Looking for a rooftop carrier but not sure which one you really need? Here are some great tips we believe every traveler should consider when looking for a rooftop carrier for their next big trip.
These ideas will save you time, money and headaches.
We have applied them all over the years.
Learn from our failures.
1.
Determine how many people intend to use the rooftop carrier: If you are talking about a family, the bigger the better as you normally always have more stuff than you anticipate with kids.
If you are only a couple intending to use a rooftop bag for a weekend getaway to the countryside, go with a smaller bag.
No sense in having extra space in the rooftop bag.
The extra space will only slow down your car and give you poorer gas mileage.
If a whole sports team is your group, rent a bus, a rooftop cargo bag is not for you.
2.
Think about the weather conditions you plan on encountering: If you think wet weather is even a remote possibility, make sure you are buying one that is water proof.
Think Washington in the Spring.
Many rooftop carriers are only water resistant which means some water could get in if you go through a rain storm.
If you are driving through the desert, waterproof roof top cargo bags should not be a high priority on your travel list 3.
Ponder what type of car you intend to use for this great road trip with the rooftop cargo bag: Some can only attach to cars with cross rails on the top.
Other rooftop bags can attach to a car with no rails.
Know what type of hook up your car has prior to selecting a rooftop carrier.
4.
Consider the items you intend to store within the rooftop cargo bag during your travels.
We do not suggest you store any highly breakable items such as cookware or electronics, one never knows what could fly up and hit your car from the road.
We also do not recommend any animals of any size.
Also, consider placing towels in the bottom of the rooftop carrier as hard items could cause damage to your car if you are not careful.
5.
Think long and hard about if purchasing a rooftop bag is really worth it: Many times you will only use a carrier once every few years.
Why buy a carrier when you can now rent them through the mail with such sites as Rentluggage.
com which offers free return shipping with all of their rentals.
They have a variety of carriers that can work on all different kinds of vehicles.
6.
If you have a big move across the country, a carrier can really help.
Many times people forgot that instead of renting a large truck, they can simply use a rooftop carrier on their existing car.