StowAway Max Cargo Carrier with Swingaway Frame - Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I did a lot of on-line shopping until I decided on this one. I looked at the Rola and Thule as well, and they all looked good, but I got this one because it had the most space (16 cubic feet, as opposed to 13 for the Rola 59109). Turns out, it has other advantages, also.
First, excellent customer service. The StowAway Max is not offered under Amazon Prime, so I went directly to the seller website and they were offering a $40 discount. When I finalized my on-line order, I noticed that the discount hadn't been applied, so I wrote them an email. Immediately (within hours) I got a reply saying that they would apply the credit to the credit card ASAP. About a minute later I got a confirmation, so I knew they were serious.
Next, they shipped the next day, and I got it in about three days. The packaging was pretty flimsy, but it all came intact (in 2 boxes). The installation instructions were pretty simple, and all the parts were included. It helps to have a nice socket wrench set or a pair of large crescent wrenches. None of the parts are very heavy and even a light weight guy like me can do it by himself. The hitch tightener is included, and the "Plus" package (which was offered free) also includes a hitch lock. The swingaway arm was sturdy and had no movement play at all once everything was tightened. The hinge point is a large bolt, and the nut is a little hard to screw on, and to do it right you need a large wrench (I had to use a pipe wrench for torque because I am not that strong). The cantelever turns out to be very strong, and I could lean my entire weight on it without tilting at all. The instructions say you don't have to install the hitch tightener until later, but I would recommend doing it before you put the box on the frame, as access to it is much easier with the box out of the way, and once the box is on, the frame is much heavier and harder to control the wobble when tightening the nuts.
The frame is versatile, and you can take the box off and put on a bike rack or other accessories. There are three separate ways to secure the swing arm: spring latch, a hand-tighten bolt, and a hinge pin. A bit redundant, but probably a good idea, especially on rough roads.
The box is typical plastic and solid but much thicker than the Yakima Rocket rooftop box on my other car. The lid seems like it would be rain proof, but there is no gasket along the edge. Just a lip-in-groove design. There is a large hole in the corner and a rubber plug to make cleaning easy. You can just hose it out. The lid is heavy, but when it is open all the way, it "clicks" into place to hold it up. Very nice, especially when you need both hands to pack the box. You have pull the lid down with a bit of force to overcome the click and close it, but I think it is okay. The lid has a lock, but the key can be removed when it is locked or unlocked. I would have preferred the design where the key is only removable when the handle is in the locked position, so that you don't accidentally leave the lid open.
The wiring was simple, "plug and play". I installed the license frame easily and the light works well. You do have to drill some holes, so you will need a drill. One warning is that if you have a lift-hatch on the back of your SUV, you have to find just the right position of the box when you swing it out or the the hatch may hit the box as it opens up.
Overall, this product exceeded my expectations, and I'm sure the Rola would have been good too. I didn't like the Thule because of the deep lid which would have made packing high a little difficult. The Rola has a pod that attaches to the pad, but I'm not sure what the benefit of that would be, other than you can carry the pod right into your camp rather than unpacking it. The fact the StowAway Max holds 3 more cubic feet than the Rola was the final selling point for me. It was more expensive, but I have no regrets, considering that all the necessary accessories were included.

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Yakima GetOut Cargo Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)My first Yakima cargo bag and a great buy. The one here cost less than certain sporting goods stores even compared to other top name brands. No tax & free shipping.
I cannot say anything about hard rain, but after driving through 3 states in the blowing winter snow, everything remained dry. The padded bottom did not leave any scratches on my roof, although I wouldn't recommend sliding it around once in place. The bag had surprisingly a lot more room than I expected, but the suggested weight packing limit is 100 lbs.
I sprayed an apparel & boot fabric protector on the exterior prior to use which helped for easy cleaning. Just a clean, wet cloth was all that was needed.
For first timers, I suggest allowing a little time to find the best way to strap everything down while following the easy instructions. In addition, I used bungee cords to secure the bag and also made sure everything was tucked in tight. With that, there was little wind noise. I did, however, notice a slight drag once going, but that was to be expected.
There are hand straps on both sides for easy carrying which also helps in placing the bag back onto the roof if it is removed without emptying the contents.
Overall, I found it to be worth the purchase. Cargo boxes are certainly more durable, but more expensive. This is a good quality bag at a good price with great extra storage. Once everything is packed up and ready to go, it even looks a bit sporty too.

