Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box

by Thule

Product Features

• Rooftop cargo box with 8 cubic feet of storage
• Ideal for carrying camping gear and golf clubs
• Side-opening design for easy loading and unloading
• Mounts to most removable and factory roof racks
• Measures 54 x 15.5 x 25 inches (W x H x D)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box is compact roof box tailor-made for small vehicles that need to conserve space. The 682 Sidekick allows for 8 cubic feet or up to 110-lbs of cargo per box makes it ideal for carrying small loads such as camping gear or golf clubs. The box is constructed UV and impact-resistent ABS plastic, ensuring years of durable wear. It is compatible with all Thule base racks, as well as most any aftermarket or factory roof rack, and installs/can be removed from your rack in minutes without the use of tools via the Thule U-bolt/knob mounting system. All the necessary mounting hardware and straps are included, and the unit is covered by a lifetime limited warranty.

A compact roof box tailor-made for small vehicles that need to conserve space.
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Easy, one-handed access to cargo from the passenger side.
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Easy U-Bolt mounting system allows for use with virtually any rack in minutes.
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Dual single side locking system allows for dependable security.
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Get Your Gear Out of the Car and onto Your Roof

Thule's cargo boxes are designed with your active life in mind. Compatible with all Thule rack systems, as well as round bar and most factory racks, they allow you to get your gear out of your car and onto the top of your roof - saving precious interior space, keeping moisture out of your vehicle when hauling snowsport or watersport gear and securing items that would otherwise roll around during transit. They are innovative, built to last, are easy to load and unload and break down quickly and easily when the time comes. Finally, Thule's assortment of rooftop boxes gives you many options to transport your gear safely, easily and in style. Simply choose the one that best fits the length of your vehicle roof and rack and experience the difference they make in your travels.

Installation with the U-Bolt Mounting System

Installation and/or removal of the Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box from your rack is easy and fast via Thule's U-Bolt mounting system. This nearly tool-free mounting system allows you to attach your rooftop box to virtually any roof rack in minutes. Each corner of the Sidekick has a series of four pre-bored holes aligned along the length of the box. Included U-Bolt hardware is slid up from the bottom, across the crossbars of your rack and into two of these four holes. Once through, the hardware attaches to one of the four supplied knobs. Simply twist the threaded knob to get a secure hold that you can count on, and easily remove as you please. Also included as part of this system are all the hardware needed. Because of the pre-bored holes, the Sidekick requires a minimum spacing of rack crossbars of 23⅝", and a maximum spacing of 32 1/16".

Simple Use, Stowage and Security

Once Thule's Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box is installed it is extremely easy to use. Easy access to gear is guaranteed with Thule's passenger-side opening system built into the lid of Sidekick that also allows for one-handed usage, with the lid staying in place when opened. Finally, the Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box provides for the security of your gear via two included locks to secure box contents and lock the box to the carrier.

What's in the Box

1-Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box, 4-U-bolts and brackets, 4-knobs, 2-camlocks with keys, 1-sheet of vinyl hole covers, all necessary additional hardware, 1-user's manual/warranty card.

Key Features

• Passenger-side cargo opening
• Heavy-duty design protects gear and helps keep out the elements
• Carries 8 cubic feet or up to 110-lbs of cargo per box
• Includes 2 locks to secure box contents and lock the box to the carrier
• Fits Thule rack systems, round bars and most factory racks

Technical Specifications

• Storage - 8 cubic feet or up to 110-lbs of cargo per box
• Length (in) - 54"
• Width (in) - 25"
• Height (in) - 15.5"
• Weight (lbs) - 16 lbs
• Mounting System - U-bolt
• Box Opening - Single-side
• Locking System - Dual side lock/lock bracket system
• Capacity - Carries up to 2 sets of golf clubs (not compatible with skis)

Limited Lifetime Warranty

Thule will warranty all Thule brand car rack systems and its accessories manufactured by Thule during the time that an original retail purchaser owns the product. This warranty terminates if a purchaser transfers the product to any other person. No warranty is given for defects caused by normal wear and tear, cosmetic rust, scratches, accidents, unlawful vehicle operation, or modification of, or any types of repair of a load carrier system other than those authorized by Thule.

