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(More customer reviews)I have had a Yakima cargo box before with 21 cubic feet. This new one has many improvements over the old version. The new version attaches in three places (when you close it) instead of two, and the closing attachments seem to be more secure. After a while the old box would allow rain to come in (so we frequently traveled with luggage in big plastic garbage bags), and this one seems less likely to have this problem. It is great to have the 21 cubic feet, although it would have held slightly more, and bigger objects if it did not have the slight fins on top, but had stayed elevated across the top, instead of having the fin-created dip. The titanium look held up well on the first camping trip.
It is nice to be able to open the box from both sides. This allows you to pack small items a little better from both sides -- if you are maximizing what you can get in, like I did on a recent car camping trip. However, the dual opening mechanism has to have the pivot point in the middle, instead of on one side, so the mouth of the opening does not seem as wide as the old box. The small opening made it a little harder to get some luggage in.
The old box (with its pre-drilled holes) did not have as much flexibility as to where it could attach to the cross bars of the luggage rack. I have a 4-Runner with a hatchback opening. On the old box, I had to elevate the back of the cargo box (about 1 inch with small plywood blocks that I made) to avoid the open hatch back hitting the cargo box (even with the air flow slat removed). On the new box there is much more flexibility on attaching the cargo box to the cross bars of the luggage rack, so I did not have to try to create anything to lift the the back of the new box. Once you have the fastening devices where you want them (after the first use of the cargo box) it is faster to attach the new box (for the second and later trips) than the old box, because the attachment devices on the new box stay connected to the box. But, that the attachment devices stay connected to the box (during storage) also slightly complicates the storage of the box since the four attachment "claws" protrude down from the bottom of the box. So, it does not slide as easily in to where you want to store it, and I did not want the weight of the box sitting on the "claws". But, this is a minor inconvenience.
I dislike having to keep a key in the lock when ever the box is open. I did not want my whole key ring (ignition key and all) out in the open while the box is open. So, I got a small key ring just for the Yakima box. Plus, you cannot leave the new box unlocked; in times past, if I was at a motel and the box was empty, I would leave the box unlocked, so that if someone wanted to try to open it, they could and easily see it had nothing in it to take. Now, they would have to damage the box to open it to see that it had nothing in it.
I paid Amazon the $50 for the delivery because I needed a weekend to make sure that the hatchback of the 4 Runner would not cause a problem when leaving on a trip the next Friday. However, the delivery was delayed for two days sitting in a truck at the Phoenix CEVA office until they had a full truck to come this way. To have a weekend to check out the hatchback problem I had to pick it up at the local CEVA office once it made it to town.. I complained to Amazon, and was readily given a complete refund on the shipping cost.
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Yakima SkyBox Pro 21 Rooftop Cargo Box (Titanium)Family camping trips can be a little cramped, as even the smallest tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks take up a ton of space in the car--and that doesn't account for the coolers, camping chairs, canopies, and family dog. Enter the Yakima SkyBox Pro 21 rooftop cargo box, a huge-but-still-sleek storage container that's deal for toting large amounts of gear on camping or ski trips.Designed to fit crossbar spreads as short as 24 inches, the SkyBox Pro 21 comes with quick-installation mounting hardware that accommodates round, square, and most factory crossbars. More importantly, the Pro 21 offers 21 cubic feet of storage, so you don't have to cram all your gear into the trunk or back seat of your car. Just load up the SkyBox Pro 21 and hit the road. The box even includes an integrated accessory system--with a cargo net and pad--to help you systematically organize, protect, and secure your stuff.
The SkyBox Pro 21 also offers a new lid shape that's easier to grab even if you have particularly clumsy meat hooks. Plus, the lid--which is 50 percent stiffer than lids on previous Yakima cargo boxes--opens on either side, so you don't have to run laps around your vehicle to access your gear. Other details an aerodynamic shape that reduces drag and cuts down on wind noise; a Super Latch Security system that keeps your stuff safely inside; and SKS locks. Boasting an ultra-sleek titanium finish, the SkyBox Pro 21 measures 36 by 18 by 92 inches (W x H x D) and carries a limited lifetime warranty.
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