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Lund 601006 Cargo Carrier Heavy Duty Storage Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)The quality of this bag is excellent; however, Amazon's PHOTOGRAPH shows a roof-top storage bag attached to the roof rack, while this larger bag was designed to be oriented from side-to-side on a REAR RACK THAT PROJECTS FROM THE TRAILER HITCH.
To use it on our roof rack I had to cut a plywood platform for it to sit on, and run additional straps over the top. Since one orients things lengthwise on top of a car, the front end of the bag does not look like the one in the photograph---the front end actually has a wind-catching flap across it! Our 2,800-mile trip included a lot of stops to apply more and more bungie cords (to stop the flapping). At least the dogs enjoyed the many stops. For the trip back we've installed a luggage-securing bungie NET over it. The BAG itself is EXCELLENT!

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Yakima FarOut Rooftop Cargo Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased this Yakima FarOut Cargo Bag. I will be using it for a 5,500 mile round trip coming up. I'll give my first impressions here, and later, by May 20th, I'll update how it has performed for the first 2,750 miles. I have a 2009 Toyota Camry with Yakima Rr Tracks, Yakima Landing Pad Base for Yakima Control Towers (1), and Yakima Control Tower - Set of 4s already installed. I also have a Yakima SkyBox 18 Rooftop Cargo Box on top but needed a little more space to put stuff in, (I have to carry around enough stuff for myself, my wife, and my newborn for the next 6 months). I am putting the Bag on the side of the SkyBox. My plan is to put everything I will be using at the hotels inside of the Bag so that I can unstrap it from the racks and carry the whole Bag in every-time we stop, instead of having to carry a bunch of individual items in from the car for every temporary hotel stop. We'll see how the plan plays out. But as for now. Let me give you my first impressions and stay tuned for future updates on performance:
First Impressions:
The Bag quality seem great. It says it keeps rain and bugs out an I believe it. The material is heavy and of high quality. It has 2 different ways to hook it up to your bars, either sideways or longways, nice feature. I'm doing long ways so it fits next to my SkyBox. Inside is mostly just open space, there is a small compartment on one of the sides which is nice for small items you want to keep at easy reach. There looks to be a a lot of space inside. There is a hefty double zipper too close the top plus fold down flaps that folds down over the zipper. Velcro holds down this flap, and to top it all off, there are 4 adjustable straps that both help hold the flap down and will squish down the top if you don't get it all full.
So far, I am very impressed, I only wish it had some type of locking mechanism (it may, I need to look through the instructions). But I will see what I can do to get it locked onto my bars, plus a zipper lock.
Performance:
Stay tuned, will have updates for this by May 20th.
Update 3 July 2010:
Okay, didn't get back to finishing up this review as fast as I wanted to, but here it is.
So as you know I was initially impressed by the quality. Well that has not changed and I am so glad I bought this. I ended up being able to squeeze it nicely on the roof by my skybox. It actually turned out to be the most used item during the trip across the US. It has enough space to fit all the belongings my wife, child, and I need at a hotel. We stayed at 6 hotels during our journey and the the cargo bag became a life saver. Each time we arrived at a hotel, I'd get the wife and child to the room, then I'd come back out for the cargo bag. Unstrapping the cargo bag from the roof I then plop in onto a hotel dolly for transport and roll it into our room. I preferred using a dolly as the bag was around 100lbs. But I was surprised to find out that the bag actually had backpack straps for carrying, this was a big help at the few hotels without a dolly.
In the mornings we'd pack almost everything back into the cargo bag and I'd get it strapped up on top of the roof again. It really sped up our unloading and loading times because I didn't have to make 50 million trips to the car. That bag literally took care of 4-6 trips to the car.
It held up against all types of weather, and lots of bugs. I am truely impressed and satisfied with this purchase and highly recommend it. I do have to say that I would not recommend cramming it with 100lbs of stuff and plan to walk 5 miles with it. It's not that type of backpack, but it will let you get your stuff into a hotel if you don't have a dolly. I also have to say that there is no way my wife could have handled the weight of that bag. So for people in the not so buff category, pack it lighter if you plan to remove it from the roof of your vehicle. Also, do be careful about how much you do put in it. While I think the bag could easily handle 200+ pounds, most roofs can't do above 100lbs without bending. I could see our sun roof being pushed down when I loaded it, but nothing serious. All in all, great purchase, would purchase again, and again.
I'll try and upload some photo's.

