Spare Tire & Cargo Bags — Jeep Wrangler & Bronco

Bartact spare tire cargo bags mount to the exterior spare tire carrier on Jeep Wranglers, Jeep Gladiators, and other off-road vehicles with rear-mounted spare tires. The bags use the space behind the spare tire — normally wasted — to carry recovery gear, tools, trail essentials, and cargo that would otherwise take up space inside the cab or cargo area. Made in the USA from waterproof-backed 600D polyester or mil-spec 1000D Cordura nylon, with secure attachment hardware for the spare tire carrier without drilling or permanent modification.

The Spare Tire Carrier as Storage Space

Any Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator owner knows the frustration of limited cargo space on a trail build. Every cubic inch of interior space is competed for by recovery straps, hi-lift jacks, first aid kits, food, water, sleeping gear, and the dozens of other items that accumulate on an overlanding rig or extended trail vehicle. The spare tire carrier on the rear of the vehicle represents one of the most underused storage opportunities on a Wrangler or Gladiator. Bartact spare tire cargo bags occupy that space without interfering with spare tire access — the tire remains fully accessible, the bags mount to the carrier frame, and the storage bonus adds meaningful capacity without adding a roof rack, interior organizer, or other intrusive aftermarket addition.

The spare tire carrier position also has practical advantages beyond just storage capacity. Gear stored behind the spare tire is shielded from cab-interior environmental exposure — it's outside the cab, so it doesn't compete with passengers for space, doesn't add to interior heat buildup, and doesn't take up floor space needed for recovery gear stacking. Trail tools, tow straps, shackles, and bulky recovery items that need to be accessible quickly but don't need to be inside the cab are ideal candidates for spare tire carrier storage.

Compatible Vehicles and Spare Tire Configurations

Bartact spare tire cargo bags are designed primarily for Jeep Wranglers (TJ, JK, JL) and Jeep Gladiators equipped with factory or aftermarket rear-mounted spare tire carriers. The JK and JL Wrangler's factory swing-out spare tire carrier is the most common application — the carrier frame provides multiple attachment points for Bartact's bag hardware. The Gladiator's factory spare tire carrier is similarly compatible. Aftermarket oversized spare tire carriers and swing-out rear bumpers with integrated spare mounts are also compatible as long as the carrier frame provides the standard attachment geometry. For vehicles with non-standard carrier configurations, measure the carrier frame before ordering to confirm compatibility.

Materials

Standard colors — waterproof-backed 600D polyester: Mounted outside the vehicle, spare tire cargo bags face full weather exposure — direct sun, rain, mud, and trail debris. UV inhibitors are built into the 600D polyester fiber during manufacturing, not applied as a surface coating that weathers away. The waterproof backing keeps contents dry in rain and during river crossings. Bartact backs standard colors with a 3-year anti-fade guarantee. This is the right choice for most Wrangler and Gladiator owners.

Military and specialty colors — mil-spec 1000D Cordura nylon: The most durable option for exterior-mounted bags that face constant UV exposure, trail brush contact, and weathering. Cordura's abrasion resistance is substantially better than standard polyester — the bag survives brushing through vegetation, trail debris impact, and the accumulated wear of years of off-road use. No fade warranty on military colors.

What to Carry in Spare Tire Cargo Bags

Spare tire cargo bags are ideal for items that need to be accessible quickly but don't need to be inside the cab. Recovery straps, soft shackles, tree savers, and snatch blocks are natural candidates — they're bulky, get muddy, and are used at the rear of the vehicle during recovery operations, so having them stored at the rear makes operational sense. Trail tools including tow hooks, tire deflators, and puncture repair kits benefit from carrier storage for the same reason. Heavy items like hi-lift jack handles and base plates can mount to the carrier using Bartact's bag hardware alongside the storage bags. For overlanding rigs, camp cooking equipment, tarps, and firewood processing tools all move out of the cab and onto the carrier.

Why Bartact for Spare Tire Cargo Storage

• Made in the USA — every Bartact product manufactured domestically
• No drilling required — hardware attaches to existing carrier frame
• Spare tire remains fully accessible — bags don't block tire removal
• Waterproof backing — contents protected in full weather exposure
• UV-inhibited fiber — outdoor mounting means full sun exposure; protection built into the material
• 3-year anti-fade guarantee on standard 600D polyester colors
• Expands total vehicle storage without roof racks or interior intrusion

Build Your Trail Rig Storage System with Bartact

Spare tire cargo bags work alongside Bartact's full storage lineup. Wrangliator door storage bags add organized storage to the Wrangler and Gladiator door interiors. Seat covers protect the interior surfaces that take trail abuse from the spare tire bag gear when it's brought inside the cab. MOLLE accessories expand organized gear attachment throughout the interior. Every Bartact storage product uses compatible attachment systems and the same material standards — a consistent, professional trail rig storage setup is achievable without mixing brands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this work with aftermarket spare tire carriers?
Most aftermarket carriers are compatible as long as the carrier frame provides standard attachment geometry. Measure your carrier before ordering if you're running a non-factory setup.

