Customer Reviews

Rain-X Roof Top Cargo Carrier

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

We purchased this carrier because our current carrier, a hitch-based carrier on the rear of the car, put too much weight on the rear of the vehicle, making it hard to steer in wet or icy conditions.

The bag is made of VERY heavy vinyl-type fabric. So heavy in fact that it is hard to open, close, and zip. But once you get it worked out (I brought it inside to warm it up, which helped a lot) it is a nice accessory.

The straps were easy to lace through the eyelets, and although it was not detailed in the instructions how to lace them through, I was able to work it out in no time. Instructions could have been clearer.

The zippers are very heavy duty, but because the fabric is so heavy they are difficult to open or close. I believe this is a function of the fabric being water resistant. I found myself trying to stretch the creases / folds out of the fabric in order to pull the zipper. Even a TINY crease will prevent the zipper from moving as the fabric is so stiff.

The zipper is covered by a large flap on the bottom that velcros to a large flap above the zipper, essentially creating a seal that I really can't imagine ever leaking (unless you put the bag on backwards, with the zipper facing forward instead of backwards). We never went through rain but we went through snow with no issues of leakage.

There was NO flapping or moving about while we were underway. The eight way staps held tight and held everything securely, without putting stress on the bag itself since it covered the bag like a net as opposed to tying to the bag.

Last of all, it held about 100 pounds of clothes and gear without any stress or strain. The van was much more manageable with the weight being put in the middle of the car instead of on the hitch. Very handy in the snowy conditions in which we were navigating.

Of course it was much less convenient than the hitch mounted unit (hard to reach), but there are tradeoffs with everything (we spent $500 on our "Cargo Carrier" for our hitch).

Hard to beat for $50!

My only real complaint is the stiffness of opening and closing the zipper. I wish they had put straps on the zippers, and I'll probably find some and do it myself.

This past December I found myself in need of a cargo bag for a one time, 2000 mile drive. After researching different options (all with price tags in the $100's of dollars) I stumbled across the rain ex. I thought I would give it a try. I was shocked at how much baggage it held and how easy it was to attach and detach from my Blazer. (Although it held so much cargo that once it was off it was hard to manage due to the fact that its a bag not a shell) We went through a few rain storms and not a drop got inside. I was more than pleased with its performance and anyone who isn't simply isn't being realistic for the money. I would recommend it to anyone for one or two time use on a major trip.

This is a great value for the money but only in warm weather. The material gets so stiff in cold weather that it is almost impossible to work the zippers, and the zipper flap cracked open at a seam in 20degree weather while trying to lift the flap to get at the zipper.

The fabric is pretty thick and tough and seemingly water proof. We took it on a six hour drive in light rain with no water or dampness on the inside. The biggest problem was the zipper. It can be very difficult to close especially in temperatures below 50 degrees. In cold temperatures it becomes VERY stiff. Attaching it to the vehicle requires some "jimmying". It requires two attachment points PER side on all 4 sides so if you have car top rails on 2 sides (front/back or side/side) you may need to get creative. Look to see if you have any holes in the rails to attach clips for the sides that may be "missing" rails.

We just got this bag and have not used it yet. We spent as much time trying to find out the size as we did looking for one. The size is 36x36x18. It seems to be made well. Will up-date this after our trip.
UPDATE: We have now returned from our trip and this bag was great. The zipper was a little hard to unzip and zip when it was cold but no problems in the hot weather. We even went to one of those car washes were you do it yourself to wash all the desert dust off and nothing got wet. We did have to buy a roof mat to put under it to make sure it did not scratch the roof or slide around. Very pleased with it. Comes with a nice storage bag, easy to get the bag back inside. Roof mat fit in it also. We ran a nylon rope through a couple of tent poles to get the bag to attach to the front and back (we only have side rails) worked perfect even at 75mph. Are trip was 2281 miles long.

I bought the Rain-X cargo bag for a Christmas road trip from Colorado to Washington state and back. We drove through lots of snow, a little rain, and freezing temperatures and the bag held up fairly well. I recommend it as a lower price alternative to the hard shell carriers, but there are two things buyers should be aware of:

1) I read reviews that warned of the bag turning brittle in cold temperatures. This is true. You really need to warm the bag up indoors and get it opened up and in the right shape before you pack it. It also helps to zip it up most of the way, just leaving it open enough to get your gear in. Zipping around the corners is next to impossible if the temperature is near or below freezing. Also, be careful loading anything with sharp edges or corners, which could tear the bag.

2) The zipper handles are inadequate. First off, they're slippery, so pulling the heavy duty zipper closed in the cold is not easy. The zipper handles are also too thin. Both of them bent and eventually broke off during the first trip. You can replace them with key rings, which work much better anyway.

Despite these issues the bag performed well overall. The straps are very versatile (but also tricky in the cold), the bag holds lots of gear, and it held up well in the weather. I didn't have any leakage, but the product comes with a warning that it isn't "waterproof." If you keep the bag free of holes and tears I think it would hold a seal in most conditions...except maybe extended heavy rain.

Pros:
* Cost-effective alternative to hard shell carriers
* Protects gear from most weather conditions

Cons:
* Brittle in cold temperatures
* Zipper handles are inadequate

I think this is a good product for occasional use. If you need storage space for lots of trips the hard shell carriers are probably a better way to go.

Loaded and secured nicely, stayed very secure for 500 miles thru a very cold snowstorm, kept snow out and contents dry. Unloading was a nightmare as all parts became brittle in bitter cold. Zipper, flaps and strap loops all broke and snapped off. Had to drag entire bag off of roof and indoors to warm up before we could open and unload it. Brand new unit, first use. Unusable for return trip. Buying a hard shell carrier next!

Great Carrier! Went from Tn. to Fla. 1600 miles...not a glitch!
Does everything Amazon says it does! It is very easy to install!!! Really!
I read some of the bad reviews and these people must be idiots! It took me about 15 - 20 minutes to completely finish installing and loading it!
Holds 1 Large suit case and (2) small duffle bags and (1) flat leather suit bag about 3" thick & 36-48" long. This Carrier is very Heavy Duty! About twice as thick as a tarp. I agree with one review stating that in cold weather it is hard to zip and seal. Hint:Put small cable ties through the zipper eye and leave an open loop on the zippers. (4" long cable ties) to help close the zippers.

The product looked real nice BUT, You do not find out untill you open the box from Amazon that you NEED TO HAVE THE ROOF RACK WITH THE 4 RAILS NOT THE ROOF RACK WITH THE 2 RAILS.

We used this bag to go on a road trip from Texas to New Hampshire and back. We got tons of rain along the way and it never leaked once! I was nervous about purchasing the bag as everyone states that you must have both the side bars and cross bars on your roof rack. My Dodge Durango only has the bars on the side. I just attached the straps to the side bars and didn't use the front or rear straps. This probably would have been enough to secure the bag, but as an extra precaution, I put 2 tie downs across the top in an X shape. This completely secured the bag. It didn't move at all. For $46, you can't find a cheaper way to create a lot of extra storage space. I would give it 6 stars if possible!