Outdoor goods company Snow Peak was started in Japan's Sanjo City, a place "known locally as a hardware town." So it's no surprise that their Stacking Shelf Container 50 has got that "tooled" look. What is surprising is how it can be locked in two different configurations and stacked in either one.

At first this had me scratching my head, but I realized that when you need access to stuff on different levels, the "butterfly" configuration makes sense. And it's kind of neat that the rubber feet at the corners remain the lowest point of contact no matter which configuration it's in.

Carrying it seems a bit awkward—I never like carrying anything heavy out in front of my thighs, as I feel it makes walking awkward—but a longitudinal handle was presumably foregone to enable stackability in the "closed" position.

The Stacking Shelf Container 50 (so named for its 50 liters of capacity) is made from stainless steel and built with durability in mind. And while the company is in the midst of expanding to Portland, Oregon, we're guessing these things are made in Japan—they run a whopping $155.95 a pop. There's also a smaller Stacking Shelf Container 25, by the way, which'll set you back $94.95.