Roof Rack or Cargo box?

Rich Heimlich wrote:
Guys,

I'm currently in the market for a mini-van and had thought I'd just go
pick up a Thule ski rack but then started wondering about security and
such plus whatever other issues I might not be aware of regarding the
benefits and drawbacks of a rack versus a box.

One of the benefits of a van is massive room inside - will you really
need more room? It's much more convenient to toss your gear inside and
take off than to screw around with a box.

I know, because I have a box which I formerly used extensively when the
kid traveled to races with 6 pairs of skis and I tagged along with 3
pairs and the wife had one pair - 10 pairs total. Now that the kid is on
his own, I never use the box - my 2 traveling pair of skis and the
wife's one pair just get tossed inside, and the box just sits under the
cabin taking up space. It's much easier that way.

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 07:35:44 -0400, Mary Malmros
wrote:

"More space" to carry what?

Whatever. Maybe clothes, other luggage, etc. With a vehicle that can
hold 7 people, clearly all that luggage can't just fit in the back of
a van. grin

though, is that if you don't have a fairly specific use in mind when you
buy, don't just get something bigger for "other uses". It's
overconsumption and a waste of your money.

Gotcha. Currently thinking 18 so I'm down 3 cubic feet already. grin

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 09:10:22 -0700, lal_truckee
wrote:

One of the benefits of a van is massive room inside - will you really
need more room? It's much more convenient to toss your gear inside and
take off than to screw around with a box.

As was said elsewhere, yes, there's lots of room inside a van, but
generally only for people. Van's generally have less storage space
inside than most other vehicles. Where would 3 pairs of skis end up?
Plus they're likely to be a bit dirty and such and do you really want
all that dirt and snow all over the floors of your van?

Rich Heimlich wrote:

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 09:10:22 -0700, lal_truckee
wrote:


One of the benefits of a van is massive room inside - will you really
need more room? It's much more convenient to toss your gear inside and
take off than to screw around with a box.


As was said elsewhere, yes, there's lots of room inside a van, but
generally only for people. Van's generally have less storage space
inside than most other vehicles. Where would 3 pairs of skis end up?

My last van had clear floor space under the seats - skis slipped in
lengthwise under the seats quite easily. Have they changed van seat
mountings to make all that under-seat space useless?

Plus they're likely to be a bit dirty and such and do you really want
all that dirt and snow all over the floors of your van?

Who cares? A vehicle is a tool for traveling, not an art object
requiring a clean-room argon environment. Plus skis are the least dirty
thing you'll put in the van - muddy/snowy feet are going to be your
major source, and you can't really control it, no matter how much you
kick your boots against the rocker panel. If you use your vehicle for
ski trips you get dirt and snow and mud - comes with the territory.

Rich Heimlich wrote:
On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 07:35:44 -0400, Mary Malmros
wrote:


"More space" to carry what?


Whatever. Maybe clothes, other luggage, etc. With a vehicle that can
hold 7 people, clearly all that luggage can't just fit in the back of
a van. grin

Depends on how you pack and how you're traveling. For a week trip,
probably not. For a weekend? I guess it's a matter of just how many
changes of clothes those seven people are going to need over two days.

My point is that if you can't anticipate the need, then don't buy for
it. Don't get bigger just because you think maybe, someday, you might
possibly use it. Take a realistic look at your needs. Never mind how
many people your vehicle CAN hold -- how many DOES it hold, and what
kind of trips do you take, and what kind of gear do you need to take
along? If you're using the van now, you must have a fairly good idea of
what you can put in the trunk -- when have you run out of cargo space?

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 13:01:34 -0400, Mary Malmros
wrote:

many people your vehicle CAN hold -- how many DOES it hold, and what
kind of trips do you take, and what kind of gear do you need to take
along? If you're using the van now, you must have a fairly good idea of
what you can put in the trunk -- when have you run out of cargo space?

Well, we don't have the experience yet as the van isn't even here yet.
We've owned cars all our lives so we're not sure. I have borrowed a
van my mother owns for a couple short trips and realized almost
immediately that there's less storage space than you'd expect.

The only other issue I'm seeing is that Yakima's "Pro" series boxes
look REALLY well-designed. They open on both sides, include a great
locking system, have a REALLY simple and effective clamping mechanism
for hooking to the rack. What Yakima doesn't seem to have is a Pro
model that approaches the size of their compact "Rocket" product.

Take a look a the directions for a Yakima Pro series product and then
a Thule box of any type and you'll see what I mean. The Thule boxes
come in much better shapes and sizes but the assembly looks far more
complicated and even look questionable for thinks like locks and such.

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 09:45:50 -0700, lal_truckee
wrote:

My last van had clear floor space under the seats - skis slipped in
lengthwise under the seats quite easily. Have they changed van seat
mountings to make all that under-seat space useless?

