Press Release: Packasport Is Relaunching Its Complete Line of U.S.-Built Premium Rooftop Carriers

[Muleski]

That’s a very nice offer! Hope a number of people take advantage of it! Great stuff!

 

[James]

Are the custom colors gel coat or are they painted?

 

[Packasport]

Custom colors are painted with automobile paint. However, we do have some gel coat in colors other than black and white.

 

[winkdc]

We are interested in a ski box. The website does not appear to provide good info on how many pairs of skis each box would hold, cubic feet etc. I could be missing it. And is it compatible with any base rack? We just bought an Audi Q7 in the DC area and need to invest in something as we will do some day/weekend trips to PA and holiday drives to VT/NH/ME. What would be a good fit?

 

[Packasport]

Hi Wink,

Thanks for the note. We provide the dimensions of each cargo box as well as the volume in cubic feet.
There is also a rendering of each cargo box. It's the third of the three thumbnail images.
See the System 60 rendering as an example:

https://packasport.com/parts?olsPage=products/system-60

You make a good suggestion to provide how many skis can fit in each box.
I could do an estimated calculation based on the dimensions of the skis and the dimensions of each box.

I hope that helps,
Franco

 

[Philpug]

We are interested in a ski box. The website does not appear to provide good info on how many pairs of skis each box would hold, cubic feet etc. I could be missing it. And is it compatible with any base rack? We just bought an Audi Q7 in the DC area and need to invest in something as we will do some day/weekend trips to PA and holiday drives to VT/NH/ME. What would be a good fit?

I will back into the question this way, what do you see the maximum amount of skis you will need to fit? I doubt you will need the 115, if you did, you wouldn't be asking the question. That brings us to the 60, 71 and 90. Unless it is just you and maybe one other, I would say the 90 because just because you have the room, you don't need to fill it but if you don't have the room you will be SOL.

 

[Packasport]

We can also back into the information with a simple calculation, using the System 60 as the example.

The System 60 is 24 inches wide. Dividing a 24 inch wide cargo box by an average ski width of 4.25 inches, you could lay in 5 pair of skis. However, I’m guessing that one could stack the skis and snowboards differently to cram in more.

Pay attention also to the length of the cargo box. They System 71ss is only 76 inches long vs the System 60 at 89 inches long.
I have the 71ss on my car. It fits my 177cm skis but I need to place them at an angle. That's not ideal for multiple sets of skis.

 

[Decreed_It]

Wow - <drool> - for contrast, I'm on my 2nd Yakima SkyBox 18 - the 1st one we wore out/broke in about 10 years of moderate use. It's abs plastic I think and while fine, tends to be flimsy at spots. At around $599 - could have had 1 PackaSport. Hard to justify now but, there's always CL and Ebay to sell the Yakima.

I do think at 120 lbs for the 115 - put it on and leave it! I can solo the Yakima Skybox on and off our SUVs, no way could I do that with the Packasport. Still - clearly a superior, if not best in class product.

 

[Packasport]

Thank you Decreed-it.
Much appreciated accolade.

 

[winkdc]

I will back into the question this way, what do you see the maximum amount of skis you will need to fit? I doubt you will need the 115, if you did, you wouldn't be asking the question. That brings us to the 60, 71 and 90. Unless it is just you and maybe one other, I would say the 90 because just because you have the room, you don't need to fill it but if you don't have the room you will be SOL.

Pakasport - I would likely be looking at 5 pairs of skis max. And no longer than 180...unless I get out my ancient SL 203.

I appreciate Phil and Packasports reply. Honestly we just went from a Lexus to an Audi and the hatch opens much differently. So the back end opening concerned me with this box and the Audi. But I don't see why you couldn't acess the box from the sides on a rear opening box...after you open from the rear?

 

[Philpug]

Pakasport - I would likely be looking at 5 pairs of skis max. And no longer than 180...unless I get out my ancient SL 203.

I appreciate Phil and Packasports reply. Honestly we just went from a Lexus to an Audi and the hatch opens much differently. So the back end opening concerned me with this box and the Audi. But I don't see why you couldn't acess the box from the sides on a rear opening box...after you open from the rear?

You can access from the side. The struts that hold the top up are pretty far forward.

 

[Muleski]

As posted above, My family are long time users. This may be helpful.

As Phil has noted, the 115 has long been used by many race and retail reps in the business, as it is cavernous. We had one at one point, on the roof of a Suburban, and we ended up giving it to our son’s school. Too big for our needs.

We settled on the 90. We’ve used that size on a variety of cars, and SUV’s. Our son has one that is often on the roof of the Leer cap on his Tacoma. Has been for 10+ years. His GF has one on a BMW wagon. Daughter had one on an Outback XT.

If you lay the skis on their sides, and load them alternating tips and tails forward, and do it in two “layers” {I use a piece of carpet between them}, you can load more skis than any average family will use on a trip. I think my record...without removing any bindings, was six pairs of speed skis, four pairs of 190ish GS skis, a couple of pairs of fat skis, and four pairs of 165cm SL. Plus about 6 pairs of poles. 16 pairs of skis.

A lot of discussion about weight. Has NEVER been an issue for us. Like every other vehicle, I think owners manuals for all of ours, and perhaps the paperwork with various Yakima crossbars and “feet” all caution a load over 150 lbs. Do the math on the load above, plus the box. All heavy race skis. That trip was Jackson Hole to Boston. With one stop, so “pretty quick” driving. No issues.

As far as side loading, it’s easy. Depending on your vehicle, you may need to open the box {at the rear} with your hatch closed, then open the hatch and access the box from the sides. Our kids have small folding step stools to get in and out and stay clean from road dirt. We have one and rarely use it. Our box is most often on our LandCruiser, and that has a tailgate. So I open the hatch, drop the tailgate, drop the hatch, hop up on the tailgate and open the box. And do all loading and unloading from there.

My brother has one mounted on an F250 with a cap on the back. Truck has some lift to it. He uses the same process. Has one mounted on a GMC Suburban, and uses a hitch mounted step.

But....headline....they are very easy to load/unload from the side, once the box is open. And easy to close and latch the latches from the side, too.

I have ZERO affiliation with the company. Just a big fan of products that actually work, are well built and LAST. This is one. I should try to get a pic of our oldest one. Some fading of the black gel coat, bit otherwise looks new. Close to 20 years old.

Highly recommend.

 

[mdf]

A lot of discussion about weight. Has NEVER been an issue for us. Like every other vehicle, I think owners manuals for all of ours, and perhaps the paperwork with various Yakima crossbars and “feet” all caution a load over 150 lbs. Do the math on the load above, plus the box. All heavy race skis. That trip was Jackson Hole to Boston. With one stop, so “pretty quick” driving. No issues.

Hey, I overload boxes too, but realistically the limit has to be for crash loads, not driving.
But if I'm in a bad enough accident to tear the box off, that is probably the least of my troubles.