Thread: Best All Around Rack System with a Box: Thule or Yakima?

Originally Posted by scottyb

So don't park your box any where near SAHMtn's place.


Got the Thule 1700 on Yakima bars/pedistal system. Pretty happy wit dat. Gas mileage un affected by the box.

Have a no name box that I picked up at a yard sale years ago. Looks crappy and no one ever gives it a second look.

All your box are belong to me.

Originally Posted by scottyb

Gas mileage un affected by the box.

Originally Posted by Mofro261

Not true for me. Having the Thule1600 on top is pretty consistent -2 mpg.

my mpg definitely is affected by the bars, box & bike mounts


but, to the OP, I'd leave the box on the vehicle unless you know you're really not going to use it for some period of time (and as long as you've got somewhere to stash it). i find it's useful for all sorts of stuff, esp wet gear

and Fuck YOU! I don't steal.
And the Atlantis 1600 or whatever it's called now should fit a 192 (just barely)

2nd or 3rd staying away from the aero bars. I've had both. Currently have the aero bars. You need to buy all these separate adapters to fit anything on them. They complicate things for no real benefit. As for the locks, I wouldn't trust them. I haven't had a box stolen, but have had bikes stolen. Went inside for five minutes. Didn't feel like taking the bikes off. Came back to the clamps being completely snapped and the bikes gone. Lesson learned.

Man, you people are too...whatever.

This one FTW

Originally Posted by Zesty Not Spicy

Yakima rack and Packasport box. Fiberglass is WAY better than plastic.

I went to the Packasport website. Very nice boxes, but man are they expensive! $900-$1000 dollars puts them out of my price range. I would also prefer a side hinge, but I have never used a front hinged box. Anyone else have experience with Packasport boxes?

Originally Posted by Gman

looks like thule is the best all around. Am I asking for trouble if I leave the box on all the time but have it locked? Would prefer to not have to bring it inside my apartment. Atlantis 1800 seems like a good deal too.

You can leave it on, but it won't last as long due to UV exposure, etc. Mine is on the car most of the time, but does spend some time suspended in the garage if I am not going to be using it for a while. Keep it clean, and use a good wax/polymer on it and you will get years of use out of it.

I have the Atl 1800, it's a great box. The key thing is a little hassle, but it will prevent you from driving off with it open. Thule knows people are idiots.

Originally Posted by hutash

You can leave it on, but it won't last as long due to UV exposure, etc. Mine is on the car most of the time, but does spend some time suspended in the garage if I am not going to be using it for a while. Keep it clean, and use a good wax/polymer on it and you will get years of use out of it.

I have the Atl 1800, it's a great box. The key thing is a little hassle, but it will prevent you from driving off with it open. Thule knows people are idiots.

I got tired of pulling the key out of the ignition every time I opened the box. I put the key on a cord and had a fastex buckle on the roof of the vehicle. If I wanted it locked I could lock it, or just leave the key in the lock and use it like a door latch. On day, going down the highway about 70, the key turned in the wind and the box flew open. It broke the plastic hinges and cracked the top of the box. My solution to the stupid key-only latch was a fail.

Originally Posted by hutash

I have the Atl 1800, it's a great box. The key thing is a little hassle, but it will prevent you from driving off with it open. Thule knows people are idiots.

That's harsh, but true, in a way. Still, factor in a buzzfest of a nice enhanced powder day followed by a respite in the parking lot enjoying a few cold ones and more buzz, and you have to give us a break.

SNever used a box of any kind...but as far as racks go, I'm a big Thule fan. I have the Thule base rack with hi-rise mounts to clear the roofline and the Isaddle-type kayak carrier. Also have the fork-mount bike carrier, but don't use that much at all anymore since getting a folding mountain bike.

Thule uses rectangular crossbars on their base rack, the bars themselves seem better made and more ruggef than the round Yakima bars. I think the round bats on the Yak might turn under certain circumstance, and the Thule bars never will nor even could.

My big gripe about the Thule rack is the che cheap plastic adjuster/tightening knobs for the racppk. Every single one strpped right off the steel nut, underneath. Not really a big deal, though, as I can tighteen the thing WAY better, using a wrench on the nut than using those cheap plastic knobs anyway. Hopefully by now they've fixed that particular.

- -

I also wonder if anyone bothers breaking into the boxes, mostly because they don't know what if anything is in there.

I've had the same (Thule) box on my volvo for most of the last 10 years (sometimes comes off in the summer, but mostly not). The thing is locked and the rack (factory, Thule) is locked to the car. In addition to my driveway and tahoe resorts, it also ends up in SF (haight, soma) on the streets at night and in downtown garages. Never an issue.

To comment on the original question, check used stuff for a '99. Also see if you can find an oem rack as it might be a better connection to the roof without lifting the door seals or anything like that. Really happy with the one on our Volvo, cost was the same as the aftermarket Thule would have been.

I've also owned (old US made) Yakima stuff, and it seemed a bit heavier and perhaps cruder. Fit on the Thule seemed more fiddly initially, but better once I had it all dialed in. On a nicer vehicle I'd probably stick with Thule. If I expected a bunch of strong folks to lash stuff down on a truck, I'd take another look at what the Thule stuff looks like today.

I think the Thule stuff is designed better so I got that the last 5 years. Dual died lock and dial secure on box is best. I like the 1100 for skis and boots. Can put 4 pairs including 2 megawatts, 196 renegades and 191 Lhasa and poles. The Thule aero bars are great and don't whistle

Originally Posted by Mofro261

Not true for me. Having the Thule1600 on top is pretty consistent -2 mpg.

I just took my Thule box off my 4runner since I have about 500 miles to drive in the next two days and the vehicle is a gas pig for it's size. I mount it with u-bolts so I can position it further forward than the factory mounting slot, and with a 7/16" socket in a driver it goes on in a few minutes.

does the fairing help with windnoise enough to justify the costs?

A fairing will def reduce the wind noise but it is not guaranteed to eliminate it. Roof racks are always loudest when there is nothing mounted on the bars. Once you put a box, ski rack, bike rack, etc. it breaks up the airflow and quiets down quite a bit.

As for packasport, they are not that great. loading/unloading a full box from the rear sucks. the mounting hardware is a joke for what you pay for. no sure about the warranty but thule, yakima, and inno all have lifetime warranties. my understanding is that you can only buy direct from packasport, which is not a problem, until you have a problem. you can't just send back a cargo box for repair. you always pay for shipping with packasport ($149). Always. sure fiberglass is stronger but the paint will eventually fade and look chalky. only white doesn't fade.

take a look at inno boxes. http://www.backcountryracks.com/cargoboxes2.html

I did some unscientific mpg comparing, and just the racks or racks with fork-mounts drop about 1-2mpg. Racks with box on is about the same as no racks, possibly .5mpg down, hard to say, but much better than just the racks.

Tires mattered more: I've been doing about 2-3mpg better since I switched from p-zero's to conti dws. Side-walls aren't as stiff though, so speed is down a bit in the tighter turns, so perhaps that's where the win came from.