Rubbermaid FastTrack Review: The Value Wall System, Tested
The Rubbermaid FastTrack has one job: get your garage junk off the floor and onto the wall without making you remortgage the house. At ~$15 to ~$20 per rail and hooks that run ~$7 to ~$12 each, it's the system I recommend when a client says "I don't need fancy, I need functional." But here's the honest caveat: the rubber grips on the hooks tear after a year or two, and the included hardware won't save you if your studs are weird.
That's not a dealbreaker. It's just the truth.
Rubbermaid FastTrack Wall Mounted Storage and Organization System Rail Horizontal 48" 2-Pack Holds up to 1750 pounds Each Rail for Home/Garage Storage and Organization
Rock solid on studs, easy install, holds 1,750 lbs per rail per pair
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Rubbermaid 15-Piece FastTrack Garage Wall-Mounted Storage Kit, 4 Rails and 11 Hooks, for Home/House/Tool/Sports/Equipment/Utility Purposes
Best value per hook, covers a full wall
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Rubbermaid Fasttrack Garage Storage System Tool Hanging Kit, Wall Mount Holder for Garden Lawn Tools/Garage/Home Organization
Great for drills and small tools
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Rubbermaid Fasttrack Rail Storage 48"x16" 3-Shelf Kit, 350 lbs. Per Shelf, for Home/Garage/Shed/Workshop Organization
350 lbs per shelf, real storage capacity
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Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage Storage Utility Hooks 5 Piece Black All in One Rail Hook Kit and Tool Organizer Heavy Duty for Home/Garage/Shed/Garden
The Rubbermaid FastTrack 5-Piece All-in-One Kit is a fantastic solution for organizing your garage. This kit helps you clear the floor by getting items up on the wall, creating more space for work and
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Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage Organization Multi-Purpose Hook, 50 lbs Capacity, Satin Nickel, Wall Mounted Storage System, Direct Mount into Rail for Home Organization
The Rubbermaid FastTrack 5-Piece All-in-One Kit is a fantastic solution for organizing your garage. This kit helps you clear the floor by getting items up on the wall, creating more space for work and
Visit on Amazon →Best Overall: FastTrack Wall Mounted Storage Rail
This is the rail I've mounted in my own garage, in my buddy Rick's shop, and in three client garages over the last year. The 4-foot rail has mounting holes at 16 inches on center, which means they line up with standard stud spacing. That's rarer than you'd think. I've installed systems where the holes were 14.5 inches apart and I had to drill new ones. Not here.
The rail itself is steel, not plastic. It's painted, not powder coated, so it'll scratch if you drag a rake across it, but it won't rust through. The slots accept every FastTrack accessory, and the hooks lock in with a satisfying click. Once it's on the studs with the included screws, it's rock solid. I've hung a 50-pound extension ladder on two rails and the thing didn't budge.
Assembly is dead simple. Hold the rail against the wall, mark the holes, drill pilot holes, drive the screws. Twenty minutes for two rails, even with my old man knees. The included screws are hefty, which tells me Rubbermaid actually cares about the mounting hardware. That's not always the case.
The downside: the rubber grips on the hooks will tear after a year or two of heavy use. When they go, the hooks get floppy. You can buy replacement grips, or you can do what I did and wrap them with electrical tape. Not pretty, but functional.
At ~$17 for a 4-foot rail, that's less than a dollar a foot per year if it lasts a decade. Worth every penny.
Best Value: FastTrack 4-Rail Kit with 11 Hooks
If you're starting from zero and you want to cover a wall, this kit is where I'd point you. Four rails and eleven hooks for ~$60 works out to less than ~$4 per piece. That's the best per-hook value in the FastTrack lineup.
The kit includes a mix of utility hooks, cord holders, and shelf brackets. It's enough to get a basic wall system up in an afternoon. I installed this in my neighbor's garage last spring, and we had bikes, rakes, and a leaf blower off the floor in about two hours. The rails are the same 4-foot steel as the single rail, so the quality is consistent.
