Yakima vs Thule vs Bargin Boxes

As some of you know, I am now the proud owner of a Toyota Swagger Wagon. And while it is pretty cavernous inside, when it comes time to go skiing or to the beach, it could use even more storage space. So that begs the eternal question: which roof bubble to get?

We have use a soft-sided bag in the past that offered plenty of storage space, but struggled to keep things dry and was labor-intensive to strap on. It was also noisy and had the aero of a brick wall. So, our criteria was that the new box must be 1) long enough for skiis (and shovels and stuff) 2) be aerodynamic 3) be easy to install/remove and 4) stay dry no matter what. 

Now, I am a cheap bastard at heart, so I started by looking at no-name options. Goplus on Amazon looked pretty decent for the price:

It was a little smaller than I wanted, and from the reviews, I was unsure about them being water-tight and their long-term reliability. The shiny finish, while attractive, would get scratched up in storage too. I kept looking.

The next option was from Sportrack:

Apparently made by Thule as a lower-cost line, they had decent reviews with some concerns over quality. This was the lowest-cost option by far. The issue for me was that it was a little flimsy and I wanted something that I could use for many years, and the mounting options required u-bolts and tools. But at 1/2 the price, it was compelling.

Next, I looked at the Malone option:

Not a brand I recognized, but I liked the design. The price was getting higher, and reviews said that if you are paying that much, you might was well stretch to the top brands. So I followed my brother's sage advice, "just get a Thule, they are the best". He hauls bikes and skis and snowboards on an Outback in Vermont and Colorado, so I would consider him an expert. My S.O. also said that I had permission not to cheap out. so the sweet spot for me in the Thule lineup was the Force XL:
 

The most expensive option and I would have to sacrifice some cubic inches to be comparable with the box I chose, but no concerns over being dry or of decent quality. Some other Thule models had really bad reviews about staying dry, but this one seemed to do well. I wasn't a huge fan of the look and I wanted a few other options, so I checked out one last MFG.

Yakima has a good reputation and is considered the other top manufacturer. For the same price as the 17 cu/ft Thule, I got an 18 cu/ft Yakima Skybox with some additional features that I liked. I also like the cleaner shape.
 

So that's what I went with in the end. If you have any experience with these - or any other - options, feel free to share. Hopefully I can get it out skiing soon, and it will head to the beach in July.

My parents have a Yakima Rocketbox from 2001ish. It is great. I'm stealing it from them as soon as I get a roof rack on the Sedona. 

I've had a Sears X-CARGO and another non-name brand in the past. They work. They're much more finnicky though, and not as tough. In some ways that is good - easier to hoist up to the top of the car. In others, it is frustratingly bad. I'd pay the extra and get something good, personally.

We often regret buying too cheap, but rarely regret buying upmarket and getting a quality product.  As rarely as I use it, a soft side bag has done the overflow cargo duties for stuff that won't fit in the MPV.  Good enough, and I can fold it up and stuff it in the attic when I'm not using it, which is approximately 359 days a year. 

Looks like a good product.  Enjoy!

I have an older one that was a Sears brand.  Works well and has a lock.  We use it for the beach and put all the crap that gets covered with sand up in it to keep it out of the car.

are you an REI member?  REI usually has a once per year in the spring sale that includes 30% off yakima and thule products..  I'd shoot for that.  Sale is in may..

We just bought a bike rack to Yuppie up Mrs. VCH's decidedly redneck GMT400 Suburban.  Ended up with a Yakima swing-away rack.  The construction quality on it seems very high.  If this is representative of their entire product line I think you made a good choice. 

Some feller said, "The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten."

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

My parents have a Yakima Rocketbox from 2001ish. It is great. I'm stealing it from them as soon as I get a roof rack on the Sedona. 

 

I've had a Sears X-CARGO and another non-name brand in the past. They work. They're much more finnicky though, and not as tough. In some ways that is good - easier to hoist up to the top of the car. In others, it is frustratingly bad. I'd pay the extra and get something good, personally.

I picked up a used (big) X-Cargo box last year. I'm 82% sure it's made by Thule. It works great. 

When we were doing our epic west coast tour in the new PacHybrid, we needed a box due to amount of people and stuff we were gonna carry.

I tried to cheap out, but in the end we went to a local shop that carried a number of brands and after swallowing a bit, we bought a Thule Force XL.

It is stupid easy to install and take off due to its clamp design.  It's a bit awkward to lift/lower by yourself, but it's doable as long as you have a step or small ladder.  The ability to open it from either side was excellent, plus it won't allow you to lock the keys inside of it which is nice.

I can say that it stays dry in the rain and is quiet up to at least 99mph.