Thinking of getting a roof top carrier for your vehicle? It’s a wise investment for any travelling family. Whether you’re lugging ski equipment for a two hour drive to the slopes or cruising the minivan from Edmonton to Sudbury, eliminating unnecessary luggage from the inside of the vehicle is a boon to all passengers. As one seasoned car packer (my husband) once mused: “a perfectly packed car means that only those things that you need access to, are in the seating area.” Choosing the perfect carrier, however, can be a difficult task. Here are some factors to consider while researching the choices out there:
Familiarize yourself with the three main types of carriers.
- The cargo box – a very popular choice – is comprised of a hard shell and can cost up to $1,000. To maximize its efficiency a set of bags that fit snugly within the compartment are available to purchase, so that no space is wasted.
- The cargo basket is a metal basket that sits on the roof and can be filled with an array of parcels and bags. It provides travellers a bit more flexibility than a box because items don’t have to conform to a particular shape and is similarly priced to most boxes. The luggage can be roped in manually or held firm with netting made specifically for the basket.
- The cargo bag is made of canvas and is collapsible when not in use, making it easy to stow away. An added benefit is that this carrier won’t dent, or worse, become lodged should the driver accidentally enter an underground parking garage with a full load on top. They are the most economical choice of all the carriers but are less durable.
Consider your family’s personal needs.
- This cargo carrier may last for decades, so think about how your children’s travelling needs may evolve over the years. Don’t base the purchase decision solely on the one major road trip the family undertakes every year. Also think about the shorter distances driven for various reasons throughout the year such as for hockey tournaments, ski weekends, cottage stays, or camping. Even though they are less packing-intensive than a long road trip requires, the more luggage that can be stowed on top for any length of drive, the greater the comfort for passengers inside.
- Think about what types of activities you foresee your family enjoying as the kids grow older. Are camping excursions in the horizon? Skiing? More road trips to visit the In-laws?
- Consider the pressures of every season. Some winter sports, such as skiing, require a lot of space and families may want to buy a carrier that is long enough to fit them. If bicycling is a cherished family outing then perhaps the carrier should be narrow enough to allow a second rack for bicycles, too. In Canada, every season is as unpredictable as the one before and after it. Summer days can range from blistering heat to rainstorms. And winters can be cold and dry or a never ending tribute to the power of the shovel. This means the Canadian roadtripper has to be prepared for every kind of driving condition, and this should also be factored into the purchasing decision (and therefore, may make the basket an impractical choice for winter driving.)
When my husband and I decided to purchase a Thule rooftop carrier, our kids were very young. Because the main purpose of the carrier was to accommodate our luggage during the long road trips from Toronto to Florida, we could have purchased a small cargobox for a reasonable price. However, Ted and I planned to introduce the kids to skiing eventually and decided, therefore, to buy the longest Thule carrier available to fit the skis we hoped we would be lugging. Last winter we drove to Ellicottville for our first ski vacation. While the kids found plenty of reasons to squabble and complain during the drive, not one of them whined about the lack of space. All the ski equipment was packed on top.
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