Have you ever ever heard of Tom Combine? He was a well-known Hollywood stuntman within the Twenties and 30s. I wrote about him for AJ a couple of points again. He suffered an astronomical quantity of accidents in his work, however what actually caught with me was how he died: He was in a single automobile accident and a strongbox of cash and jewels flew from the again and hit him within the head, killing him immediately. Ever since, I’ve not been in a position to drive with stuff at the back of my automobile and really feel protected. Now, strapping down your junk is overlanding 101, however how many individuals truly do it? It’s a little bit of a ache after which it’s a little bit of a ache accessing your stuff. However what’s additionally a ache is getting your neck damaged by a flying French press.
After an prolonged bike journey with my SUV loaded to the gills, I made a decision I wanted a rooftop cargo field, so I contacted my buddy Justin, who’s owned a couple of, and requested him what he thought. He beloved his packing containers and his solely recommendation was to get as large as I may.
It was stable recommendation. I selected the Yakima CBX 18 ($1,099), the second-largest cargo field Yakima makes. The “18” refers to 18 cubic ft. On my first journey with it, I saved two big camp chairs, firewood, two sleeping baggage, a four-inch Exped sleeping mat, water, shovel, axe, my bike duffel, kitchen package…I didn’t preserve a full accounting, nevertheless it was a lot. The one issues I saved inside have been meals and a cooler (which, sure, was strapped down).
There are many nice cargo packing containers in the marketplace, and I’ve owned each Thule and Yakima fashions. I picked the Yakima for 4 causes: It’s simple to connect to the crossbars, you possibly can open it from both aspect, it has a fairly modern profile for the dimensions, and I used to be pleased with my final field, which additionally was a Yakima.
- The CBX has 4 curved clamps that stretch from the underside of the field. They slide on tracks and open and shut with a dedicate instrument—it’s like a four-sided Allen wrench. You place the field on the crossbars, open the clamps broad, slide the field and/or the clamps till they’re beneath the bars, then tighten. There’s a easy torque system that forestalls you from over-tightening. It’s a dead-simple course of.
Mounting took me the identical period of time whether or not I had a helper or did it solo, about quarter-hour. The field weighs 65 kilos empty, so I obtained it on the roof by putting a thick shifting blanket over the tailgate finish of the roof and sliding it atop at an angle.
- Having to go all the way in which round to the opposite aspect of your car to entry your field is the definition of a primary world drawback—however when a field is that this broad (38 inches) and shops this a lot stuff, bi-side-al entry is a big comfort. Particularly you probably have one thing heavy on the far aspect, like firewood. Yakima’s single-key system is a pleasant contact—the identical key works each side (because it ought to).
- After I mentioned moderately modern, perhaps I meant comparatively modern. The CBX18 is 17 inches tall. In case you drive an SUV, you most likely aren’t pulling right into a storage with it until your storage is a pole barn. However in comparison with Yakima’s SkyBox NX 18, it has a lower-looking profile.
- The one criticism I’ve with the CBX is that securing the lid generally is a finicky course of. This, I believe, is the character of the beast when the beast is product of plastic and is 91 inches lengthy. That plastic can flex, so in the event you don’t shut the lid fastidiously, it may not click on into the fore and aft latches. Or it would click on into one and never the opposite. I had one of the best luck—or solved the difficulty—by closing it gently within the middle after which urgent at the back and front, hand proper over the latches, till it clicked into place.
- What about mileage? Yeah, about that. You’re going to take successful it doesn’t matter what field you place in your roof. My Lexus GX470 usually will get 20 mpg on the freeway; the field lowered that to 18.5.
Is there a roof field in your future? If that’s the case, the Yakima is value a glance. However so are packing containers from any of the main manufacturers, and I’d ignore any opinions that declare there’s one finest field. Extra vital is that you’re clear about your wants and makes use of. Will it keep on on a regular basis? Do you solely want it within the winter for skis and boards? How tall is your car? Do it’s good to get right into a storage with it? Until you’re model loyal, matching your must a particular field greater than a particular model is one of the best ways to go.
