This is my fourth installment in the “Is this accessory compatible series.” Today, we’re looking at what accessories are Craftsman VersaTrack compatible.
Craftsman was a staple at Sears stores for decades until 2017 when it was sold to Stanley Black & Decker Corporation. In October of the same year, Lowe’s won the rights to sell Craftsman in all two thousand locations.
You can check out the other installments in my “Will this accessory work” series here:
- Will this accessory work with Gladiator GearTrack?
- Does this accessory work with Kobalt K-Rail?
- Rubbermaid FastTrack Review
Now, let’s see what accessories are Craftsman VersaTrack compatible.
How the Experiment Works
Here’s how it works:
- I bought a hook and track piece from Rubbermaid
FastTrack , Gladiator GearTrack, Craftsman VersaTrack, and the Kobalt storage rail system found at Lowe’s. - I mounted each on my wall and tested each brand’s hook to see if it fit and could hang anything reliably.
No one company has everything. Sometimes, you want to know if an accessory from one brand will work with another.
That’s why I ran this little experiment. For around $100, I figured out the best track storage system for my garage.
I hope you like what I found out.
The Craftsman VersaTrack Design
The unique design of the Craftsman VersaTrack allows it to be both a garage slatwall and a track storage system simultaneously.
While the Gladiator wall system includes GearTrack and
The top and bottom of the VersaTrack rail are tongue-and-groove systems, so the rails interlock for a seamless fit.
Individual rails are around the $10 price point, so creating a slatwall storage area with Craftsman VersaTrack is more economical than other brands.
How the Craftsman VersaTrack Accessories Are Supposed To Fit
Each hook fits in the raised center channel of the track, and the bottom part rests on the track’s lower part. This means you get support from the hook and the track in two places.
Pound for pound, the weight limits for the Craftsman hooks are higher than a Gladiator or Rubbermaid hook of the same type.
Finally, a grey locking knob on the front of each hook will secure it in place.
You don’t need to lock a hook in place, but I do recommend it to keep the hook from sliding around.
Gladiator GearTrack: Not VersaTrack Compatible
At first glance, the Gladiator hook seems to do just fine.
The top of the Gladiator’s C-channel design fits neatly over the top of the Craftsman rail. The lower part slides in, giving it the illusion that the hook is nice and secure.
The operative word there is “illusion.”
The lower VersaTrack channel isn’t deep enough for the bottom tab of the Gladiator hook. That means the hook sits higher on the track than it should and wobbles from side to side.
The weight of the hook (and whatever it’s holding) rests on two small areas: the very bottom of the thin lower tab and a razor-thin sliver of the top C-channel.
To make a Gladiator hook compatible with the Craftsman VersaTrack, you would need to file off about two millimeters of the lower tab – essentially making it a flat piece of metal.
At that point, I’d be worried about the weight capacity of the hooks, so I don’t recommend it.
Compatible with Craftsman VersaTrack? Not without modifications
Rubbermaid FastTrack : Not VersaTrack Compatible
This will sound familiar if you’ve read any of my other “Is this compatible” series.
Rubbermaid hooks and accessories don’t work on anything except Rubbermaid
The C-channel is too narrow to fit over the Craftsman’s raised center portion.
If you REALLY wanted to make it work, you would need to file off about two millimeters from the bottom of the channel. Either that or grind down the lower section of the hook by the same amount.
Grinding down the hook would be a lot of work, and grinding the track itself would be ugly if you ever decided to move the hook even a little bit.
Skip the Rubbermaid hooks if you’ve got a Craftsman VersaTrack system at home. It’s just not worth the effort to make it work.
Compatible with Craftsman VersaTrack? No
Kobalt K-Rail: Not VersaTrack Compatible
This test was another instant failure, which is common with the Kobalt K-Rail.
The top of the Kobalt’s C-channel hook is far too narrow to grab onto the Craftsman VersaTrack.
The Kobalt system relies on the grippy rubberized plastic channel to provide the friction to hold their hooks in place.
The hook just falls off without that friction, which is what happens here.
Compatible with Craftsman VersaTrack? No! It can’t even hang on the track by itself.
