Amazon Basics Rooftop Cargo Carrier Bag, Black, 425 litres

Product Information

Shape and Storage Capacity: If you plan to tote longer gear, like skis and golf clubs, you'll need a longer cargo carrier. It's also important to commit the height of your vehicle and cargo roof box to memory, so when you drive somewhere new, you can be confident you'll fit. It offers up to 15 cubic feet of additional storage space, enough room to carry four to six suitcases. Obviously, your purchasing decision should be guided by your car and whether or not it has cross bars or roof rails equipped. It's not as easy to load as a hard cargo roof box, but the advantage of it being soft is you can stuff more—ideally softer—items inside, and it collapses down when not needed for convenient storage.

When we took the Roof Master on a test drive, it was slightly louder than our other recommendations but still relatively aerodynamic with low wind noise. You also need to consider where you'll be storing the roof box when it’s needed, as some of the best we've found measure over 7 feet in length.Our experts say integrated tie-down points are helpful for securing loads, while felt liners preventing scratches and built-in LEDs are convenient if you plan to do a lot of loading and unloading at night. Depending on how you pack it, this carrier can be more aerodynamic than similar rooftop storage bags. The Tirol roof bag is constructed of heavy-duty waterproof 600D oxford cloth, protecting cargo against road grit, sun, wind and rain. Dimensions: Start by checking the length of the carrier relative to your vehicle to make sure it isn’t too long. With a universal design and metal construction, this luggage carrier is one of the simplest and most durable designs on the market.

These aerodynamic, roof rack-mounted boxes not only enhance comfort during long drives, but also create extra seating capacity by freeing up space for additional passengers. Made from PVC mesh, a material that is both strong and flexible as well as waterproof and flame retardant. You'll pay handsomely for the privilege, but this sleek, low-profile design from Thule is the most stylish roof box available. We tested the products we recommend in this review and evaluated them based on storage capacity, ease of installation, aerodynamics, and durability.If you've spent big on your wheels—this is especially suited to European cars from brands like Audi and BMW—this metallic black or matte grey design will look the business. Loops can be added to the edges of your car roof by a metal hook at the end, which attaches to a vehicle's door frame. We fully intend to test these devices ourselves in the future; in the meantime, we turned to the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute to see what their latest test of rooftop cargo carriers discovered. The boxy pod might be a benefit if you’re mainly hauling luggage, as opposed to skis and snowboards, which the JEGS can’t handle.

Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. The security system on the Thule cargo roof boxes is especially clever as each of the three locking points need engaging before it can be locked, which prevents driving away without everything completely secure. A low-profile model, 11 inches or less, might be better than the more typical 15 to 18 inches—especially if you plan to park in a garage. A flap shields the zipper from the natural elements and helps keep the rain from trickling in through the opening.Large families and outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate its 18-cubic-foot interior, which our engineers found to be extremely expansive and versatile, due to its cleverly designed proportions. A big Ford Explorer with all three rows occupied only has 18 cubic feet of cargo capacity, so a rooftop bag doubles the storage of a vehicle almost 200 inches long. It is heavier than many bags weighing in at 13kg, but this has the advantage of allowing the Softbox to kept on the roof even when empty, unlike many other roof bags. The RoofPax rooftop cargo carrier is outfitted with double waterproof closing zippers, waterproof dual seam technology, and water-repellant double coating. Do also remember that while bigger means more capacity, it doesn't always mean better for your vehicle.