Beast Auto

Automotive, Offroading, Guides and Resources

Roof Boxes

Ski Rack vs Roof Box – Which is Better?

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The main benefit of getting a ski rack over a roof box is price. 

Outside of that, it’s generally agreed across forums and purchasers of the two themselves, that a roofbox is more handy. But it does come at an increase cost of usually 300-600 dollars. 

You can get a ski rack for 100-200 and if you look around on craigslist or offerup you might score one for even less.

But you could get used cargo boxes on those platforms as well. 

So the real question comes down to, how much are you going to spend? And, will you ever need storage for anything else? Let’s do a quick rundown of the pros and cons of each to give you the quick answers. 

Pros of a Ski Rack

Cons of a Ski Rack

  1. Costs slightly less
  2. Smaller form factor
  3. Easier to store when not being used
  4. Or leave it on all year, it won’t impact your MPG as much as a roof box
  1. Very limited purpose
  2. Exposes your Skis to the elements
  3. If you’re somewhere with heavily salted roads you could expose them to it. (salt can be corrosive, especially for metal and bindings)

Pros of a Roof Box

Cons of a Roof Box

  1. Broad Purpose
  2. Keep everything safe from the elements
  3. Keep wet clothing and items out of your car after a day of skiing or boarding.
  4. Top competitors offer really well-made products
  1. Costs more(but you can find good deals on used one)
  2. Impacts your MPG
  3. Takes up a lot of room if you’re not using it
  4. Takes a bit more time to access items than a rack would

Let's take a look at one of each

Rhino Rack Ski Carrier

This is the Rhino Ski Rack Carrier.

It has the things we’ve talked about. A low profile, a relatively low price(compared to roof boxes), and it’s easily removable. 

Of course all ski racks are going to have a more limited capacity for storage and in this case, it can fit up to two pairs of skis. This is the ten inch version and they go all they up to 27 inches. 

YAKIMA - SkyBox Aerodynamic Rooftop Cargo Space for Cars, Wagons and SUVs

And here we have one of the best sellers in the roof cargo box category. 

It’s about double the price, but it’s also an aerodynamic weatherproof option with many happy customers. 

This attaches to your pre-existing roof rack. If you don’t have one of those, you’d have to go out and buy them separately which adds more cost. It can add up, so on a budget the ski carriers make sense. 

Conclusion

There are a lot of discussions on the web about this topic, and the general advice is to go with a roof box.

But, it’s not the perfect solution for everyone. Hopefully, this helped you sum up the pros and cons of each!

Good luck and be sure before your purchase to make sure the roof rack or skis is compatible with your vehicle. There are usually downloadable sizing guides available from manufacturers. 

Conor

I'm the owner of Beast Auto. I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I love anything automotive related, and taking road trips all across my beautiful state.

The 4 Best Roof Boxes for Jeep Cherokees

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We all look forward to roadtrips, but all of us have a common issue. We need more space. 

If you’re taking your Jeep Cherokee on a grand adventure and you’re looking for a suitable hard shell roof box, this guide is for you. 

Price, carrying capacity, and value are our standard metrics.

Let’s take a look at the 4 Best Roof Boxes for Jeep Cherokees:

1.Thule Pulse Rooftop Cargo Box, Large

Thule is the definitive leader in the cargo box space. This design is called the Thule Pulse. 

It comes in three capacities, 11 cubic feet, 14 cubic feet and 16 cubic feet. 

But, what we like most about it is it’s aerodynamic design. You can take this thing on the highway and not have to worry about the whistling or screeching sounds of some inferiorly made products.

It’s also not going to increase your MPG by much. Of course any roof box is going to add some drag, but Thule is one of the best companies at taking this into account.

The material is hard ABS plastic and they have an “easy-mount system” to lock on to your existing roof racks.  The large size comes in at about 30 lbs.

One thing to note is that their warranty is non-transferable. So if you’re planning to buy this as a gift, it’s probably a better idea to purchase a certificate so they can buy it in their name themselves. 