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Need to save a little trunk space while on the road? Turn to the Yakima FarOut rooftop cargo bag, which attaches safely to your car's roof rack for easy hauling. Also suitable for use as a piece of carry-on luggage or a backpack, the FarOut offers a premium quilted lid and base that protects your gear and vehicle, along with a full-size, U-shaped zipper opening that lets you easily load and unload your gear. More importantly, all you need to attach the bag to your vehicle is a set of round/square crossbars or a factory car rack. Plus, users needn't worry about inclement weather or bugs while driving, as the exterior is both bug- and rain-resistant.
Other features include oversized, lockable red zipper tabs for easy gripping; a heavy-duty nylon coil zipper with lock-ready sliders; anchor points along the side; 7 cubic feet of storage space; and grab handles made for easy lifting and loading. The FarOut measures 40 by 20 by 15 inches (W x H x D).

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Highland 10396 Black Rainproof and Duffel Bag Car Top Carrier Review

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(More customer reviews)We used two of these bags on a recent trip. Strapped them to the top of our MDX, went over 400 miles in the rain and they kept the water out. I agree with the other review, the cover drawstring should be more durable and easier to draw tight. Did not experience any of the "peeling" or "flaking" of the coating on the inside of the bag or the cover that some of the reviews I have read on other sites mention. Overall a very good product. Hard to beat the convenience of wheeling them around, they held alot, and you pack directly into them. The top flap of the bag has a built in clear plastic pocket that closes. Worked very well for holding cosmetics, shampoo, and pretty much everything else that would be in a man's shaving bag or woman's cosmetic bag. Two bags held all the clothing and linens for a family of 6 for 10 days in the cold with some room to spare. We definitely would recommend them. I would also recommend buying the bags separately as the two bag set only comes with one big cover instead of the two individual covers.

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Thule 866 Escape II Rooftop Cargo Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)I used this bag on a trip from NH to NJ and back.
Feedback on said bag, after roughly 600 miles = A-
It held a baby stroller, Four decent sized gym bags, and my sneakers. I had a LOT of room to spare. I really could have gotten away with a smaller bag for this particular trip, but once I fill it up with camping junk, the larger size will definately come in handy.
I attached it via the factory rack on a 2005 Subaru Outback. I attached two front strap to the front, and the to rear straps were in the "holes" at the way back of the OB side rails.
I had to pull over a couple of times as the excess on the straps worked they way loose and would slap around in the wind. I am going to work out a better system for securing the excess on future trips.
Wind noise was minimal. MPG only suffered about 1 mpg (on board computer based calculations).
I can't speak for it's ability to repel water as it never rained on the trip. I had brought trash bags to put stuff in just in case.
Pros:
- Cost- a HUGE bonus for me over the black boxes
- Easy to use
- VERY easy to store vs the black boxes
- Fairly quiet
- No significant (IMO) gas mileage loss.
Cons:
- Not that secure from theft as you can just cut the bag to steal stuff. Not an issue for us, because since we had the dog with us, we never left the car alone anyway.
- Had to remove the bag once I got to the destination as it was empty and had no weight in it to hold it down. The install/ removal, once I got used to the bag, was about 5 minutes each. Really not that big of a deal.
- Straps and the factory rails were not a good match imo, as I couldn't get everything REALLY tight, but the bag never moved at all during the trip, so it did work. I need to work on a better way of securing the excess. The straps that were tucked under the heavier gym bags stayed, but the lighter gym bags and the wind resistance made the straps come loose. I had to tie them around themselves to get them to stay.
All in all, I'd buy the bag again.