About Thule

Thule was founded in 1942 by the Thulin family, when Eric Thulen, a true lover of the outdoors, put the Thule name on a pike trap he designed and began to sell in Scandinavia. It wasn't long before he added other practical items to the company's portfolio. By the 1960s, the company began to concentrate on car-related products, including its first roof rack. The Thulin family sold Thule to the publicly listed company Eldon in 1979, and it has continued to grow both organically and through acquisitions ever since. The Thule Group is a world leader in providing transport solutions for an active life.

Product Description

Thule Sidekick Cargo Box

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 55 x 25 x 12 inches ; 20 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 25 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000WZYF4
• Item model number: 682
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really did the job for us, December 30, 2006

By 

Calvin Perilloux (Middletown, Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box (Sports)

I bought this with some skepticism, having read other reviews that gave it low marks, and also having bought Thule products in the past and cursed them as I tried assembling and installing them, what with missing pieces and the like.

Happily, this box is fine. It does seem flimsy when you're assembling it, and it even seems that way when it's open on top of the car. It seems to be engineered to be as light as possible, which it is, and that can be unnerving until you get it fastened down and locked closed.

Assembly: It's awkward. It took two of us, me and my 2 year old! Seriously. It's a bit hairy for one person to get it right, since you have to match the hinges with the sides of the "clam shell", and their fit doesn't seem quite right until you tighten them up well. Still, it went OK, about 20 minutes for me to do, far better than a Thule roof racks I installed some years back, where I was dealing with bent and missing parts. If you do this alone, you need to brace it well at an angle as you hook the top and bottom together. Much easier with two people.

Installation: Dead easy on the factory roof rack. (We have a Pontiac Aztek.) THERE IS NO NEED TO BUY ADDITIONAL BRACKETS, though when viewing ads for this, you might think so at first glance. The package includes 4 U-brackets which attach to your roof racks and are held inside by hand-swivel bolts (whatever they're called). One thing I added while doing the installation was to put duct tape over the inside holes for the U-brackets. There are several holes in each sequence, and you only use two out of 4 or 5; the others are exposed. Covering with tape might help keep spray out.

Performance: Pretty good! We drove 2300 miles with this unit, of which about 300 were in driving rain. During the worst rain, we did have dampness and some droplets of water at the bottom front inside, but the gear was sitting up on ridges and was fine - bag in front was damp but not wet. If you have cloth bags that press to the very bottom, I'd put them in plastic if you'll be hitting heavy rain (and ours was VERY heavy, and at 70 mph driving speed).

We noticed an increase in wind noise at high speeds, and in our rough tests, it knocked about 2 mpg off our gas mileage at 75 mph, but on a 50 mph stretch of several hundred miles we couldn't tell a difference.

Removal takes literally five minutes. You undo (by hand) four pairs of swivel bolts, and lift it right off the roof. Reinstallation is about the same.

Overall, we're extremely happy with it and very glad we bought it.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Size for a Subaru Outback, December 29, 2007

By 

lb311 (Bartlett, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box (Sports)

Yes, this box is not as thick and heavy as the larger pro-line boxes....and that's precisely why I like it! It provides about 50% more storage space for my Outback wagon and looks nicely proportioned to the car (not like those bigger monster-sized boxes would look on top of a small wagon).

While some folks have said it took 2 people to assemble, I was able to do it myself just fine. It's also lightweight enough to put on and take off of the car by myself as well (I'm a middle-aged female). Once you start loading it up, it doesn't wobble around anymore and provides a good secure, dry enclosure. I was able to haul a tent, chairs, sleeping bags and other camping gear in it with no problems.

Well worth the money. Very nice product!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall good value, April 2, 2007

By 

J. Jackson (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box (Sports)

This item was fairly easy to assemble. Would be easier with 2 people but I put it together in less than 30 minutes. It was easy to mount onto the roof rack as well. Bought this for a long car trip but wanted to take a trial run with it of about 500 miles round trip. On the trip we ran into some rain and a couple of quick downpours. The carrier held up well. I had a couple of drops of water on the inside and that was my fault. It was obvious that it was from the unused holes in the bottom for attaching it to the roof rack and I forgot to use the covers for those holes. Overall it help up great and expect it will do well for our trip to Florida