2. SportRack Vista XL Rear Opening Cargo Box (Black, 18 Cubic Feet)

In terms of cubic feet, this is about as big as you can comfortably go with a cargo box at 18. 

There are few competitors to Thule that are highly rated, but SportRack is one of them with this lauded design. 

The standard material is abs plastic and this comes in at 28 pounds. They have kept aerodynamics in mind, but it might not look as visually smooth when compared to Thule.

What makes it different than most cargo boxes? It is designed to be rear opening. This helps keep a tight seal away from where air is going. The front of the box that is facing the wind is always going to be secure, it is supposed to help(in theory) with aerodynamics. 

This will mount to nearly all roof racks from the factory and roof rack bars, but if you want to be extra sure(which you should) then they have a fit guide. 

It uses a U-Bolt mounting system, so as long as there is clearance over your roof rack and the U-Bolt, then it is compatible. They’ve listed this as “water-resistant” and not water proof.

Due to the mounting bracket holes they decided to give it that designation, but customers seem to have no issues with water getting in. 

Something to note on this is that because it is rear opening, if you have an SUV check that you have a step on your bumper first. If not, it might be a bit annoying to reach. 

3. Goplus Cargo Box, Waterproof Rooftop Cargo Carrier

Goplus has a cargo box that is interesting in that they give you three color options, which is a rarity for this category. 

If you want to match your white or gray car to it’s accompanying color instead of the usual black, that is a possibility now. 

And we all love color! On to the other details though, this is a side opening box and they are proud to proclaim its virtues of water-proofyness. So you’ll be able to keep all your valuables dry rain or shine.

They have a gloss finish and aerodynamic form, as is standard in the category. This is a 14 cubic foot capacity option, so it’s not as big as some others. 

It can hold a good amount of weight at a capacity of 165 lbs and is one of the lightest we’ve reviewed at 25 lbs. This is a great overall value. 

4. YAKIMA - RocketBox Pro

Yakima proudly displays their aerodynamic design as a multi-use box for cars, suvs, and wagons. 

There is definitely an appeasing aesthetic to their sleek creation. This is a 14 cubic foot storage capacity, with many happy customers. 

Safety is an important factor for everyone when putting your esssentials away and they’ve taken that into consideration with their SKS lock cores. 

By nature something outside your car is going to be a bit more susceptible to thievery so it’s advisable not to put all your trust into a lock. It still works as a deterrent though and it is a positive addition to their product. 

FAQS

What size is right for me?

Any roof rack over 10 cubic feet is going to hold at least 3 snowboards. We recommend watching a video to get a visual idea of how much a roof cargo box can hold. Here is an 18 cubic foot design by Thule. 

Warranties and roof boxes, are these covered? 

Most roof box manufacturers have an interesting addition to their terms. They want you to buy it in your name if it is for your vehicle and claim that the warranty isn’t transferable. 

The intent behind this is if you sell a car, they don’t want to be responsible for replacing another persons roof box 10 years later. All it means is that if you hope to purchase this as a gift, you might be better off giving them a certificate. 

Conclusion

A roof cargo box will significantly increase the carrying capacity of your Jeep Cherokee. We hope that this article helped you decide the best fit for you and your family.

Overall, we think Thule is ahead of the pack in terms of our criteria. But, there are many high pedigree competitors out there. 

If you choose one of these, let us know how it worked out with your vehicle. And enjoy your shopping!

Conor

I'm the owner of Beast Auto. I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I love anything automotive related, and taking road trips all across my beautiful state.

How big is a cubic foot? – Picking the right size roof box for you.

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It can be difficult for us to visualize just how much space we need when looking for a roof box.

So we found a visual comparison that will help! If you see the picture. That is a 3 foot cubic box. 

this image shows what 3 cubic feet look like

Now of course a roof rack is going to have curvature so it isn’t going to look the same, but the volume will be the same. 

1 cubic foot = 7.48052 US Liquid Gallon. Pretty much any cargo box over 10 cubic feet will be able to fit 3 snowboards or more if you’re looking for a comparison.

Conor

I'm the owner of Beast Auto. I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I love anything automotive related, and taking road trips all across my beautiful state.