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The Thule 866 Escape II Rooftop Cargo Bag has a great new styling with the same great weather protection. With Thule's Escape II your next adventure is within your reach, no matter the size of your car or your budget.
The Escape II has a rugged, updated styling that is consistent with Thule's cargo bag family, and mounts directly to most after-market and factory-installed roof racks. This cargo bag features an oversize rain flap to protect its zippers from weather, easy-to-grab handles for easy bag handling, and internal foam-insert construction that helps maintain the bag's shape for easier packing. Constructed of heavy-duty tarpaulin with taped seams for solid water resistance, the Escape II provides you with the storage capacity of a cargo box without the storage dilemma. This rooftop cargo bag is equipped with interior cargo-management pockets and netting, and has a load capacity of 15 cubic feet.
What's in the Box? 866 Escape II rooftop cargo bag, 4 x attachment straps, and instruction guide
Manufacturer's Warranty Limited lifetime warranty

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15 cubic ft. Large Waterproof Soft Side Vehicle Cargo Carrier Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)This was perfect for travel. Very roomy. I have 2 extra large suitcases that fit in it perfectly with extra room for all the beach towels and more. I used extra bungie cords just for my peace of mind. For the price you can't beat it. Well made and waterproof.

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30" Wide Waterproof Soft Side Cargo Carrier Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)we have a CRV and just bougt roof racks and researched alot about bags (there are a TON that are too big for the CRV) and so we found this one that works perfect between the crossbars! we fit 2 suitcases and a few smaller bags. This freed up the back for my son's pack and play, stroller, and some other misc. stuff. We hit a really bad rain strom on the way back from VA to SC and for 6 hours it rained and I was worried we would have soaked clothes and everything was DRY! would definitley reccommend. The only negative I would say is that the straps seem a little flimsy. We had 2 orange belt ratchet things that we added and it made us feel more secure.

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Heininger 3020 Advantage SportsRack Soft Top Weather Resistant Roof Top Cargo Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got back from vacation two days ago and needed to use this cargo bag since we brought along an extra person. It was nice to have because the SUV was full since we were gone for over a week, but I was pretty nervous the entire time it was in use.
First, while putting it on, I got concerned when the zipper fell off with zero effort. The straps went on pretty effortlessly but I made sure to leave enough slack to add a boy scout knot just in case.
On the way up the bag started making unexpected wind noise and I was starting to get concerned that it wouldn't even make it up there. It did survive but I had noticed that the zipper decided to half-way undo itself. Luckily, nothing was lost but it could have been much, much worst.
While at our destination, I just took it off the rack. As I came home I threw it back up there with the same boy scout knots. But when I got home I noticed the inside had all come apart. There were black flakes EVERYWHERE. In frustration I just emptied it, took it off my rack, and threw it in the garbage.
I would not recommend this product. The price is a lot better than most of the other options out there but I think this is a case of You-Get-What-You-Pay-For. So, buyer beware!

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SportRack A21105B Rooftop Cargo Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)It is ok. We bought it to go inside the bed of the truck and under the locking aluminum cover. It did it's job of keeping our stuff drier than it normally would have been.

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Ideal for weekend trips and longer excursions, SportRack's Rooftop Cargo Bag makes transporting your gear a breeze. It easily mounts for most factory installed racks and after-market racks and is constructed of durable, water-resistant PVC-coated nylon to keep your gear dry. An oversize rain flap is secured with Velcro and will protect the zipper from wet weather. This bag also features an integrated rubber molded handle and includes a stuff sack for easy transport and storage. This model offers 14 cubic feet of capacity and measures 39 inches long by 35 inches wide by 14 inches tall.