The three models I've been looking at each have no space beneath any
of the seats. They run all the way down to the floor.

Who cares? A vehicle is a tool for traveling, not an art object

Well, as we care a bit (not a ton, but clean is preferable to dirty
when the option exists) this seemed like the best choice.

kick your boots against the rocker panel. If you use your vehicle for
ski trips you get dirt and snow and mud - comes with the territory.

Good point. I think the smart thing to do is get the van first, of
course, and then see what the space situation looks like. I also worry
about the kids in the back stepping all over the bindings and skis and
such.

lal_truckee wrote:

My last van had clear floor space under the seats - skis slipped in
lengthwise under the seats quite easily. Have they changed van seat
mountings to make all that under-seat space useless?

Based on the last minivan I rented (Tremblant, two years ago, Chevy
Lumina IIRC), yes they have. Or maybe minivans have never had any space
under the seats. Anyway, don't count on being able to slide the skis
under the seats in a minivan.

--
//-Walt
//
// http://cagle.slate.msn.com/working/040514/matson.gif

Rich Heimlich wrote:

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 13:01:34 -0400, Mary Malmros
wrote:


many people your vehicle CAN hold -- how many DOES it hold, and what
kind of trips do you take, and what kind of gear do you need to take
along? If you're using the van now, you must have a fairly good idea of
what you can put in the trunk -- when have you run out of cargo space?


Well, we don't have the experience yet as the van isn't even here yet.
We've owned cars all our lives so we're not sure. I have borrowed a
van my mother owns for a couple short trips and realized almost
immediately that there's less storage space than you'd expect.

Aaaah, okay, now I understand. Are you also taking on new hobbies at
the same time? That can change your car needs radically, too.

The only other issue I'm seeing is that Yakima's "Pro" series boxes
look REALLY well-designed. They open on both sides, include a great
locking system, have a REALLY simple and effective clamping mechanism
for hooking to the rack. What Yakima doesn't seem to have is a Pro
model that approaches the size of their compact "Rocket" product.

My guess is that opening on both sides is not really a benefit unless
the box is so big that it reaches to both edges of the roof. The rim of
the box is going to be up the figure the height of the van, plus the
height of the rack, plus the height of the box up to the rim. That's
how high you have to reach to get things in and out of the box. If the
box is set back from the edge of the van's roof, this will be hard to do
-- so, as I said, unless the box is so wide that it goes right to the
edge of the roof on both sides, in practice, you'll end up just opening
it on one side.

Take a look a the directions for a Yakima Pro series product and then
a Thule box of any type and you'll see what I mean. The Thule boxes
come in much better shapes and sizes but the assembly looks far more
complicated and even look questionable for thinks like locks and such.

I'd blame the documentation. I own Yakima, myself, but I would expect
both product lines to be very much the same in pprice, function,
options, etc.

BTW, if you will be mounting on top of a factory roof rack (one that
comes with your van), do some research about this. Back not too long
ago, there were some issues because people would mount these wonderfully
beefy Yakima and Thule components onto factory racks that, in many
cases, were considerably less robust. A Yak rack, meaning their towers
and their bars, is rated for about 150 pounds, but some of the auto
manufacturers' factory racks are only rated for about 50. So before you
buy that jumbo box, do some research on exactly how much weight your van
can take.

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 21:42:41 -0400, Mary Malmros
wrote:

Aaaah, okay, now I understand. Are you also taking on new hobbies at
the same time? That can change your car needs radically, too.

Yes we are, like skiing! grin I skied for the first time about 15
years ago on a single trip and then we didn't go again until this past
season. My wife didn't like the first trip and wasn't keen to do it
again but then our son came along and there was this sense that we
didn't want him to miss out so out we went. We're totally hooked. I'm
despising summer for the first time in my life and think of little
else other than getting back on the slopes. It's literally like
Christmas again. I'm not kidding. I've been counting weeks until
Thanksgiving when I first trip of the season is due.

My guess is that opening on both sides is not really a benefit unless
the box is so big that it reaches to both edges of the roof. The rim of

Hhahaha. Hadn't even thought of that one. BTW, today a sales guy who
sells both said that his view is that Thule Evolution boxes are the
easiest to pop on and off.

I'd blame the documentation. I own Yakima, myself, but I would expect
both product lines to be very much the same in pprice, function,
options, etc.

The good news is that I have some time here to really go over all the
options and make the best choice for us.

BTW, if you will be mounting on top of a factory roof rack (one that
comes with your van), do some research about this. Back not too long
ago, there were some issues because people would mount these wonderfully
beefy Yakima and Thule components onto factory racks that, in many

I've been reading up on that. Both Yakima and Thule's Fit Guides
immediately recommend additional support for the van we're looking at.
What started out as a perceived purchase of about $150 has turned into
a major investment.