We already talked roof racks in a previous post so I will ass/u/me you are all set up with whatever company and design floats your boat. Now that you have a rack i will also pretend you have a receiver hitch on your ride. If not, well then this post isn’t for you.
There are several ways to configure your ride to accommodate gear. Obviously what each of us will be carrying will vary vastly depending on WHO you are carrying.
Do you have a bunch of dirtbag friends or is it just you and your girl? Do you have a baby, small child or young kids?
Also it will matter WHAT you plan on taking with you. Obviously one can go completely overboard here but i have some simple solutions to save you money.
You can always stack kayaks and snowboards and cargo boxes on your roof. There are a couple of drawbacks with this idea.
- Climbing on top of an SUV to get down kayaks, boards or rummage through a box can be quite cumbersome. Especially in inclement weather or when it’s damp or wet (see future broken ribs post).
- Also your roof rack can cause your already top heavy SUV to have more sway on the road. If you’re traveling country highways and backroads this can really slow you down and affect handling.
- Stacks of garb on the roof isn’t exactly the most aerodynamic aspect of your gas guzzling hog.
But here’s a solution that not everyone thinks about.
A simple utility trailer….
Bet you hand’t really thought of that had you? I ended up attaching my old yakima rounders to my old utility trailer mainly because i needed a way to transport my gigantic Dynamic Duo kayak (aka The Big Yella BiNana)
Lugging a 13 foot two seater kayak on top of a $60,000 SUV wasn’t exactly the safest idea for m fresh paint job.
The Yakima racks on the utility trailer really saved my truck and my back. I also think it could save some on gas but who is really counting.
Now with my trailer on the back and my rounders attached I can put a cargo box back there with super easy access. I can even attach bikes and throw leaky coolers on the floor and not have to worry about a backseat full of watered down beer funk on my carpet.
I still have my roof and rack free for simple things like snowboards or SUPs if need be or if I’m playing on a really long super adventure.
I realize a utility trailer isn’t the cheapest thing to just up and purchase but if you or your dad or a buddy has one collecting weeds in try backyard why not give it a shot. It may just help simplify your complex life and your weekend warrior adventure.
it’s also great to use if you don’t have a roof rack but you do have a trailer. Most people think they have to have a roof rack to look cool and be accepted into the outdoor club. F them. Be your own persona and make way with your own journey.
until next time…..