Will the spare tire still be accessible when the bags are mounted?
Yes. Bartact spare tire cargo bags mount to the carrier frame alongside the spare tire, not over it. The tire remains fully removable for trail repairs.

What vehicles are compatible?
Primarily designed for Jeep Wrangler (TJ, JK, JL) and Jeep Gladiator with factory or aftermarket rear spare tire carriers. Other vehicles with rear-mounted spare tire carriers may be compatible — verify carrier geometry before ordering.

Are these weatherproof for outdoor mounting?
Yes. The waterproof backing handles rain, mud, and river crossings. UV inhibitors in the fiber protect against sun damage during long-term outdoor mounting.

Are these made in the USA?
Yes. Every Bartact product is manufactured domestically.

What Makes Bartact Different From Every Other Brand

The Bartact difference comes down to three decisions that most accessory manufacturers never make: manufacture in the USA, build UV protection into the fiber rather than coat it on the surface, and cut every product to the exact dimensions of the specific vehicle it is designed for rather than producing a universal shape that approximates fit across dozens of applications.

Domestic manufacturing is a quality control decision first and a values statement second. When Bartact manufactures in the USA, the entire production process — material sourcing, cutting, sewing, Bar Tack reinforcement, quality inspection — happens under conditions that Bartact can directly monitor and control. The result is consistent product quality across every unit that leaves the facility, not the variable quality that results from remote offshore production where specifications get interpreted rather than enforced. Every Bartact product is hand-sewn by skilled workers in Temecula, California. That is not a marketing claim — it is the operational reality that makes the quality consistency possible.

Fiber-built UV protection is the material science decision that makes the three-year anti-fade guarantee credible. UV inhibitors applied as a surface coating to finished fabric are a temporary solution — they degrade with UV exposure, wash out with cleaning, and fail first at fold lines and abrasion points where the coating gets compromised. UV inhibitors built into the polyester fiber during the fiber manufacturing process are a permanent property of the material. They do not degrade with UV exposure because they are not a surface treatment. They do not wash out because they are part of the fiber structure. The result is a fabric that maintains its color fidelity under sustained UV exposure in the same way the fiber's other permanent properties — strength, flexibility, water resistance — are maintained under sustained use. Bartact 600D Patriot Polyester uses this approach. The three-year anti-fade guarantee is the consumer-facing expression of the material reality.

Custom-cut fitment is the design decision that separates Bartact from the category of products sold as universal fits. A universal seat cover is a compromise — it is designed to approximately fit the most common seat shapes while being marketed across dozens of incompatible seat geometries. The result is a cover that bunches at the bolsters, has headrest sleeves at the wrong height, and uses elastic attachment straps running at angles incompatible with the seat's actual anchor point locations. On a Jeep Wrangler, where the seat geometry is unique to the platform and where the cover gets exposed to the most demanding use conditions, a universal cover fails faster and looks worse from day one. Bartact patterns every product from precise measurements of the actual vehicle seat it is designed for. The custom-cut approach costs more to produce and requires maintaining a larger SKU library, but the result is a product that installs cleanly, stays in position through hard trail use, and looks like it was designed for the vehicle rather than forced onto it.

The Bar Tack Difference

Bar Tack stitching is the construction technique that reinforces high-stress points in Bartact products. A Bar Tack is a series of dense, perpendicular stitches concentrated at a single stress point — attachment loops, pocket openings, strap anchors — that distributes load across a broad area of fabric rather than concentrating it at a single thread. Standard flat stitching fails at stress points under repeated load because the load concentrates at the last stitch in the run. Bar Tack stitching distributes that load across dozens of stitches simultaneously, which is why the technique is used in parachute harnesses, climbing equipment, and military load-bearing gear where stitch failure has consequences. Bartact applies Bar Tack stitching at every stress point in every product — not as an upgrade option, but as the standard construction method. This is one of the specific decisions that makes Bartact products last significantly longer than alternatives that use flat stitching throughout.

Browse the Full Bartact Lineup

Every product in the Bartact catalog is built to these standards. Seat covers for Jeep Wrangler TJ, JK, and JL, Jeep Gladiator, Ford Bronco, Toyota 4Runner, and Toyota Tacoma — all custom-cut, all USA-made. Paracord grab handles invented by Bartact, handmade in the USA with Type III 550 paracord. MOLLE accessories — seat back panels, tailgate panels, and mounting solutions for organized interior gear storage. Fire extinguisher holders for roll bar safety equipment mounting with no drilling required on Jeep platforms. Winch covers for recovery hardware protection between trail uses. Spare tire cargo bags that convert the carrier frame into usable storage. Every Bartact product is backed by the same domestic manufacturing commitment and material standards that have built the brand's reputation in the Jeep community.