The catch: it's a lot of hardware. If you only need a rail or two, you're better off buying singles. The kit makes sense when you know you're going to use most of it. I've also noticed the included shelf brackets are a bit flimsy compared to the dedicated FastTrack shelf kit. They'll hold a tote or two, but don't push them past 50 pounds.
For a homeowner who wants to organize a standard two-car garage, this kit is the sweet spot. Not too much, not too little, and the price is right.
Editor's Pick: FastTrack 3-Shelf Kit
This is the one I recommend when someone says "I need actual shelves, not just hooks." The kit comes with three shelves, each rated at 350 pounds, and the support brackets are beefy steel that locks into the rails. I've loaded one shelf with four full totes of Christmas decorations, and it held without a groan.
The 48-inch by 16-inch shelves are deep enough for totes and boxes, but not so deep that they eat your garage. Installation takes longer than a simple rail because you're leveling three shelves across two rails. Budget an afternoon if you're not experienced. I've done it in about 90 minutes, but I've also done it a dozen times.
The shelf surface is vented, so dust falls through instead of collecting. That's a small thing, but it matters when you're storing things for months at a time. The shelves also have a lip on the front edge, so nothing slides off when you're pulling a tote out.
At ~$85, it's the priciest item in this review. But if you need actual storage capacity, it beats buying a freestanding shelving unit that takes up floor space. The 350-pound rating is real, not marketing fiction. I've tested it.
The downside: the shelves need to be level, and if your garage floor isn't level, the whole system looks off kilter. Mount it on a wall, not a partition, and you'll be fine.
What Else to Consider
FastTrack Tool Hanging Kit. This is the budget pick for drill owners. It comes with a few small hooks and a rail, and it's fine for hanging a drill and a battery charger. But the hooks are on the smaller side, and they won't handle anything heavier than a cordless drill or a small sander. Good for a workbench wall, not for heavy tools.
FastTrack Utility Hooks 5-Piece. The cheap and cheerful option. Five hooks for ~$12, and they fit any FastTrack rail. I keep a few of these around for quick additions. The rubber grips will tear eventually, but at ~$2.40 a hook, you just replace them.
The one thing I'll say: don't trust the 50-pound rating on the smallest hooks. They'll hold a string trimmer or a rake, but I wouldn't hang a chainsaw on one.
FastTrack Multi-Purpose Hook. This is the workhorse hook. It's rated for 50 pounds, and I believe it. The hook is deep enough to hold a shovel or a rake, and it locks into the rail securely. The problem is it's a single hook, so you're buying them one at a time. If you need a half dozen, the utility hook set is a better deal.
How I Tested
I've been using FastTrack in my own garage for eight months. My setup includes two 4-foot rails, a mix of utility hooks and shelf brackets, and one 3-shelf kit. I've loaded it with my full tool chest contents, two bikes, a lawn mower attachment, and the 17 boxes my wife keeps asking me to deal with. I've also installed the system in three client garages and my buddy Rick's shop.
The testing protocol is simple: load it until it groans, leave it for a week, check for sag or movement. I've also abused it, hanging extension ladders and heavy tool bags that exceed the rated capacity. The rails hold. The hooks hold. The rubber grips don't.
I've also tested the install process, which matters more than most people think. The FastTrack rails go up in about 20 minutes each, assuming your studs cooperate. If they don't, mount a backer board first and move on. That's not a flaw in the product, that's just studs being studs.
Should You Buy the Rubbermaid FastTrack?
If you want a wall storage system that's affordable, easy to install, and backed by decades of Rubbermaid engineering, yes. The FastTrack is the best value in garage wall storage, period. It's not the most heavy-duty system on the market, and the rubber grips will eventually fail. But at these prices, you can replace the hooks and still come out ahead.
The rail system is best for homeowners who want to get bikes, rakes, and tools off the floor without spending a fortune. It's also great for renters who need something they can take down and move. The 3-shelf kit is best for anyone who needs actual storage capacity and doesn't want to give up floor space.
Skip it if you need to store engine blocks or industrial machinery. That's not what this is for. But for a standard garage, the FastTrack is the system I recommend, and it's the one I use in my own shop. That's the highest compliment I can give.