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14.8 Large Capacity Waterproof Soft Side Vehicle Cargo Carrier Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)We used this item on a trip from Kentucky to Dallas and it worked great on the way to Dallas. When we loaded the carrier back up for the return trip a buckle on one of the four main straps that secures the carrier to the vehicle broke. Luckily we were paranoid about the carrier coming loose since we had never used one of these before so we had taken precautions by purchasing and utilizing heavy duty rubber straps and rope to tie it to the luggage rack. With three straps, 10 heavy duty rubber straps and rope we felt comfortable that it wouldn't fly off. I would gladly have given this product a better rating had it not broken on our first trip. The size is great, accomodates lots of stuff and is easy to use.

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Rola 59100 Platypus Expandable Roof Top Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)I had almost the exact same experience, only it was only rain. But everything was soaked. I followed the instructions, and while the hold downs, extra velcro straps and cinching allow you to really tighten the bag down so you don't have any flapping, if it really was weatherproof as Rola claims, it would be a wonderful product.

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19.6 cubic ft. Extra Large Waterproof Vehicle Cargo Carrier Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)We have loved this thing. It holds a ton of stuff, waterproof and tough as nails. I have used it in the rain and the snow. Went on a 8 hour trip in the rain and everything in it stayed perfectly dry. The tie downs are great also. You do not have to worry about keeping up with straps to keep the bag on. This is the only bag I found that said it was waterproof. The others I researched all said weather resistant, that worried me. Great deal and I highly recommend it.

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Thule Bags Nomad Cargo Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)I expected much better quality from Thule. As used according to the manufacturers recomendations, this bag did not even last one trip from New York to Chicago without it's interior lining cracking and completely flaking off. In addition, the back of the bag ripped creating two large holes in the fabric and the zipper attachments became loose and proceeded to pound at the roof of my car. The contents shifted continually during travel making for a loud noise that's not unlike a pouring rain hitting the top of the car. This becomes a terrible distraction while driving. All in all I had a very bad experience with this product and would not reccomend it. Opt for one of the solid constuction type carriers, they cost much more, but are worth every penny. In the end I thought I was saving money with this product but wound up having to purchase a Sears X-Cargo container to replace it for my return trip back.

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Highland 1039500 Black Rainproof Car Top Carrier and Duffel Bag - Pack of 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)We bought these duffle bags specifically for vacation in the end of June 2006. We drove over 700 miles with them on the top of our car without an incident. We packed all the clothing for 7 days for 2 adults and 3 children, plus 6 beach towels and still had room for some other things. They are easy to pack and to close. They did get heavy and my husband needed an extra hand to lift them to the top of the car. The cover that fits over the two bags is easy to use and fits snuggly over the bags. We did not have any rain during the drive, so I do not know how well they hold out moisture.
When we got to the hotel, we unpacked the bags and they easily fit under the bed.
The bottom of the bag did put some minor scratches on the roof of the car, so I recommend putting a blanket under the bags.
After attaching the bags to the cross bars, we pushed the cross bars tight against the bags and one of the bags shows some wear from rubbing the bar. If the bag was totally full, this wouldn't have been a problem.
We were very pleased with these bags and would recommend them to anyone looking for extra storage while traveling.

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Low Profile Waterproof Vehicle Cargo Carrier Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)We looked at many models and checked out a lot of feedback before choosing this item. We are very pleased with our purchase. Although it did not rain, it certainly looks very waterproof and heavy duty. It holds more "stuff" than it would appear at first, and the low profile allowed us to still pull into our garage while it was on top of our SUV.

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Westin Automotive Products 18-9225 Ratchet-Grab Tie Down with 6.5' Strap, For Select Roof Racks Review

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(More customer reviews)The 2nd release mechanism is BENEATH the strap, so when you have a load strapped down its almost impossible to disengage 2nd trigger !!!! This is why i think the price is so low ! They GET YOU on the eye bolts though !!! 2 for well over $20.00... WHAT A RIP OFF !!!

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