos. The KARGA Double Level Over-The-Seat System from 63 Industries offered something that made sense for a full-size GM truck: a platform that uses the space above the rear seat and can be reconfigured when I need room for something else.

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Lately, my Silverado has seen more lumber yards and Home Depot parking lots than dirt roads. I’m remodeling a house and spending weekends as my own contractor, electrician and plumber.

Power tools, building supplies and camping gear all take turns riding in the cab. The loose items collecting on the back seat were what pushed me to try the KARGA.

 

Installing the KARGA

The instructions are easy to follow, and the hardware bags are labeled to match the installation steps. I chose the space behind the front passenger seat. Moving that seat forward gives the two-level setup the room it needs without taking away my legroom as the driver.

Installation begins with a pair of glass-filled nylon adapters that attach to the metal child-seat anchor loops. This was the one part that took some practice. As 63 Industries says in the instructions, starting with the anchor nearest the door makes it easier to see what you’re doing.

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KARGA’s glass-filled nylon adapters attach to the seat’s metal child-seat anchor loops.

After some trial and error, I used the supplied installation tool with a drift punch and a small ball-peen hammer.

The punch helped compress the seat cushion and keep the tool square to the anchor while I tapped the adapter into place.

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Using the supplied installation tool with a drift punch and a small ball-peen hammer really helped with installation.

Once both adapters were secure, I fitted the lateral support plate that connects them. From there, the first deck went together with its legs, followed by the second level.

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The mix of PC-ABS, 16-gauge galvanized steel, aluminum extrusions and aluminum composite material feels substantial without making the assembly unnecessarily complicated. I put it together on the tailgate and had it installed in the truck in less than an hour.

 

How Much Fits?

After adding the wall kit to the lower level and the cargo net above, we measured the clear openings between the support posts.

These are measurements from our Silverado installation, useful for choosing bins before ordering them:

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Length between posts: 20-7/8 in.

Width between posts: 16-5/16 in.

Height of lower opening: 15-7/16 in.

The trade-off is space for the front passenger. With the seat moved forward to clear both KARGA levels, we measured 11.5 inches between the seat and the dashboard. The upper deck also limits how far the passenger seat can recline.

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A taller passenger, especially someone over six feet, may want more room. Removing the upper level takes me less than five minutes, which makes that compromise manageable for a truck whose job changes throughout the week. Fit and passenger space will vary by vehicle.

I’d be interested in a shorter upper deck supported by posts farther inward on the lower platform. It could follow the slope of the front seat and leave more room for a passenger.

For now, the removable second level gives me a practical way to choose between storage and seat space.

 

Bins, Tools and Weekend Gear

The lower wall kit can contain bins such as the Front Runner Wolf Pack Pro or Pelican TX50 Adventure Case. Removing the walls opens up room for longer cases, including the Pelican TX80 Adventure Case or YETI GoBox 30 Gear Case. The supplied nonslip pads are useful when I want the deck open instead of enclosing a bin.

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I’ve also seen KARGA owners use tool storage systems such as Milwaukee Packout, DeWalt ToughSystem and Husky Build-Out.

Those setups make sense if you want to reach into a drawer or box while it stays in the truck, though the exact combination depends on the containers and how you arrange them.

For camping trips, I keep a Front Runner Wolf Pack with my tools on the lower level. Blankets, a go-bag and recovery rope fill the space above it, while a tow strap and jumper cables fit around the bin.

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Under the upper cargo net, a Pelican iM2050 Storm Case holds the camera equipment I want close at hand, alongside a Joby GorillaPod.

Two small accessories have earned their place, too: 63 Industries’ hat and bag hangers clip onto the sides of either deck.

As someone who owns more Melin hats than I should probably admit, I appreciate getting them off the seat and out of the crush zone.

On renovation weekends, the same shelves hold tool bags, loose power tools, extension cords and drill bit holders.

When the job calls for larger boxes, I take off the upper level and put my DeWalt ToughSystem 2.0 bins on the lower deck.

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Being able to switch between those arrangements is the reason the system works in this truck.

 

Room to Grow

I’d like to see 63 Industries add slide-out drawers or larger platforms to the KARGA lineup. The existing system already gives me a sturdy foundation for keeping the back seat usable and the gear in its place.

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Its stated capacity is 75 pounds, and the flexibility to remove the upper level matters as much to me as the extra storage it provides.

At the listed $400 MSRP, the Double Level system makes the most sense for someone who regularly changes what rides in the cab and can live with the reduced passenger seat space when both decks are installed.

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That’s exactly how I use the Silverado. After weeks split between home projects and camping trips, having a place for the stuff that used to roam the back seat feels like a worthwhile upgrade.

 

63 Industries: KARGA Double Level Over-The-Seat System

 

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This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 14. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.